Mobility Scooter- any tips and ettiquette for Allure?

[waterdave]

Hello All,

I rented a mobility scooter for my dad, from Care Vacations- one of the two companys recommended by RCI. They were easy and helpful to deal with so far, and the scooter is supposed to be waiting in his room when we board next week.

 

He walks with a cane but long distances are tough for him, which is why I ordered the scooter.

 

Just wondering if there are any tricks and tips to the best ways to navigate through the elevators, and what are the best places for him to cruise around on it without bottlenecks etc.

 

Are there any areas where a mobility scooter shouldnt go? Is there an ettiquette that I dont know about in terms of getting seating at windjammer, where to park them when your eating etc?

[BillOh]

Great question! One tip, in common areas such as the Promenade, bypass the first bank of elevators and go around the corner to the next set, they are less crowded, especially after shows or dinner. Most people are catching on to allow people in these type of devices to get off before they get on, but some people won't so if you are with your Dad, identify and be ready to use the DOOR OPEN button. When getting on an elevator, it might be helpful for you, if its crowded to get on first and find that hold button.

 

I would also get to shows early, there are seats in many places to park a wheelchair or other device close to your seat. Also perhaps check out your table in the main dining room on the first day so you know where you are going, perhaps let the Maitre De know your situation and the waiter team might keep a spot open and provide some direction.

 

(No personal experience, but I did a lot of people watching on Allure)

[Kycruisefan]

great question! I need information on this as well. Also, will these scooters fit through all of the room doors in the Allure cabins or only the handicap accessible rooms?

 

My mom is in the same situation of needing a cane once in a while and can walk but needs a scooter for long distances. She technically does not need the handicap accessible cabin to get on and off her balcony with the scooter as she can get up from the scooter and walk onto the balcony. So if no handicap accessible rooms are left on the ship, I just want to be sure that she can still get her scooter in and out of a regular room. Thanks in advance!!! :)

[xxoocruiser]

great question! I need information on this as well. Also, will these scooters fit through all of the room doors in the Allure cabins or only the handicap accessible rooms? Totally depends on the cabin door width and the width of the scooter. I generally rent the Pride Go Go Elite Traveler from CareVacations. It's 19 1/2" wide without the arm rests. anything wider will not fit. Scooters are rented on the size wieght of the person needing the scooter not on whether or not it fits through the cabin door. Also when calling customer service to ask for the cabin door width they quote you the width from door frame to door frame. You than have to deduct 2 " for the depth of the door when opened to get the full clearance width. I have been able to use it on most RCCL standard cabins but haven't used it on the Allure . I won't be on the Allure until November but I was able to book a HC cabin. I'm told that the cabins on the Allure are not as large as RCCL's other ships. Even if you are able to get the scooter through the cabin door the problem than becomes that there is little to no room to move about in a standard cabin with a scooter. If your mother uses any other mobility aid to walk it will be very difficult to move about a standard cabin with a scooter stored in it. It's RCCL regulations that scooters have to be stored in the cabin and not left in the hallways. If the scooter does not fit you will than have to make arrangements to have the ship's personnel store the scooter each night and return it in the morning. If you have to have it stored elsewhere please note that the scooter has to be charged each night and you will be depending on someone else to make certain it's plugged in to charge which may not always happen. Also it's a rented scooter and once out of your site you're not certain what is being done with it or if anyone else is using it. Per your rental contract you are responsible for all damages, repairs and or replacement.

My mom is in the same situation of needing a cane once in a while and can walk but needs a scooter for long distances. She technically does not need the handicap accessible cabin to get on and off her balcony with the scooter as she can get up from the scooter and walk onto the balcony. So if no handicap accessible rooms are left on the ship, I just want to be sure that she can still get her scooter in and out of a regular room. Thanks in advance!!! :)

Would highly recommend that you try to get and HC Cabin. In the dining room the wait staff will assist you mother by parking the scooter after she arrives at the table. When using elevators go to the farthest least used elevators as you will have better luck getting on/off. Also suggest you don't wait for the elevator going in your direction. Just get on the elevator as what goes up must come down. You will experience able body people that will jump in front of your mother not letting her in the elevator. Therefore you need to run interference for her. Above all allow extra time for getting to any venue. If you wait till the last minute you'll have issues trying to move through the crowds with the scooter.

