Cruising with 2 young adults in electric wheelchairs

[banditz]

Hi all,

 

I am a newborn at cruising so be gentle please.

 

Heres the story. My son who has MD SMA type II uses an electric wheelchair daily has decided to use his wish from the Make-A-Wish foundation and take his mother and I along with his best friend (who also uses an electric wheelchair) on a 7 day Western Caribbean Cruise on the Liberty of the Sea. I don't fly so we will be driving from Michigan to Miami to board the ship. We are leaving the 29th of December at midnight to start the journey stopping at Orlando for a couple nights and then Miami and board on the 3rd of Janurary.We are all very excited with this being our first cruise and to top it foo I will turn 50 on the 5th of Janurary while we are on this cruise.

 

We are going to: Labadee,Haiti (tendered her on my birthday), Ocho Rio, Jamacia,Georgetown, Grand Catman (tendered) and Cozumel,Mexico.

 

My questions are what excursions can these two young adults do being in electric wheelchairs? We can transfer them out of there wheelchairs but they need them to get around. Do the busses that pick up at the ports have capibilities to load the electric wheelchairs?

 

If there transportation can't handle them, what can we do around port without have to worry about putting ourselves in danger.

 

I want to make this the best vacation ever for them. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Rich

[alexkrn46]

When you check out excursions, they post the physical limitations. Labadee had wheelchair accessibility.

 

Here is a link to answer your questions

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do;jsessionid=0000a6BzE1S_iETfi0H45sJtPEf:12hbiodf7?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=Excursion+Planning&faqId=3125&faqSubjectId=327&faqType=faq

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[reallyitsmema]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. There is a disabled cruise forum where you might get better information to your questions. Here is a link for you to that forum:

 

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

 

Some of the ports have shopping areas that are very wheelchair accessable, others, not so much.

 

Hopefully, someone on the disabled forum will have some better information for you.

 

Have a great cruise!:)

[banditz]

Thanks for your link alexkrn46, I have already checked this out and it didn't give me much information on the wheelchair transportation for the excursions. I just to make sure they have something they can do if we get off at port whether docked or tendered.

[banditz]

Thanks reallyitsmema. I'm still reading through the link you gave me. Hopefully someone who has been to these ports in a electric wheelchair can give me some ideas on what we can do. They would probably still have a great time staying aboard, but I really want them to get off in Jamacia and Cuzumel.

[fridaythe13th]

Thanks reallyitsmema. I'm still reading through the link you gave me. Hopefully someone who has been to these ports in a electric wheelchair can give me some ideas on what we can do. They would probably still have a great time staying aboard, but I really want them to get off in Jamacia and Cuzumel.

 

You might even try going to the Jamaica and Cozumel (ports of call) boards and ask there. We took my mother off in a WC in Labadee and transferred her to a beach chair that had big wheels so you can push it through the sand. There are (were) a limited number of these so I would suggest you get off the ship early. My mother was in a regular WC so we just took the van taxis that would fit her WC folded up. Not sure about accessible transportation. Have a wonderful time!

 

Edit: I did a search and came up with this http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1090425&highlight=wheelchair

[TEXASMUNK]

You might find far less access for motorized wheelchairs in your ports. They are far less 'in-tune" than many US cities.

But, if you have a foldable chair, the crew will be more than capable to assist with tendering and you will find many van accessable taxis in your ports.

Be prepared to face some limitations, but also look for creative ways to make your cruise memorable!!!!

 

Bon Voyage!!!!!

[jmf123]

As previously mentioned, Labadee has beach wheelchairs but I've read where they are just used to take special needs guests to a lounge chair and picked up later. Someone else said that they were transported around for about 45 minutes in it and paid the porter. They are limited, however. If you don't get enough specific information on CruiseCritic, contact Royal Caribbean (or have your TA call) and speak with the cruiseline's Shore Excursion department to check about accessible transportation in the ports.

 

Have a wonderful cruise! :)

[TravelerThom]

We are going to: Labadee,Haiti (tendered her on my birthday), Ocho Rio, Jamacia,Georgetown, Grand Catman (tendered) and Cozumel,Mexico...

Note that as of this month the dock in Labadee has opened for business, so it should no longer be a tender port. Grand Cayman definitely is a tender port.

