Mobility Scooter I tore my tendon in march and

[gladimhere]

am trying to heal it and avoid surgery.Instead of canceling cruise I am ordering a scooter.I hope this is a good choice and now Im getting worried about getting around ok. How hard is it to get on elevator?where do u store it while at shows or eating dinner? Anybody who has used one I would love some advice.Thanks so much

[papaflamingo]

Never used one, but have seen lot's on board different cruises. You might have to wait for elevators. I have seen people keep them in the hall outside their doors. I'm not sure I'd do that, but I imagine it'd be tough to get one into a stateroom unless you're in a suite. You might get a letter from your Dr. and try to get a handicapped stateroom with a bit more room and larger doors.

[gerif]

There are areas in the theater for people with wheelchairs/scooters and the waitstaff in the dining room will take it while you eat. I'd be a lot more concerned about getting it into your cabin unless you have a suite or accessible cabin. You cannot leave it in the hallway.

[nivrag4511]

My wife had cancer and used one on the last cruise we were able to do. It was very hard to get into the cabin. Our cabin steward told us to park it in the hallway and just take the key with us. In fact one night he took it to the crew area and recharged it for us. I don't know how big you party is, but it was just the two of us and requested a table by the entrance to the dining room and my wife just parked it right behind her. Otherwise I saw people park them outside the entrance.Sometimes you might have to wait for an elevator, but many times people are very accommodating and will make space for you. Hope this helps and enjoy your cruise.

[ryano]

am trying to heal it and avoid surgery.Instead of canceling cruise I am ordering a scooter.I hope this is a good choice and now Im getting worried about getting around ok. How hard is it to get on elevator?where do u store it while at shows or eating dinner? Anybody who has used one I would love some advice.Thanks so much

 

You wont have any problems getting around. As pointed out, there are spaces for scooters and wheelchair in the theater to watch the show. In the MDR you can ride it to your table and get your seat and the waiter will park it out of the way for you.

 

I hope you have an accessible cabin. If not, you are gonna have a rough time in the cabin and getting it through a regular cabin door. Also as pointed out, PLEASE do not park it in the hall no matter how many you see doing it

[kearney]

A few thoughts, my husband tore his quad a few years back... I remember thinking about a scooter... See if you can have a cabin where the bed is near the window/balcony. Otherwise there is no way you can get it in your cabin. Even then it will be crowded. Of course an accessible cabin would be great, if available.

 

What ship are you going on. I noticed, and it may be my imagination, but the Oasis class elevators... at least aft, seemed larger and there were more of them.

 

Avoid Windjammer.... on Oasis the tables seemed more jammed together than I recall on other class ships making a scooter difficult.

 

If Oasis class, consider a cabin near the aft elevators... at least then you are over many key areas of the ship, so at least you dont have to travel too far.

 

You might contact Royal and tell them about your situation, they can plan ahead for what to do with your scooter at night. I dont think they like them left in the hall, unless there is a plan for the staff to take it away, hard to get down the corridors with items left in the hallway. I suspect they have a protocol for this, I see quite a few.

 

Back row for theater is set up for wheelchairs and scooters.

 

Good luck. One more thing. Please consider a balcony cabin, if you haven't already. If you get tired of driving around you at least have a place where you can relax and have a view. After one of my husband's several surgeries, we celebrated with a cruise. I picked an inside cabin. It was a mistake, because my husband did get tired of walking everywhere, but was compelled to just to be able to see something... he did not have a scooter, so it was probably more of an issue for him

 

On our next cruise... after surgery #3, we went on Oasis, selected a cabin near rear elevator... only steps from diamond lounge, and elevator ride to schooner bar and easy access to dinning, Central Park and the board walk... again no scooter... but less walking than if we were mid ship... We did not make it to the solarium but once... but he was able to have a good time despite limited/slow mobility.

