Can I Avoid Stairs On Majesty?

[frisbeewife]

Going on a 4-night cruise June 27 on Majesty. I have bad knees (getting them both replaced in a couple of months) but I can walk up to maybe a half mile and I don't need a wheelchair to get around. Stairs are a killer, though. A few are OK, but going up and down a whole flight is tough. I booked this cruise 18 months ago and wasn't too bad then, but it's gotten worse since then.

 

I seem to remember at certain times (muster drill, going to the tender, etc.) they herd everybody toward the stairs and away from the elevators. They must have exceptions for wheelchair passengers - if I get a note from my doctor saying I can't take the stairs can I use the elevators at those times too? Has anybody else had this situation?

 

BTW, I do expect a wait to get on an elevator on Majesty. But this is a special cruise with just me and my 3 grandsons and we've all been looking forward to it for a long time, so I'd rather wait for an elevator than cancel!

[spookwife]

you will need to show up early for muster drill. they actually announce that people needing assistance must make their own way to their station( or at least that deck) before they block off the elevators. alternatively, you can ask to have your drill with other disabled who cannot physically be at their muster station( typically though this is for cognitive disorders such as on the Spectrum) I know our last one they shunted everyone on ECVs, rollators/walkers and WC over to one side at the muster station and there were no seats provided otherwise.

 

no idea about tenders, I suppose you could ask at guest services what to do.

[BlueSkySailing]

You will be find. You are not the only person that will be on this cruise with mobility problems. I would call RCCL even if you have a travel agent and speak with someone in the special needs department. I would also go the Guest Services first thing and inform them. RCCL is really good at taking care of situations like these. My mom can not stand for long periods of time. They allow her and someone in our party to accompany her to a inside muster station. Hope this helps. Best of luck on your knee surgeries and Happy Cruising!

[ZoeyVictoria]

One of the decks (I believe deck 6) is a half-deck. There are a few stairs (about 6) required to get to the full deck. I know somebody else will be able to provide a better explanation. What deck is your cabin? This might come into play for you if your cabin is on deck 5 or 6, otherwise I think you can avoid those stairs.

Edited June 9, 2016 by ZoeyVictoria

[xlxo]

On the other cruise lines I've been on..... you get special treatment when they see wheelchairs....

• elevators are reserved for wheelchairs to ensure you make it to your mustard station for check-in
  
• if you have a wheelchair... I encourage you bring it.... makes it so easy at airports and whenever you need to wait. Also good when the waves get rough.
  
• only time I found a wheelchair was a problem was a ports that required tendering (lifeboat transfer).... not all have the ability to handle wheelchairs
  

[frisbeewife]

Thanks for all the advice. I don't have a wheelchair but I could borrow or rent one - it would be worth it to see the look on the faces of my 15 & 14 year old grandsons when I told them they'd have to push their Grandma around. I can see the eye-rolling now. :eek:

 

I will have to go to Guest Services when we board anyway to get our Sea Pass cards set up to open each others' rooms (15 & 14 year olds in 1 room, me and 6 year old in room next door) so that would be a good time to bring up the stair situation.

 

And we're on deck 3 so the "half stairs" shouldn't come into play, although I could probably handle those OK.

 

Looking forward to it! Hoping for good weather and calm seas!

[vickiw0318]

You probably already know this, but the Monarch and the Majesty are very similar. Sometimes, I can remember the layout of ships I have cruised on before - sometimes not! Anyway, thought if you could conjure up some memories, it might help you figure out what you were getting into this time.

[reallyhooked]

When I went to muster I had my cane. The crew noticed & let me get on elevator

[cruisnpat]

On one of our cruise at munster drills a crew member saw I was having trouble coming down the stairs and they told me to" take the elevator and your hubby has to take the stairs".

[cb at sea]

Of course! There are people who cruise who can't walk at all...you will be able to use the elevators!

[setsail]

Just make your way to the muster deck early and find a place to sit, then for muster just walk to your station

[frisbeewife]

You probably already know this, but the Monarch and the Majesty are very similar. Sometimes, I can remember the layout of ships I have cruised on before - sometimes not! Anyway, thought if you could conjure up some memories, it might help you figure out what you were getting into this time.

 

What I remember most about Monarch was how hard it was to get on an elevator, especially since we had my Mom with us and she was in a wheelchair. One time it took over 20 minutes before an elevator came she could get on - nobody would get off any of the others to let her on. That was her last cruise. She just felt like too much of a burden, even tho I keep telling her the newer and bigger ships have a lot more elevators and it's not a problem.

 

Anyway, I figured Majesty will be pretty much the same way regarding elevators. And I do remember the half-stairs situation - that was another issue with having Mom in a wheelchair. It's not a bad ship, just not really ideal for wheelchair passengers.

[orville99]

Can't add much except to suggest you also inform your cabin steward the first time they come to your cabin (usually before muster drill,) so they can assist you if needed.

