Advice on how to handle an elderly parent with a temporary mobility issue

[trafaelwyr]

Hello fellow cruisers!

 

My topic title might be a bit clunky, but here's the story.  A week ago, my 82 year old mother tripped over her own feet (yes, I'm not kidding) in her house and luckily she fell on to the carpet in the den.  The bad news is that she sprained her left ankle (it's getting better now), but she fractured her right knee (an east to west break).  She has her right leg in a leg brace at the moment to help with the healing process and will have to have it on right up to 9/11 which is the date of our sailing out of Galveston on LotS.  I'm wondering about a couple of things and I hope some of you here can provide answers, opinions, etc:

 

1.  If she got some sort of electric scooter type thing that she could sit in to get about, would this be allowed on the boat?  If not, what is acceptable for someone with limited mobility?

 

2. When it comes to embarkation, will she get some sort of priority boarding or....?  Same goes for disembarkation.

 

If there's anything else you can impart about this current situation she's dealing with, please let me know.  Thank you in advance!

[cruisegirl1]

Many with mobility issue use an electric   scooter.  If she is not used to "driving" one, it would be good idea to get it a few days prior to the cruise for practice.  

 

I don't know embarkation priority in Galveston.  Recently in Port Canaveral, there did not seem to be any priority for those in scooters, wheelchairs etc.  Boarding was in order  of  suite/Pinnacle, various C&A levels, Key  in there somewhere.  I didn't hear any announcement for priority boarding for  those with mobility issues.

 

Best wishes for a speedy recovery. 

m

 

[topnole]

32 minutes ago, trafaelwyr said:

Hello fellow cruisers!

 

My topic title might be a bit clunky, but here's the story.  A week ago, my 82 year old mother tripped over her own feet (yes, I'm not kidding) in her house and luckily she fell on to the carpet in the den.  The bad news is that she sprained her left ankle (it's getting better now), but she fractured her right knee (an east to west break).  She has her right leg in a leg brace at the moment to help with the healing process and will have to have it on right up to 9/11 which is the date of our sailing out of Galveston on LotS.  I'm wondering about a couple of things and I hope some of you here can provide answers, opinions, etc:

 

1.  If she got some sort of electric scooter type thing that she could sit in to get about, would this be allowed on the boat?  If not, what is acceptable for someone with limited mobility?

 

2. When it comes to embarkation, will she get some sort of priority boarding or....?  Same goes for disembarkation.

 

If there's anything else you can impart about this current situation she's dealing with, please let me know.  Thank you in advance!

I have a family member who is 100% disabled and always uses a scooter (at home and on cruises).  I have never seen any priority boarding.  
 

Make sure her cabin will be suitable for a scooter if you decide to go that direction.   They need to be stored in the cabin when not in use and not all cabin configurations make that easy.  Others will know more on which ones work best and it might be possible to make change to a more desirable cabin configuration.  

If she has some mobility by then, a regular folding wheelchair might be a viable option too and that would obviously be easier for storage.  Obviously all of that depend on your situation.  

[Tee & Chilli]

If you’re not in an accessible cabin you can request a raised toilet seat and shower chair.

[flamingos]

I don't know about Galveston, but Canaveral has scooter rentals (ScootAround?) that I was able to pick up there in the terminal.  They expedited my security checks, and got me straight on to the ship along with the others in my party.  

 

In the dining room, make sure you speak to the desk ASAP to be able to get a table accessible to the aisle.  I was able to walk with a cane and a VERY strong-armed waiter assisted me the 10 steps to my seat every night, but you would want something easier to get to for her.  The waiter will then drive your scooter away to some nook, and return it when it's time to leave.

 

In the Windjammer, if no one comes up to help, just ask and you'll get someone to assist her with her plates and drinks.

 

Have a great cruise!

[HaveWeMetYet]

Sounds like it is time for her to reconsider traveling. 

Is there some place she can stay while you cruise?

[prmssk]

6 minutes ago, HaveWeMetYet said:

Sounds like it is time for her to reconsider traveling. 

Is there some place she can stay while you cruise?

Reconsider cruising because she might need a scooter?  Do you know how many people successfully use scooters on cruises and have a great vacation?  There are even companies that specialize in renting scooters for use on cruise ships.

[prmssk]

Call Royal's Access Department.  They will be able to answer all your questions about wheelchair assistance at the pier and direct you to a company where you can rent a scooter or wheelchair.  

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/experience/accessible-cruising/additional-assistance

[firefly333]

I'd be concerned with having a regular cabin if you rent a scooter. Remember you arent supposed to leave them in the hall. 

