knee and hip issues

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

7 hours ago, the penguins said:

elevator which is often full of passengers who could clearly walk.

 

Just a reminder that not all challenges to walking and/or going up and down stairs are visible...

Edited August 31, 2022 by WrittenOnYourHeart

[mac_tlc]

On 8/30/2022 at 4:03 PM, GRBlizz said:

For what you are describing, why not just bring along a manual (foldable) wheelchair? They can easily fit in any cabin, and can go in a cab if you decide to take one. If you are traveling with someone, they can push you. Or you can move the wheels yourself. 

 

I recommend bringing one instead of renting, because it will come in handy in the cruise terminal and in the airport if you are flying. Also, you can buy a used one locally for a fraction of the cost of renting.

We brought a manual folding wheelchair on Harmony two weeks ago, first time  with it. Wife can walk short distances but then it’s difficult. It worked great. Best use was getting on and off ship. Sometimes it stayed in the room, other she used it to go to dinner. Every venue was great with storing it out of the way during dinner. Made the trip much more manageable. We got it on Amazon for about $400. 
 

mac_tlc

[cinderellen]

My husband and I cruised earlier this year on the Apex. Because my husband has Parkinson’s, we booked an accessible cabin (mainly because we heard it was difficult to bring a scooter into a regular cabin), rented a scooter and brought our Drive transport chair. Bringing the transport chair was a godsend. Depending on the port, the transport chair allowed us to get off the ship. Scooters were not allowed on tenders. I will say that on docked ports, the staff was very helpful making sure he got down the ramps and back up. 

[Aoife_immortal]

7 hours ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

Just a reminder that not all challenges to walking and/or going up and down stairs are visible...

My vestibular disease is not at all visible, but it makes stairs tough. Thank you for saying this.

[the penguins]

7 hours ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

Just a reminder that not all challenges to walking and/or going up and down stairs are visible...

True and we accept that. However when you see the mad rush to get the elevators outside the theatre these are not passengers with any sort of disability. As you know the elevators are in banks - we may be waiting to the right and the elevator arrives at the left. Passengers opposite the left one just surge on with no thought for anyone who has any form of mobility issues and who was already waiting. 

[gold1953]

2 hours ago, the penguins said:

True and we accept that. However when you see the mad rush to get the elevators outside the theatre these are not passengers with any sort of disability. As you know the elevators are in banks - we may be waiting to the right and the elevator arrives at the left. Passengers opposite the left one just surge on with no thought for anyone who has any form of mobility issues and who was already waiting. 

Many disabilities are not visible. Please do not judge! There are heart and lung issues, balance , knee, foot, hip, back and I am sure that others can add to this. Sure there are also many without  but with the age of cruisers several flights of stairs are an issue. Having a visible handicap does not put you first in line over invisible or others. 

[Cruise a holic]

On 8/30/2022 at 2:49 PM, chemmo said:

Agree with renting a scooter…

Ditto with scooter.  Also ships are huge and it is a long walk to many venues- why not enjoy the ship and ports.

[the penguins]

11 hours ago, gold1953 said:

Many disabilities are not visible. Please do not judge! There are heart and lung issues, balance , knee, foot, hip, back and I am sure that others can add to this. Sure there are also many without  but with the age of cruisers several flights of stairs are an issue. Having a visible handicap does not put you first in line over invisible or others. 

Ok I will try again. I am not judging anyone with any sort of disability and I thought I had made clear. The original poster on this thread was talking about mobility aids and I continued in that vien. What I was trying to do was to ask those people who don't have any disabilities to be more considerate for those that do. Often all it takes is too wait a few seconds to allow people with any sort of disability (hidden or otherwise) to get in to the elevator first. I frequently walk up and down while my wife rides in order to leave room for others who need to ride. In May on Silhouette we stood by the elevators outside the theatre whilst passengers pushed past my wife who uses a walker and a blind passenger with a stick. On another occasion, just as the  elevator doors were closing a group rushed out of the new Sports Bar (Craft Central?) on Deck 4, into the elevator pushing my wife back against the class walls. They disembarked the lift at the Al Bacio on Deck 5. 

 

 

 

[phoenix_dream]

On 8/31/2022 at 6:05 PM, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

Just a reminder that not all challenges to walking and/or going up and down stairs are visible...

I was going to post the same thing. DH, for example, looks healthy and fit but has arthritis in his knees and on some days no way can he do many stairs.  Someone who themselves need a walker or scooter you would think would realize this. And lack of consideration works both ways. I’ve literally had scooters or wheelchairs run right into me or over my feet  particularly in elevators when people try to fit in where there just isn’t room, or without waiting for me to try to make room.  I sympathize with the difficulty of finding enough space on the not so big elevators. If everyone would be a little more patient and considerate wouldn’t everyone’s life be better, right.