 

Thom

[banditz]

dock in Labadee has opened for business, so it should no longer be a tender port.

Thom

 

Thanks, I did read that. Royal Caribbean website is still saying tender. We will be on the Liberty of the Sea if that makes a difference. Hopefully we dock there instead of trnder then.

[xxoocruiser]

Hi all,

 

I am a newborn at cruising so be gentle please.

 

Heres the story. My son who has MD SMA type II uses an electric wheelchair daily has decided to use his wish from the Make-A-Wish foundation and take his mother and I along with his best friend (who also uses an electric wheelchair) on a 7 day Western Caribbean Cruise on the Liberty of the Sea. I don't fly so we will be driving from Michigan to Miami to board the ship. We are leaving the 29th of December at midnight to start the journey stopping at Orlando for a couple nights and then Miami and board on the 3rd of Janurary.We are all very excited with this being our first cruise and to top it foo I will turn 50 on the 5th of Janurary while we are on this cruise. I hope you have a handicap cabin. As the electric wheelchairs will not fit through a standard cabin doorway . Nor will you have room in a standard cabin for one wheel chair let alone two.

 

We are going to: Labadee,Haiti (tendered her on my birthday), Ocho Rio, Jamacia,Georgetown, Grand Catman (tendered) and Cozumel,Mexico.

RE: TENDERED PORTS : It's at the cruise line's descresion if they will allow your son and his freind to be tendored. It's a safety concern. The general rule of thumb for anyone in a wheelchair is that they have to be able to walk onto the boat and than have the wheelchair lifted on in order to be allowed on the Tendor. If the waters a rough that day it will mostly likely not be allowed.

 

My questions are what excursions can these two young adults do being in electric wheelchairs? We can transfer them out of there wheelchairs but they need them to get around. Do the busses that pick up at the ports have capibilities to load the electric wheelchairs?

Being disabiled myself, I have yet to be on cruise in which the shore excursion buses are equiped with wheelchair lifts. Generally one has to locate and book accessibile transportation , if available at that port, even prior to ever embarking on the cruise. On occassion accessible taxis can be found at these ports but they are few. IF they able to be transfered and can use a manual wheel chair you might one to bring along manial chairs as well as the electric. The cruise ship will not let you take their manual wheelchairs off the ship, you have to have your own.

 

If there transportation can't handle them, what can we do around port without have to worry about putting ourselves in danger. If there is no transportation and the ship docks close to the town , which may be the case in Cozumel, you may be able to stroll around town. However remember ADA law applies only to the USA so you will have little to no curb cut outs and many stores have a step or two into them.

 

I want to make this the best vacation ever for them. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

All of this is not meant to discourage you. However it's too bad that you did not contact the disabled forum at least a month ago. Everyone would have jump on this mission to help make the most of your son's trip. but a few days before makes it very difficult.

 

Now on the plus side of things :

At least one pool has a chair lift on the Liberty of the Seas. It's not always installed as able body kids play with it. So ask at the pursers desk which pool has the lift and let them know when you think you might be using the pool so someone is there to assist you. Also depending on the age of your son and his friend all cruise ships have a kids teens club program. This is something you should check into if it's age appropriate for your son. There is much to see and explore on the ship so I'm certain they will have fun tooling about and seeing everything.

Thanks,

Rich

 

The above information is not meant to dampen your trip, just to let you know what to expect. Traveling with a disability takes a lot of advance planning. Go with an open mind and make the most of being with your son. That's the important thing.

[banditz]

Thanks for your reply xxoocruiser. We are going with an open mind knowing we will have some hurdles to jump. We will just have to make the best of it.

 

We just got our finialized e docs from Make a Wish the 23rd of December leaving me little time for planning. If I had sooner I would have.

 

We told Make a Wish we had 2 electic whhelchairs. Reservations show one handicap room and one standard room 4 cabins down, why would they do that.Door not being wide enough concerns me now. How wide are the doors and how tall is the step in?

 

Live and learn, I guess.

 

All in all I know they will be entertained one way or another.

 

Thanks again

Rich

[megr1125]

Thanks reallyitsmema. I'm still reading through the link you gave me. Hopefully someone who has been to these ports in a electric wheelchair can give me some ideas on what we can do. They would probably still have a great time staying aboard, but I really want them to get off in Jamacia and Cuzumel.

