Disabled ?s for Alaska Cruise

[alwalaska]

We are looking at a June 2006 Alaska Cruise. My mother is not wheelchair bound, but will be using one as needed. She has an extremely difficult time with stairs and standing/walking for extended periods of time. We are currently booked on Carnival in what looks like a wonderful handicapped accessible room (she needs the shower without the lip) but we may be changing to Princess because of other family concerns. I have several questions.

 

1) Is there a way we can arrange for a wheelchair when we get to Vancouver to help us get her out of the terminal. I am worried that by that point in our vacation she will have well over extended herself.

2) We are planning on taking the train from Anchorage to Whittier. Does anyone know of a way to get a wheelchair to get from the train depot to the ship. We are not planning on using the cruise transfer, but we plan to do it ourselves. I do have the web site for the train.

3) Can anyone explain to me about how the tenders work? Some ships have to tender in Ketchikan and we are having a hard time getting a straight answer about which ones. Since she can walk, will she be able to go ashore if there is a tender? She can take stairs (with difficulty when she has help) but definately not if it is steep.

4) We are planning on getting a wheel chair from the same company we will be getting my father's oxygen machine from and using it for the land portion and possibly the sea portion depending on the cruise line and other issues. Does anyone have a good company to recommend?

5) There will be plenty of us to help her. We are planning on a fold up regular wheelchair for the land portion since we will be in a motor home that will be tight quarters. Should this be fine for the cruise or should we look at a scooter for the cruise portion?

 

This in only our second cruise and it is my parent's first, so I am sorry if some of these questions sound to obvious.

 

Thanks.

[debkjw]

You picked a good ship for people with limited mobility. I went in princess diamond with hubby with folding w/c and that boat is not for w/c. It had steep ramps to get in main theater and only 1 person could sit with the person in the chair. so meant that for movies, shows and lectures only 1 person could sit with w/c person. Really disappointed me and our party.

so much we will never take that ship again for a mobility impaired person. There was no zero entry to the theater all had to take steps or the steep ramp.

Ports at alaska that the boats dock at are the best i have seen for w/cs. sidewalks have cutouts for the chairs. Most docks are right off the boat are level and and you are very close to the shops and dont need taxis to get to shopping. We brought our own folding w/c with us on our flight and for the boat and off for tours. Had no problems the cruise boat staff are very helpful helping people off boat and on.

WE never took the land tour on rail so cant help you there. And did not need oxygen so not much help there. But the cruise to alaska in general is great for wheelchairs. I have been all over caribean and alaska beats all for ports for the mobility impaired. :)

[DEL67]

In response to your questions.

 

1) Is there a way we can arrange for a wheelchair when we get to Vancouver to help us get her out of the terminal. I am worried that by that point in our vacation she will have well over extended herself.

 

Do you mean the cruise terminal or the airport terminal? Regardless, make sure that the cruise line or airline knows what you need. Carnival usually has paseengers with mobility problems gather in a lounge prior to disembarking and provide wheelchairs or other assitance as needed. When flying I always let the airline know our needs when I make reservations, tell them again when we check in and inform the cabin attendant when we board.

 

2) We are planning on taking the train from Anchorage to Whittier. Does anyone know of a way to get a wheelchair to get from the train depot to the ship. We are not planning on using the cruise transfer, but we plan to do it ourselves. I do have the web site for the train.

 

???? I would contact them. See if the website has a contact number or email.

3) Can anyone explain to me about how the tenders work? Some ships have to tender in Ketchikan and we are having a hard time getting a straight answer about which ones. Since she can walk, will she be able to go ashore if there is a tender? She can take stairs (with difficulty when she has help) but definately not if it is steep.

 

Yes, she should be able to go ashore, especially if she can walk. Most cruiselines will even carry passengers in manual chairs down the steps. Just be VERY careful if the water is rough!