[chemmo]

Just a little reassurance to the OP as there seems to be a focus on negatives of cruising with mobility issues.  I have cruised a couple of times now whilst recovering from surgery that left me with mobility issues. Once needing a wheelchair and once on crutches and on the whole we have found the staff and fellow cruisers thoughtful and caring.

 

Just a few examples…

 

the Solarium pool staff were great and always available to help me in and out of the pool using the ‘ducking stool’.

 

Our room attendant brought a stool to our room to use in the bathroom, not asked for but very useful.

 

Restaurant staff could see I was struggling to sit comfortably (I needed to be forward) and rounded up cushions.

 

Poolside when I was trying to access a sun-bed and was struggling as it was mid row guests around immediately rearranged the gaps to make things easier for me.

 

On one occasion my son needed to go back to our room for something and our ‘poolside neighbours’ immediately assured him and me that they would ‘get anything I may need’ until he returned.

 

Yes, we did meet the odd lift rusher and I still can remember a lady at the sun set bar tutting when I asked her if she could move her handbag so I could sit down but I think they are the exceptions not the rule.

 

Personally, I think cruising is a fantastic way to enjoy travel when challenged with mobility issues. If I wanted to holiday again with mobility issues I would definitely go for a cruise!
 

Re the wheelchair or scooter debate a think a lot depends on the physical capabilities of your travel partner. If they have the stamina to push you over carpeted areas or uneven ground off the ship then a wheelchair will work well for you. However, if your partner would find this hard then go for the scooter. The scooter has the added advantage over most wheelchairs that you can travel around the ship independently, you are not waiting for someone else to push you. We went for the wheelchair option but in hindsight I would rent a scooter next time.

 

On the two occasions I have cruised with mobility issues I did need to set realistic expectations about what I could/could not do in ports. We did find the Celebrity tour descriptions useful in describing number of steps, length of walks etc. In a couple of ports we simply decided to enjoy an empty ship, we simply felt that the terrain would be too difficult and that I would ‘pay for it’ the next day. Never felt I had ‘missed out’ on these days, an empty ship is a wonderful luxury!

 

OP, sincere best wishes for a fantastic cruise!

[the penguins]

36 minutes ago, chemmo said:

Just a little reassurance to the OP as there seems to be a focus on negatives of cruising with mobility issues.  I have cruised a couple of times now whilst recovering from surgery that left me with mobility issues. Once needing a wheelchair and once on crutches and on the whole we have found the staff and fellow cruisers thoughtful and caring.

 

Just a few examples…

 

the Solarium pool staff were great and always available to help me in and out of the pool using the ‘ducking stool’.

 

Our room attendant brought a stool to our room to use in the bathroom, not asked for but very useful.

 

Restaurant staff could see I was struggling to sit comfortably (I needed to be forward) and rounded up cushions.

 

Poolside when I was trying to access a sun-bed and was struggling as it was mid row guests around immediately rearranged the gaps to make things easier for me.

 

On one occasion my son needed to go back to our room for something and our ‘poolside neighbours’ immediately assured him and me that they would ‘get anything I may need’ until he returned.

 

Yes, we did meet the odd lift rusher and I still can remember a lady at the sun set bar tutting when I asked her if she could move her handbag so I could sit down but I think they are the exceptions not the rule.

 

Personally, I think cruising is a fantastic way to enjoy travel when challenged with mobility issues. If I wanted to holiday again with mobility issues I would definitely go for a cruise!
 

Re the wheelchair or scooter debate a think a lot depends on the physical capabilities of your travel partner. If they have the stamina to push you over carpeted areas or uneven ground off the ship then a wheelchair will work well for you. However, if your partner would find this hard then go for the scooter. The scooter has the added advantage over most wheelchairs that you can travel around the ship independently, you are not waiting for someone else to push you. We went for the wheelchair option but in hindsight I would rent a scooter next time.

 

On the two occasions I have cruised with mobility issues I did need to set realistic expectations about what I could/could not do in ports. We did find the Celebrity tour descriptions useful in describing number of steps, length of walks etc. In a couple of ports we simply decided to enjoy an empty ship, we simply felt that the terrain would be too difficult and that I would ‘pay for it’ the next day. Never felt I had ‘missed out’ on these days, an empty ship is a wonderful luxury!

 

OP, sincere best wishes for a fantastic cruise!

I agree with everything you say and we have experienced all and more of the kindnesses you have described. Also the tutting and mumering when for example someone crippled with arthritis struggles to put their chips at roulette down quickly enough thereby delaying the next spin. We travel from choice with a number of friends who have major mobility issues i.e. more or less permanently wheelchair bound and requiring disabled cabins. By comparison the issues experienced by my wife are minor. 

