Wheel chair access???

[kmavb]

I'll be bringing my 95 yr old Grandma on an Alaskan Cruise (NCL Sun)...and wondering if we we have any difficulties as she will occationally require the use of a wheel chair when traveling around the ship. Thankfully the wheel chair is foldable when not in use.

 

For example, how difficult will it be for me to wheel her on and off the ship.

 

And what about the tours when at the various ports. JUNEAU, KETCHICAN, and SKAGWAY. I'm worried about how I'll get my Grandma onto the Train Tour when in Skagway. And when getting to the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau.

 

Any suggestions to make the trip stress free for us.... Thanks!!!

[Toyz711]

i haven't been on the sun, i did the NCL star with FIL in a wheelchair.

had no problems. if you have problems getting on the ship at embarkation ...in seattle the ramp was very steep...you can ask for help. a crewmember will help. plus you can ask, they may have another entrance for wheelchairs.

at the ports, after they open the 1st gangway (to get off) they will open another for wheelchairs. you should hear the annoucements. for the ports, they don't use the really long ramps, they use gangways on the lower decks, much easier then embarking.

in juneau, for mendenhall

http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/districts/mendenhall/

are you taking the shuttle? they (for some of them) are wheelchair-able.

skagway...

are you taking the round-trip train? it loads at the docks and has a car (usually in the rear) that has a lift.

ketchikan...the town has narrow streets, but it's easy to wheel over toward the small boar harbor to view the eagles...plus shop.

you can check out more on alaska at

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

[ChBoxers800]

I have no experience with Alaska, but just got off the Sun two weeks ago. My father rides a motorized scooter.

 

The Sun is an easy ship to navigate and you will not have any problems pushing your grandmom around. All areas are handicapped accessible. The only problem we had was the two door sills that lead out onto the pool deck. They were elevated slightly without a little ramp over them and since the scooter had low ground clearance, he would get stuck. It was no big deal, we just helped him over it and a couple times when we weren't with him, some other nice passengers assited getting him "over the hump". You won't have that problem with a wheelchair.

 

The only thing that is SLIGHTLY inconvenient (as per the layout of this ship) is the location of the Seven Seas dining room at the rear of the ship. It is on deck 5, just as the Four Seasons dining room is. But the ship galley is in between....you cannnot just walk through deck 5 to get to it. You have to go up to 6, walk towards the rear of the ship then go back down to deck 5. If you are just walking, you just go down the short sets of stairs right to the entrance of the dining room. If you have a wheelchair, you will have to take the elevator down. It's really no big deal and those that are used to having wheelchairs/scooters are used to having to go the long way around in order to use the elevators.

 

The ramp to board the ship (at least in Miami) is not that much of an incline at all and would be a fairly easy "push". Don't know what the ramp might be like in Alaska but I'm sure there will be crew available to assist.

 

You really do need to contact NCL in advance and advise them that you are traveling with your grandmother who uses a wheelchair. They will ask specific questions concerning her mobility, special concerns, if you need assistance during an emergency etc. Contact them at: accessdesk@ncl.com

 

 

The Sun has an amazing, helpful crew and if you do need any assistance, don't be afraid to just ask!