ShelbyTN

I used my heating pad on our Princess cruise on the Royal. I contacted them well before hand and explained I could provide a doctor's note if needed but it wasn't  necessary. They said they would supply the extension cord if needed and the heating pad had to be an auto turn off type. It was a fourteen day cruise I used the heating pad every day.

I was told no to a plug in heat pad (I find heat helps both my neuropathic pain and pain associated with my muscle spasticity). I use “Hot Hands” instead (not just going away, but anywhere where it’s not possible or practical to use an electric pad) ... they stay warm for a long time - I’ve actually never timed one until today, but I activated one at 10am this morning - now coming up 6pm and it’s not even started to cool down.

We stayed in Barcelona for a few days before our transatlantic cruise and I used hot hands at night instead of trying to have a converter for a heating pad. It worked grea I put it inside a pillow case or it was too hot on my skin. I use them at home in the winter because I am cold natured. I did use the heating pad on the ship (like I mentioned in my other post) on 3 different cruise lines. Just let the accessibility department know you need one and it has to be auto shut off.

I took one on Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Princess I let the special needs/accessibility office know that I would be bringing one. Celebrity let me use my own extension cord when I took the heating pad on Royal Caribbean they supplied an extenstion cord. It has to have an auto shut off. I always let the special needs department know when I fill out the mobility form. I did have a doctor's note but no one cared.

Take a look at this page. When I went to Cozumel the first time we were able to get a wheelchair accesible taxi (van) and did a private island tour. It was great our driver was willing to take us wherever we wanted to go.

https://book.thisiscozumel.com/en/packagedetails/cozumel-wheelchair-accessible-tours

I use a manual chair and went to the local nursing home so I could weigh while in the chair. My husband weighed my chair when we got home and took all the measurements.

I have to have an accessible room with my wheelchair and it is so annoying to have to book so far in advance. If I wait there is a chance an accessible room may become available but I don't want to take the chance that someone cancels or doesn't make the final payment.

All the Florida ports have free parking if your vehicle has modifications I found this out last December when we took our first cruise that left out of Miami. Took a cruise out of Tampa in Feb. with free parking. I have hand controls and a ramp van so we were eligible for the free parking.

The link I gave had a place to click for contact you could try it. http://thisiscozumel.com/contact/

As for the ships in port that day not sure when in October but:

http://ports.cruisett.com/schedule/Mexico/155-Cozumel/October_2016/

We paid $80.00 and my husband gave Miguel a good tip because the he was so nice, was willing to take us anywhere we wanted, and stop as often as we wanted. There was only one other ship in port that day so it was easy to get the taxi. Next time we were in Cozumel there was five ships in port since we had not arranged for a taxi we didn't get to venture out. If your boyfriend can transfer well you could probably take a regular taxi and store the chair in the trunk. Since I am older now my transfers suck so I stick with the vans with lifts. You could try and look at the port of call list on this forum and see if anyone has suggestions on accessible excursions.

We were in Cozumel in December 2015. It was our first cruise and first port we had no idea what we would be able to do. I did a little research but not much. We were lucky there was not many ships in port that day so was able to get a wheelchair accessible van taxi. We took an island tour, the driver would take us anywhere we wanted but we let him pick. We really had an enjoyable day. Our drivers name was Miguel and his taxi's number was 385. We went on another cruise in February but there was five ships in port since we had not reserved a taxi we were out of luck.

http://thisiscozumel.com/things-to-do/76-tours-and-excursions/1175-cozumel-wheelchair-accessible-tours/

Welcome to Crusie Critic. Will be sailing on Brillance Feb. 27th only our second cruise. I have learned a lot from this forum but have learned that I have to make my mind up on my own when it comes to reviews. What one person likes, is not what I like, and vice versa.

I don't have the room to move around in my wheelchair if I tried to use a standard room. Plus the bathroom is bigger with a roll in shower and the doorways are wider. There is a ramp to go out to the balcony. I have never been in a "regular" cabin but going down the hallway the doorways looked narrow to me.

To the orginal poster in the shower there is a fold down bench maybe your child can sit on that to be bathed. There is no lip in the shower so plugging the drain would not work. It is a hand held showerhead so you can make it work one way or the other :).

You will be asked to fill out a special needs form. You need to book well in advance this is the most annoying for me it keeps me from taking spur of the moment cruises, no accessible rooms. I had to book one cruise a whole year in advance to get a accessible room with a balcony. I cannot use a regular cabin with my wheelchair.

We caught an accessible taxi (van with a lift) at the port in Cozumel and did an island tour. The driver was Miguel, he spoke english think his taxi number was 385. He was willing to take us wherever we wanted and as many stops as we wanted. Think it was this company http://thisiscozumel.com/things-to-do/76-tours-and-excursions/1175-cozumel-wheelchair-accessible-tours/

Be interesting to know the height. We were on Celebrity Reflection in December and the bed height was perfect. We are going on RCL in February I sure don't want to be stuck with a high mattress and not be able to transfer. Finding this a lot in hotels lately.

Trust me when I say no one who "has" to book a HA room wants to be in the position of needing one. Of course anyone can use the HA but I have to fill out a medical form when I request a HA stateroom. I guess when someone just books one for the heck of it they don't have to do that?

Plus HA bathrooms are only there because of the ADA law, but yes anyone can go in one if they want. I know I have waited ten minutes waiting for the only stall I can use to come empty while ten other stalls are not in use.

Handicap parking is another whole issue lol. Was not trying to be smart just pointing out that yes there are some of us that cannot go on a cruise, or have a bathroom available if people use these when it is not necessary.

No cruise line in its right mind would leave a stateroom empty just waiting for someone with a disability to book it I do realize at some point it has to be open to the general public.

I need the wheelchair accessible room and having trouble finding one I have been looking at Holland because I couldn't find one on the cruise line I wanted for the first part of 2016. Guess there does come a time when someone cancels and one opens up.

Might be hard for my husband to push me in that chair. I know I have tried to push my regular chair through sand and it just wasn't going to happen!

Thanks for the responses. I haven't checked the port of calls forum here I am new to the forum and haven't paid attention to all the different categories but will check it out. I have looked at Celebrity forum it is the Celebrity Reflection we will be traveling on. The cruise is still months away actually in December but I want to be prepared. I am excited as is my husband!

I am a full time manual wheelchair (paraplegic cannot walk even one step) user my husband and I are taking our first cruise in December was hoping for so information. It is a western Caribbean with ports in Cozumel, Mexico, George Town, Grand Cayman, Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Cococay, Bahamas. Two are tendered so not sure I can get off the ship in those ports.

I would be interested in any suggestions on excursions or what to do at these ports. I have tried to google but haven't come up with much. I read one thread where someone took a private tour in Montego Bay and it was a reasonable price but he did not have the cost and now I can't find the thread. Any help would be appreciated.

We have an accessible balcony room so that will be okay it is the ports I am concerned with or wanting to enjoy along with time on the ship.

Thanks