WHEELCHAIRS on DAWN

[djay]

Considering Dawn from Tampa to Western Caribbean-March 2014. My wife has begun to have knee & back problems. Walking for an extended length has become a thing of the past. Any suggestions on wheelchairs? Can chairs be folded & put away in various areas? She is not using one yet but I thought that perhaps a wheelchair could be a way of getting her around when distant walks are required?

[flowers44]

No reason why not. Most cabins have room somewhere for a folded wheelchair. The MDR on the Dawn is down a flight of stairs but I have seen them bring people into the MDR from behind the staircase. You can ride the elevator down one floor and get out on deck 6 instead of entering from deck 7 down the stairs. We were just on the Dawn three weeks ago and there were several people with wheelchairs. Check out the handicap accessible cabins. They have more room to move around and store the wheelchair if you are not using it and, I believe, the bathrooms are larger too.

[Cruiser Bruiser]

You can also arrange scooter rentals through a company that works with NCL. On my cruise on the Dawn last fall, our neighbors had a scooter and they just left it parked in the corridor. It wasn't an issue at all.

 

Check out this link at the NCL website:

http://www.ncl.com/about/accessible-cruising

 

Have a wonderful cruise! :)

[NLH Arizona]

You can also arrange scooter rentals through a company that works with NCL. On my cruise on the Dawn last fall, our neighbors had a scooter and they just left it parked in the corridor. It wasn't an issue at all.

 

Check out this link at the NCL website:

http://www.ncl.com/about/accessible-cruising

 

Have a wonderful cruise! :)

In the link you provided, here is what NCL says about parking scooters in hallways:

 

All scooters and wheelchairs MUST be stored in the stateroom. Due to the safety and escape way requirements established by SOLAS regulations, they cannot be stored in the hallways, stairways, or any other public area.

 

I would suggest the OP contact NCL before deciding where to park the wheelchair or scooter, especially since it is a hazard if there is an emergency onboard where many people have to travel down the hallways. Safety should always be first in people's minds. Not to mention that others in wheelchairs and scooters would not be able to pass through the hallways if other's scooters and wheelchairs are parked there.

[vols_159]

No reason why not. Most cabins have room somewhere for a folded wheelchair. The MDR on the Dawn is down a flight of stairs but I have seen them bring people into the MDR from behind the staircase. You can ride the elevator down one floor and get out on deck 6 instead of entering from deck 7 down the stairs. We were just on the Dawn three weeks ago and there were several people with wheelchairs. Check out the handicap accessible cabins. They have more room to move around and store the wheelchair if you are not using it and, I believe, the bathrooms are larger too.

 

 

Just got to the midship MDR! seen some guy every night in there with a scooter!

[Cruiser Bruiser]

In the link you provided, here is what NCL says about parking scooters in hallways:

 

All scooters and wheelchairs MUST be stored in the stateroom. Due to the safety and escape way requirements established by SOLAS regulations, they cannot be stored in the hallways, stairways, or any other public area.

 

I would suggest the OP contact NCL before deciding where to park the wheelchair or scooter, especially since it is a hazard if there is an emergency onboard where many people have to travel down the hallways. Safety should always be first in people's minds.

 

Good to know. As with so much information that's out there, official and otherwise, actual experience varies a great deal. I agree that the OP should work directly with NCL. Cheers.

[NLH Arizona]

Good to know. As with so much information that's out there, official and otherwise, actual experience varies a great deal. I agree that the OP should work directly with NCL. Cheers.

I would think that if a ship is not making all passengers abide by these safety rules, then shame on them for potentially putting every passenger in harm's way.

[cherylroslyn]

Good to know. As with so much information that's out there, official and otherwise, actual experience varies a great deal. I agree that the OP should work directly with NCL. Cheers.

If I've seen one scooter in the hallway I've seen 100. People aren't supposed to put room service trays out there either....but they do.

 

So I would have responded the exact way you did:)

[djay]

Appreciate the suggestions. Good to know that we might can arrange a chair thru NCL. Being able to fold up & put away is desired as she does not need iit always. Thanks everyone. Suggestions are appreciated.

[rbrugler]

Hi. I have mobility issues and am very familiar with what is permitted, advisable and helpful. New laws are in effect that non-mobility impared people may not know. So please take what I have to say under advisement.

 

First, as has been said, get an accessible room reserved ASAP. They fill up quickly and will make your cruise much more enjoyable. Many of these cabins have balconies, which make it very nice.

 

Second, scroll down to the Special Interest Groups and click on Disabled Cruising. Tons of information there by those of us facing these issues.

 

Special Needs at Sea is the company NCL works with now. You can rent wheelchairs or scooters from them and they deliver right to your stateroom, and pick it up there once the cruise is over. You will need to know your stateroom number when you book, which is why you first want to book the accessible room. NCL has wheelchairs that they use for embarkation and debarkation. You cannot use them during the cruise itself. When you book the cruise, tell them your wife will need wheelchair assistance to board the ship. The Freestyle Daily will explain where to be for debarkation assistance.