Edited August 30, 2011 by xxoocruiser

[cb at sea]

Standard cabin doorways are smaller than normal doors....suites have wider doorways, and the HC cabins have ADA approved door widths.

[firefly333]

My tip is to wait your turn at the elevators. Dont drive up and yell SCOOTER and barge into the next elevator. Iv had that happen to us after waiting for 10 to 15 minutes after something like the muster drill or theater let out. My sister is on a cane and doesnt move fast enough that she gets crowded out.

[waterdave]

Thank you all for the advice. Im hoping that it will really help him enjoy the ship without getting so fatigued.

 

I booked the room for him right next to the rear elevator stack on the 10th floor. That will also minimize walking to the mdr, so that for dinners we can hopefully leave the scooter in the room, and it mean that the boardwalk, park, and promenade are only an elevator away with no long hallways...

 

As for the scooter i got the medium sized one which they assured was very small. Ill also mention that they were able to able to apply a credit i had with them for the rental because i had cancelled a cruise for medical reasons last year.

[Trainman-2]

The scooter "should" go into your cabin OK. They are designed to and the companies advertise that they will be waiting in your cabin when you board.

 

It may be difficult to drive in and out of the cabin without someone to hold the door open.

Edited August 30, 2011 by Trainman-2

[jcross2]

Can't answer re: scooters but you mentioned minimizing walking to the MDR, so I do have one suggestion.

 

We used to take my Dad on cruises in his late 80's and 90's. Sometimes he used a cane, most often a wheelchair. (He was legally blind, so a scooter was out.)

 

Anyway ... we would always check our table assignment right after boarding, to see how difficult it would be for Dad to reach it.

 

Many times, Murphy's Law, y'know, we'd find that our table assignment was in the worst possible place for Dad. It would be either up a step or two, and/or at the very far back of the room, or a smallish booth of some kind, or all three. (Various cruiselines, btw.)

 

We were usually successful in persuading the maitre d' to change us to a regular table (not a booth) close to the entrance, which was better for everyone and much less stressful for Dad.

 

It's not fun maneuvering a wheelchair or scooter through huge crowds to reach a table at the very end of the dining room! It's stressful for everyone involved, including the wait staff.

 

So my advice is to be proactive with the dining room assignment: check it out right after boarding, and politely yet firmly ask the maitre d' to change any problematic table assignments beforehand.

 

Hope this helps,

Regards,

Jan

[xxoocruiser]

The scooter "should" go into your cabin OK. They are designed to and the companies advertise that they will be waiting in your cabin when you board.

 

It may be difficult to drive in and out of the cabin without someone to hold the door open.

 

Not true that the all scooters rental are designed to fit in a standard cabin

 

• Special Needs at Seas rents 3 models. Only their standard scooter will generally fit in a non HC cabins. Their Heavy Duty and Bariatric Models won't fit in a standard cabin and require a HC cabin.
  
• CareVacations also rents 3 models. Their Light Weight and Mid Size Models will generally fit most standard cabin doorways. Their full size requires a HC cabin.
  

Note : Scooters are rented based on the weight/size of the user not based on whether if will fit through your cabin door.

[Geynnyth47]

Thank you all for the advice. Im hoping that it will really help him enjoy the ship without getting so fatigued.

 

I booked the room for him right next to the rear elevator stack on the 10th floor. That will also minimize walking to the mdr, so that for dinners we can hopefully leave the scooter in the room, and it mean that the boardwalk, park, and promenade are only an elevator away with no long hallways...

 

As for the scooter i got the medium sized one which they assured was very small. Ill also mention that they were able to able to apply a credit i had with them for the rental because i had cancelled a cruise for medical reasons last year.

