Handicap/wheelchair tendering at Half Moon Cay

[mpcaruth]

My parents will be taking a cruise for the first time with us this summer on the Fascination. My mom is in a wheel chair and can only take a few shuffle steps on her own. The special services department assistant informed me that handicap accessibility on the tender boats at Half Moon Cay would be "weather permitting". She did not elaborate when I inquired, and simply restated, "weather permitting". So, does anyone know exactly what this means? No precipitation, calm seas, etc? Have any of you required a wheelchair and tendered at Half Moon Cay?

 

Any other advice you can give me and my mom on cruising wheelchair bound?

 

 

Thanks you in advance for your assistance.

[jamscckmc]

I do not use a. W/C but have been on cruise where they have deemed the seas too rough or it's too windy to be safe. The ramp from the boat to the tender moves back and forth when the seas are rough. I was on a RC cruise when an able bodied woman fell between the tender and the ship and broke her leg. It wasn't rough when we tendered out but a storm came through in the afternoon. Off course if it's really rough they will cancel the port for everyone.

[djhsolara]

It may have been said weather permitting because (at least on Holland America) HMC is often a missed stop because of weather (not necessarily because of someone's wheelchair use). One time they took one tender off, got them to the island, deemed it too dangerous and brought them right back. We were on our balcony watching people getting back on the ship while the tender was floating up and down. It looked very dangerous and I was just glad I wasn't on that tender. That was one of two times that we missed HMC due to weather.

 

 

...Douglas

Sent from my iPad

[Flutie03]

As others said, I watched some wc users load up, they asked if you can walk a few steps, it made it safer to get on tender and they loaded you right back into the chair. If seas are too rough, you may be a missed port or its not safe enough for wc to use ramp as it is locked into the tender but still loose at the boat and does slide a bit. Crew was great making sure it was safe to go or wait a second. The tender was constantly pushing against the ship to make it easier. When full, unlocked ramp from tender and slid back, closed gate and off we went to paradise

 

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Edited January 24, 2014 by Flutie03

[hn7609]

I have taken the tender to HMC with no problems. I travel in a large powerchair and it went smooth. There are beach wheelchairs available behind the info desk once you get to the island. Wishing you good weather.

 

 

Any other advice you can give me and my mom on cruising wheelchair bound?

 

 

If your mom has wheelchair experience she will have no problems. I have found that cruising is my favorite vacation since I have been stuck in a chair. Pretty much the only things I can't do are play mini golf or use the pools, hot tubs. The chair makes waiting in line at the punchliner real easy.

 

There are nice threads in the special interest section for disabled cruisers. Check them out.

 

Good luck