New to cruising, info on Dawn Princess

[Strawberryflds]

Hi everyone,

 

I havent taken a cruise before, although after spending just about the whole weekend on the net trying to decide on a cruise, i am ready to leave now! I have picked a cruise that is in March 2009 on the Dawn Princess and i have narrowed it down to a couple of decks, and rooms.

I am thinking of rooms D327 which has an ocean view, although its obstructed. And also B311, which is an interior room.

 

Do you think its worthwhile paying the extra for a room with a window?

 

Has anyone been on this ship and can recommend a room that has plenty of room, that can accommodate my wheelchair? I am a paraplegic and also will have a shower commode chair. I am also trying to line up a cruising buddy. One female friend might be quite keen, she has travelled a lot prior to her accident, but she is also a paraplegic, so i worry tht two wheelchairs would just be too awkward in the room.

 

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

thanks...

[CaptData]

I can't remember but are they H/C rooms if not you will need to contact your TA and get them to book an OV or interior H/C or you will not be able to handle it. I was in C306 which is a n H/C. Tell your TA that it must be an H/C and not a remodled one. These room are large and easy to get around. If you want more room get rid of the chair (ask the Room Steward to remove it).

 

Ok just checked and you do have H/C. so now you need to decide if a view is worth it or not. I know on my first cruise I was not in my room except to sleep and change. Do you lie down during the day to rest or to sleep? If it is just to rest a view might come in handy depending where you are going ie Pananma Canal would be a room with a view.

 

These rooms are the size of some of the upper end rooms. There will be grab bars in the bathroom and a roll in shower. You can put your wheelchair under the sink to use it and for shaving. There is an emergency pull cord by the bed and in the bathroom. Are you by yourself or is someone with you?

 

I would recommend you rent a scooter as pushing a wheelchair over the carpets is very hard. Contact either CareVactions or ScooterAround. This will give you freedom on the ship. Take a folding wheelchair if possible for shore ex.

 

Enjoy.

[CaptData]

These rooms are as large as some of the upper end rooms. You will have a rollin shower, grab bars and a sink you can put a normal wheelchair under or shave at. If you find that you need more room the Room Steward can remove the furniture you do not need ie chair and glass table.

 

Before I state that interior is just as good as the OV you need to say where you are going. Ie Pananmal Canal would be a OV. Both rooms are about the same size but the OV may be a bit bigger (by a few inches only).

 

The staff in the Horizon Court (the buffet) are great. They will aid you in getting your meals there and finding a place that you can manage.

 

When you board go to the Mait'd the first day and find out where they have put you for dinner. You may have to request a different table right away. This is done just after 1 pm the day you board. It will be in the Platter as to location and time. If you have any food allergies or requests this is also the time for that.

[GRBlizz]

I am not an experienced cruiser, but I would think that 2 wheelchair-bound people in a cabin would be tough. We were just in an accessible cabin on the Azamara Quest. It was a large room (they took 3 regular cabins and made two HC cabins), but there were a couple things that would be a challenge with two HC occupants: there was room to roll up to one side of the bed, but not the other. The other side was only about a foot off the wall. I'm not sure that the beds could be placed so that there was access on both sides.

 

Also, the closet door opens to about a foot away from the bathroom wall, so it would take some fancy maneuvering to get into the closet with a wheelchair.

 

Of course, this is a different ship, but I can't imagine a HC cabin comes much bigger than this (~290 ft, as I recall). I really think you need an AB travelling companion if at all possible.

 

My pictures of our HC cabin are here: http://www.lachances.com/Cruise/Quest/Photos/5/med/IMG_0596.htm

[Strawberryflds]

CaptData...thanks for all your tips. I am looking at the Cherry Blossom Cruise from Sydney Australia ( I am aussie) which is an Asian tour. I am leaning towards a room without a view mainly for price reasons...(its a 42 night cruise, but it takes in Japan, China, Brunei, Malaysia, Korea, Marianna Islands, PNG...wow!).

 

Do you happen to have any pics of your room? Was it a double bed that could be pulled apart to make 2 singles? Did it have a roll-in shower? I have confirmed with agent that it does, but would like to hear it from someone who has been. Was there a tv in the room?

 

GRBlizz, thanks, those are small details that really make quite a difference to ones comfort level on a holiday, and not really things that i had thought of. Your room looks big enough to move around...hmm, after seeing the nice natural light coming in the room and imagining it without a window, I hope it wont be too box like in an interior room.

[GRBlizz]

Ooh, now that you mention your itinerary, I wanted to ask a qestion - have you checked accessibility of the excursions at the ports that this cruise visits?

 

We were scheduled to go with my parents on Oceania to HongKong/Beijing next March, but we backed out when it became apparent that my DH would not be able to see many of the sights on this itinerary. We were afraid it would be rather like taking a bus to the parking lot of these countries without being able to enter them!

