WheelChair Assistance during Embarkation and Debarkation

[jrowland]

Would like to hear your experiences receiving wheelchair assistance during embarkation and debarkation for your cruises. Which cruise lines do believe give the best service.

 

My wife has trouble walking long distances so on our past cruises (13) we usually rent a wheelchair that is delivered to our cabin and we then request wheelchair assistance during embarkation and debarkation. Just recently we returned from our 13th cruise, 9th with Carnival and we never had problems with any of our other cruise until now. We sailed out of Port Canaveral on the Carnival Liberty.

 

We rented a wheelchair which was awaiting us in our cabin but our experience during embarkation was something that we did not expect. When we arrived at the cruise terminal and dropped off our luggage we requested wheelchair assistance. We were then told wheelchairs & assistance were not available until we walked into the terminal and made our way through the security check. Needless to say my wife who also uses supplemental oxygen and travels with a portable (battery operated) oxygen concentrator was very winded having to walk into the terminal, stand in line then make her way through the security check. Once through we did get wheelchair assistance. The assistant did accompany us through check-in and onto the ship. Once we were at the elevators, we were told that this was as far as they could take us! After explaining our cabin was in the aft of the ship and my wife would have difficulty walking all the way to the back of the ship the assistant did agree to push the wheelchair to our cabin where we had a wheelchair that we rented. On debarkation we had read that wheelchair assistance was only available into the terminal. We were pleased and surprise we received assistance all the way to our car in the parking garage.

 

Would like to hear your experiences good or bad with securing wheelchair assistance during embarkation/debarkation. Any hints/suggestions how to avoid experiences like this in the future ourside of bringing our own wheelchair?

 

Thanks!

[Carter7568]

My wife and I have never done it as you have. However we have a lightweight wheelchair that Paula uses as she can't walk long distances. We take it with us as it does not cost anything at all to transport it.

 

We use it to the door of the aircraft and then take the removable parts such as feet and cushion onto the aircraft. The wheel chair is then taken and placed in the hold of the aircraft. We also get on first.

 

The down side is we are off last, but the wheel chair is brought to the cabin door and we fit our bits and hey presto off we go.

 

We find that okay and Paula prefers to use her chair.

 

One think we have learned is don't leave your wheelchair out the night before you disembark or it disappears.

[xxoocruiser]

How wheelchair assistance on embarkation and disembarkation days varies by cruise line as well as the port/terminal.

 

It's generally best to travel with your own wheelchair .

[Going Coastal]

My experiences have varied as xxoo cruiser mentioned. Sometimes the wheelchair with attendant is waiting at the curb and sometime it is only available after check in.

It is best to hope for the best and plan for the worst, by having what you absolutely need with you.

Happy sailing.

[C8tfish]

I am a wheelchair user and just got off Liberty of the Seas on Saturday, November22, 2014. After I was checked in, I was wheeled to an area where other disabled guests were. I did not wait long until I was being pushed behind the counter and directly onto the ship. Disembarking was even easier. I was told where & when to be on the morning of disembarkation. I was pushed off the ship to baggage claim, then customs before being pushed to where my shuttle was waiting. Every aspect of the assistance went better than I ever could have imagined. I am sure not all have this kind of luck, but my trips on & off were enjoyable.

[Algebralovr]

We sailed on Celebrity last summer while DD was in a wheelchair. We arrived to the cruise port via water taxi (it was Venice) and when they saw she was in a wheelchair, someone was immediately called over to push her and lead us through the embarkation process. They pushed her into the registration building, where we were handed off to a member of the ship's crew who was tapped for the day.

 

One difference may have been that we arrived with our own. Since they fly free, it made sense to purchase a lightweight one for her - especially since we got a great deal on one. It was under $100 via Amazon.

[mistshar]

We have had pretty much the same experience that you have had, jrowland. The first time we cruised and I needed a wheelchair they were at the door of the terminal as soon as we told them I needed a wheelchair. After that it has been different. Apparently they only have so many wheelchairs and attendants. So you have to have a seat after you check in and wait until the wheelchair users on the cruise previous get off and then you have to wait until your turn to get pushed onto the ship.