[spookwife]

am trying to heal it and avoid surgery.Instead of canceling cruise I am ordering a scooter.I hope this is a good choice and now Im getting worried about getting around ok. How hard is it to get on elevator?where do u store it while at shows or eating dinner? Anybody who has used one I would love some advice.Thanks so much

 

get the absolute smallest one that can fit you comfortably. elevators, well you need to be beyond patient. practice backing up , as that will be the easiest way to load and unload off an elevator. you may find that it is better in the long run to go further down a deck to a quieter bank of elevators rather than trying to get into one that is more widely used( Centrum, Promenade etc)

 

you can usually park it just outside the MDR for dinner and inside the Theater over by the bar( if applicable)

 

keep in mind that it CANNOT be left in the hallways at any time and that means bringing it inside your cabin. some can fit inside a regular door, but you may have to remove the arm rests.

[BillOh]

I would recommend you get in a few days ahead of time and get used to it. Since these became popular back around 2000 or so, I've seen people that need them get them, but they require some skill to use like any motorized vehicle. So many people think of the throttle like an on/off switch, not a variable thing and end up running into people. I saw one person who never used one before badly bruise the Achilles of other passengers. Sure you will run into people who will try and get on the elevator before you get off, but be careful not to take others out. My daughter was standing on the sidewalk at Disney an got run over by a guy who couldn't control the rental scooter.

[rum & monkey]

Not sure which tendon you tore but I would go crazy sitting in a scooter all day. I tore all the ligaments in my ankle once and was on crutches and booted for a year while healing. If it is in the lower region like your Achilles' tendon you might want to look at a knee scooter. They cost a little under $200 and you can get them from a medical supply or from Amazon (insurance might pay for it if you get your doctor to prescribe one)

[xxoocruiser]

am trying to heal it and avoid surgery.Instead of canceling cruise I am ordering a scooter.I hope this is a good choice and now Im getting worried about getting around ok. How hard is it to get on elevator?where do u store it while at shows or eating dinner? Anybody who has used one I would love some advice.Thanks so much

 

Elevator - Unfortunately their are able-bodied individuals will jump right in front of as it you didn't exist. No it isn't just kids. In fact it's more often adults than kids. You need to get on the first elevator that's somewhat empty regardless of it's direction top be assured of getting on. During period you're best to go to the Forward or aft bank of elevators. For example the bank of elevators that's close to the pool or windjammer is always the busiest.

 

Dining Room - On embarkation day go to the MDR. Check to see that there is a sufficient path to your table so that you can drive the scooter and than transfer to a chair. If not than see the Matre'D and request a change in location. The wait staff will park the scooter for you and than return it after dinner. Have the wait staff return the key to you.

 

Shows - Unfortunately the wheelchair accessible seats are not the best location. The wheelchair location is the last row on the main floor which is actually the first row when coming into the theater. It's best to get there early.

 

Tendered Ports - If the itinerary has a tendered port the scooter will only be allowed if the tender has roll-on capabilities. Even if the tender has roll-on capabilities it's at the discretion of the Captain if conditions are safe enough for scooters and wheelchairs to be boarded. Suggest you do not pre-book any excursions for tender ports and a getting a refund is not likely. Following was copied directly from RCCL's website :

 

In order to safely board most tenders, guests must be able to take steps and use a collapsible manual wheelchair. In addition, motorized wheelchairs and mobility scooters can not be taken on tenders, unless roll-on capability is available. Inquire about tender roll-on capability at Guest Relations Desk while on board. Please note roll-on capability is not guaranteed.

 

Weather, sea conditions and other factors may preclude tendering. Safety of our guests and crew is our primary consideration, and the Captain and his staff will make the final decision regarding transferring guests and their assistive devices based on safety reasons.

 

If guests are unable to tender or disembark because of due to these circumstances, there will be no refund or credit for missed ports. While we recognize your disappointment, the safety of our guests and crew takes precedence.

 

Size of scooter - Though another poster suggested you rent the smallest scooter the type of scooter vendor will rent to you is determined based on your weight relative to the weight capacity of the scooter.

If you require a full size bariatric size scooter know that it will not fit through the doorway of a standard cabin and will require to have booked an accessible cabin. Even if you qualify for a portable size scooter it will be a tight fit getting it through a standard door cabin. The hang up will be the arms rests not necessary the scooter itself. The arm rest will have to adjusted or completely removed in order to clear the door frame. will have to be backed out.

