Anyone with wheelchair experience at Seattle's Pier 66?

[Hikini]

My elderly parents are cruising with us again. Dad is not able to stand or walk for long periods of time. In the past our travel agent has requested a wheelchair for my Dad, just for embarkation. He doesn't need a wheelchair on board, just for the longer periods of standing and waiting during check in.

 

The problem has been, there seems to be NO ONE around who can tell us WHO has the 'reserved' wheelchair. We wait and wait and wait and finally Dad (who hates being fussed over) says he can make it. OK, fine, but I know this year it will be impossible. He cannot stand on his own power, or even with human assistance for more than 1-2 minutes at a time, so we really need this reserved wheelchair to be there for him.

 

Has anyone else done this or have any experience with this kind of situation in Seattle?

 

Thanks!

[NCL_Cruiser]

My elderly parents are cruising with us again. Dad is not able to stand or walk for long periods of time. In the past our travel agent has requested a wheelchair for my Dad, just for embarkation. He doesn't need a wheelchair on board, just for the longer periods of standing and waiting during check in.

 

The problem has been, there seems to be NO ONE around who can tell us WHO has the 'reserved' wheelchair. We wait and wait and wait and finally Dad (who hates being fussed over) says he can make it. OK, fine, but I know this year it will be impossible. He cannot stand on his own power, or even with human assistance for more than 1-2 minutes at a time, so we really need this reserved wheelchair to be there for him.

 

Has anyone else done this or have any experience with this kind of situation in Seattle?

 

Thanks!

 

When we were in Seattle in July, we had my 80 year old mother in law. We simply asked one of the representatives at the pier, who called on a walkie-talkie to have a chair brought to us. All of them were being used at the moment, so it took a few minutes, but as soon as one came back down from making a "delivery," we were good to go.

[tonit964]

We just got back from the Pearl and my DD 10 year old hurt her foot a few days before the cruise. We rented a wheelchair on our own. She got priority boarding so there was never a wait. It took a total of about 15 minutes from drop off at the pier to being on the ship.

 

The rental was $50 for 2 weeks but that was for a childs wheelchair. You might want to check that option before you leave to ensure he has one. I hear there are limited wheelchairs provided by the cruiseline and they are first come first serve.

Good luck!

Toni

[uppitycats]

You might just buy a wheelchair for him. You can get a serviceable chair for less than $100, and then he wouldn't have to wait at all..and should he find he DOES need it on board, you've got it.

 

Otherwise, you need to contact a representative of your cruise line when you arrive at the port, and they'll get one. It may take 15-20 minutes, though. If he really can't stand that long..then re-read paragraph one, above!!

[Hikini]

Thanks for your replies. Dad is stubborn - but very lovable! But he refuses to have a wheelchair.....he is refusing to even take his walker with us, as he thinks his cane will be sufficient and he knows once he is on the ship he will be able to find plenty of places to sit between points A and B.

 

The hard part is getting on and off the ship in Seattle. This is his 6th cruise in the last 7 years, so he knows what it's like. (And he doesn't leave the ship once he gets on it, until we are back in Seattle.)

 

Believe me, I WANT to get a wheelchair that we can have with us but he flat refuses. He only wants one for getting on and off.

 

I failed to mention that in 2003 we were able to get a wheelchair for him at the port for embarkation and it went very smoothly. But every time since it has been just the opposite. I just wanted to throw the question out there in case something was new and different. And with the vast experience of all the CC members, I knew I'd get some good replies!:)

[SeattleCruiselover]

My elderly parents are cruising with us again. Dad is not able to stand or walk for long periods of time. In the past our travel agent has requested a wheelchair for my Dad, just for embarkation. He doesn't need a wheelchair on board, just for the longer periods of standing and waiting during check in.

 

The problem has been, there seems to be NO ONE around who can tell us WHO has the 'reserved' wheelchair. We wait and wait and wait and finally Dad (who hates being fussed over) says he can make it. OK, fine, but I know this year it will be impossible. He cannot stand on his own power, or even with human assistance for more than 1-2 minutes at a time, so we really need this reserved wheelchair to be there for him.

 

Has anyone else done this or have any experience with this kind of situation in Seattle?

 

Thanks!

 

Since I have WORKED the Special Needs/ADA desk at Pier 66 for both NCL and RCI, I can tell you that that is where you will go, then wheelchair pushers will come to you and take him aboard after you are checked in. Since you are in a suite, it will be fairly early.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Thanks for your replies. Dad is stubborn - but very lovable! But he refuses to have a wheelchair.....he is refusing to even take his walker with us, as he thinks his cane will be sufficient and he knows once he is on the ship he will be able to find plenty of places to sit between points A and B.

 

The hard part is getting on and off the ship in Seattle. This is his 6th cruise in the last 7 years, so he knows what it's like. (And he doesn't leave the ship once he gets on it, until we are back in Seattle.)

 

Believe me, I WANT to get a wheelchair that we can have with us but he flat refuses. He only wants one for getting on and off.

 

I failed to mention that in 2003 we were able to get a wheelchair for him at the port for embarkation and it went very smoothly. But every time since it has been just the opposite. I just wanted to throw the question out there in case something was new and different. And with the vast experience of all the CC members, I knew I'd get some good replies!:)

 

If you promise to bring it back in the same shape I lend it to you, and BEFORE my trip, you can borrow my collapsible wheelchair for the cruise.

[Hikini]

Since I have WORKED the Special Needs/ADA desk at Pier 66 for both NCL and RCI, I can tell you that that is where you will go, then wheelchair pushers will come to you and take him aboard after you are checked in. Since you are in a suite, it will be fairly early.

 

Where is this desk you speak of?

 

Thank you SO much for your offer to borrow your collapsable chair, but Dad is just refusing to take one along. We have been wanting to buy one for him for the longest time and he just won't have it.

[Splinter]

That is very sad. I work in the physical rehabilitation field, and we see so often that stubborn resistance to using assistive devices (including mobility aids) leads many people to being less mobile, more isolated, and less active in life.

 

A wheelchair is a tool that allows you to be mobile in the community in spite of a disability. It does not make you disabled. It allows you to do the things you want to do. It is so sad when someone lets their fear of looking disabled or being stigmatized stand in the way of staying active. I hope your father can move past this.

 

You may also want to post over on the Disabled Cruisers forum.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Where is this desk you speak of?

 

Thank you SO much for your offer to borrow your collapsable chair, but Dad is just refusing to take one along. We have been wanting to buy one for him for the longest time and he just won't have it.

 

Just tell the first uniformed NCL person that you see when you get to the top of the stairs to the second floor that you have a special needs guest who needs a wheelchair for boarding, and make sure they know that you are also in the suites.