 

I have rented a motorized scooter which will be on the ship when we get there but now I am wondering if I might need to bring my own wheelchair to get on the ship and then use the scooter after I get on the ship.

[Mickeefan]

If you bring your own wheelchair, will a terminal representative push you onto the ship?

 

We are trying to decide if we should rent a wheelchair for the 2 nights pre cruise & during cruise or just for on the ship. My Dad would be the wheelchair user and he does walk some with a walker.

[xxoocruiser]

If you bring your own wheelchair, will a terminal representative push you onto the ship?

 

We are trying to decide if we should rent a wheelchair for the 2 nights pre cruise & during cruise or just for on the ship. My Dad would be the wheelchair user and he does walk some with a walker.

 

Yes you can request assistance to have someone push the wheelchair onto the ship. However note that terminal representatives do not provide this service as they are not allowed onto the ship. Rather you will be placed in queue to wait for assistance. There are a limited number of ship's personal that are allowed into the terminal to provide this service and it's provided on a first come first served basis .

[DonnasMom&Dad]

If you bring your own wheelchair, will a terminal representative push you onto the ship?

 

We are trying to decide if we should rent a wheelchair for the 2 nights pre cruise & during cruise or just for on the ship. My Dad would be the wheelchair user and he does walk some with a walker.

 

I have my own TravelScoot, so I drive to the aircraft door, and also on to the ship, without assistance. :D

 

Cato :)

 

Completed Cruises !

 

Pre-cruise Days - The Big Red Boat, 1993 ??

1st cruise - Coral Princess, 19 November 2008, 10 day Panama Canal, FLL to ACA

2nd cruise - Coral Princess, 15 May 2009, 3 day Repositioning, Los Angeles to Vancouver.

3rd cruise - Sapphire Princess, 25 November 2009? 7 day Mexican Riviera.

4th cruise - Golden Princes, 12 June 2010, 7 day Alaska. (Golden Anniversary Cruise)

5th Cruise - Island Princess, 04 October 2010, Vancouver - Los Angeles, Repositioning

6th cruise - Sapphire Princess, 05 January 2011, 10 day Mexican Riviera. LA to LA.

7th cruise - Golden Princess, 11 May 2011, 3 day, LA to Vancouver, Repositioning

8th cruise - Sapphire Princess, 14 May 2011, 1 day, Vancouver to Seattle, Repositioning

9th cruise - Coral Princess 19 May 2011 2 day, San Francisco to Vancouver, Repositioning

10th & 11th cruises - Coral Princess 02 July to 16 July 2011, round trip Vancouver - Whittier Alaska, B2B

12th & 13th cruises - Sapphire Princess, x2, Cabins, 18 Sep. 2011, 1 day, Seattle to Vancouver, Repositioning

14th & 15th cruises - Golden Princess, x2, Cabins, 24 Sep. 2011, 1 day, Seattle to Vancouver, Repositioning.

We have now reached Elite status with Princess Cruise Lines

16th cruise - Oasis of the Seas, 26 Nov. 2011, 7 day, Western Caribbean, Ft. Lauderdale, Ret.

17th & 18th cruises - Crown Princess B2B, 03 - 10 Dec & 10 - 17 Dec 2011, 14 Days, South & western Caribbean

19th cruise - Grand Princess, 31 Mar. - 07 April 2012, 7 Days, Eastern Caribbean, FLL - FLL

20th cruise - Island Princess, 06-16 June 2012, 10 day cruisetour Vancouver - Wittier

21th cruise - Emerald Princess, 16 day, 10 - 26 Sep. 2012, TA, Copenhagen - New York

22nd cruise - Carnival Ecstasy 10 - 14 January, 2013, 4 Day Bahamas, Port Canaveral Ret.

23rd cruise - Sapphire Princess 30 March - 06 April, 2013, 7 Day Coastal LA - LA

24th cruise - Coral Princess, 19 May - 22 May, 2013, 3 Day Repositioning Cruise, LA - Vancouver

25th cruise - Royal Princess 16 June - 05 July, 2013, 19 Day Inaugural cruise, Southampton - Venice.

