PG13

I’m taking my grandsons 8 & 10 on our RC cruise on Odyssey in Jan and they’ll want to use the arcade. How much do the games cost? How do they pay for them? Royal is offering me a discount for buying money for arcade, and I’d like to purchase some for them, but how do they track this? Everything is usually on your card and I can’t give them my card. Are they coins of some kind. Thank you, Pat

Who other than Disney cater to kids? DH and I have traveled with several cruise line and know what we like, but we are going to take the Grandsons with us for the first time.  It looks like maybe Royal Caribbean has a lot more stuff for young kids to do, especially on their Oases class ships, particularly the latest 2 that join the fleet.  I prefer a smaller quieter sailing, but this trip is about the boys and I want a lot of thing for the boys to do this trip. Also, which of the activities are for a fee. I assume the miniature golf, water slides and water park are free, but there looks to be many other things. I'm hoping others that have sailed recently can help me out. We haven't been on Royal in a few years.  Princess doesn't seem to have many kid luring activities. I'd rather not go with Disney. I did scan back 3 pages and didn't see a post like this recently. Thanks for your help. Pat 

13 hours ago, oakridger said:

Hawaii was the state that just required embarking passengers to Hawaii to do a COViD test at the pier today in San Francisco.  I was told that this was just announced on Friday. This was not a Princess requirement, but from the state of Hawaii.  (per a cruise embarkation port employee)

WHAT??? So all the fussing about to get the test 2 days prior is for naught and another test is required before boarding the ship to Hawaii at the pier??? I assume Princes will notify us? I guess a test just before we fly is still good idea, that way we don't fly there and then find we can't board.

And, thank you for all this information! I've enjoyed reading trough it and drooling over the food pics.

very good of you all,

Pat

On 8/3/2021 at 7:28 AM, Himself said:

I have been to the Tram manty times.   Great views up there.

is it possible for a handicap person to take this??He rides  scooter, has Parkinsons and can walk some, but I'm not sure what we do with the scooter.

3 hours ago, rlj1973 said:

We're undecided about our Dec. 3 cruise on the Koningsdam.  We're fine with the pre-cruise testing.  While we're very pro-mask, the idea of having to wear one for much of a week-long cruise is not appealing.  On the other hand, we REALLY want to get back out to sea.

We're sailing in 12 day. Mask are not mandated, it is strongly encouraged indoors, required in elevators and indoor entertainment areas, shops, casino when not eating or drinking. I'll just make sure I'm eating or carrying a drink a lot(or at least look like it). Not going to shop or the casino. Shows OK mask. I just really need a break from caregiving and everyday same ole, same ole. Mask in airports are a good idea anyway, just couldn't be bothered before. Pat

19 hours ago, tshved said:

I have and hopefully someone will have an answer.

 

you also could pose the question under the port city line, I didn't look but I'm sure San Diego is listed

Have any of you visited the thermal spa since HA started back up. They want you to choose a specific time to go, right now, when you pay for it.  Lots of folks have questions about this, but unless you've been on the ships recently and used this service you don't know Thank you for your information. Pat

On 7/4/2021 at 7:33 PM, Cruise Suzy said:

For my Nieuw Amsterdam November cruise, I found it in Already Booked -> Manage My Bookings. Look under Cruise Activities -> Spa -> Relaxation Areas. It is $169 pp or $299 per couple for 7 days

OOP! Never mind found my answer ater reading on.SO I followed you directions and it worked well. But, it says that price for 15 minutes and I have to book the time. How the heck do you use the pool and bed in that time. Or is that like a gate way time you can enter?? Its been a long time since I went on HA, but previously I wondered in any time and stayed as long as I wish, especially the pool. If you could clarify I'd appreciate it we leave in 13 days. Thank you ahead of time, Pat

2 hours ago, mlbcruiser said:

Actually, from  the info I can find so far, whether a lithium battery is ion or polymer shouldn’t really matter after all. 
 

Don’t worry!  Your EV Rider is fine. I called  one major airline’s’ special needs dept.  and it was one of the scooters already on their list of approved list of scooters using lithium batteries. (Anyway, I was told that just because a scooter has not yet been placed on their approved list does not mean it won’t meet their approval.)  The  one I ordered is not yet on it but meets the official requirements.) I have contacted 2 other airlines and gave them the info they require to determine approval of a scooter and was told the scooter I ordered does meet the requirements.) 

