4boysnana

My favorite has to be Tahiti for 28 days on the Crown. It was beyond wonderful. We had a roll call that was spectacular and every minute was magic. I would do that cruise again.

I was traveling solo in a handicapped cabin. Anyone wondering about going alone or with a handicap I would say go go Go.

Hello,

I hope you are well and strong enough to cruise. I would go! I travel with a scooter, cane and walker. Your cruise might be different from others but it can be wonderful. Enjoy the vistas and sunsets. Enjoy the people and every minute of travel. Do what you can, rest when you need and go for it.

I usually go solo but soon I will travel with someone with more special needs than myself. We will laugh and maybe cry but we will be out seeing the world and maybe planning our next adventure. Enjoy every minute.

You will have a blast. I went on a 28 day Princess cruise solo with my scooter,walker and cane. I used my walker a lot and it was great for crowded areas and If you needed to rest while waiting in a line. I took it on tenders and it worked out great. Have fun and enjoy every minute. Picture yourself on

different areas of the ship like decks, buffets, shopping and think how you will be the most comfortable.A walker you can sit on worked very well for me.

I went on this cruise two years ago and had a wonderful time. The best information I enjoyed before the cruise was from Cruise Critic. We shared extensive information about the ship, crew, shows and made great plans for activities on board.

I enjoy the limited information from Princess but the experts were passengers that had been on the ship and cruise before. Great group of people and we would get together everyday to share and ask questions.

Wonderful experience!! Have you participated in the roll call?

I agree. Dining as a solo cruiser is an adventure. I learned my lesson on my last cruise and I will not use anytime dining again. I will ask for the table size I prefer and change if needed.

I met some interesting people but it was hard to change table mates and location every night. One character I was seated with twice was a gentleman that dressed very casual even on formal evenings and thought we would be impressed by the amount he could eat and drink. He kept the severs jumping by demanding more of everything.

I did meet two people that cruise a lot and don't have a full time home. One does house sitting and camping and the other flips houses and lives in the house they are working on at the time. Very interesting.

I did feel like the odd man out waiting to go into the dining room with no one to chat with so I will now have my table and my dining friends.

4boysnana

Hello,

Last year I flew into LAX with my scooter and we took the Princess transfer with no problem. I had called the special needs desk and they assured me it would be smooth sailing.

My scooter is a GoGo Pride and the transfer was in a big bus. We folded down the seat and adjusted the tiller and two lift and load guys placed it under the bus. You have to adjust the lock toggle so it won't roll around.

I was able to climb the bus stairs which was slow but we did it!

At the pier I waited until all the people were off the bus and had gotten the luggage and there was my blue scooter ready to go. Be sure to bring your charger and if you have some wait time at the airport you can charge away.

I was on the Crown for 28 days and I also brought my walker and cane. Also had just a little luggage.

On the ship there were wonderful crew members wearing special vests with the wheelchair symbol and they are there to help with all your special needs.

Good luck and enjoy every minute of your cruise. I hope everything goes very well.

4boysnana

Looks like the ocean view cabin I had on the Crown last year. No balcony but your photo brought back great memories. Thank you.

To the OP, book early to secure your cabin. They seem to go very quickly.

Enjoy your cruise

4boysnana

When I was working I used to enjoy items from the Flax line of clothes. They were made of linen and I would find them at boutique type shops. They had great styles, good sizing and were cool for living in hot Arizona.

Now I have been finding casual stuff on Full Beauty. I also have found some great items on MIB. Making It Big. They have some fun stuff and I used to watch for sales. Very generous sizing.

Have fun and happy shopping

4boysnana

Wow. Breath taking pictures. I am looking forward to hearing about this adventure as with all of your travels. Thank you for all your efforts in keeping us posted.

I must share with you how your spirit of adventure and your joy in travels has reached us at home. I will very likely never go a world cruise but I look forward to reading about your cruise every day. I love the menus!

I hope you continue to enjoy every minute of your time together sharing this wonderful trip. Thank you for sharing it with us. I know it has been lot of work but do you think you could just keep on cruising?

What are we going to do when you have to pack and think about going home? Just keep going. And reporting. I am sure the Amsterdam is going someplace fun.

Keep smiling and smooth sailing

4boysnana

I hope all the CC scooter users enjoy every minute of their time at sea. I bring my GgGo Pride scooter with me and the the only problem I have encountered is that when I go out of the dining room my scooter is parked behind so many other scooters that it is difficult to get it out so I can go. I have to ask a staff to shuttle other scooters to free mine.

