New Zealand accessibility, shore tours etc for electric w/c user

[mattandkelly]

Hi,

 

we are cruising from Sydney to New Zealand on Radiance of the Seas in November. Would appreciate any information anyone could provide on accessibility in NZ, accessible shore tours, attractions, transport from port to town etc. DH is quadriplegic, full time electric wheelchair user and cant self transfer. We know he wont be able to go ashore at any of the tender ports but we are keen to see what is available. Our ports are Dunedin, Akaroa, Wellington, Tauranga, Bay of Islands and Auckland.

 

Cheers

 

Kelly

[cjm66]

Hi,

 

we are cruising from Sydney to New Zealand on Radiance of the Seas in November. Would appreciate any information anyone could provide on accessibility in NZ, accessible shore tours, attractions, transport from port to town etc. DH is quadriplegic, full time electric wheelchair user and cant self transfer. We know he wont be able to go ashore at any of the tender ports but we are keen to see what is available. Our ports are Dunedin, Akaroa, Wellington, Tauranga, Bay of Islands and Auckland.

 

Cheers

 

Kelly

 

We have cruised three times to New Zealand with an electric mobility scooter. Harry can self transfer so we do the tender ports as well. We found one accessible tour provider in Napier but otherwise looked for independent excursions.

 

Auckland is a walk on walk off (or roll on roll off) port with the terminal right on the harbour and used only for cruise ships. The Harbour Area is worth walking around and the Sky Tower is accessible with the usual route through the basement to by pass the escalator section. There is a reliable taxi service but calling wheelchair taxis is not quick and easy.

 

Wellington requires a shuttle from the commercial wharf where you dock into the centre of town. Accessible buses with the usual white and blue sign are assigned to the shuttle run and we usually go to the head of the queue and ask to be seated in the first accessible shuttle bus that comes along. No one has ever objected. We do the same in Reverse. The Te Papa Museum in Welllington is fully accessible, well worth a visit and within walking distance - level and along an attractive harbour foreshore - take the short route back! The cable car is also accessible and you can get more information about this from their web site.

 

Dunedin - Shuttle advice as for Wellington. The CBD attractions - Speights, Cadbury's are not accessible. You may be able to do the Taieri Gorge train ride - they do have an accessible car with a wheelchair lift. If you email them they will advise you if it will be suitable. Tell them you are on a cruise ship because the train you go on with the ship's excursion leaves directly from the wharf and you do not need to use the shuttle. We really enjoyed the Taieri Gorge trip. Web Site

 

Tauranga - We usually hire a car because the scooter folds and fits into the boot. This allows us to get to the Thermal - volcanic area around Rotorua. You could try a local rental company for a fitted van. But - the thermal parks are not flat and some of the gradients are difficult for mobility aids and scooter users. Last visit we just mooched around Tauranga and thoroughly enjoyed the day. The wharf is a level walk from an attractive small town with shops, restaurants etc and a slightly longer walk to a long sandy beach with trendy (well beachside) cafes and an attraciive foreshore with level and accessible boardwalks and paths.

 

Ask follow up questions if you wish. I was trying not to be long winded or assume what you would be intyerested in.

 

Cheers Colleen

[Aquarians]

Hi,

 

we are cruising from Sydney to New Zealand on Radiance of the Seas in November. Would appreciate any information anyone could provide on accessibility in NZ, accessible shore tours, attractions, transport from port to town etc. DH is quadriplegic, full time electric wheelchair user and cant self transfer. We know he wont be able to go ashore at any of the tender ports but we are keen to see what is available. Our ports are Dunedin, Akaroa, Wellington, Tauranga, Bay of Islands and Auckland.

 

Cheers

 

Kelly

Kia ora,

CJM66 has given very good information. Legislation and public attitudes means access for disabled people is well catered for in NZ and, especially if advance notice is given you would be able to book a taxi with the appropriate equipment to handle an electric wheelchair in the cities you mention. Modern buildings and many older ones will have ramp access for wheelchairs. With regard to Rotorua's thermal areas, I think you would find that Te Puia would be quite 'doable' (see www.tepuia.com)

Aquarians

[rsquare]

[multiple post, sorry]

[rsquare]

I've been off the boards for a while and just saw your inquiry. My review of our similar cruise on HAL's Volendam last December (located here) has references to a number of organizations which were able to accomodate my wife's wheelchair, as well as a section on doing Sydney in a wheelchair. The caveat is that at that time my wife was able to transfer to a seat in a car or a van; only in Sydney did we use actual wheelchair vans which allowed her to stay in the chair.