Traveling on Allure of the Seas out of FLL with Elderly Parents

We are booked on RCCL Allure of the Seas for January 14, 2018. We will be taking my in-laws with us. The only way that MIL will be able to go is if we rent her a scooter .. which I have references for.

I'm curious how available "courtesy wheelchairs" are at the curb for when we arrive at the port. There is NO way she would be able to walk all the way thru check-in and onto the ship. I realize the scooter will be waiting in the cabin and our plan is to grab it and bring it down to her once we are all on board.

Other hurdle is airfare. I'm finding decent rates from STL to FLL to arrive at 1:25 pm (the day we sail). I believe we recently received notification that the new ship sail time is 4:30 so arriving at 1:25 into the FLL airport is enough time right? We will be going straight from baggage claim to the port. I don't like flying in the day we sail but that's our only option. I'm finding return airfare as early as 10:10 am (which I think is cutting it too close) ... would prefer the 10:10 but 12:45 is probably a safer bet .. right? We will take our luggage off the ship ourselves .. but then again .. there goes the same question for MIL ... will we have access to a wheelchair to get her off the ship as the scooter will have to be left in her cabin?

So many questions ... thanks for the assistance?

(I will repost on the board for mobility issues ... mainly curious about airfare and times)

1:25pm is enough time for you to get to the cruise port IF, and only IF, your flight and/or luggage are not delayed, claimed your luggage and out the terminal building by 2pm.

10:10 flight back is too close. With your MIL using wheelchair assistance, you will not be able to do a self-assist disembarkation and make that early flight. Better to take the past noon flight.

It is a 15 minute Uber/taxi ride from Port Everglades to FLL airport.

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We are booked on RCCL Allure of the Seas for January 14, 2018. We will be taking my in-laws with us. The only way that MIL will be able to go is if we rent her a scooter .. which I have references for.

I'm curious how available "courtesy wheelchairs" are at the curb for when we arrive at the port. There is NO way she would be able to walk all the way thru check-in and onto the ship. I realize the scooter will be waiting in the cabin and our plan is to grab it and bring it down to her once we are all on board.

Wheelchair assistance is generally not available curbside on disembarkation day . You will have to take your MIL into the terminal and locate a RCCL rep. Advise them she will need wheelchair assistance. Your MIL will than be directed to a waiting area for wheelchair assistance to her through the check-in process. Wheelchair assistance is on a first come first served basis. However wheelchair assistance in Port Everglades for the Allure is a 2 part process. Once after the check in process is completed your MIL will than be taken to a second waiting area for wheelchair assistance in which the ship's personal will than come and take her on board the ship , This second part is also done on a first come first served basis

Other hurdle is airfare. I'm finding decent rates from STL to FLL to arrive at 1:25 pm (the day we sail). I believe we recently received notification that the new ship sail time is 4:30 so arriving at 1:25 into the FLL airport is enough time right? We will be going straight from baggage claim to the port. I don't like flying in the day we sail but that's our only option.

You must be checked in and on board the ship before 3:00 PM. Though the airport is only about 10 minutes away from the port you've left no room for any delay.

I'm finding return airfare as early as 10:10 am (which I think is cutting it too close) ... would prefer the 10:10 but 12:45 is probably a safer bet .. right? We will take our luggage off the ship ourselves .. but then again .. there goes the same question for MIL ... will we have access to a wheelchair to get her off the ship as the scooter will have to be left in her cabin?

Wheelchair assistance is not provided for those doing self disembarkation. Wheelchair assistance is provided for those not doing self disembarkation. You need to advise Guest Services that assistance will be needed. The location for wheelchair assistance will be printed in the Cruise Compass left in your cabin the night before. It =will definitely be on deck 5 but which place can and does vary. There's always a large amount of passengers needing wheelchair assistance but there's limited number of pushers as well as wheelchairs are available so be prepared to wait. It's also important to note that wheelchair assistance on disembarkation day is also a 2 part process. Part 1 - RCCL staff will take her just inside the terminal and transfer her to a seat in the waiting area. RCCL terminal representative will that take her all the way out to the curb and yes this is not a fast process either. The earlier flight really isn't a option .

