Faster to the Fun or Wheelchair for my mom?

[PandaBear62]

Please excuse me if this is a dumb question. We are planning a New Years Eve cruise on the Inspiration. I'm guessing it will be full! Anyway, we are taking my mom, who will be 81. She can walk, but she's slower than she used to be, and standing for any length of time is very difficult for her. Typically we get her a wheelchair at the airport, primarily because of the standing in line at security and the sometimes long way to walk to gates. To look at her, it doesn't look like she has an issue, but she has pretty bad arthritis and disc problems in her back, which combined, cause issues.

 

I understand we can request a wheelchair. My concern is that you do so when you arrive. Does that mean we should get to the pier quite early? The other option is I can try and purchase FTTF. I don't mind doing this if it's a better option.

 

Any suggestions for me? We will be sailing out of Long Beach. I want to do what will be best for her.

[springs741]

I am going to suggest you go to a medical supply company and rent her a wheel chair for the duration of the cruise. W/C are not one size fits all so Mom will be more comfortable in a chair sized for her.

 

Regarding boarding: In most ports the order continues to be Weddings, Diamond, Platinum and FTTF followed by general boarding. Mom will be assisted to board in the group she is eligible. So again if you have your own W/C for mom there will be no waiting for an available chair.

 

Additionally, those piers can get very long. Mom might enjoy having a ride to her adventures.

[easyboy]

If you plan to request a wheelchair on embarkation, better to make a prior request to Special Needs dept.

 

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[sk84fungirl]

So we just returned from the Carnival Splendor and did everything mentioned above.

 

1 - We rented a scooter and a wheelchair through a 3rd party company (found on Carnival's website) for the duration of the cruise. We had an accessible room so they both fit

 

2 - We used the onsite services of a wheelchair for her to board the ship. There was a dedicated area in Fort Lauderdale and it was a breeze.

 

3 - We also sent an email ahead of time with all of our special need request including large print Fun Times

 

4 - We purchased FTTF as there was a tender port and we also wanted to board the ship early the first day.

[VeggieGirl83]

My grandmother uses a cane and it is difficult for her to stand/walk for long periods. In Mobile, I requested wheelchair assistance for embarkation/debarkation and it worked out wonderfully! I purchased FTTF for the two guests in the other stateroom, but I don't think I needed to since they allowed all of us to board with her. If you request wheelchair assistance I don't think you'd need to purchase FTTF for her.

 

I don't know about your situation, but my grandmother did not rent/use a wheelchair once onboard and she had a great time. There are plenty of spots on the public decks to sit if you need a short break.

 

If you just need the wheelchair for embarkation/debarkation then you just need to check that box online when you are checking in before your cruise.

 

Happy cruising!

[riclop]

Please excuse me if this is a dumb question. We are planning a New Years Eve cruise on the Inspiration. I'm guessing it will be full! Anyway, we are taking my mom, who will be 81. She can walk, but she's slower than she used to be, and standing for any length of time is very difficult for her. Typically we get her a wheelchair at the airport, primarily because of the standing in line at security and the sometimes long way to walk to gates. To look at her, it doesn't look like she has an issue, but she has pretty bad arthritis and disc problems in her back, which combined, cause issues.

 

I understand we can request a wheelchair. My concern is that you do so when you arrive. Does that mean we should get to the pier quite early? The other option is I can try and purchase FTTF. I don't mind doing this if it's a better option.

 

Any suggestions for me? We will be sailing out of Long Beach. I want to do what will be best for her.

Wheel chair is way better then FTTF. You will get on faster and save $$$$.

[SadieN]

Scooters and wheelchairs need to be stored in the cabins.

 

If you cannot get FTTF then Choose an early check in time, (you can always arrive later). If the weather is bad you shouldn't have to wait that long outside.

Ask for wheelchair assistance when you get to the pier. It'll be easier for her going thru the check in process and up the ramp, avoiding the escalator in the process.

Arrive after the rush to get on, around 11:30

 

 

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[bindy1]

We cruised few years ago with my MIL who has MS. We rented her a scooter which was waiting for her outside her accessible cabin when we arrived. Not sure what type or location you have booked? We used the wheelchair we already had for embark and debark. At the time she was able to walk but couldn't walk long distances and was very slow.

 

As for our embark and debark on that cruise their were 11 of us in 5 cabins. My MIL got our entire party priority embark and debark because of the wheelchair. We did not ask they just wisked our entire party past everyone else. So i do not think FTTF would be beneficial.

 

I would assume you have already booked a cabin for her? Is she sharing a cabin with others?

 

At a minimum i would recommend a wheelchair. There can be a lot of walking on a cruise ship. It is some distance from one end to the other. And It is doable to store a wheelchair in the cabin--our family of 4 did last year after my "accident" in grand turk. We had a balcony with my DH and two grown adult sized kids.