 

The scooter CANNOT be left or stored in the hallway should it not fit through a standard cabin doorway. Doing is a violation of SOLAS ( Safety of Life at Seas), cruise line and coast guide regulations. Ignoring these regulations can and does impede that safety of others whether disabled or abled bodied moving about the hallways not to mention impedes the safety of other in the event of an actual emergency. Even if the cabin attendant tells you it's Ok it's NOT ! I for one will contact the ships security to have the scooter removed if one is observed left in the hallway.

 

Following was copied directly from RCCL's website;

Assistive devices including mobility scooters must be stored and recharged in your stateroom so fire doors, corridors and elevator lobbies are kept clear for emergency evacuation. When parked throughout the ship, they must be parked out of the way to allow safe and easy access by other guests and crewmembers.

 

Taking scooter off the ship - Unless the scooter is full size or a bariatric size the typical rental scooter is the Pride GoGo Elite Traveler which has an under clearance of only approximately 1.5". Therefore it's not unusual that the scooter will get hung up on the gangway joints. Under no circumstance should you allow the ships personnel to force push the scooter over the joints which is their first reactive response. The scooter needs to be placed in freewheel mode and than rolled over the joints. If you aren't to walk down/up the gangway than a person from the ship's crew must guide the scooter up/down the ramp while another pushes the scooter up/down the ramp. If you are unable to walk up/down the ramp it's recommended that you do so than scooter can be rolled up/down the ramp in freewheel mode. If this isn't done the scooter can be permanently damaged and if it's rental your on the hook for the full replacement cost if you did not purchase the insurance offered by the rental company. Replacement cost will be in excess of $1,600.00.

 

Other things to note : You can request wheelchair assistance to board when arriving at the port. However it's important to note that there are a limited number of wheelchairs to board passengers and a wheelchair will NOT be left with you. The attendant is also NOT allowed to take you directly to his cabin. The attendant will take you to a public area of the ship . Once cabins are available to passengers someone from your party will have to go to the cabin to get the scooter. Also note that the scooter rental contract, whether it be http://www.CareVacations.com or http://www.SpecialNeedsatSea, states that the scooter will not be delivered until 2:00 PM . It's also important to note that rental equipment delivered to the ship is not given priority loading by the cruise line as ships supplies take precedent. Therefore the scooter might not appear in the cabin until closer to the sailing time though the it was deliver to the port by 2:00 PM.

 

The rental scooter must be left in the cabin on disembarkation day. The cruise line will not provide wheelchair assistance/pickup from the cabin. The night before a location for wheelchair assistance for disembarkation will be published in the daily cruise newsletter. You f can ride the scooter to that location but than someone from your group must than take the scooter back to cabin for pickup from the rental company.

 

Scooter keys are not unique as car keys and all the rental scooters look alike, Scooter keys are universal and a scooter can easily be mistaken. I print an extra luggage tag an affix it to the scooter as well as tie a bright green scarf to mine as an additional identifier.

 

Cost of rental is based on the following criteria

• Embarkation Port
  
• Disembarkation Port.
  
• Weight and height of end user relative to weight capacity of the scooter required
  
• Number of cruise days
  
• If insurance if purchased
  

 

Scooter do not automatically stop when you take you hands off the control. It rolls to a stop and length of the roll depends on the speed that the scooter was being drive before attempting to stop.

Edited August 16, 2016 by xxoocruiser

[Jenjer]

Not sure which tendon you tore but I would go crazy sitting in a scooter all day. I tore all the ligaments in my ankle once and was on crutches and booted for a year while healing. If it is in the lower region like your Achilles' tendon you might want to look at a knee scooter. They cost a little under $200 and you can get them from a medical supply or from Amazon (insurance might pay for it if you get your doctor to prescribe one) [ATTACH]392395[/ATTACH][ATTACH]392396[/ATTACH][ATTACH]392397[/ATTACH]

 

I cruised with one of these and its 1000x easier than having a motorized scooter. Not just on a cruise but in general it fits in a trunk of a car or SUV and you can put your leg up on it when seated in a chair. Also you are in control of where you go.

