Yikes! Time to cruise and my wife is injured.

[pawzz51]

My wife and I are cruising in 12 days on a ten day Alaska cruise on board the Norwegian Pearl. Yesterday she badly hurt her knee and her biggest concern is not her knee... It's our cruise. She will be able to travel but the obstacles in front of us are intimidating. She will have to use a walker the whole time, use a lot of ice bags for swelling and for the most part , stay off of it. I'm worried about everything. Getting through the cruise terminal lines, getting on/off the ship and which excursions should we cancel. Any advice, experience or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. We are normally very active 60 yr olds, new to this kind of situation. Also does anyone know if she will be able to tender in Icy Strait? And what's the best way to handle going to the muster drill?

 

Thanks so much in advance of any helpful advice.

 

P.S. She is very stubborn and resistant to using a wheel chair! Grrrrrrrr

[sherilyn70]

This might be better answers in the disabled forum here on CC.

 

How well can she walk without the walker and can she handle steps? Those are going to be the biggest things to consider with excursions.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[pawzz51]

This might be better answers in the disabled forum here on CC.

 

How well can she walk without the walker and can she handle steps? Those are going to be the biggest things to consider with excursions.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

My wife can take a few steps without the walker and should be okay moving around our cabin. She will be spending a lot of time on the balcony with her leg elevated and iced. Luckily, the scenery in Alaska is worth watching. I just don't know about our excursions and her ability to tender safely. Also a concern is the embarkation/debarkation process. Thanks for your reply. I'm hoping to get some good ideas from those that know.

[sherilyn70]

I plan on using a walker for tendering in June. I have never tendered before so I do not know how difficult it will be but I'm sure I can do it with some assistance. I'm sure the condition of the seas will also impact it. I have to use a scooter for longer distances. I can handle some stairs and very short distances of walking.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[Talisker92]

I hope you bought trip insurance. My wife broke her foot a week before we were to go on a 30 day cruise. We cancelled the cruise because my wife would have been unable to participate in most of the shore excursions.

Trip insurance repaid our cruise cost.

P.S. She healed completely, and we took the cruise a year later.

[elhenry]

So sorry to hear about your DW's injury!

 

I have cruised on NCL with my parents when they were in wheelchairs/walkers. That said, I have not cruised Alaska, and I don't know if some of your questions are better suited for the Alaska forum (I don't know where you were asked to move from).

 

Embarkation is easier with a wheelchair at least, as on my Bahamas/Hawaii cruises on NCL (and on all other lines), there is usually a handicapped line.

Even when my parents used walkers we would get the wheelchairs available at the port to check in. The cruise line should have wheelchairs available (with staff members) to get you on the ship. (by the time we sailed NCL, the parents had their own, but earlier on other lines we used their chairs.) Your DW should give up on her pride at least for embarkation/disembarkation, those lines can be long. Tip the wheelchair pusher!

 

Muster drills are inside nowadays. We were allowed to use the elevators rather than walk since the parents were visibly limited in mobility. We also stayed in the back of the auditorium rather than go to the front where our "numbers" were.

 

The ship itself is usually handicap friendly, as cruising is designed for all ages; no worries there. Tendering is another issue. I can't imagine tendering in a walker, and the ship reserves the right to refuse pax access to the tender if they think it is unsafe. For other ship excursions, contact the ship to see if the bus is handicap accessible (even in the US, not all are, in Hawaii we had to change our bus).

 

happy crusing,

 

el henry

[rascalrider]

Strongly suggest that she rent or borrow a wheelchair if her knee has not healed by cruise date. Too much stress on it will prolong the healing process. Nothing says that she needs to use it 100% of the time, but the distance from one end of the ship to the other can be daunting, especially with a painful knee. Also, some ports have considerable walking to get to the tour buses. There is no stigma to using a wheelchair. It is simply a tool to make ones life easier. Just as eye glasses are a tool to help one see more clearly. If she swallows her pride and coddles that knee she will have more stamina to climb onto the excursion bus. Most likely the wheelchair or walker can be stowed under the bus, but you should check with the shore excursion staff.

Whatever she decides, I hope her knee heals quickly and you both have a wonderful cruise.

[rbrugler]

I highly recommend using a wheelchair for embarkation and debarkation as has already been suggested. The ramps are long and steep. There will be crew members to assist.

 

The tour buses have high steps. Can she maneuver them? Go to the Port board and see if any private companies are recommended. These companies usually use vans rather than high buses.

 

Tender boats can be very tricky. There are oftentimes steps down into them. You will need to contact the shore excursions office now to find out if there will be problems.

 

I know you said that she does not like the idea of using a wheelchair, but pride goeth before a fall, literally in this case. You cannot rent a chair once on board. The two of you need to talk about this now! Special Needs at Sea or Carevacations are the companies most cruise lines use. The ship is the length of three football fields. That is a long way!!!

 

Good luck, and I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

Edited April 27, 2014 by rbrugler

[cotatica]

Get a wheelchair not a transport chair. She can move herself in a wheelchair but not a transport. She can carry her walker folded as she sits in the wheelchair or better yet you push the walker. Great for putting carryon bags on!

 

When you get to the port to check in as soon as they see the wheelchair they will direct you to a special line. If you need help pushing her with all your "stuff" ask for a pusher. Be sure to tip him.

 

As for the tender they will help her on if she can get on by herself. They will put the walker on for her.

 

I wish you well.

[vickila]

I would recommend renting a scooter from whomever Norwegian allows. Call their Access Department.

 

Excursions in wheelchair or scooter that are w/c friendly are ORCA. A private whaling boat in Juneau. ,call.,,in Skagway there is a train ride which has a lift. Must be booked ahead. Also Mendahall Glacier has facilities. Research now. Scenery from ship is not seeing Alaska. Vicki

[SadieN]

We tendered into ISP with a fellow who broke both his feet several weeks apart. He was in a transport chair.