 

For the record, the scooter I ordered does NOT have a lithium POLYMER battery after all! According to the company brochure, the battery IS a lithium ION. . One of the Internet sites advertising the scooter listed it’s lithium battery as the polymer type apparently in error.   (I have found that various vendors’ sales sites seem to list different specs for the exact same brands and styles of scooters sometimes.   Errors galore!  However, most of the time it is just some type of measurement that varies slightly.) 

 

The stats I have seen for the EV Rider list lithium ION batteries.  
 

 

Thanks for the information. Americcan Airlines site wants you fill in an online form and submit it. I didn't do this while making the reservation so I'm going to call them and fill out the form.

I hope Ray or someone in the know will get back to us.   The E V rider I just purchased for DH has a 24V 11.5Ah Lithium Battery. Any issues at airports?  I know I'm to remove the battery on the gangway and take it on board with me. Should I call the airlines? Hmmm?

On 2/13/2020 at 9:42 PM, mlbcruiser said:

Almost just bought al foldable scooter but since that particular scooter has a lithium polymer battery instead of a lithium ionI battery, I am not sure if it would be allowed to be carried onto an airplane the same as a lithium ion battery would. I was told by my airline that a lithium battery must be under 300 WH (watt hours). While the polymer battery is in compliance in that regard, a number of other scooters mention their lithium ion batteries are approved for aircraft cabins. 
Intetestingly, scooter dealers don’t seem to know, nor do reps in their headquarters! Hoping there is someone on here that might.  Thanks for any knowledgeable help.

Well crap I just bought the E V Rider and the stats say it is airport approved. It has a lithium battery, but have no idea if it is lithium Polymer of lithium ion. Is it under 300 WH got no Idea, I guess I better get the paper work out. Crap

Thanks to everyone here for your advice. I read and read reviews and watched videos after video.  My husband finally agreed to the E V Rider scooter in red, manual folding because it has 2 front wheels. We ordered it from an Ohio dealer, I was more comfortable talking with a real person prior to ordering it. And, its getting here in 3 days from the headquarters in Florida, I was told.  He gave us 5% off, no tax as they are located out of state. It is the same price everywhere I looked, so I was pleased he offered us a discount and included a backpack that goes on the back of the scooter, no basket. So here's hoping its all I'm thinking it will be and that DH can adjust to his new ride. Thanks again, Pat 

You are welcome to contact me at greenpatti@comcast.net   E V Rider head quarters is located in Ft Meyers, Florida, they have many options. Maybe you could visit there. I do believe you could find a store with more options in Florida.

     Here's the thing, using a scooter is inevitable for Ken, he has Parkinson's, at this time it causes his feet to freezing mid-stride and if he can't catch himself he will and does fall and this can not be helped much with a cane or walker.  This will get worse, its 12 been years now we've been dealing with this disease, Ken was diagnosed at 52.  I only got him to use a wheel chair on our last trip in Jan, and he agreed partly because it eases our way through check in, etc. The disease has also slowed him down to the point that getting through the airports is a long drawn out affair causing problems getting to our gate on time.  I don't expect he'll use it all the time.  However, it will allow us to get out more. His physical therapist told me it was time for tough love and get angry about using a cane at all times and a scooter.  He was not even using his cane and walked around trying to be sure he was falling onto furniture but often the floor, ridiculous!!  I choose the M model, it does not electrically fold up, but a floor level kick starts the process and you complete it.  I watched it on QVC.  I think the electric fold is just one more thing to go wrong and it only has 1 front wheel. With so many people using them, a lot on our last cruise,  I'm going to trust the product is pretty trustworthy. He won't be using it around the house, our house isn't setup with proper doorways. And, we live in Michigan so in the winter outside is a no go. At some point I will probably need to purchase a model that can get us around in thee snow, but that's up the road a ways I hope. Good luck.

