Rolling wheelchair into suite

[Aqua's Mom]

I'm not sure if this is the correct place to post, but here I go:

We are planning an Alaska cruise on the Amsterdam in July, 2018. I will be using my travel electric wheelchair most of the time, a walker if I feel really good.

I am looking at Neptune suites, either regular or "accessible". Are there step ups or humps entering the regular suite? I need to drive my wheelchair in easily. Any other problem you can foresee if I don't go with the accessible? Thanks to all of you

[LadyVol1]

I stayed with my dad in an accessible Neptune suite on the Amsterdam. He used his manual wheelchair, rented scooter and his rolling walker depending upon the circumstance. He needed the accessible suite because he was not able to step up into the bathroom or over the threshold onto the balcony. Also, he would not have been able to step into the tub to take a shower. The accessible Neptune suite on the Amsterdam had a roll-in shower, a slight ramp to and from the balcony and no step up into the bathroom. If you use a motorized wheelchair and/or a walker, I highly suggest you get the accessible Neptune suite.

 

By the way, I have had accessible suites on Regent, Celebrity and Holland America. I find that the accessible SkySuites on Celebrity's Eclipse and that class of Celebrity ship are the best ADA suites at sea!

[Lizzie68]

You should be fine. We typically sail in regular balcony to Neptune suites and DH gets through the doorways with a little extra push. We don't book handicap cabins.

 

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[ansjefitnes]

The Amsterdam has 6 Neptune Suites with shower only. We always use them on the Rotterdam, they do have a step into the bathroom and a 2 inch step into the shower. Entrance to the suite is flat. There is no ramp to the balcony. We also request a shower chair for the bathroom.

Hope this helps a bit.

[RuthC]

You need to measure your wheelchair at its widest point. Then, you need to confirm with HAL the width of the doorway, and the short corridor leading in to the main part of the non-accessible suite, to be sure you have clearance.

Some of those entrances can get pretty narrow for mobility equipment. On some ships I have not been able to get into a non-accessible suite on a scooter.

 

Another thing to consider is the storage space in a non-accessible suite. I believe the Amsterdam would have sufficient area (based on my memory of a visit to one many years ago), but I would ask the folks at HAL compliance about that, too.

 

Accessible suites have none of these barriers.

[unclerich]

Here's the number for HAL:

 

Accessible Cruising

Phone: 1-800‐547‐8493 or 206‐281‐3535 (ext. 4514)

 

There's also this special board on cruisecritic for 'disabled cruising'

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190

 

 

For my money, I'd take Ruth C's word over most anybody in Seattle! :)