 

I am not saying its easy just its easier and it fits in a balcony room. I rented a regular wheel chair from special needs at sea but hated using it. Only in the evenings did I use the chair.

 

Agreed people will cut you off getting on and off the elevators and not just kids. Then they ride it for 1 floor personal pet peeve. People and kids stare. Kids and of all things old ladies would touch my boot, happened all the time in the elevator. I am not talking about bumping into me but either, laying their hand on it or 1 finger poke. very strange.

 

The wait staff was very helpful moving our table so it was right in front and I could easily get in and out. They tried to take my scooter away but I was able to put it out of the way mostly under the table. I didn't like people removing it since it was the only way I could move.

 

Coco Cay was easy to get off ship since they had beach wheelchairs but it was exhausting and painful.

 

Good luck

[kearney]

Elevator - Unfortunately their are able-bodied individuals will jump right in front of as it you didn't exist. No it isn't just kids. In fact it's more often adults than kids. You need to get on the first elevator that's somewhat empty regardless of it's direction top be assured of getting on. During period you're best to go to the Forward or aft bank of elevators. For example the bank of elevators that's close to the pool or windjammer is always the busiest.

 

Dining Room - On embarkation day go to the MDR. Check to see that there is a sufficient path to your table so that you can drive the scooter and than transfer to a chair. If not than see the Matre'D and request a change in location. The wait staff will park the scooter for you and than return it after dinner. Have the wait staff return the key to you.

 

Shows - Unfortunately the wheelchair accessible seats are not the best location. The wheelchair location is the last row on the main floor which is actually the first row when coming into the theater. It's best to get there early.

 

Tendered Ports - If the itinerary has a tendered port the scooter will only be allowed if the tender has roll-on capabilities. Even if the tender has roll-on capabilities it's at the discretion of the Captain if conditions are safe enough for scooters and wheelchairs to be boarded. Suggest you do not pre-book any excursions for tender ports and a getting a refund is not likely. Following was copied directly from RCCL's website :

 

In order to safely board most tenders, guests must be able to take steps and use a collapsible manual wheelchair. In addition, motorized wheelchairs and mobility scooters can not be taken on tenders, unless roll-on capability is available. Inquire about tender roll-on capability at Guest Relations Desk while on board. Please note roll-on capability is not guaranteed.

 

Weather, sea conditions and other factors may preclude tendering. Safety of our guests and crew is our primary consideration, and the Captain and his staff will make the final decision regarding transferring guests and their assistive devices based on safety reasons.

 

If guests are unable to tender or disembark because of due to these circumstances, there will be no refund or credit for missed ports. While we recognize your disappointment, the safety of our guests and crew takes precedence.

 

Size of scooter - Though another poster suggested you rent the smallest scooter the type of scooter vendor will rent to you is determined based on your weight relative to the weight capacity of the scooter.

If you require a full size bariatric size scooter know that it will not fit through the doorway of a standard cabin and will require to have booked an accessible cabin. Even if you qualify for a portable size scooter it will be a tight fit getting it through a standard door cabin. The hang up will be the arms rests not necessary the scooter itself. The arm rest will have to adjusted or completely removed in order to clear the door frame. will have to be backed out.

 

The scooter CANNOT be left or stored in the hallway should it not fit through a standard cabin doorway. Doing is a violation of SOLAS ( Safety of Life at Seas), cruise line and coast guide regulations. Ignoring these regulations can and does impede that safety of others whether disabled or abled bodied moving about the hallways not to mention impedes the safety of other in the event of an actual emergency. Even if the cabin attendant tells you it's Ok it's NOT ! I for one will contact the ships security to have the scooter removed if one is observed left in the hallway.

 

Following was copied directly from RCCL's website;

Assistive devices including mobility scooters must be stored and recharged in your stateroom so fire doors, corridors and elevator lobbies are kept clear for emergency evacuation. When parked throughout the ship, they must be parked out of the way to allow safe and easy access by other guests and crewmembers.

