Wheel chair rental

[luvn2cruzzz]

I may need to use a wheel chair while on board the ship due to some tendon issues.  Can walk but not long distances and don't need a motorized scooter which I am aware you can rent but have never heard anything about wheel chairs.  Does any one have any first hand knowlege about this?  Thanks!

[MAVIP]

2 hours ago, luvn2cruzzz said:

I may need to use a wheel chair while on board the ship due to some tendon issues.  Can walk but not long distances and don't need a motorized scooter which I am aware you can rent but have never heard anything about wheel chairs.  Does any one have any first hand knowlege about this?  Thanks!

Husband needed one (5 yrs ago…..). They have wheel chairs for urgent cases. Rent is the same for a few days as whole cruise (if I remember well). But I understood that you can reserve a wheel chair in advance. In that case you can be sure that one is available. Ask your TA or HAL. Maybe you have to send a Special Needs Request (see file).

HAL Engels SRI.doc

[DaveOKC]

You should make  arrangements ahead of time with the vendor that HAL uses.  Once we had an issue the evening before the cruise and had to rent one at the pier - it was quite a hassle, but we were finally able to get it done thanks to a great HAL land crew lady.  

[VennDiagram]

We have rented when  necessary. I think the place was called Special Needs at Sea.

 

The WC was waiting in the cabin when we boarded. 

[luvn2cruzzz]

Thank you all for your suggestions!

[Traveling Dot]

If you don't need it all the time I would suggest that you buy a travel wheelchair and bring it with you.  It is a lot cheaper then renting one.  I rented one on the first cruise when my husband needed it and then after that I bought a cheap travel wheelchair for all of our cruises after that.

[Mary229]

There are some locales where rental is not available.  On a cruise to Greece last year it was not.  I ended up buying a lightweight wheelchair from Walmart for $125.  My mother was pleased and it did just fine over the cobble stones and elsewhere. She still uses it, it was remarkably sturdy.  Call the airlines ahead of time and you will get escorts throughout the airport and your chair will either be stowed in the cabin or in baggage at no cost 

[T8NCruise]

On 8/31/2019 at 11:35 AM, luvn2cruzzz said:

I may need to use a wheel chair while on board the ship due to some tendon issues.  Can walk but not long distances and don't need a motorized scooter which I am aware you can rent but have never heard anything about wheel chairs.  Does any one have any first hand knowlege about this?  Thanks!

 

We have always rented a wheelchair from Special Needs at Sea, and you can opt to pick it up at the port where this is an option, or have it delivered to your cabin.  We also request wheelchair embarkation.  Please note that if you bring your own wheelchair (or pick one up at the port kiosk), you will have to either wait your turn until after all the others needing wheelchair embarkation with HAL's wheelchairs, or have your companion push you onboard (I have had to do this twice).   At the end of the cruise, you simply leave the wheelchair in your cabin.   My preference is to order a wheelchair delivered to the cabin, and to use HAL's wheelchair for embarkation.

 

From HAL's Know Before You Go:
Contact Access & Compliance Department and to submit a Special Requirements Information (SRI) Form well in advance of the departure of their cruise and/or Land+Sea Journey. We recommend submitting an SRI upon booking or a minimum of 45 days prior to departure.

 

Special Needs at Sea link:  https://www.specialneedsatsea.com/reserve-equipment/

 

Hope that helps.

 

 

[Serious Cruisers]

however if you have your own 'transport chair' you do not have to leave it in your cabin and somehow manage to get to the meeting place for HAL chairs and they cannot be taken any further than a certain point of the terminal in some ports (customs issues for crew)

 

We also put in in a taxi when going to town its awesome!!

[3rdGenCunarder]

If you don't want to get your own wheelchair, definitely contact HAL Special Needs to request a wheelchair at the terminal. Your rental one will be in your cabin, not on the pier.

 

DH needed help in the terminal because of the long time standing in lines. At Port Everglades, the airport wheelchair and pusher stayed with us until we got to the area where passengers waited to board. DH moved to a seat so that the chair and pusher could return to the entrance to collect another passenger. When boarding commenced, HAL staff came out with wheelchairs to push people to their cabins. So it was a 2-stage process. 

 

[luvn2cruzzz]

I have submitted the form to HAL and since it is a transatlantic, I am wondering if that will be at all possible since we are not returning to the departure port.  I guess I will find out!  If not, thanks for the Walmart suggestion.  Would never have thought to look there.

[dog]

scootaround---google it.

 

Delivers to cabin, picks it up. Very reasonable $75/week in USA.

 

For your cruise you will have to phone them re: return to a different port.

 

The cruiseline does not arrange this weekly rental.

 

For embarking, disembarking the cruiseline will arrange for assisance if you fill in request form

Edited September 3, 2019 by dog