Caribbean ports accessibility

[AgenderArin]

Hello,

 

Made a separate thread (below) for a different question, but for background, I have limited mobility and use a cane, walker, or wheelchair, depending on how and what I'm doing on a particular day. My spouse and I are going on a Caribbean cruise in January as a big family reunion trip, and I'm looking for info on how accessible our specific ports are for various mobility aids. Suggestions on where/how to research this online would also be helpful.

 

Specific things it would help to know include what the terrain/paving is like, are there lots of hills, if you have experience using a mobility aid at a specific port and how that went, are there benches/places to sit, and any recommendations you have for places to do or see while we're there that are accessible for folks with mobility disabilities.

 

The ports are:

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Phillipsburg, St. Maarten

St. John's, Antigua

Castries, St. Lucia

Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis

 

Thanks for your support,

Arin

[Seasick Sailor]

Normally if there is a tender port to shore you will see limited access for a wheelchair. My husband is in a wheelchair. There are staff at the gangway that takes him down the ramp. The guys are great at helping you on and off.

[FOPMan]

The area immediately around the port in San Juan is not exactly mobility friendly, especially if one uses wheels. To get pretty much anywhere, you will need to go uphill. While there are some curb cuts, they’re not great. Much of the roadway is cobblestone, and the sidewalks are not always navigable.

 

If you can get to the forts, they are flat and fairly accessible. I’ve not done it, but my understanding is the Barcardi distillery is accessible. It is typically listed as an accessible excursion. If you go and it isn’t, please let me know. 

[VirginiaIsForCruisers]

I can only speak to San Juan and Phillipsburg.

 

As @FOPMan indicated, San Juan is a challenge. The sidewalks are rough and curb cuts are haphazard. When we were there, one of the women from our ship, who was driving a scooter, tried to go a few blocks away from the actual port. That required her to go up a steep hill.  On the way down, her scooter actually tipped over and she broke her arm. There are a few vendors immediately beside where the ships stop. That area is pretty flat, but the pathway is rough, with broken pavement and curb cut issues.

 

Phillipsburg has a nice port area that is flat, with stores and bars right by the ships. There is a pathway to get to the boardwalk area that is supposedly pretty easy.

 

[FOPMan]

For St Lucia, it largely depends on where the ship docks. There’s a tourist-friendly port are that has space for one ship. Other ships may dock at other piers in more of a typical commercial port setting in an urban environment. The streets of Castries are interesting, but navigating them with wheeled devices can be a bit challenging. 
 

if not using a motorized wheelchair and the passenger has the ability to transfer into a van, some tour operators may be able to accommodate the chair/rollator. If they cannot get into a van, excursion options will likely be very limited. If they can get into a cab, that may provide some other options.

[kokopelli-az]

I agree what others have said about San Juan.   Around where the cruise ships dock down town, it is not exactly accessible-friendly.   The last time we got off the ship in San Juan we went toward the big Walgreen's store next to where the ships dock; the sidewalks right around Walgreen's seemed better and newer.   Going further looked a little iffy so we went back to the ship.   There are lots of hills.  We were just in San Juan last week and did not get off the ship. 

The Bacardi tour is accessible but I believe you have to buy your tickets and make reservations beforehand (if booked through your ship they will have all this taken care of).   

https://www.bacardi.com/us/en/casa-bacardi/tickets/

 

St Maarten is no problem at all.  We were just there last week and it is very accessible, especially right off the ship where the mall is.   Take a look at the area off the ship here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXWOhoBcty4

 

You will have more options using a wheelchair than a scooter since wheelchairs are easier to load on to vehicles.  Check with your cruise line to see what types of tours they will be offering in your ports because they should have wheelchair accessible ones (although it might be too early for them to have all their tours listed).   

 

[mexico8]

I travel with a Travelscoot and they fold down and can be put into any car trunk i.e., taxis etc.   It only weighs about 30 pounds and I can lift it myself.   It fits underneath the tour buses easily as well and the bus driver always put it in there for me or my husband does.  I can walk up the stairs on the bus so that's not a problem.   There are many scooters that are not that heavy so some can fit into vans and SUVs etc.

[LondonTowner]

If your wheelchair folds, then it will fit into one of the mini buses which operate from the ports. They acre much cheaper than the ship tours. I can thoroughly recommend Cosol Tours in St Lucia and Bernards Tours in St Maarten.

 

Alternatively, there ar3 always lots of taxis available and the wheelchair will fit in the boot of the car.