Sapphire beach and disability

[ljzelenz]

Hello,

 

I will be traveling on the Allure in April with my husband and two young children. I have a brittle bone disease and have limited mobility. I will be bringing my wheelchair along.

 

I need to know first what type of transportation that I can expect at the port. How long is the ride to Sapphire? Will the ride be bumpy , etc?

How safe is the transportation with children?

 

Also will I be able to access the area with my wheelchair once we arrive at Sapphire? Any information is greatly appreciated!

 

Thank you!

[Ms411]

Magens is the more accessible beach, and they even have beach wheelchairs.

 

There may be more than one type of vehicle at the dock, but the dispatch should be able to get an appropriate vehicle for you if one is not there waiting. Not all of the vehicles can accommodate a wheelchair.

 

Most of the vehicles also don't have car seats for the kiddies. That's a big issue here, but again, the dispatcher should be able to help you find a vehicle.

 

The ride to Sapphire is approx 30 minutes, and there are winding roads and some hills, but there are stretches of straight road.

[blue_water]

At Sapphire itself there is a walkway out of the lobby and onto the beach, and you can enjoy beautiful views of the water and other islands from that vantage point. Past that you will be in the sand. So unless you require a more "developed" beach area you should be fine here. Magens may be a better option if you are looking for more "comfort" or ease of movement that what Sapphire offers, but Sapphire is a gorgeous spot to enjoy the day and there are shaded areas along the beach. You can also take the sidewalk through the resort area and head for the Sapphire Marina and watch the boats come and go...

[ljzelenz]

Thanks for your support. I think we will be able to make it work. Do you all know what types of transportation are available at the port ? Will they have anything for the wheelchair ? I can also transfer into a car but a bus, etc may be an issue ?

 

Also, How far is the ride to Sapphire ?

 

Thanks so much,

[blue_water]

Open-sided safari-type trucks are the primary vehicle, there are also vans and sedans. I don't have any experience with taxis, I'm sorry. You could hire a tour guide to take you privately, the cost is not really that bad, and there are several recommended on TA. We used one during one visit and we paid $50/couple for about 6 hrs.

25 - 30 min ride to Sapphire, may be longer if you taxi to Coki then Sapphire.

[marys350]

Hi ljzelenz,

 

I have read posts on the St. Thomas Ports of Call board about Henry's EEE Tours in St. Thomas that stated that his van is handicapped accessible, so that he can transport up to 2 wheelchairs on his tours in addition to other passengers. I just used the search feature for the St. Thomas port and found the thread that I had read recently about Henry's EEE Tours. The original poster is listed as "erlichpuppy" and the last post on the thread was by "Sgt. Jeff" in January, 2012. Although I have never gone on one of Henry's tours, there were some posts by people who have used his service. Maybe someone who has recently used this tour company can give you some more feedback.

 

Henry's EEE Tours website is: eeetours.com

 

I was able to find it by doing a google search.

 

Have a great cruise,

Mary