Accessible tours in ports allowing only cruise-line tours?

[GRBlizz]

We just booked a Celebrity cruise for next March which goes to a number of Southern Caribbean islands that we have never visited before. My husband uses a power chair full time and cannot walk at all. None of the excursions offered by Celebrity allow wheelchair users.

 

We have cruised quite a bit pre-COVID, and we normally arrange for private tours in a modified vehicle. Things may change, but if the cruise were today, that option would not be available.

 

We can't be the first people to face this issue. Do cruise lines in general, and Celebrity in particular, have a solution for passengers who need accessible transportation in ports?

[RonPaula]

I’m running into this as well. We sail in January to the southern Caribbean and have found just one tour that I can use. Out of seven ports, only two are available without a ship tour. These are all new ports for us but it looks like we’ll be spending a lot of time on the ship, which isn’t all bad.

[GRBlizz]

3 hours ago, RonPaula said:

I’m running into this as well. We sail in January to the southern Caribbean and have found just one tour that I can use. Out of seven ports, only two are available without a ship tour. These are all new ports for us but it looks like we’ll be spending a lot of time on the ship, which isn’t all bad.

One thought I had - on some cruises, we have had the concierge arrange our "private excursion" by booking us an accessible vehicle and driver for the day. It may be that this counts as a ship excursion. I will ask Celebrity and report back.

[Bloodgem]

Have you emailed Celebrity about there accessible tour? The address is shorexaccess@celebrity.com 

 

When we cruise with RCI we have to email them to find out if there are any wheelchair friendly tours.

[FOPMan]

We just canceled a cruise because of accessibility and excursion concerns. 

[510picker]

In my experience, finding accessible excursion through the cruise line has been rare. Hopefully they will improve this in the future, but I don’t see it changing any time soon. 

[Kate5000]

I can walk short distances and some stairs. I've booked a couple of panoramic bus excursions on the Caribbean islands with Celebrity. Is there assistance in ports, to get from the ship to the place where excursion starts? I see that a pier can be long. I've seen some bicycle "rikshaws" on the video who give a ride on the pier. Is it something I can arrange with Celebrity or 3rd party vendor?