Wow ... Thank you so much for all of your assistance. I'm beginning to wonder if we shouldn't look into taking another form of assistance for her like those walker / seat devices. Don't even have a clue if we can even check something like that for the airplane as a "checked bag". This is on her bucket list to do .. she turns 80 the week before the cruise but due to her poor health she simply can't walk very far at all so I'm trying to get as much lined out pre-cruise as possible.

** If we had our own "wheelchair .. walker/seat" could we do self-disembarkation? DH and I have always done that on our other cruises .. when my vacation is over I want OFF the ship .. don't like standing around in long long lines **

Wow ... Thank you so much for all of your assistance. I'm beginning to wonder if we shouldn't look into taking another form of assistance for her like those walker / seat devices.

The type of walker w/seat that you're referring to should never be used as transport vehicle as the seat is to be used only in a stationary position. Fully aware that many people use it that way but it's clearly marked as "Not to be used in place of a wheelchair" or similar wording.

There are walkers with a seat that have been engineered to convert to a transport wheelchair such as the one shown in this link. http://www.1800wheelchair.com/product/duet-transport-chair-and-rollator-in-one/ Disclaimer not endorsing the website just referencing the photo of a rollator/wheelchair combo.

Don't even have a clue if we can even check something like that for the airplane as a "checked bag". This is on her bucket list to do .. she turns 80 the week before the cruise but due to her poor health she simply can't walk very far at all so I'm trying to get as much lined out pre-cruise as possible.

Mobility devices travel free of charge as a medical device. It should never be checked through as baggage. It should be gate checked and your MIL can use it to board the plane. It will be left on the jet way and ground crew will stow it in a special area of the cargo haul. It will be returned to the jet way at your destination.

If we had our own "wheelchair .. walker/seat" could we do self-disembarkation? DH and I have always done that on our other cruises .. when my vacation is over I want OFF the ship .. don't like standing around in long long lines **

Yes if you have something that someone in your group can safely transport your MIL than self disembarking is permitted.

Wow ... Thank you so much for all of your assistance. I'm beginning to wonder if we shouldn't look into taking another form of assistance for her like those walker / seat devices. Don't even have a clue if we can even check something like that for the airplane as a "checked bag". This is on her bucket list to do .. she turns 80 the week before the cruise but due to her poor health she simply can't walk very far at all so I'm trying to get as much lined out pre-cruise as possible.

 

** If we had our own "wheelchair .. walker/seat" could we do self-disembarkation? DH and I have always done that on our other cruises .. when my vacation is over I want OFF the ship .. don't like standing around in long long lines **

while rollators( and all medical devices) can be gate checked or baggage checked for no cost( one per ticketed passenger) a rollator IS NOT a viable means of transport under any circumstances. its a walker that happens to have a seat for brief rests.

self disembarkation means you have to take everything off yourself using the stairs. if she needs any sort of assistance boarding or disembarking, it is first come first served and there are limited resources so the wait can be much longer.

You might look into getting a transport wheelchair for her. This would also come in handy for those tender ports (if you have any) where she can't take the scooter on the tender.

You can wheel her right down the jetbridge to the plane, then airline personnel will take the wheelchair and stow it in the gate-checked baggage compartment. They will bring it to the jet bridge when you arrive.

BE AWARE -- This and/or the use of wheelchair assistance in the airport will add to the time required to get out of the airport and may make your flight in too tight to make your ship. I would recommend finding an earlier flight or, even better, flying in the day prior.

Don't get a transport chair. They are very uncomfortable, do not allow the person to reposition the chair themselves (even to turn the chair around), and are difficult to push on carpet and ashore on cobblestones or other uneven surfaces. Get and take a light weight manual wheelchair. You don't have to pay to check this on the airlines, can use it to get around the airport, fold it in your cabin out of the way, and use it for any shore excursions (which you cannot with a ship's wheelchair). The scooter is great for on-board, not so good for shore excursions.

1:25pm is enough time for you to get to the cruise port IF, and only IF, your flight and/or luggage are not delayed, claimed your luggage and out the terminal building by 2pm.

10:10 flight back is too close. With your MIL using wheelchair assistance, you will not be able to do a self-assist disembarkation and make that early flight. Better to take the past noon flight.

It is a 15 minute Uber/taxi ride from Port Everglades to FLL airport.

 

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True

If you're booking a flight arriving so close to sail away, have an idea what to do if you have to catch up with the ship. Many will fly in the night before.