On 2/4/2020 at 11:41 PM, mlbcruiser said:

PG13,  I am going through the exact same thing right now. On the fence regarding whether to purchase a foldable scooter for my husband or continue to rent. The Go Go 3 is a Pride scooter. Solutions At Sea does have some foldable scooters but they are $50 more than a regular scooter would be (for seven days at least. I am not sure about a longer period of time). I know in the past I have seen someone mention that they can still go to the front of a security line while riding a scooter just as they would if an attendant was taking them through in a wheelchair.  I’d like to verify that though. You probably should check with your airline to make sure it is OK  to  just pull your husband’s scooter in gate check it. I have a feeling they will want you to put it through the baggage check in that case.  Like you, I will be the one pulling the suitcases and carry-on,  Will be in charge of all the documents and so forth.  I usually use an offsite parking lot and then we take the shuttle from there to the airport terminal and check in.  DH is taken to the gate in a wheelchair. He can walk a little bit but it’s always too far of a walk to a gate. He can manage to walk up the jetway himself as well.  I’m  guessing the scooter will  have less chance of being thrown around and damaged if it is taken at the last minute from the jetway to the cargo hold rather than  being checked with bags with other luggage.  Regarding a golf case, only a few particular types of folding scooters will fit in a golf case. A couple of the other types have either a hard sided case, which is pretty expensive at several hundred dollars, or I think there are certain fabric bags you can put them in. Those will probably protect against scratches somewhat but I don’t know about other major damage. It’s a shame that it’s pretty difficult in many cities to find folding scooters available to see and or try in person before purchasing.  I’ve been searching extensively and there are so many brands, types, and the specifications vary.  On several occasions I have read the specs for the exact same model scooter and one supplier’s website will say the scooter minus batteries is 51 pounds and the other website will say 53 or 54 pounds  without the battery.  I’ve seen the exact same scooter plus the battery weights vary  by as much as 10 pounds between sites! And I do pay attention to whether that is with or without batteries. Then there’s the whole deal about which type of battery.  Lightweight means a lot to me and probably to you, too.  You have probably been reading the other questions on this board involving that whole issue.   I’ve been contemplating  whether we should rent a scooter for our upcoming cruise just to  test it out before purchasing one.  The folding ones make it so much easier to use local transportation.   Please post if you find  answers to some of the things either one of us are curious about and good luck to you And your husband getting all of this good stuff squared away.

      So Ken and I decided to buy instead of rent.  We've decided on the EV rider M model. I'm going to buy it from Med Mart because they're long standing business and I could speak with a person that deals with them. They are located  in Ohio, so at least if we have a problem its not too far away.  I choose the M model after reading a LOT! of reviews. We choose it because its light weight, but not so light that it seems flimsy and easy to fold. Also, M model claims longer battery life, key fob start should make it more secure, 2 front wheels may making it more stable, but they are close together so its maybe more maneuverable then regular 4 wheelers.  It is 44 pounds, I checked with the company. The main complaint is the seat isn't as comfortable. We have 2 trips planned this year one being in Switzerland where we'll be traveling by train half the trip so  it needs to fold down easily and it has to be light for us/me to handle. If we rent one two times this year that'd be almost half the price of the scooter as we'd be gone 3 weeks and 4 weeks between the trips.

     I did multiple days of talking with/at Ken about this, giving all these arguments to finally have him agree.  It worries me when we're out that he's going to have a serious fall.  Please put my mind at easy, I can't enjoy myself if I'm always waiting for him to freeze from PD and fall again. Why not now, before long it will be a must, so why not now and use it for longer hauls and save his energy.  Its a place to rest.  He can handle it easily it if something happens to me.  He can handle his own carry on.  SO - he looked over the specs and said OK. Because we live in Michigan a scooter isn't going to be the answer all, but it will. Hope this helps you. Pat

Thank you very much!

