annie0501

Thanks all. I talked with the Trolley people on Friday and they said no to scooters (yes to wheelchairs). I have bad memories of trying to navigate in Disneyworld using their bus system. Was it hard to get on/off? Is there anything immediately around the ship worth looking at?

We are doing a fall cruise (again) north from Baltimore stopping at Boston, Bar Harbor, Portland, St. John, and Halifax. I have really been looking for info I can use in touring Boston in a mobility scooter. I cannot do steps. Is there anything I can do right around Black Falcon port in Boston that would make it worth getting off the ship? Thanks for any help you can offer!

Guess I'll just have to go back!

Sorry -- RCCL out of Baltimore -- the Grandeur of the Seas

First of all, my experience is very limited (Bermuda/NE, Canada) so many more of you probably have a lot more to add.

I was always tentative about using a scooter to get on or off the boat. Here's what i found.

* in Bermuda, the gangway is relatively short and the tidal range limited. At first I thought this was a big challenge. My recent trip to Canada taught me otherwise. There were stewards to help you up and down, of course, but it is a relatively small incline and a relatively short distance. I could navigate the dockyards well, but wouldn't dare go beyond them.

*in Portland, we docked way the heck over by the ferry landing I(the Brilliance took the premiere spot. It was a very complicated path to get from the ship to the dock, but, with patience, and more practice under my belt. I navigated the ups and downs quite well, if I do say so myself. (Note: they also had a golf cart for more able bodied people to eliminate some of the long walk to get off the ship. Portland itself was tricky as there were so many crowds on the sidewalks, and the sidewalks had a propensity to list one way or the other, making me feel very much like I would tip over. That never happened, but it made me exceptionally nervous.

*In Bar Harbor, they wouldn't take any scooters on the tenders needed to go ashore. I stayed on the boat.

*St, John, NB is on the Bay of Fundy, which has extraordinary tidal ranges, getting on and off the ship through a series of ramps was very manageable. At first, I thought the range would make it impossible for me to get on and off, but I was wrong. Once inside, there was a handicapped-only elevator to take you down to the first floor of the terminal. We were docked at Marco Polo pier, I think. I stayed on the street nearest the dock; it was relatively flat, but, again, those inclines for parking made me exceptionally nervous. Even though they have an exemplary interior Pedway, making it relatively easy to ascend to the City Market (worth the trip), I could not make it into the entrance because of my scardy-ness-- the entrance at Market Square required a sharp left-tilting turn that I was sure would tip me over.

*In Halifax, the ramps to exit the ship were the steepest. We were docked at Pier 21. A steward essentially drove me down the ramps on exit. Coming back on was a big challenge, though, and I had to have significant help to get back on ship. It was a shame that this was the last port on our itinerary, as it left me with a bad taste. There was a Boardwalk, though that ran along the waterfront that was easily to drive on. But at a certain point, things went awry. The boards turned to gravel (got stuck) and finally I just gave up without being able to navigate to the museum about maritime history.

Just a brief precis of events. If any one has any questions, I would be happy to answer them if I can.

bless your heart!

you all have been so kind with your time. I always feel better when I have a better idea of what I will be facing!

"I don't know if they are on your particular voyage, but there were very accessible lobster places in both Newport RI and Bar Harbor within easy rolling distance from the jetty where the tender dropped off.\"

We aren't going in to Newport and tendering at Bar Harbor is not possible, according to RC. So I'll poke around and hope something works!

Thanks for the suggestions!

thanks for all the suggestions!

we will be cruising here in September and look forward to enjoying some good old Maine seafood. Are there any restaurants close to the cruise ship docks that serve lobster AND are accessible by someone in a disability scooter?

Thanks so much, professor!

Hi! You said that the larger wheeled scooter is better for disembarking. How have you done this process ... ride down at a very slow speed or let a crew member freewheel it down and walk down the gangway?

Great information! Thanks so much!

We are headed for NE/Canada in September on RCCL. Will rent a scooter to help me get around (usually use a walker) in port. Question: how easy is it to navigate a scooter off the ship and down the gangway at these ports: Portland, St. John, Halifax? Only previous experience doing so was in Bermuda. Am truly paranoid about this, so any explanations would help!:p