We too adapt our expectations and in most ports book private guides so we can get out and explore. We go to great lengths to achieve this and for example one of our wheelchair bound friends greatest wish was to explore Rome and after much research we found a private guide who used a golf buggy that could also carry a wheelchair. The buggy got us down streets totally inaccessible to any other form of motorised vehicle.

Just as in normal life not everything on a ship is perfect and all I have asked for is tolerance and a little patience from everyone - disabled or able bodied.

[hcat]

There are sometimes ship's excursions offered for those with limited mobility.

Vans have lifts, smaller groups, and  often a tour that does not require getting on and off at  numerous stops.  Maybe Celeb spec needs dept can help or excursion dept,

[cinderellen]

9 hours ago, chemmo said:

Just a little reassurance to the OP as there seems to be a focus on negatives of cruising with mobility issues.  I have cruised a couple of times now whilst recovering from surgery that left me with mobility issues. Once needing a wheelchair and once on crutches and on the whole we have found the staff and fellow cruisers thoughtful and caring.

 

Just a few examples…

 

the Solarium pool staff were great and always available to help me in and out of the pool using the ‘ducking stool’.

 

Our room attendant brought a stool to our room to use in the bathroom, not asked for but very useful.

 

Restaurant staff could see I was struggling to sit comfortably (I needed to be forward) and rounded up cushions.

 

Poolside when I was trying to access a sun-bed and was struggling as it was mid row guests around immediately rearranged the gaps to make things easier for me.

 

On one occasion my son needed to go back to our room for something and our ‘poolside neighbours’ immediately assured him and me that they would ‘get anything I may need’ until he returned.

 

Yes, we did meet the odd lift rusher and I still can remember a lady at the sun set bar tutting when I asked her if she could move her handbag so I could sit down but I think they are the exceptions not the rule.

 

Personally, I think cruising is a fantastic way to enjoy travel when challenged with mobility issues. If I wanted to holiday again with mobility issues I would definitely go for a cruise!
 

Re the wheelchair or scooter debate a think a lot depends on the physical capabilities of your travel partner. If they have the stamina to push you over carpeted areas or uneven ground off the ship then a wheelchair will work well for you. However, if your partner would find this hard then go for the scooter. The scooter has the added advantage over most wheelchairs that you can travel around the ship independently, you are not waiting for someone else to push you. We went for the wheelchair option but in hindsight I would rent a scooter next time.

 

On the two occasions I have cruised with mobility issues I did need to set realistic expectations about what I could/could not do in ports. We did find the Celebrity tour descriptions useful in describing number of steps, length of walks etc. In a couple of ports we simply decided to enjoy an empty ship, we simply felt that the terrain would be too difficult and that I would ‘pay for it’ the next day. Never felt I had ‘missed out’ on these days, an empty ship is a wonderful luxury!

 

OP, sincere best wishes for a fantastic cruise!

On our most recent cruise, I recall so many kindnesses extended by fellow travelers. One in particular was when we were in the port at Cozumel. I was pushing my husband in the transport chair when we got to the "handicap ramp". All I can say is that the their idea of accessible and mine are vastly different. The ramp was at a 30-45 degree angle. There was no way I could safely get him down. A complete stranger saw me and said "I've got this" and spun the chair around and backed him down the ramp. I'll never forget that. 

[chemmo]

5 hours ago, hcat said:

There are sometimes ship's excursions offered for those with limited mobility.

Vans have lifts, smaller groups, and  often a tour that does not require getting on and off at  numerous stops.  Maybe Celeb spec needs dept can help or excursion dept,

It is all about doing your homework…
 

I remember when we tried to book the Flam railway trip. If I booked through Celebrity or a local tour guide they could not secure a wheelchair space with companion seating but if I booked directly I could and cheaper!

 

On the same cruise at a different port (sorry can’t remember the exact port) you could book a disability friendly local tour but you had to get to the port gate first. If you couldn’t get on a shuttle bus you had to wait in line (in the cold) for one minibus with accessibility for wheelchairs which you couldn’t pre book a time slot for.

 

Pre planning excursions has always been a highlight of pre cruise pleasure before cruising.  In our experience you just need to simply be a bit more alert when travelling with mobility issues. Googling the local roads and pavements as well as described tours we have found useful. 
 

[chemmo]

25 minutes ago, cinderellen said:

On our most recent cruise, I recall so many kindnesses extended by fellow travelers. One in particular was when we were in the port at Cozumel. I was pushing my husband in the transport chair when we got to the "handicap ramp". All I can say is that the their idea of accessible and mine are vastly different. The ramp was at a 30-45 degree angle. There was no way I could safely get him down. A complete stranger saw me and said "I've got this" and spun the chair around and backed him down the ramp. I'll never forget that. 