 

the problem with WC excursions is that, sometimes, other countries' definitions of "accessible" are not the same as ours. so just keep that in mind. Also, i would book anything of interest early as availability is sometimes limited. In my experience, there are more people who want to take these excursions than there is room. (that's a general statement....just food for thought...!)

 

Labadee has a fair amount of paved areas (hard to describe, but you seemingly have to double back to get from one side to the other...i was pushing my mom last week in her WC and we had to go back the way we came to get to the other path that ran the length of the area.)

 

There are also special sand-going wheelchairs right next to the ship...not sure if your son and friend could get into them, but if so-that would be another option. but, aside from getting into the water, they'd be able to get to places to eat, etc. (you just have to scope it out first...we were able to squeeze through the picnic tables with the WC)

 

also, the dock is now open at labadee..no more tendering!! woo hoo!

 

it's been a while since i've been to grand cayman so i am not sure about the accessibility of the tenders.

 

definitely check the disabled cruisers board here...lots of info that should help you.

 

enjoy!

[reallyitsmema]

I would take a look at your cruise documents, it will show who is booked in which cabin. They most likely put you and your wife in one cabin and the two wheelchair users in the other cabin. Are the boys able to stay on their own or do they need someone to stay with them? If you look at the deck plans on the RCI website, it will tell you how many beds, sofabeds or pullman beds are in the assigned cabins. There is a legend on the deck plans that will explain what the symbols beside the cabin number means, ie a triangle means the cabin has a sofabed.

[banditz]

They most likely put you and your wife in one cabin and the two wheelchair users in the other cabin. Are the boys able to stay on their own or do they need someone to stay with them?

 

They actually have the boys split up, probably because neither is 21 years old? Can we just put both of them in the handicap room as they can pretty much take care of themselves. Or will everything have to be changed on the reservation. My sons friend can get out of his own chair and help my son if he needs assistance.We can use 2 way walkie talkies to communicate between the two rooms if they need anything.

[reallyitsmema]

They actually have the boys split up, probably because neither is 21 years old? Can we just put both of them in the handicap room as they can pretty much take care of themselves. Or will everything have to be changed on the reservation. My sons friend can get out of his own chair and help my son if he needs assistance.We can user 2 way walkie talkies to communicate between the two rooms if they need anything.

Kids can be in there own cabin if they are beside or across the hall from the parents so that is probably why they have an adult in each cabin. You can just leave it as it is and once you get on the ship, go to guest relations and get new sea passes so everyone has the correct key for the cabin they are sleeping in. People do it all the time so you will have no problem.

[fridaythe13th]

reallyitsmema and I were typing the same thing only she types faster...

[banditz]

Thats a relief... and easy to take care of too.

 

Are 2 way walkie talkies permitted onboard for communicating with each other?

[fridaythe13th]

Thats a relief... and easy to take care of too.

 

Are 2 way walkie talkies permitted onboard for communicating with each other?

 

Yes they are.

[xxoocruiser]

Thanks for your reply xxoocruiser. We are going with an open mind knowing we will have some hurdles to jump. We will just have to make the best of it.

 

We just got our finialized e docs from Make a Wish the 23rd of December leaving me little time for planning. If I had sooner I would have.

 

We told Make a Wish we had 2 electic whhelchairs. Reservations show one handicap room and one standard room 4 cabins down, why would they do that. . Make -A-Wish probably worked on the assumption that the 2 wheelchairs could use the same cabin. This was probably the best they could do given that HC cabins sell out well over 1 year in advance of a cruise due to the limited number. Also that it appears to be last minute booking.

 

Door not being wide enough concerns me now. How wide are the doors and how tall is the step in? The doorway on a standard cabin varies from ship to ship. General rule of thumb is that there will only be 19"-20" clearance. So if the wheelchair is wider than that you may have to consider both wheelchair users being in the HC cabin. There is no step up into the standard cabin,. However there will be a step up into the bathroom of a standard cabin which will be 6"-8" . Also a standard cabin bathroom will NOT accomodate a wheelchair. If the wheelchair is able to fit through the standard cabin door. There will be limited room to manuver . I would recommend that you have the cabin stewart remove the desk chair and coffee table for easier clearance.