More and more people are traveling with mobility devices and the cruise lines need to plan for that. We need more HC rooms and great thought about where we will be during our cruise.

I also will now plan on using set time dining as when I had anytime dining it was more challenging to find a table each night that was fairly close by the entrance. I swear the Maitre'D rolled his eyes at me when I requested a table close to the entrance. I can walk to the table with a cane so it was a simple request.

Have fun and I will watch for you on my next cruise. Smooth sailing and happy rolling.

4boysnana

I got one. It must be random as I have never taken a class or attended a culinary lecture. I have a cruise with HAL in a year and haven't cruised with them for years.

4boysnana

I have a disabled grandson. He expressed interest in a service dog and I went online to start researching the possibility of a dog for him. All I could find was information on buying a vest and certificate for the poochies. For less than $100 you can get a signed certificate stating you need Fluffy with you at all times. Also your vest stating service animal on the side. Tons of offers.

I finally talked to young lady that had a true service dog and she gave me the name of a local agency. Let me tell you a true service animal can be very expensive.

I don't think the unleashed mutt in my local grocery store that lifted his leg on a crate of veggies cared if he had on his vest. I confronted his owner and she told me it was ok because he was a service animal. Management said they couldn't do anything.

Very sad. I hope I never have a barking mutt in a cabin next to me.

4boysnana

Hello happy cruisers

I didn't take a wheel chair but I did take a folded walker with a seat with no problem. I folded it up and put a good sized piece of card board on both sides and duck taped it like mad.

I saved the card board in the back of my cruise cabin closet and because I read cruise critic I knew to bring some duck tape so I wrapped it up for the return flight home.

I had my scooter, a walker for tenders and buffets and my cane. It worked well for me. YMMV.

I would call your airline to be sure but I had no charges for all my extra stuff. I hope you have a handicapped cabin. Check in early at airlines.

Have fun and enjoy every minute of your cruise. Mine was 28 days and I was glad to have all my wheels and stuff.

Smooth sailing

4boysnana

Good morning,

I travel with my GoGo Scooter and it is wonderful to be able to drive right up to the gate. I have had no problems but one time in NYC I was flagged for narcotics on a scan! They had swabbed my scooter and pulled me aside for a real good pat down. They were very polite and it was determined the results were due to the pain medications I take.

I always ask to have the scooter included in my reservation as I have been told that the airlines limit the number they can take. I have also been told that is first come first serve so plan on being at check in early.

I always bring my charging cable and if I am waiting to board I charge the batteries. The distances are long at some airports and I would not want to have a low battery. If my batteries are not holding a full charge I try to replace them before a big trip.

Have a wonderful time and enjoy the freedom your wheels will give you.

Smooth sailing and rolling

4boysnana

Thank you for the great review. I really enjoyed the photos and it brought back memories of my wonderful cruise on the Crown Princess. For everyone looking forward to sailing on her you will enjoy this ship.

Smooth sailing to all

Enjoy your cruise

4boysnana

Happy cruising!

I have lymphoedemia and went on a 28 day cruise. I took my scooter, a walker with seat and a cane.

Like you I can walk a little but standing in lines is a real problem. The distances at most airports are too much for me and my scooter makes travel possible. I use the walker to navigate some areas of the ship and on tender ports.

You can rent a scooter and it will be delivered to your cabin or bring your own. Check with your cruise line special needs department and I hope you can get an HC cabin.

I found the room wonderful and the extra features add safety. The shower stool was great!

I know it can be hard to use devices like scooters and walkers but it will conserve your energy and you will have more fun. You never know how long you will be in a line or waiting for a muster drill. I would take the walker and managed fine. I would go to the open decks and enjoy the sun and breeze on either the scooter or walker.

I asked for a table in the dining room that wasn't in a far corner and I found where the special seating was for shows. Ask for help if you need it and I always had kind help available for getting on and off the ship.

Have a wonderful trip from beginning to end

4boysnana

Go Dolly go. 4000 days on the Amsterdam would be amazing.

Maybe she would be honored to share some of her details with you and you can pass them on to us land lubbers stuck at home.

Thank you for all the updates. I look forward to them everyday and like others I decide what I would order from the menus. Believe me your meals are much more interesting then what I am eating.

I also love your shopping adventures looking for yarn. I hope to find some needlework shops on my next cruise.

