Mobility challenged in a vista suite

[Luvmyrotti]

I will be traveling with two of my friends next January or February. I think we will end up on the Caribbean Princess on a six-day itinerary.

 

One of my friends has mobility issues and we will be renting a smartscoot for her (she can walk and stand, just not for long periods of time or for long distances). My friends have never stayed in a suite (both are Princess newbies) and so I would like to treat them to a vista suite, which are my favorite. I've sailed in vistas a number of times, but never really considered them from the perspective of being mobility challenged or using a scooter. So, a few questions:

- how wide are the suite doorways and will they accommodate a smaller scooter?

- I think the bathrooms are a small step up or lip, which she can handle and I think the glass shower stall would be able to accommodate a very small round shower chair - what does anyone who has been in one think?

- given the size of the suite, there will be plenty of room to accommodate a small scooter, but is there anything else I'm not thinking of?

 

I just really want her to have a great time. She's a wonderful friend who unfortunately is mobility challenged because she had a tumor growing on her spine. I don't know how much more travel we'll be able to do together, so I want this to be great.

 

Thanks for any info anyone can offer.

[LokiPoki]

Might be worth asking in the disabled cruising section too?

 

Haven't been on CP - or in a suite, but have been in a regular cabin on DP as a wheelchair user.

 

- the smartscoots are those tiny wee folding things aren't they? We got into some difficulties as we found my small manual chair wouldn't fit through the cabin doorway without being folded quite tightly. Not sure if suite doorways are wider - princess quotes their standard cabin doorway width as 22" - but you then lose a good 2" or so because of the door and such. Just make sure it'll fit

- if you're happy her scooter will fit through the door, you can ask your steward for one of the doorstops they use while cleaning. Our steward gave us a couple (and others here have mentioned the same thing to me since our cruise when I spoke of our difficulties) the door stop makes things much easier!

- shower stool should be fine I think. Can't imagine the shower stalls in the suites are any smaller than regular cabins. Might be a squeeze if your friend is a larger lady, but I had no issue with a decent sized stool in our shower.

- will she need an elevated toilet seat? I gather from some of the discussions in the disabled cruising forum they're a bit hard to come by on princess, but we were offered one for our next cruise without having to request it.

 

Not knowing the ship/cabin layout, are the suites near a lift foyer? One frustration of using a mobility device on board is if you need to get to your cabin while the stewards are cleaning - seemed to depend on the deck how wide the corridors were - but in some it was impossible to pass their carts and I felt awful having to disturb their work to ask them to move the carts into a wider spot/alcove so I could get past.

 

Laura

[crochetcruise]

Try searching the Deck plans, making sure to check the Handicapped Accessible box, to show which cabins are suitable.

 

To my knowledge the only Suites equipped for Handicapped Accessibility are 1 Window Suite on the Caribbean, Golden and Grand, and a Penthouse Suite on some others, the names I do not remember, my apologies.

 

I think the Island might have Aft Suites with Partial Accessibility, not sure on that.

 

HTH.

[Luvmyrotti]

Thanks for the info Laura. Yes the smartscoot is the small scooter that folds up and is pretty compact.

 

The door is definitely a concern. I'm just worried that if I call Princess, I won't get a knowledgeable rep and won't get correct information on the doorway size.

 

We should be near to the aft elevator bank so that the cleaning carts shouldn't be a huge problem.

 

Thanks!!

[Essiesmom]

Might be worth asking in the disabled cruising section too?

 

Haven't been on CP - or in a suite, but have been in a regular cabin on DP as a wheelchair user.

 

- the smartscoots are those tiny wee folding things aren't they? We got into some difficulties as we found my small manual chair wouldn't fit through the cabin doorway without being folded quite tightly. Not sure if suite doorways are wider - princess quotes their standard cabin doorway width as 22" - but you then lose a good 2" or so because of the door and such. Just make sure it'll fit

- if you're happy her scooter will fit through the door, you can ask your steward for one of the doorstops they use while cleaning. Our steward gave us a couple (and others here have mentioned the same thing to me since our cruise when I spoke of our difficulties) the door stop makes things much easier!