 

 

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[meatloafsfan]

I'd recommend buying a wheelchair - you can get them online (places like 1-800 wheelchair) or even at your local walgreens or cvs. That way you'll have it not just for the travel and the cruise, but anytime in the future, it's a concern. You can get ones that fold and are the correct size and weight capacity (and you'll be certain it's in good shape). You can also try goodwill though YMMV on that one.

 

I would expect that the New Year's eve cruise will be pretty crowded and you might find that to attend some of the special events (like in the atrium or on deck), that the wheelchair will be beneficial (you can't count on getting her a seat).

 

You may also find that embarkation, debarkation and getting off at ports is easier.

[deborahjo]

Since she also had trouble standing for long period of times I might suggest a walker that has the seat. She can use for support as she walks and when she tires she can sit and rest.

 

My DH has one and is awesome. He bought before our last cruise. It folds up nicely and has storage under the seat.

 

FYI cannot be used as a wheel chair.

 

 

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[cruises42]

Does a Carnival representative wheel you on board? Do they take you to your cabin or leave you in the lobby area?

[bindy1]

Does a Carnival representative wheel you on board? Do they take you to your cabin or leave you in the lobby area?[/

 

When we cruised last December and i was in a wheelchair due to my accident in Grand Turk. The carnival rep took myself and family all the way off the ship, through customs and to the Hertz shuttle. But i was in a carnival wheelchair so that may make a difference. When my MIL cruised with us a few years ago I remember having a carnival rep with us for embark and debark but i don't remember when that escort started and ended. We had our own wheelchair for that cruise for her. That may make a difference.

 

 

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[cruises42]

Does a Carnival representative wheel you on board? Do they take you to your cabin or leave you in the lobby area?[/

 

When we cruised last December and i was in a wheelchair due to my accident in Grand Turk. The carnival rep took myself and family all the way off the ship, through customs and to the Hertz shuttle. But i was in a carnival wheelchair so that may make a difference. When my MIL cruised with us a few years ago I remember having a carnival rep with us for embark and debark but i don't remember when that escort started and ended. We had our own wheelchair for that cruise for her. That may make a difference.

 

 

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Thanks. How do you do luggage when one person is in a wheelchair?

[bindy1]

 

 

 

Thanks. How do you do luggage when one person is in a wheelchair?

 

 

It's not easy. After we collected our luggage, the porter stayed with us until we got to the Hertz shuttle and the Carnival rep was pushing me in the wheelchair. But from the Hertz shuttle to airport checkin, my husband, son and daughter all had to pitch in and help with luggage as i tried to move around on crutches (provided by Carnival medical center on the ship).

 

 

 

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[momof3cruisers]

Please excuse me if this is a dumb question. We are planning a New Years Eve cruise on the Inspiration. I'm guessing it will be full! Anyway, we are taking my mom, who will be 81. She can walk, but she's slower than she used to be, and standing for any length of time is very difficult for her. Typically we get her a wheelchair at the airport, primarily because of the standing in line at security and the sometimes long way to walk to gates. To look at her, it doesn't look like she has an issue, but she has pretty bad arthritis and disc problems in her back, which combined, cause issues.

 

I understand we can request a wheelchair. My concern is that you do so when you arrive. Does that mean we should get to the pier quite early? The other option is I can try and purchase FTTF. I don't mind doing this if it's a better option.

 

Any suggestions for me? We will be sailing out of Long Beach. I want to do what will be best for her.

If you choose to rent a wheelchair for the cruise, there is a place in Anaheim that has great customer service. I don't recall the name, but they are the only place in that general area that we could find. If you get one at the port, a few things to know. Outside, there are a lot of long stone benches that your mom can sit on while you find someone with a wheelchair. If they tell you to go over to the other building for check in, your mom doesn't have to. She can wait and then go to the handicapped line to check in. If they have you line up to do check in outside, and you haven't located a wheelchair, just have her stay on the bench and she can join you when you get up to the counter.

[Schoifmom]

You can do both, and I suggest you do so. Wheelchair service is available, but Carnival longer has Special Needs boarding (reference the "getting swept to the front of the line above). Persons with wheelchair assistance will board with their assigned zone.

 

With FTTF, she will board earlier, get to go straight to her room to leave

Carry-ons, and can avoid a lot of the crush associated with boarding.

 

I would echo what others have said, and suggest you look into either purchasing or renting a wheelchair for the cruise. You will be amazed at all of the walking and standing in line necessary throughout the cruise.

 

 

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[Havingfun2010]

Please excuse me if this is a dumb question. We are planning a New Years Eve cruise on the Inspiration. I'm guessing it will be full! Anyway, we are taking my mom, who will be 81. She can walk, but she's slower than she used to be, and standing for any length of time is very difficult for her. Typically we get her a wheelchair at the airport, primarily because of the standing in line at security and the sometimes long way to walk to gates. To look at her, it doesn't look like she has an issue, but she has pretty bad arthritis and disc problems in her back, which combined, cause issues.

