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Handicap excursions from the ship?


Cuoco
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Generally, each excursion will have a "rating" as to physical demands of the excursion. Some will work for you, some won't.

 

In the same vein, you will be able to do some things in each port, but probably not all. It will take some research on your part. I would start with some reading on the Ports boards, here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=5

 

and perhaps the Disabled Cruising board, here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190

 

I have heard there are websites that help with research and reviews on these questions.

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I read about the handicap accommodates on board. What happens when you get to a ‘Port?’ Is there any help or suggestions about what to do then?

 

When speaking "handicapped" on the ship, this usually means wheelchair or scooter. I have not seen any "cruise" sponsored excursions that allowed wheelchair or scooter. NOT SAYING they do not exist. Suggest you ask this on the handicapped board.

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I read about the handicap accommodates on board. What happens when you get to a ‘Port?’ Is there any help or suggestions about what to do then?

 

 

define 'accommodations' the cruise line will provide zero assistance while on board or in port other than at embarkation and disembarkation( wheelchair assistance getting on/off the ship) the HA cabins can come in a variety of styles: fully accessible with wider doorways, lower sinks and a roll in shower to partially accessible with just say grab bars in the bathroom and room to fit an ECV( they may never be left outside the cabin in the hallways)

 

it is on you to do your own research as to what is available in port that you are capable of doing.

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define 'accommodations' the cruise line will provide zero assistance while on board or in port other than at embarkation and disembarkation...

 

Every main dining room we have experienced has staff remove crutches, wheelchair or scooters from the table and return them when the meal finished. We have also had same service done for us in several lounges.

As far as embarkation/disembarkation, assistance is from the LAND based personnel of the cruise line. Ship staff are not involved.

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I've been fully disabled nearly all my life due to polio. I've been on nearly 100 cruises, and been to more than 100 countries. For the past 9 years I've been confined to a mobility scooter, and still continue to cruise.

 

When you say disabled, it means many things. It can run from someone with problems walking long distances all the way to someone in a bariatric power wheelchair. It can also mean someone with mobility issues due to MS, arthritis, asthma, heart conditions and breathing difficulties, not to mention vision and hearing challenges. And there are a lot of other conditions that can affect your cruise.

 

In order to help you, we need more info on your specific condition. But generally speaking, if your condition is more physically involved, you will find it difficult to find ship sponsored tours that will work. Also, the more exotic the port, the better the chance you won't find much offered. Over the years, I have had to find private tours for myself.

 

And finally, you have to realize that able bodied staff are the ones who rate tours as to their accessibility, and they have no idea what being disabled entails. They can rate a tour as perfect for all disabilities, when in all reality, it's not.

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A while back P&O UK had a special department which liased at length with people who wanted to book adapted cabins. You could not just simply book a cabin as such. They also looked into type approval for scooters etc. to stop people turning up with an excessively wide road-going variant. They also had a separate excursion booking department for people with mobility issues and some excursions required a passenger in a wheelchair in the group booking. The excursions were typically more expensive but the transport tended to be a small minibus with a tail lift and trips on offer looked very closely at the destinations.

 

I am not sure if they still run this service but it strikes me that this is the way cruise lines should be going. The only thing I can think of is where the cruise line is offering excursions, what type of buses are they using? In Europe there tends to be quite a high standard of universal access on large tour buses whereas smaller islands tend not to run this type of vehicle.

 

Regards John

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