NCL vs RCL accessibility

Hello

Looking at booking our 3rd cruise in 2018, our first two were with P&O and I am keen to explore other options.

Due to itineraries I am looking at NCL or RCI and would appreciate opinions regarding access pros/cons for these lines, or specific ships.

My husband is an electric wheelchair user, cannot walk at all or do his own transfers, I do them for him.

Thankyou

Personally, I know RCCL is more expensive than NCL, but depending on the ship....and what you are asking.....I like RCCL better. Are you asking about the accessibility? What are the ships you have chosen? Some are very old :o

I have been on one RCL cruise and 6 with NCL and I believe they are about equal. New larger ships being better

Make sure there are no tender ports

And since transfers could be an issue getting a wheelchair accessible tour can be really expensive

You may want to look into ports that have a lot to do at the port

Hope this helps

Looking at doing Northern Europe, so Stockholm, Heksinki, Copenhagen, Oslo. All will have things to do. I know St Petersburg is likely difficult, but unavoidable if we want to do those other ports.

RCL ships Vision, Serenade, Brilliance

NCL ships Getaway, Breakaway

I wondering about how accessible the ships are; deck negotiation, cabins, corridors, shops, lifts.

Do the lines generally provide accessible transport from the port (like P&O do).

Also what is the entertainment/food like, we are a young couple and find the shows a bit off putting on P&O!

Hello

 

Looking at booking our 3rd cruise in 2018, our first two were with P&O and I am keen to explore other options.

 

Due to itineraries I am looking at NCL or RCI and would appreciate opinions regarding access pros/cons for these lines, or specific ships.

 

My husband is an electric wheelchair user, cannot walk at all or do his own transfers, I do them for him.

 

Thankyou

For consideration when booking :

• In theory the newer the build of the ship themore accessible it will be. Even with new build ships there may still be someobstacles to manage from time to time.
  
• Both RCCL and NCL have only Fully Accessiblecabins which is a good thing as Carnivalhas varying classifications of accessible cabins and HAL has both Fully andModified accessible cabins.
  
• Automatic door openers :
  
  • RCCL Radiance Class Ships and Vision ClassShips have automatic door openers on its accessible cabins. All other ships in RCCL’s fleet do not.
    
  • NCL – don’t recall having automatic dooropeners so you’ll have to ask its Special Needs Department
    

  [*]Placement of the toilet grab bars is oftenan issue when transfer from a wheelchair. Position of the grabs can also be an issue if the transfer is done witha hoyerlift . RCCL posts the position of the grab bars for each accessilbecabin on a link included on the website deck plans page. NCL you will have to speak directly to theSpeical Needs Department.

  [*]Try to select an itinerary that has notender ports. Wheelchairs and scooters are not allowed on tenders if there isno roll-on capability. Even if the tender does have roll-on capabilities it’sat the Captain discretion if passengers with any typeof mobility equipment areallowed to board.

  [*]Both RCCL and NCL require you to complete a "Special Needs Form" RCCL's can be found on its website . NCL doesn't so you'll have to contact it's Speical Needs Department.

Looking at doing Northern Europe, so Stockholm, Heksinki, Copenhagen, Oslo. All will have things to do. I know St Petersburg is likely difficult, but unavoidable if we want to do those other ports.

Re: St. Petersburg - Actually it's doable check out this link http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2509638&highlight=St.+Petersburg

RCL ships Vision, Serenade, Brilliance

NCL ships Getaway, Breakaway

• Been on the Vision, Seranade and Brilliance but not the Getaway or Breakaway .
  
• Though I like all 3 I prefer the Seranade and Brilliance over the Vision more due to size of ship . Also if you're interested in an inside accessible cabin the Radiance Class which includes the Seranade and Brilliance have the largest interior cabins of all RCCL's ships. Additionally these 3 ships all have automatic door openers for accessible cabins,
  
• Breakaway entered NCL's fleet in 2013 and Getaway in 2014 so these two ships are the newest build of all five that you're considering. They're also larger than the the 3 RCCL ships.
  

I wondering about how accessible the ships are; deck negotiation, cabins, corridors, shops, lifts.