 

I use a travel chair with my mom but I have to push it. It folds up easily. I got a lightweight version.

[GJustice]

1 hour ago, trafaelwyr said:

Hello fellow cruisers!

 

My topic title might be a bit clunky, but here's the story.  A week ago, my 82 year old mother tripped over her own feet (yes, I'm not kidding) in her house and luckily she fell on to the carpet in the den.  The bad news is that she sprained her left ankle (it's getting better now), but she fractured her right knee (an east to west break).  She has her right leg in a leg brace at the moment to help with the healing process and will have to have it on right up to 9/11 which is the date of our sailing out of Galveston on LotS.  I'm wondering about a couple of things and I hope some of you here can provide answers, opinions, etc:

 

1.  If she got some sort of electric scooter type thing that she could sit in to get about, would this be allowed on the boat?  If not, what is acceptable for someone with limited mobility?

Absolutely, check ScootAround, they'll either have it in your stateroom or you can pick it up in the terminal. Leave it on the ship when you return or bring it back to the terminal. Works GREAT, and will fit in MOST standard rooms (We had a balcony last year and only had to move the coffee table out on the balcony to make room to park it in the cabin.) Could pull straight in/out and turn 180 inside the room.

1 hour ago, trafaelwyr said:

2. When it comes to embarkation, will she get some sort of priority boarding or....?  Same goes for disembarkation.

Let the folks know when you hit the door that you're using a scooter and you'll get first class treatment by the Galveston staff.

1 hour ago, trafaelwyr said:

If there's anything else you can impart about this current situation she's dealing with, please let me know.  Thank you in advance!

 

[GJustice]

1 minute ago, firefly333 said:

I'd be concerned with having a regular cabin if you rent a scooter. Remember you arent supposed to leave them in the hall. 

We used the "standard" ScootAround one last year and it fit fine in a standard room. I'm sure the scooter people and/or RCI access team will be able to help you.

[firefly333]

10 minutes ago, GJustice said:

We used the "standard" ScootAround one last year and it fit fine in a standard room. I'm sure the scooter people and/or RCI access team will be able to help you.

What ship is op on. And category. I would call and see if any hc cabins in my category if I was getting a scooter. I think rcl cabins on the smaller side, especially older ships. 

[twangster]

Cabins with the bed by the balcony and sofa closer to the cabin door work best.  When the desk is near the balcony and the bed is closer to the cabin door it can be very cramped or impossible trying to get a scooter into the cabin.

[Tee & Chilli]

@twangsteris correct. Here’s a pic of a Harmony Central Park view interior.

For comparison this is a three wheel go go scooter. 

 

Edited August 6, 2022 by Tee & Chilli

[kitkat343]

I don't have any experience with disabled cruising (yet) but have travelled with kids in strollers, so I would advise you if you want to tour in port, to consider private tours.  We had one in St. Petersburg, and our driver was able to take us to the entrance of the museums, while the big tour buses had to park further away.   It might be hard for your mom to get around, so if you are on a private tour you can control the itinerary and take breaks whenever she needs to rest.  This might not be necessary if you are just using the ship's tour to get to a beach and have only one time you need to navigate exiting the bus, but if you are touring multiple destinations I'd consider a private tour.

[soremekun]

I'm sorry to hear about your mom's fall.  I do congratulate her longevity.  I wish her good health and many more years.

[brillohead]

Some things to consider:
 

• A scooter rental from ScootAround or SpecialNeedsAtSea is absolutely doable!  (Click each name for link.) A regular scooter will fit in MOST regular rooms -- if you can tell us what ship and room number/category, we can help with that.
• How are you getting to the port -- driving or flying?  Are you going to be staying in a hotel overnight beforehand?   
• What ports are you going to and what are your intentions in port?  Different ports have different levels of accessibility.
• Is your mom going to need to be able to move herself around from place to place, or would you (or another able-bodied person) always going to be available to assist/push a wheelchair?
  
  
  A transport chair is a different type of wheelchair  (click for link) that is only pushed -- it doesn't have the big back wheels for the rider to be able to roll around by themselves.  Transport chairs can be purchased affordably online or locally, and can be resold via classifieds when no longer needed (or donated to charity). 
  
  Some people use a transport chair until they get on the ship, and then use the scooter on board, then use the transport chair to leave the ship at the end of the cruise. This way they have a way to get to/from the ship and around town before/after the cruise.  Transport chairs are much lighter and fold much flatter than a regular "big wheeled" wheelchair, so they are much easier to put into a trunk, etc. They also fold up out of the way / under the bed in a stateroom.
  
