Alaskan Excursion for Handicapped Mother?

[scottndsky]

Hi Folks! Seeking a little advice…

 

My mom and dad are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary aboard the Oosterdam this July on HAL's Alaskan Explorer itinerary. My mom is completely wheelchair (scooter) dependant, but she plans on mustering the strength to disembark in Juneau and Ketchikan:

Day Port

0 Seattle, Washington, US

1 At Sea

2 Glacier Bay (cruising)

3 Juneau, Alaska, US

4 Sitka, Alaska, US (tender)

5 Ketchikan, Alaska, US

6 Victoria, British Columbia, CA

7 Seattle, Washington, US

 

I’d like to buy them a really nice excursion at one of those two locations as an anniversary gift. I’m thinking of an over-the-top float plane or helicopter tour, or something like that. It would need to be really easy for someone completely immobile. Scoot off the ship, get hoisted in, and off they go! It wouldn't need to be booked through HAL either. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Regards,

Scott

[mered288]

I cannot help with shore excursions but I would like to suggest that you make sure the ship will be docked in Juneau. Last summer my Princess cruise had Juneau as a tender port. There are only 4 spaces at the dock. If there are more ships they anchor off shore and passengers have to transfer to small boats to get ashore. This involved stairs and a ridiculously steep ramp at the dock.

[kyriecat]

I've read about a couple of plane trips that will carry a disabled person on board. Island Wings in Ketchikan and Wings Airways in Juneau. Island Wings offers glacier flights. Wings Airways has glacier flights and flights to Taku Lodge for the salmon bake. I have not actually tried either of them. My mom is in a wheelchair and I did some research before we went to AK. Once she heard that she would have to be carried onboard the plane, she said absolutely not. You might want to check with your mom on whether she would be willing to have someone carry her before booking anything involving planes or helicopters.

 

Other ideas is Orca Enterprises in Juneau offers whale watching. She could roll right onto their boat. Mighty Great Trips in Juneau has a bus with a wheelchair lift and offers tours of Juneau and Mendenhall Glacier.

[Splinter]

This has been a number of years ago for us, but we were able to get a very nice wheelchair accessible tour (van with a lift) in Juneau that included the Alaska State Museum, the Mendenhall Glacier and visitors center, a fish hatchery, and a native plant botanical garden (the latter was the only thing not fully accessible). We arranged this through our cruise line, but had to be VERY explicit about needing a lift van as the only option. I know others here have used a specific whale watching tour in Juneau that is accessible...hopefully they will chime in.

 

We also went to Sitka. Many cruise lines will not allow anyone on board a tender if they are unable to stand and walk, and weather in Sitka can also be a barrier even for a line like HAL that generally will accommodate wheelchairs on their tenders. I would not plan on being able to get ashore there. If they can, then the town there is pretty accessible and you can see a lot without having to take any other transportation (Archangel Dancers and the Russian Orthodox cathedral are highly recommended). We were able to get a wheelchair accessible (van with lift) tour there in 2000, and went to the Native American museum as well. The Raptor Rehabilitation Center there is sadly not accessible. Just a warning...it rains in Sitka 200 days a year, so be prepared!

 

In Glacier Bay you don't get off the ship.

 

I would highly recommend a tour that goes to the Butchart Gardnes outside Victoria, BC. If you can get accessible transportation, the gardens are pretty accessible (although not all pathways are).

 

I would strongly recommend that she take a manual wheelchair in addition to her scooter. The last time we were on HAL they would NOT take a power chair or scooter on their tender lift....manual wheelchairs of no wider than an 18" seat only. You should check this now with their Disability Services department.

[urlaub]

we have been on Serenade of the Seas last May. My husband is in a wheelchair and not able to leave it. We made a pre reservation in Juneau with Captain Larry ( you will find this agency in the internet). They offer nice whale watching. They have a Handyvan, bring you to theil small harbour and they have a special whatching boat which is accessible. We had a wonderful day with them and saw a lot of whales.

[vickila]

we have been on Serenade of the Seas last May. My husband is in a wheelchair and not able to leave it. We made a pre reservation in Juneau with Captain Larry ( you will find this agency in the internet). They offer nice whale watching. They have a Handyvan, bring you to theil small harbour and they have a special whatching boat which is accessible. We had a wonderful day with them and saw a lot of whales.

 

Highly agree - Orca Tours in Juneau -- on internet. Capt. Larry is quite an amazing captain. Wheelchair or scooter needed just to get to point where they take care of you. Their office (for paying) is up an elevator on 2nd flr. Could be intimidating to an older person.

 

If it's been years since you cruised, be aware that everything off the ship is a distance -- even ship's tours require quite a bit of walking before boarding a bus and security lines checking back on sometimes are long. Taxis, also due to security reasons are most often a walk to the taxi stand. Be careful what you book. Vicki