 

The only downside to Majesty is that the shops are all on the "tween" deck, and there's really no easy way to get there without taking the stairs.

Edited June 9, 2016 by orville99

[vickiw0318]

Yikes. That elevator situation sounds awful! Hope you have a much better luck.

[ryano]

even tho I keep telling her the newer and bigger ships have a lot more elevators and it's not a problem.

 

 

As a cruiser that is permanently confined to a wheelchair (paraplegia) I can faithfully tell you that the big ships can be as bad or even worse. While they have more elevators, they also have many more people. Monarch was actually one of the easiest ships to catch an elevator on to me. Freedom was the worst.

[Capt_BJ]

When I went to muster I had my cane. The crew noticed & let me get on elevator

 

at drills and in a real emergency the elevators are being reserved for those who truly need them ... a cane is a signal you DO .... my physical therapy folks told me this when I had a (recent) hip replacement and IME it works as a signal to others .... they open doors for me and let me go first ....

 

But I'd also say, go early .... I ALWAYS arrive early at my station for the drill. Why not? I KNOW there's going to be crowds and confusion. I KNOW where I'm supposed to be, and when. So I get there early and avoid some of the confusion. After the drill I typically find the nearest place to sit back down until the reverse confusion clears!

 

btw, I'm back to walking pretty good for an hour or so ... but long sets of steps are not fun ... if in doubt now, I take my cane even tho I can usually be OK without ..... in worst case it is handy to smack others in the ankle when they fail to get out of the way . . .

 

[in a 'real' emergency .... one of the things the Coast Guard routine safety inspections looks for is control of the elevators by the crew for those who NEED, and ensuring that they work on the emergency power circuits]

Edited June 9, 2016 by Capt_BJ

[judymag]

Thanks for all the advice. I don't have a wheelchair but I could borrow or rent one - it would be worth it to see the look on the faces of my 15 & 14 year old grandsons when I told them they'd have to push their Grandma around. I can see the eye-rolling now. :eek:

 

I will have to go to Guest Services when we board anyway to get our Sea Pass cards set up to open each others' rooms (15 & 14 year olds in 1 room, me and 6 year old in room next door) so that would be a good time to bring up the stair situation.

 

And we're on deck 3 so the "half stairs" shouldn't come into play, although I could probably handle those OK.

 

Looking forward to it! Hoping for good weather and calm seas!

 

 

Just done a cruise with my highly stubborn dad who should have gotten a wheel chair for distance sell it to them that they will get to see more if u have a chair and that it back of the chair can hold a bag with stuff in it even if u don't sit in the chair all the time u can use it as a walker I think it would give u a lot of freedom

[Snit13]

What I remember most about Monarch was how hard it was to get on an elevator, especially since we had my Mom with us and she was in a wheelchair. One time it took over 20 minutes before an elevator came she could get on - nobody would get off any of the others to let her on. That was her last cruise. She just felt like too much of a burden, even tho I keep telling her the newer and bigger ships have a lot more elevators and it's not a problem.

 

Anyway, I figured Majesty will be pretty much the same way regarding elevators. And I do remember the half-stairs situation - that was another issue with having Mom in a wheelchair. It's not a bad ship, just not really ideal for wheelchair passengers.

 

Responded to your post on other thread and someone on that thread was extremely rude and critical of those of us with special needs. Twice on Jewel we checked in and then were given permission to sit throughout the muster drill. I simply am not able to stand/walk for very long. Used electric cart at WalMart today.

I seem to remember that you are supposed to notify crew if you have mobility issues. Like you, I do not need a wheelchair and seldom use my cane, but I simply can't stand/walk for long.

 

We were on Monarch when she was in Port Canaveral and I now remember that half deck as a friend who was 92 and had recent surgery was traveling with us. Taking the steps slowly worked for him.

 

Happy Sails with your grandsons. I hope the appreciate your love and kindness.

[mooseman52b]

We just were on Enchantment with My Father in Law who uses a Wheel Chair and they had us do the Muster Drill in a lounge. At first they told us only one person in our party of 4 could go to the lounge with Papi, but Nancy came and took the rest of us to the lounge a minute or so later.

 

I would think that Majesty does something similar. :rolleyes: Ask somebody about this once you get on board.

 

Other than the Muster drill you should be able to get around the ship and avoid stairs other than the 5 to 6 half stair issue

Edited June 10, 2016 by mooseman52b

[Scotty G]

As others have said get to your Muster Station early. Once the person in charge starts taking attendance identify that you cannot stand for the drill and need to sit. You will then be able to go to Boleros Lounge where others with similar conditions will be.

 

We have done this on Majesty this year. Bon Voyage!

[hannibal54]

Don't forget the aft elevator on the Majesty, most people use the midship ones. I also have bad knees so lots of times I will walk to the back of the ship to ride on those elevators, less crowded. With it being a small ship, the walk is not that far.