Wheelchair rental on Celebrity Equinox

[lalo]

Hi

I am travelling with my parents on the Equinox on Sept 7. They will turn 87 & 90 while on the cruise. My mother has difficulty walking & may need a wheelchair for the long walk to/from MDR. Does anyone know how to make arrangements for a wheelchair?

Thanks

Lalo

[JandKMom]

Email special_needs@rccl.com. I was just on the Summit with my mother, who is a full-time wheelchair user and brought her own custom chair. We requested an additional portable chair to use to fold in a cab while in port and they lent it to us (free of charge) for the entire trip. It was in her stateroom (as requested) upon arrival. Unfortunately, she did not use it because it was not comfortable for her (no safety belt and not enough support), but it should be fine for someone who can walk and sit up (my mother cannot) but just needs the chair for some extra help.

Edited July 9, 2014 by JandKMom

[fridaythe13th]

It's a long walk everywhere and I would recommend renting one from one of these companies to have with you when you feel the need. It will be delivered right to your cabin and picked up from your cabin at the end of the cruise.

 

http://www.specialneedsatsea.com/reserve-equipment/wheelchair-rentals/

http://carevacations.com/

http://cruiseshipassist.com/html/wheelchairs.html

 

The wheelchairs they have on the ship are mainly for emergencies and they usually won't let you use one as your own. You can certainly ask though.

[JandKMom]

It's a long walk everywhere and I would recommend renting one from one of these companies to have with you when you feel the need. It will be delivered right to your cabin and picked up from your cabin at the end of the cruise.

 

http://www.specialneedsatsea.com/reserve-equipment/wheelchair-rentals/

http://carevacations.com/

http://cruiseshipassist.com/html/wheelchairs.html

 

The wheelchairs they have on the ship are mainly for emergencies and they usually won't let you use one as your own. You can certainly ask though.

 

They had absolutely no problem with my request - originally we were just requesting to borrow the chair for one specific day, but then I asked if we could just have it for the whole trip. They noted it in my mother's reservation and it was waiting in her stateroom when we arrived.

[fridaythe13th]

They had absolutely no problem with my request - originally we were just requesting to borrow the chair for one specific day, but then I asked if we could just have it for the whole trip. They noted it in my mother's reservation and it was waiting in her stateroom when we arrived.

 

That's awesome for you. We had a yes once and no a few times so we just end up renting so we don't have to take a chance.;)

[cruisead]

You absolutely cannot depend on Celebrity giving you a wheelchair to use for the cruise. My DH is a full time wheelchair user and we've discovered that they only give those chairs in emergencies----we experienced this first hand. And, even if they would give one, they do not want you taking it off the ship--again from personal experience (DH's wheelchair broke--and thankfully someone on board was able to repair it but it took two days).

 

The other thing we've noticed is that the ship chairs are not in great shape and can be rickety.

 

Rent your own wheelchair and bring it with you. You'll be happy you didn't take the chance of not getting one from Celebrity.

 

And, if you go to the FAQ section of Celebrity's website, under the section of Mobility Needs it specifically states that they will provide wheelchairs for embarkation and disembarkation ONLY, and then they list the contact information for Care Vacations and Special Needs At Sea to rent your own wheelchairs.

Edited July 9, 2014 by cruisead

[H2OH!]

you are quite fortunate to be able to have both of your parents able to travel!

 

a few tips having traveled with my elderly mother:

1) rent your own equipment from one of the companies noted above

2) if your mom can manage a scooter, consider renting this instead of or in addition to a wheelchair. It is your vacation as well and worrying about pushing her can become daunting and tiring- been there done that. you love her and want her to enjoy her time but you deserve time off too.

3) think about how easily they are able to get off/on a toilet. if need arms or have a raised seat at home, consider renting this equipment as well. it is amazing how people adapt to their surroundings and are able to function. put them in a new situation and they may use muscles they have not used for quite some time and become sore/not feel well.

4) visit the disabled travelers boards on cruise critic. there are great people there who can answer every question under the sun!!

 

Happy sailing to you and your family.

[Andy]

Hi

I am travelling with my parents on the Equinox on Sept 7. They will turn 87 & 90 while on the cruise. My mother has difficulty walking & may need a wheelchair for the long walk to/from MDR. Does anyone know how to make arrangements for a wheelchair?

Thanks

Lalo

 

Hi Lalo,

 

Sorry, but I must disagree with some of the comments on this thread. First, Celebrity does not rent wheelchairs for use onboard. They are complimentary. However, though Celebrity offers wheelchairs, they are not intended to be used by guests for the entire cruise. With that said, it's possible they will allow it, but there's no guarantee. If your parents *must* have use of wheelchairs, I'd never take the chance of them being available onboard. IMO, it's not worth the risk of ruining your vacation.

 

I'd highly recommend checking out the companies that member fridaythe13th recommended earlier in this thread. We've used Care Vacations (www.cruiseshipassist.com) on many occasions, and they've always been fantastic. If you have any other questions, please feel free to email me, by clicking on the link below.

 

I hope this helps, and have a wonderful cruise with your parents !

[lalo]

Hi Guys,

I decided to give it a try and called the access dept at cc. Was told a wheelchair would be waiting in the cabin for my mother's use during the entire cruise and could also be taken off-ship for shore excursions. They also sent me an email confirming the reservation.

Lalo:)

[Algebralovr]

We were on the Equinox last month, and noticed that they seemed to loan out the wheelchair for the entire cruise, as we saw someone using one at Ephesus!

 

However, and this is a big one, the ship chair only had small wheels in both front and back. This means it is more difficult to maneuver and a more bumpy ride. Not what I would recommend.

 

I noticed this because we had our DD in a WC that we had acquired just before leaving home. Her WC was much smoother and easier to maneuver. Additionally, we learned that a standard WC does not fit through the door of a standard cabin.

 

OP, I highly recommend that you make sure your parents are in an accessible cabin. Second, request transport assistance on and off the ship for both of your parents, since it can be steep and uneven. Third, rent a scooter for use by the parent who will need it most, if not two of them.

 

DD was treated beautifully by the staff and crew of the Equinox, but we were very glad she had her own chair. If she continues to need mobility help, we will be looking at a scooter.

[Andy]

Hi Guys,

I decided to give it a try and called the access dept at cc. Was told a wheelchair would be waiting in the cabin for my mother's use during the entire cruise and could also be taken off-ship for shore excursions. They also sent me an email confirming the reservation.

Lalo:)

 

I'm sorry to read that you've made this decision, and did not heed the warnings on this thread. We've had the same notations on our bookings many times, and the wheelchair was not waiting in the cabin as requested. On several occasions, a visit to Guest Relations resolved the matter. On a few occasions, we were told wheelchairs were not available.

 

When it became critical for my Dad to have assistance, we opted for a mobility scooter, as I didnt want to take any chances, and have our vacation ruined. Relative to the total price of your vacation, it's a small percentage of the cost, and a wheelchair rental would cost less than a scooter. It's up to you whether to take that risk, or not. I hope it all works out perfectly for you.

 

Enjoy your cruise !

Edited July 12, 2014 by Host Andy