Grand Class Princess cruises - wheelchair tendering.

[terrierjohn]

Does anyone know the liklihood of a full time wheelchair user being able to tender ashore from a Princess Grand class, specifically Emerald Princess?

[xxoocruiser]

Does anyone know the liklihood of a full time wheelchair user being able to tender ashore from a Princess Grand class, specifically Emerald Princess?

 

Unfortunately very unlikely.

 

Following is copied directly for Princess' website. Here's the link http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/prepare.jsp#Passengers_Special_Needs

 

 

Tender Port Policy

The goal of Princess Cruises is to provide a safe comfortable cruise experience for all passengers. If you will be using a mobility device during your sailing we strongly recommend you travel with a person physically fit to assist with your needs both onboard and ashore.

Embarking and disembarking can be challenging for those with limited mobility. Many major ports of call provide easy access for wheelchairs and scooters. However due to various conditions; steepness of the gangway, weather, shore-side facilities, tidal and sea conditions, passengers using mobility devices may be required to transfer to a stair climber or be precluded from going ashore. Princess staff will make every effort to assist but are not allowed to individually physically lift more than 50 pounds (22 kg).

 

Some ports of call require the ship to anchor off shore. Passengers are then taken to shore by small boats or tenders. When tendering is required, passengers using mobility devices will not be transferred into or out of the tender, if lifting in excess of the above limitation is required. Many tender ports do not provide wheelchair access so even if the passenger can board the tender they may not be able to disembark ashore. Again the shore-side facilities, movement of the tender, weather and tidal conditions can also preclude tendering.

 

The decision to allow any passenger to board a tender or disembark the vessel will be made by the Captain on the basis of the safety and welfare of all involved and is final.

 

If passengers are unable to tender or disembark because of circumstances outlined above there will be no refund or credit for missed ports. While Princess recognizes your disappointment the safety of both passengers and crew takes precedence.

[montgomeryfamily]

I can tell you the answer to that--None!

 

Princess now will not allow you to tender if you cannot walk onto the tender. Yet you still are required to pay port charges. You will get a letter in the stateroom at some point in the cruise that will tell you this--it has nothing to do with the weather, etc. We have gotten the letter as much as three days before arrival at the port which uses tenders.

 

So if you are selecting a cruise with a port you really want to see, then you need to select Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, or Holland America, but with the latter two cruise lines, make certain it is not an older ship as the older ships do not have accessible tender platforms.

 

This current policy is about three years old, as Princess used to assist those in manual wheelchairs to tender. Yet, Princess also has not installed the wheelchair tendering system their sister cruise line, Holland America uses for tendering those in wheelchairs.

[katisdale]

I agree with the others, if you cannot walk into the tender you will not be able to leave the ship. Before I started having problems with steps I was allowed to tender with my 35 lb. travelscoot. I can still stand and walk a bit but stairs are no longer a possibility. I enjoy cruising with Princess but travel with them knowing I won't be going ashore if tendering is necessary.

[montgomeryfamily]

Katisdale, if you can walk into the tender (which means stepping down one step or perhaps two steps onto the tender) then you would be allowed to tender. Princess does have a wheelchair lift all the way down to the tender platform on all of the Grand class ships we have been on (and we have been on all of the oldest ones). Which is rather ironic since once the person is down on the tender platform in their wheelchair, they are then expected to get up and walk onto the tender. So you would not have to walk down the steps to the tender platform. The one or two steps may not be a possibility, but since your post sounded more like a stairs problem, I thought I would mention it to you.

[terrierjohn]

Katisdale, if you can walk into the tender (which means stepping down one step or perhaps two steps onto the tender) then you would be allowed to tender. Princess does have a wheelchair lift all the way down to the tender platform on all of the Grand class ships we have been on (and we have been on all of the oldest ones). Which is rather ironic since once the person is down on the tender platform in their wheelchair, they are then expected to get up and walk onto the tender. So you would not have to walk down the steps to the tender platform. The one or two steps may not be a possibility, but since your post sounded more like a stairs problem, I thought I would mention it to you.

Thanks for this info. my wife can take a few steps but is not very steady, however we will have both our sons and families with us on the tender port cruise, so it could be possible for her to board the tender with all this help.

[xxoocruiser]

Katisdale, if you can walk into the tender (which means stepping down one step or perhaps two steps onto the tender) then you would be allowed to tender. Princess does have a wheelchair lift all the way down to the tender platform on all of the Grand class ships we have been on (and we have been on all of the oldest ones). Which is rather ironic since once the person is down on the tender platform in their wheelchair, they are then expected to get up and walk onto the tender. So you would not have to walk down the steps to the tender platform. The one or two steps may not be a possibility, but since your post sounded more like a stairs problem, I thought I would mention it to you.

 

Doesn't matter if the ship has a lift to the tender platform, the fact still remains that the tender itself does NOT have roll-on capabilities which would still require the individual to have to walk a couple steps to actually board the tender and exit the tender. So yes steps are the issue as Katesdale has already posted as the OP has already stated that they are a full time wheelchair user. Which generally means the individual is wheelchair bound. The crew will NOT lift or carry anyone on/off the tender especially when that person has to remain in the wheelchair.

[katisdale]

I always took the elevator down to the tender platform. I now can no longer manage the steps into the tender.