This was on HAL.

[Knolmom]

Your wife really needs to make arrangements to have a rented wheelchair in the cabin for use on the trip. It will make it so much easier to elevate her leg and ice her knee while being able to kep the other leg on the ground. I had a very serious fall and cruised in a wheelchair just 2 months after. You can get wheelchair assistance to and from your cabin from the luggage drop off point, but you cant keep that wheelchair on the ship. The cost for a rented wheelchair9 not a transport chair0 is nominal and it will keep her very comfortable both on and off the ship. Special Needs at Sea provides wheelchair service for the Alaska Cruises on all lines. There is another company that does so also. Enjoy the cruise.

[pawzz51]

Thank you to everyone who replied to my request for info and help in making cruise decisions now that my wife is injured.

The orthopedic surgeon has recommended that we do not travel at this time, so we will re-schedule for late in this Alaska season.

What I did come away with from all your responses, is that if this injury situation was permanent , we would go anyway. It sounds like where there is a Will, there's a way. Congrats to all those that don't let a mobility situation stop you from seeing our beautiful world and having fun.

Fortunately, my wife's situation appears to be temporary, so we will get it fixed, rehab and then REALLY enjoy our next cruise and never take our mobility for granted.

Thanks again!

[fleckle]

Deleted - comments no longer applicable.

Edited April 30, 2014 by fleckle
Just saw last previous post

[Caribbean Chris]

I'm really glad you aren't traveling at this point in her recovery. Ever since your original post, I kept wanting to suggest postponing due to concern that it was too soon and a bit dangerous, but thought it might sound overly cautious.

 

Enjoy it when you do go!

[elhenry]

Thank you to everyone who replied to my request for info and help in making cruise decisions now that my wife is injured.

The orthopedic surgeon has recommended that we do not travel at this time, so we will re-schedule for late in this Alaska season.

What I did come away with from all your responses, is that if this injury situation was permanent , we would go anyway. It sounds like where there is a Will, there's a way. Congrats to all those that don't let a mobility situation stop you from seeing our beautiful world and having fun.

Fortunately, my wife's situation appears to be temporary, so we will get it fixed, rehab and then REALLY enjoy our next cruise and never take our mobility for granted.

Thanks again!

 

Thanks for the update, and good luck with your DW's surgery/recovery.

 

The other point mentioned, which I had forgotten, is the steepness of the ramps. On our Canada/New England cruise, some of the ramps extended from Deck 5, and crew member assistance was definitely needed.

 

I will state however, that even when my parents were pretty much confined to wheelchairs for mobility, we always used transport chairs on a cruise. Much easier to tote around. Then again, there were three teenagers and four adults to push.:)

 

You are quite right that where there is a will, there's a way. Three years ago, my mother cruised with a broken arm that had not set and later required surgery; but she was bound and determined to take that cruise. Now that she's no longer with us, I'm sure glad we didn't stop her. But that decision is personal for everyone.

 

Happy cruising,

el henry

[Kellie Poodle]

My wife and I are cruising in 12 days on a ten day Alaska cruise on board the Norwegian Pearl. Yesterday she badly hurt her knee and her biggest concern is not her knee... It's our cruise. She will be able to travel but the obstacles in front of us are intimidating. She will have to use a walker the whole time, use a lot of ice bags for swelling and for the most part , stay off of it. I'm worried about everything. Getting through the cruise terminal lines, getting on/off the ship and which excursions should we cancel. Any advice, experience or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. We are normally very active 60 yr olds, new to this kind of situation. Also does anyone know if she will be able to tender in Icy Strait? And what's the best way to handle going to the muster drill?

 

Thanks so much in advance of any helpful advice.

 

P.S. She is very stubborn and resistant to using a wheel chair! Grrrrrrrr

 

Woman healing from a broken knee cap here.

 

Does she have her leg in an immobilizer? Can she put any pressure on the foot with the injured knee?

 

If she can't and has to hop behind a walker as I did for 6 weeks, I don't think she can tender.

 

The cruise line should provide a wheel chair for boarding in the terminal. You might need to call them in advance. I'm not familiar with NCL's policies. I know for RCI and Celebrity, we file special needs forms requesting the wheel chair.

 

You might also want to call the cruise line and get the name and number of their wheel chair rental companies and rent a chair on board just to get around easier. I could not imagine myself and my walker getting around a large ship and I am now able to put some pressure on my injured leg.

 

I'm very stubborn, too, but I found that I can do things in the wheel chair, like move something from one place to another, that I can't do with both hands on a walker.

 

The baskets for walkers are not helpful as they make the walker harder to use.

[CaptData]

Hi I use canes and scooters. Since everyone chimed in about getting a wheelchair at the port for embarkation/disembarkation do it. Disembarkation will be far easier if you use the wheelchair. All ships have an area for wheelchair users on disembarkation (less people there and less children to accidently bump your wife and hurt her again).

 

This is how it worked on Royal. When asked about your disembarkation go to the Front Desk and request wheelchair assistance. They will ensure you get the form to tell you where to meet for disembarkation. Go there with your wife and check=in there. They will ensure she has a wheelchair and assist you with going thought customs and all the way to the curb. Tip this person and if you use a porter to tip him/her as well.

 

I would suggest that if you go on walking tours, if she is having trouble part way through ask where she can meet everyone and sit out that part of it. I have done this in the past when it involvement over 80 stairs on one part of the tour. They left me alone and I took a bunch of pics from the view pt where they left me. There were lots of people around the area but I was on my own for about 30 mins.

Edited May 5, 2014 by CaptData