You don’t forget touches of kindness like this…

[the penguins]

31 minutes ago, cinderellen said:

On our most recent cruise, I recall so many kindnesses extended by fellow travelers. One in particular was when we were in the port at Cozumel. I was pushing my husband in the transport chair when we got to the "handicap ramp". All I can say is that the their idea of accessible and mine are vastly different. The ramp was at a 30-45 degree angle. There was no way I could safely get him down. A complete stranger saw me and said "I've got this" and spun the chair around and backed him down the ramp. I'll never forget that. 

The above is the only access ramp for Silhouette in Buenos Aires. Celebrity provided additional local help but only until midnight. We were there overnight and the excursions to the Tango Shows (including those organised by Celebrity) came back between 12.30 am and 1.0am. 

[the penguins]

5 hours ago, hcat said:

There are sometimes ship's excursions offered for those with limited mobility.

Vans have lifts, smaller groups, and  often a tour that does not require getting on and off at  numerous stops.  Maybe Celeb spec needs dept can help or excursion dept,

The drawback with most of Celebrity's "accessible" tours is that they do not provide any actual assistance. That is the tours rely totally on the disabled person having a fully able bodied companion to assist them. 

Celebrity's Private Journeys are another option with greater flexibility but these come at a very high price.

We use Toursbylocals which, if you have never heard of them, have excellent guides in many destinations. When booking you deal direct with the guide which means you can tailor the tour to your exact requirements. For example we never stop for a full lunch as we prefer to have coffee and cake breaks and cut shopping to a minimum. All payments are made through TBL ( head office in Canada). Full refund if the ship doesn't dock. If you are late back and miss the sailing TBL will pay to get you to the next port. Prices are per vehicle rather than per person, we try to book a guide with a vehicle that holds 8 and then share via the Roll Call with one other couple. We have never had a bad guide. 

 

[the penguins]

58 minutes ago, the penguins said:

The above is the only access ramp for Silhouette in Buenos Aires. Celebrity provided additional local help but only until midnight. We were there overnight and the excursions to the Tango Shows (including those organised by Celebrity) came back between 12.30 am and 1.0am. 

Sorry not Silhouette but Eclipse. 

[cinderellen]

1 hour ago, the penguins said:

The above is the only access ramp for Silhouette in Buenos Aires. Celebrity provided additional local help but only until midnight. We were there overnight and the excursions to the Tango Shows (including those organised by Celebrity) came back between 12.30 am and 1.0am. 

Wow. 

 

[mystic51]

Thank you for all the suggestions and ideas.  I've currently rented a foldable scooter after reading on the disability board how many have done the same thing without issues in a regular balcony cabin.   I'll be using this primarily when we are in port as I can walk short distances without too much trouble.  I really did not want to have my husband constantly push a wheel chair.  Once again thank you!!

[the penguins]

3 hours ago, cinderellen said:

Wow. 

 

Not the exact word my wife when she saw it but close. When we returned to the ship after the Tango show it was raining, the ramp was even steeper and it was not lit. A member of the ships production company lent my wife his jacket and said " just leave it with security they know who I am". It was a wonderful gesture and a memorable way to round off our Golden Wedding celebration. 

[Northern Aurora]

4 hours ago, the penguins said:

Sorry not Silhouette but Eclipse. 

 

When I saw the photo I knew immediately it was taken in Buenos Aires.  Several of the South American ports have very steep ramps.  And tidal conditions can make those climbs very difficult for a number of folks, but Buenos Aires may be the worst of all.

 

 

[cinderellen]

1 hour ago, the penguins said:

Not the exact word my wife when she saw it but close. When we returned to the ship after the Tango show it was raining, the ramp was even steeper and it was not lit. A member of the ships production company lent my wife his jacket and said " just leave it with security they know who I am". It was a wonderful gesture and a memorable way to round off our Golden Wedding celebration. 

I was going to say something else but didn’t want to get in trouble 😳

[the penguins]

8 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

 

When I saw the photo I knew immediately it was taken in Buenos Aires.  Several of the South American ports have very steep ramps.  And tidal conditions can make those climbs very difficult for a number of folks, but Buenos Aires may be the worst of all.

 

 

At some of the smaller ports we just accept it. But Buenos Aires being a port where lots of ships start and end voyages you expect better. At the very least a covered ramp with lighting and perhaps longer ramps to make the slope less. Celebrity moved the checkin to a Conference Center away from the port and then bussed us in which helped but nothing prepared us for the "tower".