Excursions for those with mobility issues

[arlodog]

My sister will be going with us on an Alaskan cruise with stops in Juneau, Skagway, Victoria and Ketchican. She uses an electric scooter and can't walk very far and has to use a walker if she walks. Does anyone have any experience with excursions for people with limited mobility in these ports that they can recommend?

 

We went 6 years ago on an almost identical itinerary but she was able to walk at that point. She enjoyed whale watching and would like to go again. We usually do private excursions, but wonder if the ships excursions would be better for her this time.

 

Just need some information so I can point her in the right direction for booking her excursions.

[Coral]

Orca Enterprises (Juneau) does have an accessible boat. Please mention this when booking as they have a couple of boats, not sure if they are all accessible.

 

White Pass RR train ride (Skagway) is accessible - probably easiest to book via ship as the train is often right near the ship.

 

Butchard Gardents (Victoria) is accessible - I would book through the ship due to time constraints and most cruise lines will provide an accessible bus.

 

Just found this website - hopefully this helps:

 

http://www.wheelchairtraveling.com/cruise-to-alaska-is-one-of-the-best/

 

Also, not sure which line you are going with but I just looked at Princess's website and they have shore excursions with a wheelchair symbol on them. This will also help. http://www.princess.com/excursion/exlistfordestination.page?portid=YYJ&t=A&exType=S

 

Have a good vacation!

Edited December 19, 2015 by Coral

[kitegirl]

I too have very limited mobility and use a walker and my next cruise will rent a scooter...

In juneau the Roberts Tram was fine for me although there are areas i could not access.

In Skagway we did the train... no issues there at all. Also we did the yellow bus tour of the area and again no issues except for the grave yard was a challenge.

I have been to Victoria many times..... and she should have no issues at all getting around and the gardens will be a breeze for her in a electric chair... I could not do it anymore walking.

Ketchikan I did the horse drawn trolly but had to climb a few steps to get on .. not sure how they would load a mobility aide. The lumberjack show would be no issue at all for her...

 

Hope this is some help...

 

Enjoy the cruise.

[Budget Queen]

Orca Enterprises is fantastic with mobility limited needs. Their boat and buses are fully accessible.

 

With the White Pass RR, only the Fraser trains have the lifts, not the Lake Bennett trains.

 

The city bus in Ketchikan is accessible, along with Totem Bight- BUT- it is packed gravel, so need to be fully charged with the batteries. :) (and have at least some ability, to at least stand, take a few steps, if need be). BUT with the city bus, I would only recommend doing this early morning in the port day, so to not have the overloaded standing only buses to deal with. There is a lot of availability- since it sounds like they are not non-ambulatory? You can fly if of interest?

 

Again, fully disclose all the limits when booking direct and go with the vendor recommendations. IF using ship excursions- be certain- if you book online in advance, you speak to the shore excursion staff, ASAP, again, fully disclosing and going with their recommendations. Be receptive to some tours not being available (even though you think they may be :) )

[Crew News]

My DW is scooter-bound and raves about Crab Fishing on the Aleutian Ballad (TV series "Deadliest Catch") being scooter friendly (drive on and off) with overhead cover and space heaters. It is also one of the highest rated tours in Alaska.

[Budget Queen]

My DW is scooter-bound and raves about Crab Fishing on the Aleutian Ballad (TV series "Deadliest Catch") being scooter friendly (drive on and off) with overhead cover and space heaters. It is also one of the highest rated tours in Alaska.

 

I question the "rating"/ "highest". :) :) But certainly greatly enjoyed by many.

[arlodog]

Thanks so much for the recommendations I will share with her. I figured that booking ships excursions may be easiest for her to ensure that her mobility won't be an issue. If anyone has any other suggestions please let us know!

[Budget Queen]

Thanks so much for the recommendations I will share with her. I figured that booking ships excursions may be easiest for her to ensure that her mobility won't be an issue. If anyone has any other suggestions please let us know!

 

I do not agree. Carnival does not run any of these tours, and is ONLY a booking agent (taking a cut via commissions). You are FAR better off, eliminating this "middle man", and booking DIRECT with the vendor. Then ALL your issues can be clearly addressed and discussed. Any assistance can already be worked out and in place- IN ADVANCE. You can not be as certain of this with using a booking agent, where the failures are just going to be passed off, fault, of the other party.

[txwriter]

Thanks for asking this question. :) My mom will probably have her walker with her when we travel to Alaska, so I was interested in reading the responses.

[1threadshort]

having difficulty finding tours that take mobility scooters in juneau, skagway, ketchikam. i would like to do the city tours and maybe a glacier, whale watcher or see the glass blower in skagway.  or is a taxi i can take to get me around. should say not totally inmobile. i can walk just not long distances. thank you!

Edited January 31, 2019 by 1threadshort

[dyeadave]

You will see plenty of glaciers from the ship, but I don't know if you could climb around on one???

my glacier scrambling days are over but I never did see the big deal of being "on" a glacier (except for bragging rights) anyway, even when I was young and guiding people on them, it seemed like a lot of time and money was spent for what you really got......

Anyway, the rest of what you ask for is pretty much available. 

Here in Skagway, the SMART bus is accessible and you can take that out to the glassblowing gardens ( Jewel gardens) and you can get that bus within a couple of blocks of any ship. Just make sure you tell the driver where you wish to go and I think will be five bucks for an all day pass again this year.

happy travels!

DD

[Coral]

1 hour ago, dyeadave said:

 

my glacier scrambling days are over but I never did see the big deal of being "on" a glacier (except for bragging rights) anyway, even when I was young and guiding people on them, it seemed like a lot of time and money was spent for what you really got......

 

 

Maybe because of where you grew up?