- shower stool should be fine I think. Can't imagine the shower stalls in the suites are any smaller than regular cabins. Might be a squeeze if your friend is a larger lady, but I had no issue with a decent sized stool in our shower.

- will she need an elevated toilet seat? I gather from some of the discussions in the disabled cruising forum they're a bit hard to come by on princess, but we were offered one for our next cruise without having to request it.

 

Not knowing the ship/cabin layout, are the suites near a lift foyer? One frustration of using a mobility device on board is if you need to get to your cabin while the stewards are cleaning - seemed to depend on the deck how wide the corridors were - but in some it was impossible to pass their carts and I felt awful having to disturb their work to ask them to move the carts into a wider spot/alcove so I could get past.

 

Laura

 

Just so you know...CP is Sea Princess, not Caribbean Princess, who is CB. DP is Dawn Princess, or did you mean DI, which is Diamond Princess?

 

Main fleet:

• CB - Caribbean Princess

• Co - Coral Princess

• KP - Crown Princess

• DP - Dawn Princess

• DI - Diamond Princess

• EP - Emerald Princess

• NP - Golden Princess

• AP - Grand Princess

• IP - Island Princess

• GP - Regal Princess

• RP - Royal Princess

• RU - Ruby Princess

• SA - Sapphire Princess

• CP - Sea Princess

• TP - Star Princess

• SP - Sun Princess

The Small Ships of Princess:

• PA - Pacific Princess

 

EM

[moki'smommy]

You'll need to deal with the access office at Princess rather than just calling the 800 number. e-mail is accessoffice@princesscruises.com

 

While they were VERY helpful on our first cruise, the return e-mail on the most recent cruise was....well, they pointed out to me that the ADA does not apply to Japan! Really??? The AMERICANS with Disabilities Act is not Japanese law? Sorry, I found that unique.

 

They have a form that your friend will need to complete if you are using Princess transportation.

 

My adult daughter has a progressive disability and needs the HA cabin, but I've never treated her to a suite of any sort on Princess. The shower in an HA cabin has a built in shower chair and a door built wide enough to admit a wheelchair or scooter.

[spyro1952]

I used a companion wheel chair with my Mom on the Regal and we had a suite. Although it wouldn't fit through the door. You should be fine with the smart scoot. I've had regular scooters for my Mom and although I could get it in and out of the cabin, it was tight.

We had a step up to get into the bathroom on the Regal suite and I just used a the desk chair and put it in the shower as the shower chairs they have are very low.

You know window suites are great as they are close to everything, quiet, large, and the bathrooms are huge.

Enjoy your trip.

[LokiPoki]

Just so you know...CP is Sea Princess, not Caribbean Princess, who is CB. DP is Dawn Princess, or did you mean DI, which is Diamond Princess?

 

Main fleet:

• CB - Caribbean Princess

• Co - Coral Princess

• KP - Crown Princess

• DP - Dawn Princess

• DI - Diamond Princess

• EP - Emerald Princess

• NP - Golden Princess

• AP - Grand Princess

• IP - Island Princess

• GP - Regal Princess

• RP - Royal Princess

• RU - Ruby Princess

• SA - Sapphire Princess

• CP - Sea Princess

• TP - Star Princess

• SP - Sun Princess

The Small Ships of Princess:

• PA - Pacific Princess

 

EM

 

My mistake, thank you... :) did indeed mean Dawn

[Luvmyrotti]

Thank you Moki'smommy, I will reach out to the accessibility office. Hopefully they will have the details about doorway widths.

[Pam in CA]

My mistake, thank you... :) did indeed mean Dawn

FYI, these are Princess's abbreviations. If you're not sure, go to the Princess website > Ships and click on a ship. The URL will show the abbreviated code for the ship.