 

When you say "request a wheelchair", I'm guessing you mean it like at the airport, to help whisk her around with long walks. Generally at a pier, someone with mobility issues are directed to a special check in area (with or without a wheelchair). They are also able to go sit in a waiting area if boarding did not start yet. If boarding did start, than they can move onto the ship.

They will push a person on a wheelchair onto the ship. Most of the time, it's not really a long way, and we find it to be more of an hassle than a help. They only take you to a lobby.

Many people have suggestions in their post, and I'm sure they want to help, but very few people will list some very simple and easy solutions that will help your mother out, that is very inexpensive. For example, it sounds like you might be flying. You can buy a "mobility transport chair" from many places including WalMart online for a little over $100.00. These chairs fold up, some come with a duffle bag, that can easily be checked on an airplane, carried, rolled on wheels, like luggage, and used on a ship, or in port, or just about anyplace with very low hassles. They are so compact, they can easily fit in a room and be managed by anyone. However, they do need to be pushed like any manual chair, but it easily solves many issues.

 

I understand we can request a wheelchair. My concern is that you do so when you arrive. Does that mean we should get to the pier quite early? The other option is I can try and purchase FTTF. I don't mind doing this if it's a better option.

 

Getting at the pier early will not help, because the wheelchairs are a continuous stream. When they bring a person on the ship, they come back for the next guest.

 

Any suggestions for me? We will be sailing out of Long Beach. I want to do what will be best for her.

 

See my suggestion above for a cheap chair to use.

[Elaine515]

I do not know how Long Beach works but at Port Everglades if you request wheelchair assistance, they sit you and one person inside the terminal and wait... Seriously you can wait and wait a long time as they only have 3/4 Port Agents doing Wheelchair Assist.

 

What that means is that a Port Agent will come and get you, after they assisted a previous passenger, put you in a wheelchair, take you thru customs, and bring you to the lobby of the ship. From there you are on your own to get to your cabin.

 

Sometimes you don't have to wait a long time, other times, you can sit there for over an hour waiting... Most of it has to do with how long the customs line is and how many wheelchair assist passengers there are.

 

In Miami, I know that there is a waiting area outside the terminal just for handicap passengers (roped off with seats) but Miami makes you wait until your Staggered Boarding Time to enter the terminal, whether wheelchair assist or not...

[maryred]

I do not know how Long Beach works but at Port Everglades if you request wheelchair assistance, they sit you and one person inside the terminal and wait... Seriously you can wait and wait a long time as they only have 3/4 Port Agents doing Wheelchair Assist.

 

What that means is that a Port Agent will come and get you, after they assisted a previous passenger, put you in a wheelchair, take you thru customs, and bring you to the lobby of the ship. From there you are on your own to get to your cabin.

 

Sometimes you don't have to wait a long time, other times, you can sit there for over an hour waiting... Most of it has to do with how long the customs line is and how many wheelchair assist passengers there are.

 

In Miami, I know that there is a waiting area outside the terminal just for handicap passengers (roped off with seats) but Miami makes you wait until your Staggered Boarding Time to enter the terminal, whether wheelchair assist or not...

 

Though I cannot vouch for Long Beach, the terminals used by Carnival in Baltimore and NYC work very similar. Mobility challenged and special needs passengers are not treated as priority check-in passengers any longer. If they want priority and do not qualify based on VIFP level or cabin selection, they have to buy FttF.

At many ports they still will offer a more direct line (less zig-zags) to the security scanner and/or the check-in counter, for those that are visibly mobility challenged. The port officials may let all from the same cabin to use this line , but more often than not it is just the disabled person and 1 caregiver. This is really not a priority line just a line with less distance to the counters. Sometimes the shorter walk could translate into getting a lower zone number or place in the boarding line than someone that entered the terminal at the same time going through the winding queue as regular check-in, but there is always the chance that the line there could be long as well.

Once processed in what happens next depends, if a caregiver can push or assist the disabled person they will be ask to wait in the appropriate zone area they received at check-in or join the current boarding line if all is caught up for general boarding. If crew assistance is needed they will be placed in the boarding assistance area and usually a list of whom is next is taken but based on priority level. So some one with general boarding needing a crew member or a ship's wheelchair could continuously be bumped by those needing the same but have priority by being a wedding guest, diamond, platinum, suite, casino/cruise line special guest, or FttF.

SO in my opinion the best thing to do is get from Walmart or Walgreens either a rollator or travel wheelchair that mom can sit as needed or be wheeled by yourself and opt for FttF. This will provide you with the fastest check-in and the quickest access to her cabin to drop off any carry-on luggage and provide faster checked luggage delivery.