 

Taking scooter off the ship - Unless the scooter is full size or a bariatric size the typical rental scooter is the Pride GoGo Elite Traveler which has an under clearance of only approximately 1.5". Therefore it's not unusual that the scooter will get hung up on the gangway joints. Under no circumstance should you allow the ships personnel to force push the scooter over the joints which is their first reactive response. The scooter needs to be placed in freewheel mode and than rolled over the joints. If you aren't to walk down/up the gangway than a person from the ship's crew must guide the scooter up/down the ramp while another pushes the scooter up/down the ramp. If you are unable to walk up/down the ramp it's recommended that you do so than scooter can be rolled up/down the ramp in freewheel mode. If this isn't done the scooter can be permanently damaged and if it's rental your on the hook for the full replacement cost if you did not purchase the insurance offered by the rental company. Replacement cost will be in excess of $1,600.00.

 

Other things to note : You can request wheelchair assistance to board when arriving at the port. However it's important to note that there are a limited number of wheelchairs to board passengers and a wheelchair will NOT be left with you. The attendant is also NOT allowed to take you directly to his cabin. The attendant will take you to a public area of the ship . Once cabins are available to passengers someone from your party will have to go to the cabin to get the scooter. Also note that the scooter rental contract, whether it be http://www.CareVacations.com or http://www.SpecialNeedsatSea, states that the scooter will not be delivered until 2:00 PM . It's also important to note that rental equipment delivered to the ship is not given priority loading by the cruise line as ships supplies take precedent. Therefore the scooter might not appear in the cabin until closer to the sailing time though the it was deliver to the port by 2:00 PM.

 

The rental scooter must be left in the cabin on disembarkation day. The cruise line will not provide wheelchair assistance/pickup from the cabin. The night before a location for wheelchair assistance for disembarkation will be published in the daily cruise newsletter. You f can ride the scooter to that location but than someone from your group must than take the scooter back to cabin for pickup from the rental company.

 

Scooter keys are not unique as car keys and all the rental scooters look alike, Scooter keys are universal and a scooter can easily be mistaken. I print an extra luggage tag an affix it to the scooter as well as tie a bright green scarf to mine as an additional identifier.

 

Cost of rental is based on the following criteria

• Embarkation Port
  
• Disembarkation Port.
  
• Weight and height of end user relative to weight capacity of the scooter required
  
• Number of cruise days
  
• If insurance if purchased
  

 

Scooter do not automatically stop when you take you hands off the control. It rolls to a stop and length of the roll depends on the speed that the scooter was being drive before attempting to stop.

 

Thanks for this information. We did not need a scooter on our cruise, but we were thinking about it and may need to do so in the future... you raise a lot of issues that are best considered early... thanks again

[Doug S]

Wife had major foot surgery and primarily uses a knee scooter, but was really worried about all the flooring transitions and ship movement and such. Knee scooters are great, but it is remarkably easy to do a header on one of those things. She has to be really careful in airports and other outings.

 

We rented a motorized scooter from a 3rd party vendor in San Juan on AOS, and it was great. Was waiting in our room when we got there, and we left it in the room when we left. Easy-peasy. We did have an accessible cabin which made it much easier to bring it in, turn it around and park it out of the way. It could even ease into the bathroom and balcony if needed in those cabins.

 

We had no problems with elevators, but I had to act as traffic cop, and I'm a pretty big, gruff looking guy, so it worked. I'd politely announce, "wife's on a scooter and needs a little room on this next one" and I don't recall anyone attempting to push past us. Or I'd ask when a car arrived if folks could please clear the middle so maybe we could fit in and everyone was very accommodating. I sometimes got her pulled in and hoofed it up the stairs if we were only going a floor or two and the elevator was just able to fit her. A time or 2 when it was really crowded we did pull in and go up when we wanted to go down (or visa versa), and just took a longer ride, but we do that sometimes without a scooter. Our approach worked well, but if we'd sat back timidly and not taken charge of the situation, I guess we coulda gotten walked all over.

 

If you can walk some, it is much easier, but DW couldn't, and had to pull into every bathroom, and right up to the table in the MDR. They knew us and always reserved a nice spot just inside the dining room where I could get her seated and then steer the scooter off to the side to park it.

 

Many of the public bathrooms had a button to auto open, but if you can hobble in and out of bathrooms with a cane its tons easier. The handicapped stalls were often taken by those not needing them, so she had to wait on occasion even tho other stalls were open. Said it was an eye opener and she'd never use a handicapped stall again if she did not need to.

