Any cruise line offer free use of a wheelchair

[jrowland]

After a 3 year hiatus from cruising due to some medical restrictions we finally was able to take a 4 night cruise out of Jacksonville, Florida. On the 2nd full day, we arrived in Nassau and decided just to walk around Nassau. Due to the amount of walking necessary to depart the ship and make it to download Nassau we wanted to use a wheelchair for one in our party. Upon inquiry at the Main Customer desk on the ship we were told we could rent a wheelchair and we would have to pay the full rate $80 even though only wanted for 1 day. I was a little suprised but guess I shouldn't have been since I seem to remember last time we sailed out of Jacksonville with Carnival we got the use of a wheelchair for free. I would have hope at least they would have let us rent for one day and prorate the charge.

 

Does any know of any of the cruise lines that will let you use one of their wheelchairs on a cruise for free or at least have a daily rate.

[mikedw]

My wife is in her 40's and due to a birth defect we take a scooter and a small travel chair with us when we cruise. You can buy a travel chair for a couple of hundred dollars, so it might be cheaper to buy one then rent one for a week.

[katisdale]

I didn't know Carnival allowed rentals at all. I don't know of any others that do that either, not saying they don't just that I don't know of any. They do allow folks to use them if they are injured on the ship. I am not at all impressed with the cruise ship chairs that I have seen. They seem to be poorly maintained "clunkers", many with small rear wheels which are so difficult for the pusher.

[cb at sea]

I believe you have to rent them from a company that does business with the cruiseline....the cruiseline itself does NOT make chairs/scooters available to you. If you call your cruiseline, they can tell you who to call.

[Umbarger]

Even if cruise lines allow use of their wheelchair I would not take them up on it. They are old heavy, clunky things that are usually in disrepair.

[uppitycats]

I think all the lines have stopped the practice of letting passengers use the chairs for free..and most don't even rent them at all. They'll have some on board -- for use in emergencies (for example, if someone gets injured on board),

 

but all expect that passengers who need a wheelchair will bring one, or rent one through the special needs department of the cruise line (who contract with outside vendors for the equipment).

 

Part of it is liability issues, part cost of maintenance (not that they were ever maintained all that well :eek: ).

[xxoocruiser]

If you check the cruiselines websites they all state that if you require a wheelchair for regular use during the cruise you need to either bring your own or rent one from their approved provider. The cruise lines now only provide wheelchair assistance on the day of embarkation and disembarkation .

 

Even Carnival's website now states :

 

If you require the regular use of a wheelchair during the cruise, you would need to bring your own or rent one from a service provider. Please see below for some reputable wheelchair companies:

CareVacations - Phone: 1.877.478.7827

Website:

www.cruiseshipassist.com

 

 

Special Needs at Sea 1.800.513.4515

Website:

www.specialneedsatsea.com

[bluehenfan]

When a miscomunication between Carnival staff person and outside mobility scooter rental company caused my rental scooter to be "misplaced" on a CCL trip I was told Carnival would "lend" me a wheelchair until another scooter could be delivered when we docked in Florida on day 3 (left from Baltimore). When chair was delivered to my cabin the person who brought it wanted me to sign slip showing they could charge my S & S card for rental. A quick phone call to pursers desk took care of it and there was no charge but that's when I learned Carnival does rent wheelchairs. BTW, it was had for my adult Grandson to push- old and clunky !!

[Putterdude]

Our experience in the past 9 months has been:

Princess will lend a wheelchair.

HAL will not lend a wheelchair.

Celebrity will lend a wheelchair but no one could tell us if we could take it ashore.

The end result has been that we have purchased a chair for DW, for a casual user of one you can purchase them thru Amazon quite inexpensively.

[sugarking]

I booked a Celebrity cruise and was given a wheelchair to use all of the cruise as well as in port.

[kitty9]

I booked a Celebrity cruise and was given a wheelchair to use all of the cruise as well as in port.

 

You're very lucky as this has never been our experience on Celebrity.

[Putterdude]

I booked a Celebrity cruise and was given a wheelchair to use all of the cruise as well as in port.

 

I am happy to hear of this but the lack of anyone to give us a definitive answer is what pushed into purchasing a chair, we just couldn't take the risk of one not being available to take ashore.

[lindacat]

On a celebrity cruise a few years ago, it was apparent that my mother was having difficulty walking. I inquired at the front desk and was told that a security deposit would be placed on my sail card and would be refunded when I returned the chair. Since we only needed when in port we used the chair for two days and then returned the chair and the deposit was removed.

 

A few years later we needed to do the same thing for my father when we were on RCCL. They rented us the chair for use. Afther that we arranged for rentals whenever we crusied from care vacations. One year the chair they delivered to the ship was too small for him due to the ships schedule the company could not get a replacement chair to the ship at any time during the cruise. We asked at the front desk and traded them our chair for one of theirs to use while on board. This was also on RCCL.

 

On the last cruise we had purchased one of our own, (much cheaper than always renting) and then we were assured it would be available when we boarded, was easy to push, and was comfortable and in good repair.

[LondonTowner]

I have limited mobility due to severe arthritis, but don't normally use a wheelchair. However, as many cruise ships dock a long way from the cruise terminals we have taken one with us on the last couple of cruises.

 

Here in the UK you can borrow wheelchairs FOC from the Red Cross. I don't know if they operate a similiar system in the US. They expect a small donation when you return the chair, but there is no pressure on you to give.

[PennyAgain]

In the US, I have not heard of the Red Cross lending wheelchairs.

[momof3cruisers]

My problem is the length of the pier ESP in Nassua. I'd like to go on an excursion that is either a beach day or a bus tour, but the mile we ended up having to walk from the ship to the pier center kept me on the ship. I can walk, just not that much. Especially when it's hot. I don't want to bring a chair on an excursion but I can't make it down that pier.

[quicklabs]

Disney loaned me a wheelchair for my recent cruise on the Fantasy There are two sizes: one is so wide, it can't clear the hallways when a housekeeping cart is there. The other was much better. They put a charge on my card which was removed when I returned the chair. It saved my vacation!

[Splinter]

If you need a wheelchair or other mobility device, then you should purchase one yourself that fits you, fits your needs, and is dependable. Planning on getting a chair from a cruise line that is not a clunker, that you can take ashore, and that you or your family member can safely operate is taking a big risk. I assume that those who have such problems have them at home and for other travel as well...get your own.

[wizard-of-roz]

DH suffers with osteo & rheumatoid arthritis, sometimes after walking even a short distance he must sit and then he can not get up off of the chair or couch. We thought he'd be okay onboard the Splendor, last year. He was not. He could not get off the seat in the theatre and I went out to the Purser's Desk and asked for a wheelchair. I received a brand new chair for a $50.00 deposit fee. It made all the difference in the world!

At the end of our cruise I returned the chair and they returned my $50.00.

Carnival was so accomodating and helpful.