Advice on Wheel Chair Accessible Hawaii excursions

[karinvt]

I am trying to help my mobility limited in laws plan their Hawaii cruise and I seem to be having a hard time coming up with things they can do. Both use electric wheelchairs and cannot walk more than 10 steps. Suggestions please!!!

[Essiesmom]

Putting 'tours in Hawaii' in the search on this forum brought up some threads:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=56713301

[Euby]

I tried to use your link but nothing came up.

[Essiesmom]

Trying again

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=57022027

[xxoocruiser]

I am trying to help my mobility limited in laws plan their Hawaii cruise and I seem to be having a hard time coming up with things they can do. Both use electric wheelchairs and cannot walk more than 10 steps. Suggestions please!!!

 

Try this link : http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=57025120

 

Important : you will have to sift through the posts to see which may apply to your specific question as the search pulls up any thread that contains "HAWAII"

[Going Coastal]

I don't know if it would work for them, but we find the easiest for us is to tent a car on each island and drive ourselves around to what we want to see.

[Going Coastal]

PS

There are cars for rent with hand controls.

[keep on cruising]

Since they use electric wheelchairs, they would need a vehicle with a ramp or lift and that could hold two chairs.

 

Have you looked into wheelchair accessible ship excursions?

 

You didn't mention what line they are on, but we have found wheelchair accessible excursions in Kauii, Oahu and Hilo. Maui also shows one or two excursions but that has been a tender port for us, so my husband cannot get off the ship.

[Going Coastal]

Ramps are also available but these vehicles go fast because there aren't as many of them, so reserve early.

 

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk

[Splinter]

I would strongly recommend taking manual wheelchairs as well, and using these for shore trips. That way you can rent a car and put the wheelchairs in the trunk. Lift equipped bus or van excursions are very difficult to find. Also keep in mind that you can generally not take a power wheelchair on tenders, even if the person can walk onto the tender themselves (and if they cannot, they usually will not be allowed on a tender at all).

 

I am assuming they are traveling with some able bodied companions who can push a manual wheelchair for them??

 

In Honolulu we did take the power wheelchair on the Bus, which was a pretty easy way to get around, but I don't think there is room for 2 power wheelchairs on any of the buses we were on.

[karinvt]

Since they use electric wheelchairs, they would need a vehicle with a ramp or lift and that could hold two chairs.

 

Have you looked into wheelchair accessible ship excursions?

 

You didn't mention what line they are on, but we have found wheelchair accessible excursions in Kauii, Oahu and Hilo. Maui also shows one or two excursions but that has been a tender port for us, so my husband cannot get off the ship.

 

Sorry, they are going on Carnival. I looked at the excursions but nothing specifies handicap accessible. They have activity levels but last time we based it off of that it did not work out.

[karinvt]

I would strongly recommend taking manual wheelchairs as well, and using these for shore trips. That way you can rent a car and put the wheelchairs in the trunk. Lift equipped bus or van excursions are very difficult to find. Also keep in mind that you can generally not take a power wheelchair on tenders, even if the person can walk onto the tender themselves (and if they cannot, they usually will not be allowed on a tender at all).

 

I am assuming they are traveling with some able bodied companions who can push a manual wheelchair for them??

 

In Honolulu we did take the power wheelchair on the Bus, which was a pretty easy way to get around, but I don't think there is room for 2 power wheelchairs on any of the buses we were on.

 

There son was suppose to be going with them it looks like his Navy leave is getting canceled. They have their hearts set on going. Right now I am trying to find a way for them to being able to go and still enjoy themselves. Neither of them are allowed to drive anymore so that complicates things too.

[Going Coastal]

They are lucky to have you working on this for them. Have you tried a plain old google search for accessible tours of Oahu?

Wishing you, and them, much luck.