 

It won't fit in the cabin if you have a regular cabin. I was lucky, no one complained when I parked my scooter at my door, but you're not supposed to, I don't know what to do this time, you can have the scooter charged overnight, and they keep it all night and bring it back next morning.

 

The passengers on the elevators are pretty cool, many held my door and helped me manipulate my scooter. Except for the parking overnight, I don't foresee any problems. See you there!

[Ashland]

Please don't leave the scooter in the hallway anytime...not only does it take up space, it's a fire hazard.

[Geynnyth47]

Please don't leave the scooter in the hallway anytime...not only does it take up space, it's a fire hazard.

 

I just said that, besides having it charged over night, I have no idea what to do with it. It totally does not fit in the cabin. We had to get our steward to remove it from the cabin the first time. Instead of telling us what we can't do, which we already know, it would be nice if we got suggestions on what to do.

[laurac22]

I just said that, besides having it charged over night, I have no idea what to do with it. It totally does not fit in the cabin. We had to get our steward to remove it from the cabin the first time. Instead of telling us what we can't do, which we already know, it would be nice if we got suggestions on what to do.

 

 

Probably should get an accessible cabin, so the scooter will fit through the door, and have room in the cabin for it.

[pharaoh]

While having an accessible cabin would be nice if you have a scooter, they are not always available.

 

Guest services can take the scooter overnight to charge and will return it in the morning. No fire hazard there. Voila!

[Ine]

In case your father hasnot used this type of scooter (or any other) let him try this out first in a quiet area. Making turns, stops etc . Better for him to be sure how to handle this scooter and also nice for fellow passengers.

[wendychloecruiser]

My mom has severe osteoarthritis and has really benefitted from using a scooter on a cruise. Believe me she would rather not have to use it. The animosity that is visible on some peoples' faces is sometimes really disheartening for her. She is only trying to enjoy herself a bit while having to use enough Fentanyl to kill most of us just to get out of bed.

 

I'm afraid you may have to run interference when trying to get an elevator. And believe me there are people on scooters who think they have some right to run others over...I know they exist. There are good people and bad people...some more mobile than others!

 

She now has a Pride GoGo Elite Plus ("Rosie") which we bought her after realising what a difference a rented one made to her cruise. It is allowed on airlines. It fits through a cabin door of a regular cabin on RCI and Celebrity. The lay out of the cabin makes a difference. It is better when the bed is situated against the window as there is a little bit more space.

[SargassoPirate]

Rude people are rude people, whether they are in a scooter or not. I've seen some scooter users act like a license to use it as a battering ram came with it, and I've seen others wait politely until they can safely maneuver. Same for people without scooters, I've seen them push and shove to get on an elevator before the people on the elevator have a chance to get off.

 

One no-no that all mobility device users need to know about is that SOLAS regulations and cruise line policies prohibit storing the devices in the corridors and elevator/stairway lobbies (which are also paths of exit travel).

 

Report violators to guest services when you see them. If there is no enforcement, the cruise line is not taking passenger safety seriously and you need to work your way up the chain of command until action is taken.

 

Sounds harsh, but Safety Of Life At Sea is a serious matter.

[Monkey30]

Very often, elevators arrive already crowded or there is a crowd of people waiting for one. When cruising with my dad, who was an amputee and used his scooter all the time, we would push both the up and down buttons. Most of the time, people were all traveling in one direction. We found that elevators going in the opposite direction of the human wave would open and close with no one getting on. We would get on those elevators and make a round trip.

[knittinggirl]

Leave early for dinner before the elevators are crowded. We did this on Serenade, and it worked well. We went down to the floor, sat in the bar, ordered a drink and waited.

 

There's supposed to be a key combination that will get you to your destination w/o stopping at all the floors. May be worth a google.

 

Some regular rooms have a step up to the bathroom. Something very hard for some. In fact, Celebrity Century's bathroom was about 8 inches up. Do you really want to go into a bathroom w/ a step up while the ship is rolling and pitching? Once we had some nasty rocking, and I found myself slipping backward until I landed on the toilet. Not many grab bars!