Re: Vision, Serenade and Brilliance I found them all to be very comparable in deck negotiaton, cabins , and shops. Corridors can be problematic as is the case on all cruise ships. On occasion you may have to locate a cabin attendent to move a cart out of the way or even contact sercurity to remove a baby strolloer or mobility device that should have been stored in the hallway to begin with.

Do the lines generally provide accessible transport from the port (like P&O do).

If the ship were embarking from a USA port than the cruise line is required to provide wheelchair accessible transportation per USA ADA Law. However being that you will be embarking from a European port you'll have to ask that question directly to RCCL and NCL as European Laws apply.

Also what is the entertainment/food like, we are a young couple and find the shows a bit off putting on P&O!

• RE: entertainment . RCCL's always has a varied amount of enterainment in the evenings through out the ships. As with any cruise line you'll like some of it and some you won't.
  
• Both RCCL and NCL attract passengers of all ages. However being that NCL tends to be less expensive than RCCL so perhaps the Breakaway and Getaway may attract a lightly younger crowd
  
• Food is very subjective but I prefer RCCL over NCL in this catagory.
  

Looking at doing Northern Europe, so Stockholm, Heksinki, Copenhagen, Oslo. All will have things to do. I know St Petersburg is likely difficult, but unavoidable if we want to do those other ports.

Been to all these ports but was not using a mobility device at the time despite having MS. Remember all places surprisingly being pretty accessible.

Oslo - refer to this link https://wheelchairtravel.org/oslo-norway/

Stockholm - Overall good accessibility. Public transportation is mostly wheelchair accessible. https://www.handiscover.com/content/destinations/sweden/guide-accessible-holiday-accommodation-stockholm-disabled-holidays/

Helsinki -check this link out http://www.curbfreewithcorylee.com/2016/02/13/wheelchair-accessible-tour-helsinki-finland/

Copenhagen - check out this link http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/traveltrade/copenhagen/disabled/copenhagen-disabled

St. Petersburg - Doable check this link http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showt...St.+Petersburg as previously stated in Post # 6 of this thread

Oh wow, thankyou so much everyone for all that info, gives me plenty to look at. It's so far trying to decide!

Automatic doors would be useful, as he is unable to get in/out of cabins with normal doors on his own.

I'll speak to both lines regarding port transfers in Europe, I suspect they will be obliged to due to EU laws.

St. Petersburg was fantastic. Did our own private tour for 2 days.

It was worth ever penny.

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Chippet-

We just got of Breakaway a month ago. I am not disabled but I am architect/designer and I thought the corridors all over the ship were very tight on Breakaway. The stateroom Corridors are so tight two grown men can not walk side by side.

I have been in both the Radiance and Serenade and I find those ships much more spacious. My sister and her two kids travelled in an accesible deck 2 ocean view stateroom and it was wonderful. The turning radius' in the room and shower room were impressive.

Also Radiance and serenade are both smaller ships and people can get on and off much faster. A good friend recently took a larger ship to St. Petersburg and she complained that the ship was so large it took forever to embark in disembark at each port she said that if she ever went back she would take a smaller ship.

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Useful to know, thankyou 🙂

Looking at doing Northern Europe, so Stockholm, Heksinki, Copenhagen, Oslo. All will have things to do. I know St Petersburg is likely difficult, but unavoidable if we want to do those other ports.

 

RCL ships Vision, Serenade, Brilliance

NCL ships Getaway, Breakaway

 

I wondering about how accessible the ships are; deck negotiation, cabins, corridors, shops, lifts.

 

Do the lines generally provide accessible transport from the port (like P&O do).

 

Also what is the entertainment/food like, we are a young couple and find the shows a bit off putting on P&O!

I have been on 6 Carnival and 1 NCL.. I can tell you the ONLY thing I liked about NCL is the accessable cabins are a bit larger than Carnivals.. and the public bathrooms that are wheelchair accessable have automated doors.. so he just pushes a button and the door opens etc.. Carnival doesn't have these. As for Europe with an electric chair.. good luck. .from what I've personally heard, there are very little curbs that curve down, so making it hard to cross the street.. and most stores you might want to go to have steps and no ramps. In any case..enjoy your cruise :)