 

Theater seating was also an issue at times. Made it a point to get there early, but still had to ask a few times if folks could clear room in the handicapped seating for us. They seemed to like sitting back close to the bar, and near the exit so they could get out first after the shows.

 

We may rent one again in mid September on Liberty for part time use, since she can get around a bit better, but we booked super late (2 days ago), and no accessible cabins were left, so we'll try it in a JS, and it may be a tighter fit.

[Brigbound]

Couldn't the stateroom attendant help in finding a place to store if it doesn't fit in your room? Seems like there are storage spaces 'behind the scenes' for carts and such. Not sure how convenient that would be retrieving it everyday though.

[Enforcer]

Hi,

 

My twopenneth as a mobility scooter user is that others don't see you, you become invisible, believe me I'm the size of a small country and people don't see me.

 

xxoocruiser's advice is spot on in everything she says.

 

Pete

[MommaBear55]

Elevator - Unfortunately their are able-bodied individuals will jump right in front of as it you didn't exist. No it isn't just kids. In fact it's more often adults than kids. You need to get on the first elevator that's somewhat empty regardless of it's direction top be assured of getting on. During period you're best to go to the Forward or aft bank of elevators. For example the bank of elevators that's close to the pool or windjammer is always the busiest.

 

Dining Room - On embarkation day go to the MDR. Check to see that there is a sufficient path to your table so that you can drive the scooter and than transfer to a chair. If not than see the Matre'D and request a change in location. The wait staff will park the scooter for you and than return it after dinner. Have the wait staff return the key to you.

 

Shows - Unfortunately the wheelchair accessible seats are not the best location. The wheelchair location is the last row on the main floor which is actually the first row when coming into the theater. It's best to get there early.

 

Tendered Ports - If the itinerary has a tendered port the scooter will only be allowed if the tender has roll-on capabilities. Even if the tender has roll-on capabilities it's at the discretion of the Captain if conditions are safe enough for scooters and wheelchairs to be boarded. Suggest you do not pre-book any excursions for tender ports and a getting a refund is not likely. Following was copied directly from RCCL's website :

 

In order to safely board most tenders, guests must be able to take steps and use a collapsible manual wheelchair. In addition, motorized wheelchairs and mobility scooters can not be taken on tenders, unless roll-on capability is available. Inquire about tender roll-on capability at Guest Relations Desk while on board. Please note roll-on capability is not guaranteed.

 

Weather, sea conditions and other factors may preclude tendering. Safety of our guests and crew is our primary consideration, and the Captain and his staff will make the final decision regarding transferring guests and their assistive devices based on safety reasons.

 

If guests are unable to tender or disembark because of due to these circumstances, there will be no refund or credit for missed ports. While we recognize your disappointment, the safety of our guests and crew takes precedence.

 

Size of scooter - Though another poster suggested you rent the smallest scooter the type of scooter vendor will rent to you is determined based on your weight relative to the weight capacity of the scooter.

If you require a full size bariatric size scooter know that it will not fit through the doorway of a standard cabin and will require to have booked an accessible cabin. Even if you qualify for a portable size scooter it will be a tight fit getting it through a standard door cabin. The hang up will be the arms rests not necessary the scooter itself. The arm rest will have to adjusted or completely removed in order to clear the door frame. will have to be backed out.

 

The scooter CANNOT be left or stored in the hallway should it not fit through a standard cabin doorway. Doing is a violation of SOLAS ( Safety of Life at Seas), cruise line and coast guide regulations. Ignoring these regulations can and does impede that safety of others whether disabled or abled bodied moving about the hallways not to mention impedes the safety of other in the event of an actual emergency. Even if the cabin attendant tells you it's Ok it's NOT ! I for one will contact the ships security to have the scooter removed if one is observed left in the hallway.

 

Following was copied directly from RCCL's website;

Assistive devices including mobility scooters must be stored and recharged in your stateroom so fire doors, corridors and elevator lobbies are kept clear for emergency evacuation. When parked throughout the ship, they must be parked out of the way to allow safe and easy access by other guests and crewmembers.

