Ship Specific Challenges

[Bead Pirate]

I am relatively new to these mobility challenges (about 6 months now) and I finally settled on a folding electric travel chair for cruising.

 

We cruise about 2 weeks a month on various lines, and I have noted some differences between each sailing that I wish I had known before the sailing.

 

Just got off Celebrity APEX last Saturday and was surprised that such a new ship had been poorly thought out for the mobility challenged.

 

> There are some of the highest thresholds throughout the ship that I have ever encountered. My room threshold measured a little over 2 inches in height and required ne to "pop a wheelie" to get the front wheels of the chair over the threshold. As you travel through the ship there are many expansion joints that are of varying heights. Some of these are high enough to stop your front wheels and cause you to "eject" if you are traveling too fast.

 

> Handicapped restroom doors throughout the ship open automatically but open right at you. When you wave your hand, you need to be quick on the reverse toggle or the doors will beat on your legs.

 

> Lots of heavy-duty industrial carpet on the APEX, as you know this will eat your battery life faster than any other surface.

 

> There are areas that you cannot enter in a wheelchair (a mid-level platform with tables and chairs between the Martini bar and the next level of the Atrium.

 

The ship is beautiful, the entertainment is great, food is good. Just a few challenges that are specific to the mobility folks.

 

I can do many more ships on many more lines but will see if this thread has any life to it before adding more ships.

[kokopelli-az]

Thanks for the info on the Apex.  We will be on her in February with a scooter.   We will keep a look-out for bumps. 

 

If you had any tender ports, did you happen to take the Magic Carpet to get on the tender?   

Edited December 12, 2023 by kokopelli-az

[Bead Pirate]

No tendering on this one although the magic carpet was fairly active compared to other big ships that have the feature. Was on 5 fairly often...

[suramom]

i'm glad to hear about that ship.  Princess ships have presented no problems for us, with husband using a scooter.  No problems with joints in floor, although an occasional door to the deck is hard to open.  I can't believe the Apex is so bad like that.

[Tonsoffun44]

Have you sailed SKY Princess? Specifically with any tender ports... Princess basically said if it's a tender Don't bother planning on getting off so he cancelled and I had to find a new trip companion for next month. Will be really ticked if the Rep is found to be wrong and could have tendered into Belize- If weather/seas allowed it. Never had a cruise line tell us You won't be getting off at tender ports before even getting on the ship until Princess. 

[kokopelli-az]

15 hours ago, Tonsoffun44 said:

Have you sailed SKY Princess? Specifically with any tender ports... Princess basically said if it's a tender Don't bother planning on getting off so he cancelled and I had to find a new trip companion for next month. Will be really ticked if the Rep is found to be wrong and could have tendered into Belize- If weather/seas allowed it. Never had a cruise line tell us You won't be getting off at tender ports before even getting on the ship until Princess. 

I assume your friend has a mobility device that he needs to use is the reason Princess said he will not be able to board a tender?   If so, what kind of mobility device is it? 

[Tonsoffun44]

1 hour ago, kokopelli-az said:

I assume your friend has a mobility device that he needs to use is the reason Princess said he will not be able to board a tender?   If so, what kind of mobility device is it? 

Standard size Manual folding wheelchair - can't walk at all. 

[kokopelli-az]

Not being able to walk is the main problem with the tender.   For anyone with mobility or medical issues, they should read the cruise line's access pages on the cruise website (or call that cruise line's Access Dept).   All cruise lines that we have ever been on make it clear about what is allowed, or not, regarding mobility devices, tendering and much more.  Passengers with limited mobility also need to complete a Mobility Questionnaire. 

 

Plan B is to stay on the ship at a tender port.   We do this all the time (as do many) and actually look forward to it as the ship is a lot less crowded.  

 

See this from Princess (scroll to Health & Accessibility then to Accessible Cruising:   

https://www.princess.com/en-us/faq/pre-cruise

 

I wouldn't miss a cruise based on not being able to go to a tender port.