 

4) We are planning on getting a wheel chair from the same company we will be getting my father's oxygen machine from and using it for the land portion and possibly the sea portion depending on the cruise line and other issues. Does anyone have a good company to recommend?

 

CareVacations. Great service and they supply both wheelchairs and oxygen.

 

5) There will be plenty of us to help her. We are planning on a fold up regular wheelchair for the land portion since we will be in a motor home that will be tight quarters. Should this be fine for the cruise or should we look at a scooter for the cruise portion?

 

We take both my husband's powerchair and manual chair. The power chair gives him independence aboard ship and the manual chair provides flexibility ashore.

[judyfssw]

Last year, my sister and I took our mom on an Alaskan cruise with Celebrity. Mom is on O2 and needs either a w/c or scooter to get around. We used Care Vacations.com for all of her needs. O2 is expensive but you can't go on a plane with your own tanks and you must make arrangements with a company to supply the tanks/concentrator on the ship. We had a smaller scooter delivered but Mom, for some reason, did not feel right on this scooter (probably should have gotten a full size one for her) so we used the wheelchair that we also rented most of the time.

Tendering on Celebrity was not a problem. Men from the ship carried her up and down the stairs in the w/c and made sure that she was comfortable on the tender. The Celebrity people were just wonderful to her and us.

My husband had a stroke over 5 years ago and is right side affected. I always bring his w/c with us and rent a scooter for him while on the ship. It works out just great. Again, Care Vacations for all of your needs and Scootaround for w/c and/or scooters. I should mention that my husband and I will be going to Alaska in July and I don't anticipate any problems.

I would also check with the Cruise Line and let them know that you will be traveling with a disabled person. You may need a letter from their doctor but, that's no big deal, I'm sure.

[PiperMcB]

No answer--just another question to the OP...I am looking at booking a HC room for a cruise in July on the Spirit. I can't find what symbol stands for the HC rooms on the deck plans. What room will you be in--or can anyone help me? I'd like to book a 7a if there is a room available.

 

Thanks

[DEL67]

Piper:

 

Carnival no longer indicates handicap cabins on their deck plans so if you are talking about the Carnival Spirit, the best thing to do is to speak to Carnival directly or go through your TA. However, as a start, I have an orginal deck plan for the Spirit. Essentially, except for four inside cabins at the front of the ship, all the handicap cabins are 3/4 of the way to the rear of the ship and most are positioned parallel to the ship's sides. Unless they have changed the cabin numbers (they have changed the categories), the handicap cabins are: 4202, 4203, 4205, 4207, 5245, 5238, 6101, 6102, 6234, 6281, 7101, 7102, 7260, 7303, 8234 and 8239.

 

If you are talking about the NCL Spirit, there are just 4 inside handicap cabins, indicated by a square. They are near the rear of the ship, two outside the children's area and two on the deck above.

[alwalaska]

No answer--just another question to the OP...I am looking at booking a HC room for a cruise in July on the Spirit. I can't find what symbol stands for the HC rooms on the deck plans. What room will you be in--or can anyone help me? I'd like to book a 7a if there is a room available.

 

Thanks

 

DEL67 seemed to give you all the room numbers, but I thought I would let you know that I believe 5238 is handicapped and it is a cat. 7A and is on the correct side for a Southbound cruise. We tried to book this a little over a week after the Alaska pricing came out and it was already booked. We did get 6234 ib teg Empress deck and it has an incredible balcony. It is definately a handicapped room. There are pictures of the balcony out on Webshots. If you are going Northbound, you will want the other side of the ship.

 

We have not been on this ship, but I have been doing a lot of research. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

 

You can also search on the board for cabin selections on 6234 and some additional information should come up.

 

Good luck.

[Texasbob]

There are wheelchair accessible taxis in Vancouver (actually, in all of Canada) which can take you to the dock.

 

Alaska is very wheelchair friendly. The biggest problem will be whether your ship docks or is tendered. Give it a try. You only live once. . . .