Edited April 17, 2016 by knittinggirl

[DM_KidAtHeart]

Very often, elevators arrive already crowded or there is a crowd of people waiting for one. When cruising with my dad, who was an amputee and used his scooter all the time, we would push both the up and down buttons. Most of the time, people were all traveling in one direction. We found that elevators going in the opposite direction of the human wave would open and close with no one getting on. We would get on those elevators and make a round trip.

 

 

This is key for wheelchairs or scooters. Go down to go up or up to go down.

[DelawareTom]

I've used a scooter for several years. My experience is that most people are very kind and considerate. For getting to dinner, my wife and I usually head down 30-45 min early and go have a drink before dinner (hopefully where there is some music playing). In general, whenever there is likely to be a crowd (e.g. muster drill, show, dinner, etc.) we will leave 15 min early to avoid the crush on the elevator (or we kill some time and wait for the crowd to dissipate after the event. I always drive straight on to the elevator and back out, but you have to be cautious not to run over anyone's toes, etc. As far as the cabin goes, I have always gotten an accessible cabin and there is plenty of room for the scooter. Good luck. Having the scooter available has been a godsend for me.

[Richst48]

 

She now has a Pride GoGo Elite Plus ("Rosie") which we bought her after realising what a difference a rented one made to her cruise. It is allowed on airlines. It fits through a cabin door of a regular cabin on RCI and Celebrity. The lay out of the cabin makes a difference. It is better when the bed is situated against the window as there is a little bit more space.

 

May I ask what you do to take it on the airplane? First, how do you take it through security? Then, when ready to board the plane, does she ride it down the ramp to the plane and then do they take it and put it underneath with the bags? When you reach your destination do they have it waiting for her when she steps out of the plane?

 

Sorry for all the questions but my wife just got a scooter and we are going on our next cruise June 2nd and would like to take it with us. Thanks!

[wendychloecruiser]

May I ask what you do to take it on the airplane? First, how do you take it through security? Then, when ready to board the plane, does she ride it down the ramp to the plane and then do they take it and put it underneath with the bags? When you reach your destination do they have it waiting for her when she steps out of the plane?

 

Sorry for all the questions but my wife just got a scooter and we are going on our next cruise June 2nd and would like to take it with us. Thanks!

 

No problem. Firstly, airlines have a list of scooters that have been preapproved for onboard travel. The airlines are specifically interested in the type of battery the scooter uses. Call the airlines you use predominantly and enquire. Mom uses American, United, Air Canada and British Airways. Next, carry with you the specifications from the manufacturer of the scooter you have that details make, model, size, weight and battery type etc. You can get that online or with the documentation that came with the scooter. The first time we took it I asked via telephone whether they needed that info and was told "no," but then when we checked in they asked for it.

 

Mom drives it to the gate down the gangway and they take it from there. Take the scooter out of gear and ask if they need to keep the key. Secure the key to the scooter around the handle with a stretchy cord or the like. Make sure you have a duplicate key(s) with you, obviously not attached the scooter. I had extra keys made and I also taped one underneath the seat. Leave the scooter out of gear so that they can push it (lessens the likelihood of a joy ride). Ensure that you have clearly labelled with identification EACH COMPONENT of the scooter as it does come apart. They may not take it apart but you never know. The scooter has always been at the gangway when she disembarks and off she tootles.

 

There has never been in as much as a scratch on "Rosie" while in their possession. The airlines have always taken good care of it.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

I think what one can do, and I say this as nicely as I can, please know &/or learn how to properly operate them. I have witnessed a few accidents with scooters and was involved in one one the Navigator. My DW & I were on an elevator, the door opened and a lady pushed her button and the thing took off. It pinned up against the back wall of the elevator. Bruised & cut my left shin. I felt bad for her as she clearly got confused and basically froze. I had to reach down and maneuver the scooter off me.

 

Please be careful when operating one and all others should be watching for the scooters as well.

Edited April 21, 2016 by Goodtime Cruizin