 

I would be interested in what you have learned. Maybe we backed out too soon. Our HC cabin is still being held until final payment in Dec., so maybe we could go. Any insight?

[Strawberryflds]

GRBlizz....this is not something i have looked into at all. I thought i could wing it, that is, I realise that some might not be accessible, which is not biggie, but assumed that others would be. Can you please point me in the right direction to be able to do this. Are these excursions organised by Princess or do i have to do a google search on the 'port name' and 'day trips'?:confused:

[GRBlizz]

I would look at the Princess website - they will have info about their excursions. You could also go to the Cruise Critic boards for some of the destinations and look around/ask there.

 

My mother is organizing the trip for several family members, and she is the one who expressed the concern when she started booking excursions.

 

I think I may do a little direct research too.

[Strawberryflds]

Hmm, i can see why your mum was concerned! Ive just gone to the Princess site and have found the list of shore exursions for that cruise, but it has no info at all on accessibility. There arent even the names of the companies that they do the exursions with, for me to be able to do my own research. Most exursions will involve bus trips i would imagine, and I cant see that many of them would be wheelchair accessible. This makes things very difficult, i feel a bit disheartened.

[daveco58]

CaptData...thanks for all your tips. I am looking at the Cherry Blossom Cruise from Sydney Australia ( I am aussie) which is an Asian tour. I am leaning towards a room without a view mainly for price reasons...(its a 42 night cruise, but it takes in Japan, China, Brunei, Malaysia, Korea, Marianna Islands, PNG...wow!).

 

Do you happen to have any pics of your room? Was it a double bed that could be pulled apart to make 2 singles? Did it have a roll-in shower? I have confirmed with agent that it does, but would like to hear it from someone who has been. Was there a tv in the room?

 

GRBlizz, thanks, those are small details that really make quite a difference to ones comfort level on a holiday, and not really things that i had thought of. Your room looks big enough to move around...hmm, after seeing the nice natural light coming in the room and imagining it without a window, I hope it wont be too box like in an interior room.

 

A good travel agent, who specializes in wheelchair travel, should be able to answer your questions about shore excursions. I hope you have one.

 

I have personal experience in Japan, Korea and the Marianas, where I have found wheelchair accessible excursions, some from the ship, some privately arranged. As to the others, I can't say from personal experience, but I am sure you can find something.

[CaptData]

My pics were destroyed in a fire (along with my house). If you go to Web shots and put in Daw Princess you will get a tone of photos. You will have to search throught them to fine H/C types but they are there.

 

As for shore ex you will need a folding wheelchair and be able to transfer to a car. I suggest private tours be arranged by contacting the local tourism offices in each port/country and seeing what they offer (some will have accessible transport others won't). The ones the won't in somecases if you can handle your own transfers into a car then you can may get a quick tour via cab.

 

Warning our tours by cab are expensive think in the $75-$100.00 US range. This all depend on what you are capable of on your own as the cruiseline will not assist you on private tours at all and if you get back late they will not wait for you.

 

Most of their site seeing tours are done on 40 pax bus with stair (they do not provide anything for wheelchair bound foldks). Some of the cruiselines if you contact their Speical Services departments will help you find tour company but only sometimes and they are even more expensive.

[erni]

Here are some pictures of room C305. We were on the Dawn in Aug. My husband is in a power chair and we also bring his manual chair. This was one of the smallest rooms we have been in on a cruise. It was only 213 sq ft most of the other H/c rooms we have been in have been larger - but it was big enough considering that we aren't in the room that much. His power chair just fit on the one side of the bed and the other side was just inches away from the wall. Two manual chairs in the room could be a problem in getting around. Hope the pictures help since the inside rooms are pretty much the same. You can phone Princess for the size of the room but the inside room you are looking at is probably the same size as ours was.

 

 

Sue

[Strawberryflds]

Daveco, thanks. I have been unable to locate a good travel agent that is familiar with disability needs, so am doing most of the research myself. I have decided to change cruises to a shorter one that partially navigates around Australia. So this one is now on the Sun Princess, not the Dawn Princess, but I think they are the same make of ship.

 

CaptData, sorry for your loss. With regards to the shore tours, i can transfer into a car no worries, so i think i will just go ahead, book it, than start on the shore exursions. With changing to the Aussie cruise, it should be much easier for me to find out about access.

 

Erni, thanks for the pics. Like i said above, i am looking at changing to a diff cruise on the Sun Princess, so this is reassuring as i am sure those two ships have the same deckplans.

 

cheers

[*DELTABLUE*]

With a little ingenuity and imagination you can make the cabins work well for 2 chairs. All the cabins have 2 beds that can be placed together or moved apart. So, for the best ease of maneuverability, think about placing them in an 'L' configuration. ;) This will give 2 people full and easy access to their bed. It also assures that the beds will not move as each is against a wall. :D As soon as you arrive, get your steward to give you a hand and redecorate. Have them remove any extra furniture that is in the way and that you will not use. BTW...just love the Sun Class ships!