 

Taking scooter off the ship - Unless the scooter is full size or a bariatric size the typical rental scooter is the Pride GoGo Elite Traveler which has an under clearance of only approximately 1.5". Therefore it's not unusual that the scooter will get hung up on the gangway joints. Under no circumstance should you allow the ships personnel to force push the scooter over the joints which is their first reactive response. The scooter needs to be placed in freewheel mode and than rolled over the joints. If you aren't to walk down/up the gangway than a person from the ship's crew must guide the scooter up/down the ramp while another pushes the scooter up/down the ramp. If you are unable to walk up/down the ramp it's recommended that you do so than scooter can be rolled up/down the ramp in freewheel mode. If this isn't done the scooter can be permanently damaged and if it's rental your on the hook for the full replacement cost if you did not purchase the insurance offered by the rental company. Replacement cost will be in excess of $1,600.00.

 

Other things to note : You can request wheelchair assistance to board when arriving at the port. However it's important to note that there are a limited number of wheelchairs to board passengers and a wheelchair will NOT be left with you. The attendant is also NOT allowed to take you directly to his cabin. The attendant will take you to a public area of the ship . Once cabins are available to passengers someone from your party will have to go to the cabin to get the scooter. Also note that the scooter rental contract, whether it be http://www.CareVacations.com or http://www.SpecialNeedsatSea, states that the scooter will not be delivered until 2:00 PM . It's also important to note that rental equipment delivered to the ship is not given priority loading by the cruise line as ships supplies take precedent. Therefore the scooter might not appear in the cabin until closer to the sailing time though the it was deliver to the port by 2:00 PM.

 

The rental scooter must be left in the cabin on disembarkation day. The cruise line will not provide wheelchair assistance/pickup from the cabin. The night before a location for wheelchair assistance for disembarkation will be published in the daily cruise newsletter. You f can ride the scooter to that location but than someone from your group must than take the scooter back to cabin for pickup from the rental company.

 

Scooter keys are not unique as car keys and all the rental scooters look alike, Scooter keys are universal and a scooter can easily be mistaken. I print an extra luggage tag an affix it to the scooter as well as tie a bright green scarf to mine as an additional identifier.

 

Cost of rental is based on the following criteria

• Embarkation Port
  
• Disembarkation Port.
  
• Weight and height of end user relative to weight capacity of the scooter required
  
• Number of cruise days
  
• If insurance if purchased
  

 

Scooter do not automatically stop when you take you hands off the control. It rolls to a stop and length of the roll depends on the speed that the scooter was being drive before attempting to stop.

 

This is an excellent explanation of all the issues with scooters. I wonder if it could be a sticky in the Disabled forum?

[cb at sea]

It's possible the other bathroom stalls WERE occupied when a non-handicapped person went into the HC stall......so don't be too quick to judge! It's just silly to have 1 stall sitting unused when there is a crowd! If a handicapped person needs it, and there is a line, they should get the HC stall when it becomes available.

[alliebrandy]

As someone who has been renting 2 mobility scooters for the last 12 cruises we have been on, I would be happy to give you a few pointers to assist you in navigation of the ships.

 

Embarkation: Try arriving later to the port rather than early. We tend to arrive now between 1-2 pm. Ask for wheelchair assistance. Why arrive later? Crowds have passed and its much easier to go through check in. A porter will get you through check in and on board the ship. This time frame also works because cabins have usually been released and the porter can take you directly to your cabin where you can drop off your carry on bags and pick up your scooter. Once you have your scooter, you can explore the ship at ease.

 

Elevators: Try to utilize the one end of the ship that isn't as busy as the other. We found that usually that would be the set that lead to the spa area opposed to the buffet area. We would go up and then cross the pool deck and enter in the doors to the buffet from that level. Same for going down as well. Also, what ever direction an elevator is heading, and its empty or with minimal passengers, GET IN. Eventually the elevator will go in the direction you require. Passengers can move around you and you just stay until you reach the deck you want. Usually DH and I are able to ride together in one elevator. We will get in first and pull all the way to the rear. This allows for others to enter behind you and be able to get off first. They also will assist in being sure that you are able to get out of an elevator by holding the door open long enough. Only thing you need to be sure is to not run over any toes.

