Navigating the terminal lines

Hello folks. First I would like to thank you for the wealth of information I have found collected here. We have cruise many times, but in a few weeks we will be cruising with our grandma who uses a power chair / scooter for any distances. She will have her own chair and a cabin that it fits through the door etc. I am trying to think through the details of embarkation and debarkation to make things as smoothly for her (and all of us) as possible.

When we get to the terminal in Galveston, which I have sailed from several times, I know there will be the rows of lines that go back and forth and up to security. I have never looked at that area with a scooter in mind and wondered if someone who has had this experience could give me an idea of what she can expect. Is there enough space for her to navigate through the line with everyone else ? Would she be expected to go a different route ? Thanks in advance for your input :)

Very easy ! Nothing to worry about.

Once inside the terminal a Cruise Representative will direct you all to a Security Line inwhich the scooter can pass through. If she can walk through the scanner they'll ask her to do so . If not she will be checked and scanned while seated on the scooter or POV chair. After completing the security check, you'll than be directed to a HC line that leads to a HC check in desk. All in your party can go through the HC lines and check in desk with her.

FYI - all the lanes will accomodate a scooter or wheelchair.

Thanks for the detailed information. I shall worry no more :)

I have travelled extensively with my scooter and rarely, if ever, have I had to be in a line. They always have a special way of getting me through quickly and I don't have to run down my battery in a line-up which I greatly appreciate.

We've found it very easy here in Western Australia because cruise reps meet you outside the terminal where the taxi drops you off and you get escorted through check in all the way to your cabin. It's not quite so easy when disembarking and there's often a holdup when you have to collect your luggage and take it through customs. Cruise reps will help you up to Customs but you have to take over from the luggage point. Perhaps it's different at other locations.

I have travelled extensively with my scooter and rarely, if ever, have I had to be in a line. They always have a special way of getting me through quickly and I don't have to run down my battery in a line-up which I greatly appreciate.

I hadn't even thought of the battery factor. Thank you for that information.

Me either! For the first time my husband will use a scooter during our upcoming cruise. I had also not considered the battery issue. (I was told a full charge should be good for 8 hrs.) We had to stand in a really long line to board a ship in Vancouver several months after his mobility issue began. It was packed in there and way too slow a process, putting 3 ships' worth of passengers into one terminal bldg. He barely had enough balance and energy in his affected leg to make it through. Even then, anytime I saw anything he could duck out of line to sit on for a minute, I had him do it. Thankfully I don't expect our upcoming cruise to have that type of situation but I was concerned about the ease of getting all the way through the boarding process in this way. Happy to see this topic discussed.

This is a little off-topic but I am spending the winter in Puerto Vallarta and today in the check out line at the grocery store I was on my scooter and had about 5 items in my lap. There were a few people in line ahead of me and the gentleman directly in front of me with about 15 items in his basket turned around and saw me on my scooter and insisted that I go in front of him to pay. This has happened a few times here and I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of the people here and my battery thanks them as well.

As most of you that use a scooter know, the seats are not too cushiony and my behind gets sore from sitting and my legs get tired as well so having less time to wait is always welcome. I have a Travelscoot.

Not sure about the Carnival terminal but I did see a dedicated handicap line with its own scanner in the Royal Caribbean terminal. There will be a cruise rep as soon as you walk in that will direct you where to go.

Happy Cruising!

Me either! For the first time my husband will use a scooter during our upcoming cruise. I had also not considered the battery issue. (I was told a full charge should be good for 8 hrs.) We had to stand in a really long line to board a ship in Vancouver several months after his mobility issue began. It was packed in there and way too slow a process, putting 3 ships' worth of passengers into one terminal bldg. He barely had enough balance and energy in his affected leg to make it through. Even then, anytime I saw anything he could duck out of line to sit on for a minute, I had him do it. Thankfully I don't expect our upcoming cruise to have that type of situation but I was concerned about the ease of getting all the way through the boarding process in this way. Happy to see this topic discussed.

Though the salesperson may have told you that a fully charged battery should be good for 8 hours, the fact is the battery life varies for each person and depends the following vairables :

• Weight of end user plus weight of items being carried on scooter vs. total weight capacity of the scooter.
  
• Speed driven
  
• inclines being driving
  
• terrain driven
  
• does the scooter have an automatic shut down to reserve battery power ? Meaning the battery shuts down after about 5-10 minutes is standing still even if the scooter still shows the battery light lite you than have to turn the key off to restart. Most Pride Scooter has this and I'm not referring to the battery reset buttom.
  

I learned the hard way to always check out the terminals before you go. I have never had any issues in the US, Europe is a different story. Many terminals are operated by the local government. The worst experience I ever had was in Venice. I have Multiple Sclerosis and depending on the kind of day I am having, I use a cane, a walker, or a wheelchair. We asked over 45 minutes for a wheelchair to get through the terminal and onto the ship. The Cruise line tried many times but explained they do not operate the terminal. I finally decided to walk on my own. There was a typical maze of posts and ropes to walk through. There is usually a "handicapped" entrance and an employee will lift the rope to let me through. There was no such entrance marked and no one was in line! My husband lifted the rope for us to gain closer access to the entrance (again..no one else was in line) and the security guard yelled and said we had to go thru the line! So we walked thru the maze. I had to stop a couple times to rest! SO lesson learned! Always look up the port and terminal.

We always made a point of NOT arriving at the terminal as soon as embarkation starts. The big crowds are going to be then, even for the Special Needs check-in. For example, if the ship leaves at 4PM, and embarkation starts at 11AM (which is common) we would arrive no earlier than 1PM. Most often we had no wait for the Special Needs check-in and also got better attention from the boarding staff this way.