  If flying, you can take the transport chair all the way to the plane door (and if in first class, you can sometimes ride it all the way to your seat). If you need to roll onto the plane, an "aisle chair" would need to be requested at the gate (ask when you get there, not when it's time to get on the plane), and you can transfer to the skinnier wheelchair at the doorway of the plane. The transport chair is considered medical equipment and there is no additional charge to take it onto the plane.  You leave it at the end of the jetway, and they bring it back to the jetway for deplaning.

 

Depending on the ports and the type of excursions you'll be doing, you can use either the scooter or the transport chair -- more advice can be given on particulars for each specific port, if needed.

I live with and cruise with mobility-challenged individuals (an amputee and a paraplegic), and I'm also a nurse who works with wheelchair-bound patients.  I'm happy to help with any questions that I have experience with.  

 

 

 

[mets123]

Have your mom go to a local Walmart or grocery store and have her practice . This way you will know if she could handle it or not. Keep it mind that a Scootaround rental is smaller that those in stores. If she can handle a larger one, the rental will be much easier to handle.

[juhacorno410]

We were on an Alaskan cruise out of Seattle in June and I needed a wheelchair.  I asked the baggage person to please get me a wheelchair and I, and all my traveling companions got first class service and they got us on the ship quickly.

 

 

[broadwaybaby123]

Scooters are allowed, but make sure you call Royal first and let them know what's happening.  They might be able to get her priority embarkation and debarkation.

[trafaelwyr]

From the bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you, thank your for your replies and well wishes.  I just got a call from my sister who is at my mother's house right now and my mom has decided not to go on the cruise this year.  There are a few reasons for this:  she fears that she might have a fall again, she'll also be doing physical therapy around this time and most importantly, she wants to make sure she's in good health with the knee come the middle of October for when her oldest grandson (my nephew) gets married.  Fortunately, she does have the cruise insurance, so she will be getting reimbursed for that.  Now, the next thing to think about is this - my sister and I either go on the cruise this year or - if RCL still allows this - kick it to next year.  The only thing about kicking it to next year is that this will be the THIRD time we've pushed our cruise back another year (we were supposed to go in 2020, then moved to 2021 and then moved it to 2022).  Also, LotS will not be sailing out of Galveston next year, so I don't know how our reservations would translate to the new ship.  I really have to have a think about this because I don't know if my mother's condition will be greatly improved by the time we're supposed to take our cruise that she'll be able to do things around the house, go shopping, etc.  Lots to unpack here.  When I see my mom and sister this afternoon, we'll discuss the situation. 

[trafaelwyr]

13 hours ago, firefly333 said:

What ship is op on. And category. I would call and see if any hc cabins in my category if I was getting a scooter. I think rcl cabins on the smaller side, especially older ships. 

 

A bit null and void now, but we'd be on the Liberty of the Seas.  My mom and sister are booked for a cabin with a balcony.  It sounds like my mom has her mind made up about not going on the cruise, but I'll try to lobby for her to still go on the cruise.  I think she's making this more than it should be, but I won't know until I see her this afternoon.  We would have been driving from the Dallas area to Galveston, fyi. 

[cruisequeen4ever]

I definitely recommend she rent a scooter from Special needs at Sea or Scootaround. I haven’t rented from either of them, but I will be, and I have rented scooters while on vacation due to my own ankle injury. These things take time to heal, and you can’t put a finite date on when you will be healed, so it would be wise for her to have the scooter available for use if she needs it. If she doesn’t need it, at least it’s there. Maybe she’ll need it the whole time, maybe just a few times, but it will be worth its weight in gold. The only warning I can think of is if you have any tender ports, they may not let her bring it onto the tender.

[pcur]

18 hours ago, topnole said:

If she has some mobility by then, a regular folding wheelchair might be a viable option too and that would obviously be easier for storage.  Obviously all of that depend on your situation.  

Having sailed 3 times with people in a wheelchair or transport chair, they are so awkward to maneuver around the ship, and in port.  I recommend renting a scooter delivered to the ship, and using a transport chair in the cabin and airports.  1800wheelchair.com sells Drive transport chairs for $160.  Good to have one around for Mom going forward. 

[twangster]

4 hours ago, trafaelwyr said:

Now, the next thing to think about is this - my sister and I either go on the cruise this year or - if RCL still allows this - kick it to next year. 

 

It never hurts to ask.  One phone agent might not allow it, another might. Have your alternate future date already picked just in case they say yes when you call.