Cruising with serious health problems

hello :)

I used to frequent here a few years ago but had a break for a few years when we stopped cruising to have a baby.

We are now due to cruise on the new Explorer later this year with my parents and my baby. However my father is really quite poorly with stage 4 cancer that has spread to his bones. He has adequate insurance and his Drs are happy for him to go (at the moment, CT/MRI scans beforehand hopefully will be on our side!) but I wondered if anyone had experience of this sort of situation and wether contacting Marella/Thomson before we go would be beneficial? He suffers with pain and sometimes it affects his mobility: although he at the moment doesn’t use a scooter I don’t know if it might be a good idea to hire one for the trip? I also worry about things like check in: last time I went with Thomson we had quite a long wait standing up to check in and I worry how he would manage with that.

Sorry my question is a bit garbled: it’s just a bit of an emotional time and I’m not 100% sure what I’m even asking really :) x

My sympathies are with you.

However we have a neighbour who's wife needs a lot of help whilst travelling and he finds Thomson/ Tui very helpful.

I suggest you Google Tui Customer Welfare and that will give advice and numbers to call for check in help, wheelchairs etc etc.

I hope this helps.

Cant be an easy time for you. I have no experience but you

might find a few ideas here and hopefully others with some similar experience will chime in. On our last cruise a friend of a friend had

a wheeled walker which was enough to give that extra bit of confidence

to get about the ship and double as a temporary seat if needed.

Downside is that it another luggage item to cope with along with cases.

https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/info/faq/customer-welfare

and here

http://www.disabledcruiseclub.com/about/faq.html

There is also a disabled forum on CC

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

Whilst the need may not be there now it as well to be prepared.

The larger lines have an accesibility form and which you can

set out any requirements but could not see one on line for Tui?Marella.

Perhaps after you speak with them ( if you do) they will provide one.

My be worth googling something like Royal Caribbean Accesibility

Form to see what I mean.

One last thing - you say your father has insurance cover but if there is a chance that you had to cancel, your insurance may not cover- as it is possibly considered as an existing situation , and they may need notified -so best to check.

Give the Customer Welfare Team a ring. Their number is 0203 451 2585. Don’t worry, it’s a different number than the one to book a cabin. From personal experience, they have always been very helpful.

My husband has mobility problems. Tui have been brilliant and have had no problem at airports, but we have had to book assistance during the last few years. We now take a folding mobility scooter which he has been able to drive into restaurants on the ship and the waiters are only too pleased to park it for him when he is seated. Everyone on the ship we met were very helpful and it has been a relief as you always worry you will inconvenience others. Do have to say this has not been the case. I would be inclined to book assistance to be on the safe side and save you worrying.

On our last cruise on the celebration ,two people who were in wheelchairs had a bad time getting off the ship if the gangway was say on deck 4 ,but was ok on deck 2 as it was a flat ramp,hope you get sorted and have a good cruise ,good luck.

I can't improve on the advice already given, but I can say that the cruise lines (I'm including most of them) are very helpful in making your group comfortable as possible. Just get in touch and explain everything, they are there to help and giving them notice before you travel will help them get things in place beforehand.

Hope you all have a wonderful cruise, enjoy.

Ah thank you so much everyone. I’m going to have a chat with the Assistance team and my parents and try and work out what’s best. Thank you :) x