[jpcello]

I will be traveling with two of my friends next January or February. I think we will end up on the Caribbean Princess on a six-day itinerary.

 

One of my friends has mobility issues and we will be renting a smartscoot for her (she can walk and stand, just not for long periods of time or for long distances). My friends have never stayed in a suite (both are Princess newbies) and so I would like to treat them to a vista suite, which are my favorite. I've sailed in vistas a number of times, but never really considered them from the perspective of being mobility challenged or using a scooter. So, a few questions:

- how wide are the suite doorways and will they accommodate a smaller scooter?

- I think the bathrooms are a small step up or lip, which she can handle and I think the glass shower stall would be able to accommodate a very small round shower chair - what does anyone who has been in one think?

- given the size of the suite, there will be plenty of room to accommodate a small scooter, but is there anything else I'm not thinking of?

 

I just really want her to have a great time. She's a wonderful friend who unfortunately is mobility challenged because she had a tumor growing on her spine. I don't know how much more travel we'll be able to do together, so I want this to be great.

 

Thanks for any info anyone can offer.

 

There's an entire thread on the Disabled Cruise Travel board of CC about the Smartscoot. I think the Smartscoot is small and portable enough that if it won't fit through the door to drive it in you can probably fold it up and bring it through the door that way.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2335641&highlight=width

 

You may want to ask your questions there. That board has many people who are far more knowledgeable than me about the different ships, door widths, etc.

 

I read that board regularly as I cruise with my sister who uses a scooter. We've never gotten anything but a handicapped accessible cabin so we never have to worry about her scooter fitting through the door.

[newbie53]

My husband uses a scooter to help get around when there is a lot of walking involved. We have rented a Pride scooter (I think it was a Go-Go) from special needs at sea on two different occasions, staying in a Vista Suite. The first was on the Island Princess, the second on the Coral. The scooter did fit through the door, although it needed some careful handling as there wasn't a lot of room to spare. We would park it along the wall between the door and the desk, which made it convenient for charging. Both times we were in rooms that were near the aft elevators. Once in the room, he used either a walker or a cane.

 

We requested a shower chair from Princess's access department. It was a tight fit in the shower, but it worked. The biggest issue was the step up into the bathroom. He actually fell and banged his shin trying to enter when he was half asleep one time. Had to visit the med center and fill out an accident report. Fortunately nothing was broken, just bruised.

 

I hope this is helpful.

 

Sue

[OzKiwiJJ]

Y

While they were VERY helpful on our first cruise' date=' the return e-mail on the most recent cruise was....well, they pointed out to me that the ADA does not apply to Japan! Really??? The AMERICANS with Disabilities Act is not Japanese law? Sorry, I found that unique.

 

[/quote']

 

Last I heard Japan was not part of the United States of America, so why would you expect an AMERICAN legislative act to be part of another country's law? :rolleyes:

Edited July 1, 2016 by OzKiwiJJ

[Luvmyrotti]

My husband uses a scooter to help get around when there is a lot of walking involved. We have rented a Pride scooter (I think it was a Go-Go) from special needs at sea on two different occasions, staying in a Vista Suite. The first was on the Island Princess, the second on the Coral. The scooter did fit through the door, although it needed some careful handling as there wasn't a lot of room to spare. We would park it along the wall between the door and the desk, which made it convenient for charging. Both times we were in rooms that were near the aft elevators. Once in the room, he used either a walker or a cane.

 

We requested a shower chair from Princess's access department. It was a tight fit in the shower, but it worked. The biggest issue was the step up into the bathroom. He actually fell and banged his shin trying to enter when he was half asleep one time. Had to visit the med center and fill out an accident report. Fortunately nothing was broken, just bruised.

 

I hope this is helpful.

 

Sue

 

Thanks Sue, this is really helpful!