 

Theater: Depending on ships/lines some have not only handicap seating in an area as you enter the theater. But we discovered from ship personnel that they also have an elevator back stage that can bring you down to the first floor so you can see the shows up close. Usually there is a door near the balcony that assists performers in some of their productions. Ask the cruise director or any of their assistants. We were able to do this on both the Eclipse and Equinox. I just don't remember if we were able to do it aboard RCCL. You have nothing to lose in asking.

 

Cabin: Yes it is true that depending upon the size of the scooter, it may or may not fit the standard doorway. If renting, you do have an option when ordering to ask that they remove the arm rests completely to allow for ease of passage. Also, we will back our scooters into the cabin rather than driving them in. This helps when leaving the cabin. Once inside, we pull one scooter all the way up to the door so that we can have as much space as possible within the cabin. Also, be sure to request from the Special Needs Department a form and request a heavy duty extension cord for your cabin prior to your sailing. We find this very useful when having to recharge the scooters.

 

We always have an accessible cabin and they are extremely roomy, and for purposes of how we park, the extension cord covers the scooter at the doorway.

 

Ports of Call: Yes be careful when leaving and returning on the gangways. Go slowly and yes be aware of the joints. Also the incline of the gangway can sometimes be a bit much, as well as the turning area to negotiate your scooter to take the ramp/gangway. Be sure to be aligned properly when ascending the gangway. DH on one occasion was not properly aligned and almost tipped over. Good thing the attendant was there and kept the scooter from falling.

 

Disembarkation: Yes it is true that you are supposed to leave the scooter and charger in the cabin. You are to make arrangements with your cabin steward or at Guest Relations to get a wheel chair to take you to the holding area for guest that need assistance to disembark the ship. Sometimes this is not always possible (has happened to us on more than one occasion). So we will place the chargers in the baskets and ride the scooters to the area where we are supposed to wait for the assistance and leave them there off to the side. We notify the Rental Company as to the situation of not having enough help or chairs, and where the scooters can be retrieved. We also speak with the Officer that is overseeing the disembarkation of the guests with special needs and they are most accommodating. This has not been an issue with them. As I said, I call them immediately so that they can radio their workers. On one of the cruises, we met the guys down on the pier and they took the scooters from us there. I have rented from both Special Needs at Sea and from Care Vacations.

 

I am not knocking anyone's comments at all, as they are all true and accurate. I am only posting some suggestions that we have found worked for us.

Edited August 16, 2016 by alliebrandy

[Doug S]

It's possible the other bathroom stalls WERE occupied when a non-handicapped person went into the HC stall......so don't be too quick to judge! It's just silly to have 1 stall sitting unused when there is a crowd! If a handicapped person needs it, and there is a line, they should get the HC stall when it becomes available.

 

Thanks so much for your stellar input CB!

 

Once again you are off base, and are judging me and telling me not to judge. Your example was NOT the case here (See, I can use caps too). We watched ladies go in right in front of her and take that one even though the others were empty. Obviously, if all other stalls are full, feel free to use the HC stall. But please don't tie it up when others are available. Not asking people to line up in front of the other stalls when that one is empty. Sad that people can't make a simple post without your helpful, but misguided contributions.

[cincicruisers]

I used a scooter for or last cruise. We had a grand suite so the scooter fit in the cabin. It does take a lot of space. I did not have a problem with the elevators. Everyone was helpful and friendly. The only issue was the theater. Lots of folks in the aisle before show, very claustrophobic . I would try to get to the theater earlier so you can settle in.

 

I did use the scooter for Falmouth and Labadee. It was very scary getting the scooter up/down ramps. In Labadee you can take your scooter to the entrance and then there are special sand wheelchairs to use.

 

The scooter was definitely worth the $225. I used the company that is recommended by RCCL.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[RN4Nsy]

My son used a knee scooter in February and it was fantastic. He was in a Jr Suite so had lots of room for storage. Ironically I had to wear an eye patch due to an enucleation and we made quite a family!!! Good Luck and enjoy your Cruise