 

Suggest both boys be placed in the HC cabin. You can change all that once on Board. There is generally a sofa that opens to a bed in the cabin. So if you feel more comfortable with an adult in the room with the boys it's probably very workable. You can check this out on the Liberty of the Seas deck web site. There is key legend that tells you all this. Here's the link http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/ships/ship/decks/deck/home.do;jsessionid=0000bgCUByML3utSeMjMMO3zN-w:13hldil87?shipCode=LB&shipProfile=1225

 

Live and learn, I guess. Life in it's self is a learning experience this is no different.

 

All in all I know they will be entertained one way or another.

 

Thanks again

Rich

 

Take each day as it comes. Go with the flow. Oh allow extra time for getting on and off elevators. You will experience able body people pushing their way in front of you. Though most people are generally courteous this will happen from time to time. Elevators closet to the pool and dining room generally have the most traffic. I usually goe to the opposite end of the ship and back track . Tend to have less delays that way.

Once on board go to the Lido for Lunch. After lunch go to you cabins to collect your life vests . Than work your way to the deck and location for the muster drill. This way you won't have to scramble.

Also if you are a seated a large table for Dinner and prefer to have dine with just the four of you , go directly to the dining room upon boarding and speak to the Matre'D. They are generally very accommodating. Every evening you will get the Compass Paper advising all the activities for the next day. this will help you to plan your days to the fullest. YOU WILL HAVE A WONDERFULL TIME. AFTER ALL JUST THE JOY OF ALL YOU BEING TOGETHER IS A WONDERFULL THING !

[reallyitsmema]

Take each day as it comes. Go with the flow. Oh allow extra time for getting on and off elevators. You will experience able body people pushing their way in front of you. Though most people are generally courteous this will happen from time to time. Elevators closet to the pool and dining room generally have the most traffic. I usually goe to the opposite end of the ship and back track . Tend to have less delays that way.

 

Once on board go to the Lido for Lunch. After lunch go to you cabins to collect your life vests . Than work your way to the deck and location for the muster drill. This way you won't have to scramble.

Also if you are a seated a large table for Dinner and prefer to have dine with just the four of you , go directly to the dining room upon boarding and speak to the Matre'D. They are generally very accommodating. Every evening you will get the Compass Paper advising all the activities for the next day. this will help you to plan your days to the fullest. YOU WILL HAVE A WONDERFULL TIME. AFTER ALL JUST THE JOY OF ALL YOU BEING TOGETHER IS A WONDERFULL THING !

You don't need to bring your life vests to muster anymore on RCI. Makes life a lot easier.

[TravelerThom]

In addition to the allowed 2-way radios, you can easily direct dial on the telephone from one room to the other.

 

Given that the dock in Labadee is operational, I can't imagine that Liberty will not dock [vs tender] there.

 

Most [all?] RCI ships no longer are requiring life vests to be worn at the muster drill. Check if vests are required, as no sense lugging them around if they are not required.

 

Best of luck to all of you, and ENJOY your cruise!

Thom

[banditz]

Well. Leaving the 29th at midnight and driving to Orlando first for a few days the the port in Miami on the 3rd.

 

Should or can I lock my luggage? What kind of lock?

[PhoenixCruiser]

Well. Leaving the 29th at midnight and driving to Orlando first for a few days the the port in Miami on the 3rd.

 

Should or can I lock my luggage? What kind of lock?

 

Yes you should lock your luggage it doesn't matter what type you use as long as you have the key :D

 

Rich, I hope you all have a wonderful vacation with tons of memories. Don't forget sunscreen and extra batteries and a memory card for your camera!

 

###

[xxoocruiser]

Well. Leaving the 29th at midnight and driving to Orlando first for a few days the the port in Miami on the 3rd.

 

Should or can I lock my luggage? What kind of lock?

 

Yes the cruise lines always recommend that the luggage is locked before handling off to the porters both at embarkation/debarkation. Since you are driving and not flying to the port the locks do not have to be TSA approved. Any luggage lock you have should be find. If the cruise line needs to inspect the luggage contents they will hold your luggage after turning it over at the pier and will contact you to go to a specific location and open it for inspections.

 

Note that if you have to purchase new luggage locks than recommend buying only TSA approved locks so they can be used on planes in the future.

 

Safe driving ! Please let us hear back from you after your return. I do hope your son and his friend have a great time !