Concerns about traveling with an 88 year old with limited mobility

[Low Country Sandlapper]

My sister and I will be taking the February 11th trip to the Caribbean on the Vista.  My father wants to stay on the ship except for the ports of Roatan and Harvest Caye in Belize.  I am uneasy about those ports.  My father can walk with a walker, but not long distances (maybe a 1/4 mile).  The piers seem pretty long.  Does Oceania offer transportation along the piers?  How about in the ports themselves?  Is there any transportation in the port area?  Golf carts?  Anything?  

We have excursions booked (one private and one through Oceania) at each port, but I am concerned about getting him to the pick-up points.

Does anyone have any feedback?

Thank you.

[MEFIowa]

When we were on Harvest Caye off Riviera 12/2021 there were golf carts to take you to the boat and vice versa, avoiding the long pier. Being in good health, wife and I walked both ways and just looked at the people on the carts. IIRC the pier at Roatan was not very long and there was the tourist trap area with shops at the bow of the ship.

 

[There were some very elderly gentlemen on board. Spoke with a man in his 90s during the veterans' meet & greet. He was Merchant Marine from the 1940s. Remember him looking longingly at the cranes for the crummy industrial Santo Tomas Port (Honduras). His son, my age, said it brought back memories for him.]

[Vallesan]

23 minutes ago, Low Country Sandlapper said:

My sister and I will be taking the February 11th trip to the Caribbean on the Vista.  My father wants to stay on the ship except for the ports of Roatan and Harvest Caye in Belize.  I am uneasy about those ports.  My father can walk with a walker, but not long distances (maybe a 1/4 mile).  The piers seem pretty long.  Does Oceania offer transportation along the piers?  How about in the ports themselves?  Is there any transportation in the port area?  Golf carts?  Anything?  

We have excursions booked (one private and one through Oceania) at each port, but I am concerned about getting him to the pick-up points.

Does anyone have any feedback?

Thank you.

Does his walker have a seat?

Edited January 27 by Vallesan

[Low Country Sandlapper]

On 1/27/2024 at 12:27 PM, Vallesan said:

Does his walker have a seat?

Yes, it does. 

[Vallesan]

29 minutes ago, Low Country Sandlapper said:

Yes, it does. 

OK. He should be OK because he can sit when he needs to. The only problem will be how steep or flat the gangway is. This depends on ports, tides etc. So it might just be a case of ‘wait and see’ … sorry can’t be of more help.

 

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, Vallesan said:

OK. He should be OK because he can sit when he needs to. The only problem will be how steep or flat the gangway is. This depends on ports, tides etc. So it might just be a case of ‘wait and see’ … sorry can’t be of more help.

 

There have been occasional times when the regular gangway is too steep for me to do easily or comfortably.

The first time one of the crew helpers at a gangway noticed my hesitation, they suggested that we use a different gangway from a lower deck, one usually for the crew or perhaps supplies (?).

 

That one was not much off horizontal.  A bit off, but not much at all, and the slope was of zero difficulty.

So now, we just look for that, or ask about it if the gangway is steep.

We've done this on more than one ship and cruiseline.

 

GC

[Low Country Sandlapper]

Thank you all, so very much!

[Happy Trails1]

What about renting a wheelchair to use for the ports? I would think Oceania could set that up. We did that for my Mom years ago with Holland America. 

[clo]

23 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

The first time one of the crew helpers at a gangway noticed my hesitation, they suggested that we use a different gangway from a lower deck, one usually for the crew or perhaps supplies (?).

 

I was pretty sure I remembered such a thing. I'm having some mobility issues that hopefully will be resolved by July but....

[GeezerCouple]

23 hours ago, Happy Trails1 said:

What about renting a wheelchair to use for the ports? I would think Oceania could set that up. We did that for my Mom years ago with Holland America. 

 

There are outside companies that handle assorted special needs rentals.
Depending upon passenger need and also ship appropriateness/permissions, one can rent various equipment... but for the duration of the cruise.  The equipment is typically waiting in your cabin when you arrive, and you leave it there when you leave the ship.

 

This can be wheelchairs of various sorts (manual, motorized), scooters, and even in some cases (double check with cruiseline in some cases) things like hospital beds or automated recliner chairs.  Some cruise lines have specific companies they need passengers to use, I think.

 

GC