Special assist/wheelchair

[ManyMore]

For those people who will need a wheelchair at the cruise port, please either bring your own or find a way to get into the building to get your wheelchair. Just like at the airport, the wheelchairs are not waiting for you outside, you have to be able to get into the building.

[ColeThornton]

Which cruise port are you referring to?

[DE Solo]

20 minutes ago, ManyMore said:

For those people who will need a wheelchair at the cruise port, please either bring your own or find a way to get into the building to get your wheelchair. Just like at the airport, the wheelchairs are not waiting for you outside, you have to be able to get into the building.

When arriving in the area where the baggage porters are, I have had no difficulty requesting and receiving a wheelchair for use in the terminal area. Used to travel with two parents in wheelchairs. It requires coordination and lots of tip money, but it is definitely possible.

[RuthC]

I have had to do as OP posts, but not always. Not even usually. How you get wheelchair assistance can vary greatly, depending on what port you are embarking at, and sometimes how a given port is doing it that day. 

I have been met with a wheelchair at the van or HAL transfer bus dropping me off, had to walk just inside to make the request, and a wheelchair has taken me from there. I have had to go part way with a port employee wheeling me, then left in a waiting area for a ship steward to board me on the ship. 

There is no consistency, including US embarkations vs. foreign, and even differences in US embarkations (which are usually more difficult). 

[kazu]

I completely agree with @RuthC.  things vary.

 

I had the misfortune of needing a wheelchair last November.

 

I had a small wait but the wheel chair was brought to me outside the terminal while I sat in the walker.  that was in Barcelona - they have limited wheel chairs there.

[bwgreen]

I  used one in San Juan, Puerto Rico - they brought it right to the curb for me.

[fabnfortysomething]

our experience with wheelchair is that airports are better than cruise ports

 

at an airport you have to be able to get to check in desk where wheelchair assistance will be called and get you thoygh to plane

 

at cruise ports you often have to get through security before getting to check in therefore a lot of walking already done before you locate wheelchairs

[kokopelli-az]

We have had wheelchair assistance many times from the luggage handlers (port employees who take and load your luggage onto the carts).   We do have our own wheelchair but I am fairly sure they will go get a wheelchair for you and push you if you ask for wheelchair assistance.   The port employees can only push you so far and then a cruise line wheelchair pusher takes over.   Tips are much appreciated.

[marden1970]

20 hours ago, fabnfortysomething said:

our experience with wheelchair is that airports are better than cruise ports

 

at an airport you have to be able to get to check in desk where wheelchair assistance will be called and get you thoygh to plane

 

at cruise ports you often have to get through security before getting to check in therefore a lot of walking already done before you locate wheelchairs

In our experience we ask for a wheelchair when getting out of the cab at the airport (Reno and LAX) and they will take you all the way to your gate.  The gate person then asks if you need wheelchair assist on the jetway to get on the plane.  At the cruise terminal (SF and San Pedro) we asked for a wheelchair when dropping off our luggage.  In both they took us all the way thru security and check in and then turned us over to the ship employees who take you up the gangway and onto the ship. 

[johnrich]

Does anyone have experience at PortMiami? Both my wife and mother have trouble walking long distances or up inclines. Once onboard they are usually fine as we can stop whenever they need to.   We are cruising on NCL. Our last couple cruises have been ok but weren’t out of Miami. In fact we haven’t cruised from Miami since the new terminal opened. Is it difficult to get a wheelchair when the bus drops you off? Is it far to get to checkin? Any advice would be appreciated. Tia 

[LondonTowner]

I always book the Special Assistance when I book the cruise. Have never had any problem at a port.

[prudence passenger]

I just returned from a month in Japan, partial cruise, partial land.  We notified the airlines, and a wheelchair was brought outside for me.  I even needed the aisle chair to get on and off the plane..  We did  purchase a manual wheelchair on amazon.jp, which was delivered to our pre cruise hotel.  We used it to get onboard, and also on the ship.  The ship did have a number of wheelchairs that could be used onboard, but could not be taken off the ship.  They did not fit through the doorway, unless in an accessible cabin.