26th cruise - Emerald Princess, 06 - 16 October, 2013, 10 Day Canada - New England, Quebexc city to New York

27th cruise - Royal Princess, 24 November - 01 December, 2013, 7 Day,Eastern Caribbean, Fort Lauderdale Ret.

28th cruise - Sapphire Princess, 20 - 24 Jan, 2014, 4 Days, California

29th cruise - Crown Princess, 03 - 10 May 2014, 7 Day, LA to Vanco

30th cruise - Pacific Princess, 05 - 12 Aug. 2014, 7 Days, Vancouver RT, Alaska

 

[Slugsta]

If you bring your own wheelchair, will a terminal representative push you onto the ship?

 

We are trying to decide if we should rent a wheelchair for the 2 nights pre cruise & during cruise or just for on the ship. My Dad would be the wheelchair user and he does walk some with a walker.

 

It can involve quite a lot of walking, last time I did it on foot I was exhausted by the time I got on board!

[Cruise Dragon]

the last time we went on a Cruise my wife did not need a Wheelchair so I have no experience on Cruise Ships. My wife's ability to walk even short distances have gotten worse over the years so now we request a Wheelchair when we fly. It's nice because the people who push the Wheelchairs know how to get around the Airport. At the end of October of this year we went out to Arizona to visit family and we decided to take her Wheelchair instead of using the Airports. When we got to the Airport we checked in at Curbside and then asked for someone to push my wife, the Attendant waited with my Wife while I went to park the car and then took us though Security and made sure we got to the gate. When we got to the Gate I made sure that the Gate Personnel knew that we had our own Wheelchair, they then tagged the Chair and after she was wheeled to the Plane she got up, using her cane, they then put the Wheelchair in the belly of the Plane. As another poster said, we got to board early but was the last to get off the Plane.

 

On a side note, Jet Blue saves a number of seats up front for people with Disabilities, you make your reservation and then call their Toll Free Number and they will assign you one of those seats.

[searoses]

Thank you for that jet blue info....I will be using it..

[catwoman6226]

I was on Brilliance of the Seas over New Year's, out of Tampa, and had a wonderful experience with both embarkation and disembarking. I wanted the wheelchair for just those two occasions as I knew how long the walk would be.

 

Although the cruise line had said to just tell a porter that I needed wheelchair assistance, we were directed to take the elevator up to the main floor of the terminal, proceed through security, and THEN go to the special needs section. I use a cane, and luckily the security people saw this, and motioned me to a separate line, so we were whisked through security pretty quickly. We checked in, and were directed to sit in the special needs section (or whatever it was called) and given a number, and was told that wheelchair guests would be called in order. There was a delay in boading, as former president Jimmy Carter was on board with his family, so once boarding started, everyone in the terminal was pressed up against the doors. The very kind young woman pushing my chair "excused me" and "pardoned me" and "wheelchair coming through"'d me to the front of the line. She took me not only onto the ship, but to the elevators, up to the Windjammer buffet, and even found a table for us. Needless to say, we tipped her well for her kind service. Turns out she was a server in the dining room, and had the section next to ours.

 

Getting off the ship was also very easy. I had checked with guest services beforehand, and was directed to a conference room where all the wheelchair guests assembled. We were called by cabin number, following our normal schedule. I had read that wheelchair assistance was only available to the point of picking up one's luggage, but my 'driver' took us to baggage claim, snagged my suitcase, wheeled me through customs, and all the way out to the curb where we waited for our ride. I was very pleasantly surprised by the extra attention, and grateful to everyone in Tampa and onboard who assisted us.

[searoses]

I sailed on regal princess a couple of weeks ago....we walked for only a couple of minutes to the waiting area from the drop off area....very congested and noisy...watched people lining up for about 30 min...we got there about 10:30...once it was our turn we were whisked away along with my sister and bil traveling with us...bumped to the front of the line or to a separate line and left in the hc waiting area for about 15 min and then wheeled to our cabin....

The scooter was not there yet so we unpacked....we only do carryon...my sister came riding the scooter she found in the hall!.....we were laughing like little sisters.....she was gobsmacked that we were the 4th party to enter the ship....she has convinced me to go next year!....the regal is a gorgeous ship...