HI Everyone. We are traveling with Princess next month out of San Francisco. Anyone know which company Princess likes you to use? Or where do you rent a scooter from (which one)? I'm hoping to arrange for a foldable one.  This is my husbands first time using a scooter, much to his chagrin so thought we might rent it as a trial run, though it is inevitable in the future as we continue to travel. Might be useful to know of more than one company that can be used as the cruise is only 1 month away.  Thank you. Pat

On 1/27/2020 at 4:19 AM, ozscotart said:

Re the Travelscoot, there is a Facebook group called Elizabeth’s Travelscoot, I see there are some people in St Louis in the group, it may be possible to try the scoot there by asking if they would mind, this is a fairly common request. I bought mine after I saw one live, so to speak, here in Edinburgh and thought it looked ideal. I then met several other women who had them and was reassured about it, mine is definitely ideal for travel, also goes well on cruises, including tenders excursions etc. 
I think it’s a good idea to try out a scooter anyway, but it is good to evaluate your needs, is the most important criteria weight, stability, or ability to be transported in a car? Travelscoot is super lightweight, and very small and easy to transport, but it does need a user who is able to maintain their balance. You don’t need two hands to operate.

Did I see you are on the cruise to Hawaii with us in March with Princess out of San Francisco?

Thank you you've saved me one phone call, no Scootaround, I'll start with Special Needs at Sea or what ever Princess suggests as we are cruising with them this trip in March.

I  like to have transport(wheelchair) help at the big airports partly because it is difficult to find elevators,  and I worry it could be a bit tricky taking them off and on the fast moving trains/subways that take you between terminals at the bis airports. 

So do you use the folding scooter?  Do you put yours in a case before putting in the cargo hold?

Is the GoGo 3 wheeler a Pride scooter?

Than you, Pat

I've read the other threads but I still need a few other things made clear. If I rent a scooter for our cruise to Hawaii (San Francisco -3/1) from Special Needs at Sea or Scoot Around will they be the foldable ones that will make them easy to take on excursions?  I thought for our first trip with a scooter I'd rent it.  I'm hoping if it's foldable that they' let me carry it for him on the tender port. 

If I purchase one for DH, can I roll it though to the plane gate, then have them put it in cargo hold? He probably won't need it at the first airport, small local airport.

Did you put it in the golf case to check it or put it in the case before they load it at the gangway?

Do they charge you if you check it with your suitcases?

I was thinking hubby could use the scooter to go from the car to airport, then pick up a wheelchair assist and I'd wheel the folded scooter to the gate where he'd use it to board.  Will they let me wheel it through the airport?  Does it wheel that easily? 

Or do we use the wheelchair assist and check the scooter with out suitcases?  It will be tough for me handling luggage, a carry on and a folding scooter.

like the EV rider looks, hubby likes non of it, but he needs to adjust, PD has robbed him of so much and now its his ability to walk safely, I worry constantly. 

Well, thank you for all the information to this point. Tomorrow I'm making a few calls to set this up. or, I go purchase one and then I need a case. Hmmm. But for 18 days $350, plus is a good start on our own and he will need his own as this goes on.

Thanks again,

Pat

Quick question. We're leaving next Tuesday, YEAH!, headed to Puerto Rico, does the cruise documents booklet serve as our boarding pass?  As I'm getting "my ducks in a row", I was wondering, do I need separate boarding pass, I couldn't remember from my last river cruise. We've always needed to print one for all our ocean cruises, but this is our first ocean cruise with Viking. Thx, Pat & Ken

On 2/15/2019 at 7:37 AM, WatchHill said:

Yes, Honfleur would be a great place to to spend the day. On our last cruise, we booked a private tour of the WWII sites for the morning, had lunch at a quaint cafe in Bayeaux, then completed our tour with a few hours in Honfleur. The carousel is spectacular, and the myriad of sweet shops are a candy [chocolate] lovers paradise. 

 

Darcy

A bit confused about Honfluer, the ship comes into Le Havre and Honfluer is where? Sounds lovely.

The thread below "What to do in Antigua for a day" gives several ideas on transportation including taxis.

What he's referring to is when 2 or 3 ships tie up side by side in port. There is limited docking, especially with low water problems so one ship ties to the dock and others tie to the first ship. To get off and on you have to cross through other ships to get to yours or other folks cross through your ship, but only on 1 level. Rather inconvenient for balcony folks when we were rafting, trying to remember, like 6 of 13 days we did some rating part or all of the day. No bid deal.

I’m not. Would you explain, please? We are on a Viking cruise in May 2019 from SPB to Moscow.

Are you talking about a ship excursion or an independent company? If ship excursion, which ship?

quote=OCruisers;56846678]The excursion to De Palm Island is a favorite of ours. (y)