Portable Bath/Shower Seat?

[lemonaid]

I don't know if anyone can help me but I'm wondering if anyone makes a portable bath/shower seat. My husband has a spinal cord injury and is very unstable on his feet. We did not book an accessible cabin this year. We're sailing on the Maasdam in 2 weeks in an outside cabin which apparently has a bath/shower. I'm guessing that if you don't book an accessible cabin that they don't have any bath/shower stools to borrow so I'm trying to find something that we could take that won't take up too much of our luggage space.

 

Has anyone ever seen or heard of a travel bath/shower seat?

 

:confused:

[Oskie]

You might call Holland American Special Needs Department to see it they would provide one for you. We once had a regular room and we requested a shower seat. This was on another cruise line, but there didn't seem to be any problem providing it. In fact it was in the shower when we arrived on board ship.

 

Here's a portable one I have been looking at purchasing. It looks as though it would be easy to disassemble and pack:

 

http://www.activeforever.com/p-144-carex-universal-bath-bench.aspx

[berylde]

We called Special Needs Dept. before sailing to request a shower seat and toilet booster, (Jewel, RCL) and they were in the cabin when we arrived

 

http://www.carevacations.com , also rents all kinds of stuff;

[Splinter]

So I assume his injury is ASIA D and he walks?? You know there will be a step up into the bathroom of about 6" don't you, and that the room door will be too narrow for a wheelchair???

 

If you can't get a shower bench from HAL (have you talked to the Special Needs Dept???) then you have a couple options.

 

Before we purchased a travel rolling shower/commode chair we often just "borrowed" a pool-side PVC chair and put it in the shower. Very stable, waterproof, and you don't need to take anything with you. Otherwise, if you want to purchase, I would recommend one of the products from http://www.nuprodx.com They are not cheap, but are of excellent quality and are designed for travel. You can also use one of those over the toilet instead of a sometimes less-than-stable raised toilet seat.

[Starr Mtn]

Yes, a shower chair is available on HAL; well, I believe

it was a shower bench. You can also request

a toilet riser.

 

In fact, once the toilet riser was so sturdy I used

it in the shower. It had metal framing, and a regular

toilet seat with lid. So it was sturdier to use in

the shower than the bench - just left the lid down.

 

Suggest your call your TA or HAL immediately to

request it - not sure how many they have.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[WEELYNCRUZER]

If you want a quality seat get a tubby2. It comes in a carry bag. IT's around $300 but worth every penny. It's not small but there is no charge for disabled equipment on any airline. I believe you can see on www.*****. It has suction cups and rubber feet that sit on the edge of the tub making it an easy transfer. The legs are adjustable and it has a hole so it can go over ant commode.

[lemonaid]

Wow! I thank you all for your wonderful information. The last time we cruised we were in an accessible cabin but decided to try an ordinary one this time since my DH can walk with the aid of a cane. But as the time gets closer I'm starting to get worried that the shower will be a problem.

 

I think we'll start with HAL's Special Needs department as suggested by several of you to see if we can borrow. If I can avoid carrying one more item then I'd prefer to do that.

 

Thanks again for all your suggestions.

[NorthernLite]

If you want a quality seat get a tubby2. It comes in a carry bag. IT's around $300 but worth every penny. It's not small but there is no charge for disabled equipment on any airline. I believe you can see on www.*****. It has suction cups and rubber feet that sit on the edge of the tub making it an easy transfer. The legs are adjustable and it has a hole so it can go over ant commode.

 

My Nuprodx portable is being charged as another checked bag on AirTran in October. I can't carry it on due to the metal bars even though it fits. And AirTran did check with a manager or two. We mange up to 14 days with a checked bag each; my backpack with our meds and jewelry and a couple items in case of mid-trip disasters is my carry on; my DH's carry on is a carry on measured for European standards filled with all the other medical stuff and binoculars and camera. So other than gate checking my wheelchair my portable commode/shower seat is my only item that needs the checked medical baggage exception.

[Wild Thing ~T]

We were onboard the Oosterdam a month ago, we had a regular balconie cabin and they were happy to bring me a shower stool. I had out TA request one for our upcoming cruise onboard the Amsterdam. Have a wonderful cruise!:D

[NorthernLite]

I've found most shower benches or stools I've had to use in hotels have been very low, backless and tippy until some I've seen just recently that are left in HP rooms. And is it just me or are the vast majority of fold down seats on ccruise ships made for a 6 year olds butt? This is why I shelled out for a portable shower/commode seat that is very easy to assemble with the one included allen wrench. Without it the DH would go back to doing the first night midnight raid to the pool area to grab a pool chair. Great idea Splinter!

[WEELYNCRUZER]

How does the pool chair work over the cammode. If you buy a good quality chair it works well in showers, has legs to rest on the side of a bathtub making it very safe to swing your legs into the tub. It also has a hole so it works over the commode. It can be used on ships ,hotels,and private homes. I have had mine for 15 years and just replaced the the adjustable legs because the suction cups started to dry out and crack. Like my tux if I amortorize per use WHAT A BARGAIN.

[Splinter]

Of course a pool/deck chair cannot be used as a commode chair. The question was about showering, not toilet use.

 

We have a portable shower/commode that is on wheels and is made in Italy (no current USA vendor). It packs small and is perfect for our needs now.

 

The flip-down seats in the shower are too small, too high, too slippery and too dangerous for my mother, plus it means another transfer. With our chair, it is one transfer, roll over the toilet, roll into the shower, then dress and transfer to the wheelchair. It saves time, effort and risks for a fall.

[WEELYNCRUZER]

My point is if you need one you probably need both,

[Splinter]

Not necessarily. When my mother still stood to transfer, we still needed a shower chair but not a toilet seat...in fact the lower toilet made it easier for my mother to cath herself.

[JACKSONDDANDKK]

Hi,

We just purchased one for our upcomming cruise. Although I wanted to get the one which closes into a suitcase, I could not pay 1600.00 or more. So I went to e-bay, and purchased a great one. It was built the day I bought it and it works SUPER! The only thing is, I believe I will have to buy a garden chair cover to roll it through the terminal. But that will work. Here's the site on E-bay. Shower Chairs Plus; http://stores.ebay.com/Shower-Chairs-Plus Less than 400.00 and it has the lift up arm for slide on. Very Nice! Arrived perfectly too.

Good luck and keep searching.

[leoandhugh]

one other thing you should be aware of since your husband is unstable on his feet at times - most of the tubs on the older HAL ships such as Sclass (Maasdam) are very deep and require quite a lift of one leg to get it into the tub, so he will probably require your assistance.:)

[Guest carlogesualdo]

My Nuprodx portable is being charged as another checked bag on AirTran in October. I can't carry it on due to the metal bars even though it fits. And AirTran did check with a manager or two. We mange up to 14 days with a checked bag each; my backpack with our meds and jewelry and a couple items in case of mid-trip disasters is my carry on; my DH's carry on is a carry on measured for European standards filled with all the other medical stuff and binoculars and camera. So other than gate checking my wheelchair my portable commode/shower seat is my only item that needs the checked medical baggage exception.

 

Be sure to do a gate check if you can. Instead of doing a regular luggage check in, take it to the gate and let the gate agent check it for you. I'm not saying it can't get lost, but it's less likely since it's a whole lot MORE likely it will actually be on the plane with you rather than on its way to Hong Kong or somewhere in a different direction. You probably know this already, but just in case somebody didn't...

[ILoveScotland]

Yes, cruise lines will provide shower seats. I also bought a portable shower seat for us to use when we are in hotels. I bought it on ebay and don't remember the brand. It collapses and fits nicely in a suit case.