[1threadshort]

1 hour ago, dyeadave said:

You will see plenty of glaciers from the ship, but I don't know if you could climb around on one???

my glacier scrambling days are over but I never did see the big deal of being "on" a glacier (except for bragging rights) anyway, even when I was young and guiding people on them, it seemed like a lot of time and money was spent for what you really got......

Anyway, the rest of what you ask for is pretty much available. 

Here in Skagway, the SMART bus is accessible and you can take that out to the glassblowing gardens ( Jewel gardens) and you can get that bus within a couple of blocks of any ship. Just make sure you tell the driver where you wish to go and I think will be five bucks for an all day pass again this year.

happy travels!

DD

thank you for the response about the SMART bus. i didnt know that. i will have the mobility scooter for the ship and probablyh if i am alone goin into town. i know there are tours that take wheelchairs but i didnt see anything for the mobilty scooter. this is probably my one and only time to alaska and just wanted to see a glacier or whale watching. but thank you!

[txwriter]

3 hours ago, 1threadshort said:

having difficulty finding tours that take mobility scooters in juneau, skagway, ketchikam. i would like to do the city tours and maybe a glacier, whale watcher or see the glass blower in skagway.  or is a taxi i can take to get me around. should say not totally inmobile. i can walk just not long distances. thank you!

 

I actually had a chance to take Mom to Alaska last year, and it was great.  I had originally thought she’d have her walker, but she ended up needing a wheelchair after hurting her knee just prior to the cruise (like on the plane so really just prior).

 

Luckily, all of our planned activities were doable.  We even went fishing!  (We took the wheelchair onboard).

 

Have you contacted the tour companies directly?  I found Alaskans to be very friendly and helpful.  Most were good at communicating and definitely willing to answer my many questions.  You can get very specific with them about things how much space you’d need for the scooter for example.  Some are even gracious enough to make suggestions of other vendors who might be a better fit.

 

We used Beyond Skagway in Skagway.  They customize tours specifically for your group and what you want to do and see.  They are great!  They even helped me plan a few extra surprises for mom.  Skagway itself is completely doable for you in the scooter.  Just beware the railroad tracks.  I missed the last bus stop, because the ship looked so much closer than it really was.  I ended up pushing Mom all the way back.  The railroad tracks were difficult to get over, and at the first set, some kind gentlemen helped me get her over by basically lifting the chair.

 

I know there are some taxi tours and other types of private tours in both Ketchikan and Juneau.  Trip Advisor is very useful to find private tours as are these boards.

 

I believe Allen Marine has a wheelchair accessible whale watching excursion in Juneau.  I believe one was offered by Princess, but we did the Underground Gold Mining Tour which was very accessible, but this is where I warn you about gravel.  What passes for accessible in Alaska is not necessary what we would expect here at home.  There are often gravel driveways or paths which can prove difficult since heavy objects like scooters like to sink into it.  On our gold panning tour, the part inside the mine is a wood plank covered path.  Outside of the actual mine, there are some gravel areas.  I was able to negotiate these easily, so this was not the deep gravel I warn you about.

 

Alaska definitely can be done with limited mobility, but planning ahead will help.  Have a great trip!  😄

 

[luvteaching]

Good morning, 

My DH uses a scooter for mobility as well and we are all over the place when we cruise to Alaska. In Juneau his scooter fits under the Grey Line type buses in the luggage bay. We discovered this a few years ago and it's been a huge help. We rent a scooter from Scootaround and have it delivered to the ship and he uses it both on and off ship. In Juneau we've done the tour out to Mendenhall and did the shorter trail. There is an elevator to the Visitor's Center as well. In addition we've scootered/walked to the Governor's Mansion, Capitol Building, Juneau/Douglas Museum, Alaska State Museum, and other spots. In Ketchikan we've scootered/walked to the Totem area and city park as well as out to Safeway and McDonald's (he needed a milkshake - what can I do?). In Victoria we've scootered/walked the trip into town numerous times. The Parliament Buildings are accessible but it takes a bit to find the entrance. We've walked up to "Mile Zero" associated with Terry Fox, then into town and have wandered all over town. 

 

Karen

[1threadshort]

txwriter:    most places will accommodate a wheelchair because 1)they fold or there is a lift. i was told there is no abilityh for the scooter to go on a lift. i said i can fold up the scooter, but that wasnt good enough either. sol while a wheelchair is good to get around for the excursions, a scooter is not.  if i only wanted to get around town i guess that would be fine. but i also wanted to see some of the site and cannot. i didnt understand the tour for mendenhall. but i guess its because its a small bus and there is no room for the scooter. 

[txwriter]

29 minutes ago, 1threadshort said:

txwriter:    most places will accommodate a wheelchair because 1)they fold or there is a lift. i was told there is no abilityh for the scooter to go on a lift. i said i can fold up the scooter, but that wasnt good enough either. sol while a wheelchair is good to get around for the excursions, a scooter is not.  if i only wanted to get around town i guess that would be fine. but i also wanted to see some of the site and cannot. i didnt understand the tour for mendenhall. but i guess its because its a small bus and there is no room for the scooter. 

 

Another option might be to rent a wheelchair to use on excursions where your scooter cannot be accommodated.  We used Scootaround, and they were able to deliver it to the room even with less than a week notice.  Would you be able to wheel yourself or have someone in your party push you if/when needed?

 

My mom uses a rollator for help with distances most of the time.  The wheelchair was a last minute addition.  With the rollator, there is a built in seat, so she can sit and rest.  Is that an option?  

 

I do think the bigger buses could accommodate a scooter so maybe focus on those?

 

You might get better responses to your questions here:  https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/114-disabled-cruise-travel/