I hope the seas become smoother.

4boysnana

Happy birthday Barb!

Happy birthday to all on your special day. I hope and pray I am enjoying a sea day on my 80th birthday.

Keep up the wonderful reports from the Amsterdam. I can almost feel the ship roll from your description. Be careful.

Smooth sailing

4boysnana

Very interesting thread. I love sea days. I was on the South Pacific cruise that was 28 days and ended with 8 sea days. The time flew by and they made us get off the ship.

Now I'm trapped on land and must read CC everyday and dream of my next cruise with sea days.

I wish there was a transport cruise with no stops that went from the West coast to New Zealand. Just sea days and no plane ride.

Smooth sailing

4boysnana

Your mother will love it. I will always remember the sweet people I met at knitters and Natters.

I have a condition that means one foot is larger than the other and one of the sweetest cruisers from Canada made me a custom pair of slippers. I was so touched by her kindness.

This group was full of good spirits and generosity. One beautiful gal was a quilter and in spite of her own limitations she had brought 6 quilts to give to kids in a port.

Just as cruising is different for everyone this get together was one of my favorite sea day activities. Thanks to all that made my cruise so special.

Happy cruising

4boysnana

Good evening,

I took my scooter on the Crown Princess for a wonderful 28 days. I had no problem getting off and on the ship with my scooter. I am able to walk down a ramp with rails and the staff was very helpful. This was for the short ramp right off the ship and I could drive my scooter on the less steep ramps leading to the ground level.

On ship I was guided to the exit and often did not have to use the usual elevators. Staff would direct me to special lines and I would walk off and they would move my scooter down the ramps. If you can do this be sure you show the staff how to disengage your scooter so it will easily roll and not damage the scooter.

Be sure and take your charger and if you are off for a long day you can find an outlet and charge your battery. Make sure your charger will work off the ship.

I always replace my batteries just before a cruise to ensure being able to go further on an over night charge.

The staff on Princess were wonderful and well trained in dealing with passengers with wheels. I remember seeing strong young men wearing a vest with the handicapped symbol ready to help me have a wonderful day.

The only problem I had was going in to see a show and on a ramp that had a metal bump that my scooter did not like it stopped cold. It wasn't until I had help pushing it back to my cabin that I remembered a reset button on the battery case. One quick button push and I was good to go.

I also took a cane and a walker. I used the walker for tender ports.

Hope this helps

Have fun and enjoy your cruise

Happy cruising to all

4boysnana

I was on the Crown last year and we had an active Knitters and Natters that got together almost every morning. Plan on bringing all your supplies for what you want to be working on. We had needlepoint, quilting, crewel, knitting and crochet and a lot of laughs.

We had a great time and I hope to find another friendly group on my next cruise.

Happy cruising

4boysnana

I know, I know and I agree. I used to love getting the plump envelope with all the fun cruise stuff. I would be so happy going through every item and looking forward to my cruise.

I also remember not pumping my own gas and getting my windows washed and not having to do all the work at the grocery store.

Times have changed and out in the real world customer service is almost gone. The one exception is on a cruise where there is some service still around.

What a joy to get room service and to find your cabin all cleaned. I love the service in the MDR. I guess I will print my own tags and boarding passes and realize how the cruise industry has grown and changed.

Postage has gotten much more expensive and now we have more last minute changes to cabins. I'll take that upgrade please!!

Happy cruising to all

4boysnana

White and dark chocolate mousse at the International Cafe. Mocha things. A plain roll and butter. On the Grand, strangely one of the best rolls I ever ate at dinner! And amazing butter. I found myself rather amazed at the roll. And that's an unusual thing.

I agree about the white and dark chocolate mousse at the IC. Yum. When I boarded the Crown my first meal was the shrimp salad at the IC. They were always great and service was a delight.

If you like beets try the salad.

Enjoy

4boysnana

Hello,

I had an obstructed ocean view on the Crown and loved it. It was a free upgrade from an inside and both were handicapped cabins.

I did see workmen once or twice on a 28 day cruise and once I looked out my window and my lifeboat was gone. It was used on a drill or something. Just be aware that workmen are a rare possibility and be careful.

I used the website mentioned and it is great to make your cabin choices. I would do it again in a minute and would love another upgrade to an ocean view if it was available. Or a balcony. A girl can dream, right?

The daylight and view was a joy and added to my cruise. Have fun and if the price is right I would go for it.

Happy cruising

4boysnana