 

You will not be permitted to park the scooter or wheelchair in a hallway. No! New laws prohibit it, and thank goodness they do. Bring a power strip with you on the cruise. Use it when recharging the scooter each night. Take the key out when recharging. And when using the scooter at ports, be sure to disengage it when the crew pushes it. There is a yellow lever under the back of the seat that you push down. You can easily break the scooter if you do not do this.

 

There is plenty of room in the MDR or buffets for the scooter to be kept while you eat. Crew members will assist with this. And oh, keep your name tag from SNAS on the scooter, I didnt one year and someone took it by mistake with some of my belongings in the basket. He was in the casino when they tracked him down.

 

It helps to back into elevators as it makes getting out so much easier. On port days, when you need the elevator, you become invisible and people push their way around you and there will be no more room for you. The trick is to take the elevator going up, and then come back down.

 

Good luck, and do not hesitate to ask questions on the disabled cruise board.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Ron

[NLH Arizona]

Thank you for posting this Ron, I'm sure this information will help many.

[Alvarado]

Every word that Ron has written is true and is excellent advice. You really have to have a handicapped room to get the scooter in and out of the cabin doors. We had a suite and it was very difficult. The scooters are easy to drive and really a lot of fun. You can practice with the ones at Target or Costco. J

[Umbarger]

Well you can tar and feather me but I don't agree. Just because you need a wheelchair for distance does not mean you need a handicapped cabin. There are so few of these special cabins and they need to go to those who have to have them to be able to cruise. I think handicapped cabins should be for people who can not walk and are confined to wheelchairs. These people have no hope of cruising if these handicapped cabins are taken.

If someone can still walk they can still get in and out and around and take a shower in a regular cabin. Small scooters can get thru regular cabin doors. You just need to make sure of the measurements. If you have a wheelchair that folds it will easily go under the bed or in the corner of a regular cabin.

All the cruise lines have a rule about no scooters out in the hall but what they say and what they do are two very different things. Not saying it's okay but I still see lots of scooters parked in the hallways. Also, cabin stewards can always find a out of a way place to park and charge your scooter if need be. I have seen scooters parked and charging at the customer service desk.

Sorry I don't agree but handicapped cabins are in such high demand. When my mom still used her walker we always tried to leave them to those who needed them more than us. Now that mom is confined we always have such a hard time finding an available handicapped cabin. We now have to book a year in advance sometimes.

Just something to think about.

Hope everyones future travels are safe, happy and healthy.

[Frick_&_Frack]

My DH can walk but uses a rollator for assistance (and we rent a scooter when he's going to be off-ship at any ports). He has no problem at all getting the scooter (rented via the company NCL recommends) into the cabin (Haven Suite - S5). He just needs to tuck his elbows in.

 

Since he can definitely walk around in a cabin, and has no issue with the "step-over-ledge" into the shower, there's no need for us to go to a Handicap cabin. You can also order a shower seat/bench as well a toilet riser, etc. from NCL for use for the week if you think you need such items (NCL's Special Needs Department really is quite well prepared).

 

(Plus, in the S5 we fit the scooter, rollator and oxygen condensers as well - depending on cabin size, YMMV)

 

Happy Cruising!

[kcfoxy]

I've used both on recent NCL cruises. DH does not like the WC because then he needs to push, and it can be a bear over carpeted areas. Much easier on tiled floors, and there is usually 1 main deck that works best in getting from front to back (er, forward to aft) in this manner...sort of an expressway, if you will.

 

One elevator goes all the way down to the Aft MDR, 3 do not. Then a ramp leads directly into the dining area, no need for any stairs. Great tip given re taking the Up rather than Down elevator to get one you need when it's busiest...such as mornings in port.

 

For ports, the scooter would seem best, but not always easier to oft-load, may not be suitable on tenders, and many transportation vendors can take a WC, especially a foldable sort, but not necessarily a scooter. So for us, the WC is more versatile, no worries on running short of power, can book more excursions and good exercise for the companion/loved one.

 

With a collapsible WC, you can book a regular cabin...an inside might be very tight, but most others would do, especially if the passenger can walk for short distances, not require transfers to bed/WC or bathing. The bath chairs they have available are quite sturdy and will fit in the showers.

 

All that said, you will find NCL generally quite helpful with WC for embark and disembark, often embark needs to wait until noonish for ship's WCs (and not the newest lot) to be available. If renting through NCL's vendor, your WC or scooter will be available in your room on boarding and left in stateroom on disembark, for retrieval.

[Barb Nahoumi]

My mom used a wheelchair with 4 small wheels on it. She had some mobility, and sometimes used it as a walker. When she got tired, she sat and my dad pushed her along. The chair was convenient and folded up for easy storage.

 

Some people use rollators-----walkers with drop-down seats. They might also be an option.