wheelchair accessibility at Partial Panama cruise ports

[flyingandcruising]

Well we have finally booked our cruise for the Partial Panama Canal on the Brilliance for March 5th. Thank you to everyone that has replied to all my posts, and Im sure I will have lots more posts and questions to ask.

 

Of course I have a Question on this post:cool: .......my family and I are the ones that are going and were gonna be 3 generations, from 18 years old to my grandmother who's in her 80's. Anyone else been in this position? what did you do for excursions?and will most excursions be wheelchair or disability accessible? someone that cant walk long distances and someone that will be using a cane for walking, what do ppl suggest on doing for excursions for the ports (Aruba, curacau, peurto limon, and Labadee)? Ok so thats more than 1 question, but i cant help myself.:p

 

thanx to all that reply, and happy cruising:D

[flippinwheels]

In my experience, most excursions are NOT wheelchair accessible. Sometimes you can find private tours that are, but ask for details. We found a rainforest tour in Costa Rica that they said was accessible, and it was a great tour, but accessible meant 4 guys carrying me and chair down some rickety stairs. ! just closed my eyes and prayed. Everything was fine, but a little scary.

Well we have finally booked our cruise for the Partial Panama Canal on the Brilliance for March 5th. Thank you to everyone that has replied to all my posts, and Im sure I will have lots more posts and questions to ask.

 

Of course I have a Question on this post:cool: .......my family and I are the ones that are going and were gonna be 3 generations, from 18 years old to my grandmother who's in her 80's. Anyone else been in this position? what did you do for excursions?and will most excursions be wheelchair or disability accessible? someone that cant walk long distances and someone that will be using a cane for walking, what do ppl suggest on doing for excursions for the ports (Aruba, curacau, peurto limon, and Labadee)? Ok so thats more than 1 question, but i cant help myself.:p

 

thanx to all that reply, and happy cruising:D

 

[DEL67]

We have been to all the ports you are going to and basically, there are few, if any, accessible excursions; however, if your grandmother can transfer to a car or minivan. Here's what we did. Note: my husband used a manual chair in ports.

 

 

Aruba: We havve been there several times. The fsrst time we joined one of the private tours at the dock. There were a few stops that we not accessible like the highest point on the island, but my husband enjoyed it. The second time, we just "walked" downtown and wandered around. ,Also, according to their tourist board, the butterfly farm is accessible, but we did not go there so i can not verify it.

 

Curacao: We hired a taxi for an island tour and then went to the acquarium which was accessible.

 

Puerto Limon - We went to the Tortuga(sp?) canal. The boats were not accessible, but they were willing to lift my husband, in his chair, on and off the boat.

 

Labadee: Unless they have improved it in the last 3 years, Labadee is not accessible. RCCL does provide beach chairs, but we were only allowed to use one to get to or from a sitting area which basically strands someone who can not walk. In addition, the Haitian who pushed it was upset that I only gave him a dollar for pushing my husband about 100 feet.

[flyingandcruising]

Well the good this is that she's not confined to a chair, but she likes to use one when possible. but its good to know about the different ports....thank you

[leoandhugh]

having been to both Aruba and Curacao with a wheelchair, I can tell you that both downtowns are accessible if you dont want to take a tour. you can see the shopping areas of both Oranjestad (Aruba) and Wilemstad (Curacao) from where the BOS will dock and you can push a wheechair to both. not all the shops are accessible because they may have a step or 2up, but if she can step up out of the wheelchair you should have no problem. at both these ports you should find taxis/vans parked close by if you choose to take one for a sightseeing trip and i believe on both islands the fares are stabilized and posted. If your partial transit of the canal stops at Cristobal, that is basically a freighter/container port with a nothing flea market shopping area and has a reputation for being high crime after dark. If you choose to take one of the ship's excursion while anchored in Gatun Lake, even though it is tendered you should have no problem taking a foldup wheelchair with you. it is HOT in all these ports so if you are pushing a wheelchair be sure to use sunscreen and wear head covering:)