Wheelchairs on the Voyager

[laf747]

This is the first time I have posted on the Regent Board since I cruise on another line. However, my sister and her husband will be on an upcoming cruise on the Voyager and her husband, who has some mobility issues, will need a wheelchair simply when embarking and disembarking the ship at various ports. He will not require a wheelchair while on the ship itself.

They were told that the Voyager does not usually carry wheelchairs and if her husband does require one there will be a $400 charge for same.

I have never heard of a cruise line charging for the use of a wheelchair. Is this policy correct? Do Regent ships normally carry wheelchairs? Many thanks for any information you can provide.

[mbpaul]

Our adult son is in a wheelchair full time and has been with us on the Mariner and on several Oceania cruises so we are quite aware of wheelchairs on ships. I think I remember seeing a few ship's wheelchairs on the Mariner and the Voyager but I am not sure. In any case, you really could not depend on having one when you needed it. You can buy a basic wheelchair for around $100 and take it with you. Not a great one (but probably better than a ship might have) and it would probably work for your situation. Airlines check them for no charge. Probably the most economically way to be sure you have one when you need it. And for somebody with mobility problems, it might come in handy at other times.

 

I would also warn you that even though the Regent employees does a terrific job getting a person on and off the ship in a wheelchair, it can be quite a thrill. Especially when getting into or off a tender.

[Shawski]

There are two companies that rent wheelchairs for use on cruises. One is Specialneedsatsea.com and the other is carevacations.com. Maybe this would work for you.

 

We used carevacations.com on a Norwegian fjords cruise on Seabourn in July and it worked out great. The chair was delivered to our cabin and waiting for us when we embarked in Copenhagen. When we got off the ship in Copenhagen we simply left the chair in the room and it was picked up. For 14 days the cost was a little over $200.

 

If you go this route, just make Regent aware that the person will need assistance with a wheelchair at embarkation and debarkation since you won't have access to the wc until you get to your cabin.

 

Also, on CC, if you scroll down the page below all of the cruise lines and the roll calls, there is a forum for disabled travel. You might get some good information there.

[laf747]

mbpaul and shawski thank you both for your helpful responses

[TedC]

As cruisers age there will be more and more need for wheelchairs and powered ones too. I suspect regent will see the problem.