what to do in cozumel/g.caymen in wheelchair

[newbie1967]

hi we are sailing feb 21 on the Inspiration and taking my grandmother who is in a wheelchair.. what type of things can she do.. i appreciate any input thanks..:D

[firefly333]

To be honest, if she cant walk at all, Im not sure they will even allow her on the tender for Grand Caymans. Sometimes they will make a exception, but they usually wouldnt.

 

Cozumel at least docks, but its a long ways down the dock to get to where the tour guides will be waiting. I would try for a city tour or something non active and nothing where a beach is involved.. which is very limiting from what I have seen. Many excursions involve water.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

If she is able to tender in Grand Cayman, there is the Grand Cayman Historical Museum at 3 South Church St. It states that it is across from the South Terminal and very near the North Dock Terminal so that may be easy to get to. It is open 7 days, adult admission $5. There is a gift shop that has an area that specializes in Christmas items and also an area to get a cold drink and snack.

[KimtheCruiser]

We've cruised several times with my brother who is in a wheelchair - and this upcoming cruise will be the second with my mother in a wheelchair.

 

In Cozumel, if you dock at Puerta Maya, it will be a nice stroll/roll around the shops there - we usually just check out the shops and have lunch at Pancho's Backyard. Mom is looking forward to the massage tent there, too, but she is able to walk a few steps without the chair.

 

Last year, it was a nightmare trying to deal with 2 wheelchairs at Punta Langosta - the elevators were not working - and at Punta Langosta, you ride the escalator/elevator up to cross the street - we had to get security to let us out the gates. The sidewalks were very rough - just a bad trip.

 

DB has been in a wheelchair all his life, and he is just as happy staying on the ship. Mom has only been limited for the last 15 months, so she is missing the excursions, etc.

 

We've never taken them to Grand Cayman - but on one trip, DB took a limo tour of Nassau - really enjoyed that.

 

Talk to the Shore Excursion desk as soon as you board - one of the things we were told is that even if the excursion looks doable, the transportation to get there might not be. It may be an easy excursion, but if they are using regular buses to get there, and the person has no mobility, that's an issue. DB cannot walk at all - so it has to be something he can do from the chair - or transfer from chair to a regular seat in a car.

[Grits53]

I agree about her being able to board the tender boats at Grand Cayman. The tender boat will be moving up and down with the waves, and stepping onto and off is a little tricky sometimes. If she is confined to a wheelchair and can't walk at all, they would have to lift her and the chair onto and off the tender boat. I think that would present some problems, and it is unlikely that they will be able to do that for her. If she has to stay on the ship, I'm sure they will have some activities & entertainment planned, or she might like a day at the spa.

In Cozumel, there will be lots of shopping available near the pier, with concrete surfaces for wheelchair mobility. I suggest you go to the Cozumel port of call board. Go to the drop down box at the bottom of this page to find the ports of call boards. You might also check the Cayman Islands board for more info there. I hope your grandmother has a fabulous time on the cruise!

[newbie1967]

Hi all thanks for the replies.. yes i knew it would be difficult in g. caymen so i think she will stay onboard.. but when we get to cozumel she would love to get off the ship and look around.. my mom will be with her and take her around for a bit and then bring her back to the ship and come back and join us.. i was just wondering if they are wheelchair friendly as in i know its going to be difficult but are their things to do right off the ship?? like shops they can go in? how hard is it going to be to get a taxi if thats what they choose.. she can get up but her walking on her own is very limited, she is 86.. keep the great answers coming thanks again we appreciate any answers...:)

[SG81]

in Cozumel, we just walked around and visited the shops and bought a few things. that would be a good idea unless you want to go on an excursion

[KimtheCruiser]

I agree about her being able to board the tender boats at Grand Cayman. The tender boat will be moving up and down with the waves, and stepping onto and off is a little tricky sometimes. If she is confined to a wheelchair and can't walk at all, they would have to lift her and the chair onto and off the tender boat. I think that would present some problems, and it is unlikely that they will be able to do that for her. If she has to stay on the ship, I'm sure they will have some activities & entertainment planned, or she might like a day at the spa.

 

 

 

In 2000, we took DB on an excursion to the Blue Lagoon - we tendered over and getting off the tender was no problem - just rolled right off. When we went to leave, however, the tide had come in - and 4 guys who were crew on the tender boat just picked DB up wheelchair and all and lifted him from the dock to the tender. Scared the fool out of me! I could not watch - afraid they were going to drop him! All I could think about was going home to tell my mother that I'd lost my brother in Nassau!

[Grits53]

It depends on which pier your ship will use for Cozumel. At the new Puerta Maya, there are plenty of brand new stores right off the pier for her to visit. The pier is long, so your mom will get a good work out pushing her. But it is smooth concrete. There are all kinds of stores there, as well as one or two restaurants. If your ship docks at the older pier, as someone said, it might not be as smooth or easy for the wheelchair, but there ARE plenty of shops nearby.

[KroozFoolz]

According the schedule on the Puerta Maya website, Inspiration will dock there on Feb. 24.

http://www.puertamaya.com/port-schedule.aspx

 

You might also check out the forum for disabled cruisers: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190

[MacysMimi]

I have another suggestion also....If she is able to transfer in and out of taxi's, in Cozumel, you could do Chankanaab National Park....they have concrete sidewalks throughout the park....lots of nature trails she could go up and down, there is an area where she could sit and watch the dolphin excursions.....I thought the place was beautiful.....it was a very easy, short taxi ride there, and when we were ready to leave, their were plenty of taxi's out front waiting....There is also a restaurant there which had fabulous food, and I "believe" the sidewalks ran right up to it....just past the restauraunt is where the beach started....I'll go look at my pics and confirm that...

 

I was right....Here are a few shots of the restaurant

 

and the trails:

 

and my lunch....YUM

[Tree Hugger]

They were able to accommodate a couple of wheelchairs at the tenders in Cayman when I was there in September and the waves had the boat rocking pretty good. One guy who was in a chair said he was a little scared, but the guys on the tender were very reassuring saying they had moved chairs across in worse conditions and that there was nothing to worry about.

[cruiserNC]

They were able to accommodate a couple of wheelchairs at the tenders in Cayman when I was there in September and the waves had the boat rocking pretty good. One guy who was in a chair said he was a little scared, but the guys on the tender were very reassuring saying they had moved chairs across in worse conditions and that there was nothing to worry about.

 

Same here on our last visit to Grand Cayman I actually helped them lift the lady up in her chair.

OP I wouldn't rule out the stop but depending on the seas it could be tricky.