Please Any TIPS on power scooters on Ships?.

[CruiseBabys]

We have a AFT Vista Suite on the Crown and I ordered a small scooter from a vender that Princess uses. This is for my Mother in Law, she has cruised many times, she can walk, but not very far and she can/does know how to use scooters. However, I am nervous about crowds and rules on the ship.

 

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[flcruiser3]

Try posting on the special interest, disabled board. I know that you are not allowed to leave the scooter in the hall outside your room; it must remain in your room with you.

 

 

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[WVBill]

From what I could tell on my recent Hawaii cruise, other than "keep it in your room overnight", the only rules observed by scooters were in the same category as Australian Football Rules....

[CruiseBabys]

Thank You flcruiser, WVBill [emoji847]

I'll be with her for offense protection ( Lol) and our AFT VS cabin should work out... I have never encountered scooters on ships and want to be courtious as well to others.

 

 

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[easyboy]

Seen many times passengers in scooters. They are accorded the courtesy on elevators, my experience at least, by other passengers. Have also seen scooters at MDR parked inside near the entrance where mobility impaired gets seated while waiting

 

 

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[skynight]

We have a AFT Vista Suite on the Crown and I ordered a small scooter from a vender that Princess uses. This is for my Mother in Law, she has cruised many times, she can walk, but not very far and she can/does know how to use scooters. However, I am nervous about crowds and rules on the ship.

 

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She should be very comfortable on the scooter. Scooters can go almost anywhere on the ship, and there aren't many issues.

Tips:

Leave for the muster drill 10 to 15 mins early. After the muster drill it will take some time to return to your cabin.

In general try to avoid the center elevators when possible. Try to use the forward or aft ones. They are generally less crowded.

Remember that the scooter must be in your cabin overnight.

[CruiseBabys]

She should be very comfortable on the scooter. Scooters can go almost anywhere on the ship, and there aren't many issues.

Tips:

Leave for the muster drill 10 to 15 mins early. After the muster drill it will take some time to return to your cabin.

In general try to avoid the center elevators when possible. Try to use the forward or aft ones. They are generally less crowded.

Remember that the scooter must be in your cabin overnight.

Skynight, I never thought kf that. perfect tip! Thank you

 

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[neverbeenhere]

My suggestion is to have your mother-in-law practice with this scooter with no one around. She doesn't want to run into any other passengers or she may find herself needing an attorney. :(

[Ron the Rev]

I believe the cabin door widths on the aft cabins are 22 inches so check out your intended scooter width. DW is mainly wheelchair bound and we found that the corridors were often blocked by the stewards trolleys so we now only take penthouse suits near the elevators.

[catwoman6226]

Good advice to check the disabled section of the forums, but I've found that that particular one is not very active. A few thoughts from our experiences with mobility scooters:

 

 

It's possible to scoot to the table in the dining room and someone will take the scooter away and park it in the lobby before the door, OR, if you are lucky enough to have the right location, it's possible to park the scooter along a wall next to the table - that's what I did every night on our recent Hawaii cruise. Be warned, though - on a previous cruise it was always the waiter who drove the scooter out to the area before the doors - and they are not experienced scooter drivers! (why would they be?) Make sure the speed is turned all the way down to turtle before letting anyone else on it - and of course, ask for your key back.

 

We have always found that most passengers are very friendly and accommodating at elevators - but sometimes you will have to just park close to the door of one and wait (but leave room for people to get off!) - and if you have to, get on it going the 'wrong' way. Eventually you'll get all the way up, or all the way down, and can then choose your deck of choice. We both travel on scooters and always make the effort to pull into the elevator and go to the left or the right so we aren't taking up all the available space.

 

Practice is essential - on the rented scooters, if you turn the speed up to jackrabbit, you go VERY fast and you do not want to run into anyone. Slow and easy, particularly around corners, is essential.

 

Take advantage of the offer to have someone help you in the buffet - one of the staff will walk with the person on the scooter and hold the plate and will even dish the food on to the plate if you ask them to, and will then follow you to the table - so much easier than trying to navigate a plate, a soup bowl, dessert plate, etc. AND still try to drive the scooter.

 

Most importantly, enjoy your cruise!

Edited October 30, 2017 by catwoman6226
additional information

[Delta Dear]

If your mother-in-law has never used a scooter, go to a local supermarket to practice. It is a good place to master the skill of speed control, steering, turning, reversing etc. There are people around so you get to practice being aware of unpredictable objects moving around you. Some folks don't pay attention to where they are going and will cut right in front of you.

Check to see if there are handicapped/family restrooms in addition to the regular ones. We found that especially convenient on our last cruise. The scooter easily fit in the single bathroom configuration. Otherwise, the corridors where restrooms are located can be a bit crowded if you have to park outside of the restroom.

Somewhere else I read it is best to head into an elevator, then back out. I know hubby tried it both ways. That reverse can be a challenge in small spaces.

 

Take the key when you park the scooter. Crew members seem more than eager to park your scooter for you. Let them.

On our last cruise, we thought we had a bum scooter because it would not go. Oops, the scooter must be unplugged to work. LOL Enjoy the adventure and your cruise.

[USNUZULOOSE]

If your mother-in-law has never used a scooter, go to a local supermarket to practice. It is a good place to master the skill of speed control, steering, turning, reversing etc. There are people around so you get to practice being aware of unpredictable objects moving around you. Some folks don't pay attention to where they are going and will cut right in front of you.

Check to see if there are handicapped/family restrooms in addition to the regular ones. We found that especially convenient on our last cruise. The scooter easily fit in the single bathroom configuration. Otherwise, the corridors where restrooms are located can be a bit crowded if you have to park outside of the restroom.

Somewhere else I read it is best to head into an elevator, then back out. I know hubby tried it both ways. That reverse can be a challenge in small spaces.

 

Take the key when you park the scooter. Crew members seem more than eager to park your scooter for you. Let them.

 

On our last cruise, we thought we had a bum scooter because it would not go. Oops, the scooter must be unplugged to work. LOL Enjoy the adventure and your cruise.

No matter where I am I take the key out so no one can take it.

[jlp20]

Check with website for actual door openings for cabins and verify what you ordered.

Main dining room staff will assist by taking scooter away and returning without issue.

Your issue will be with elevators on busy nights. As a rule pax won't give an inch for scooters, crutches or canes when it comes to switching decks.

[Essiesmom]

On the disabled board it is suggested that you take a brightly colored scarf or other object to attach to the scooter to identify it as yours - or rather, not theirs... As most rental scooters from a company are the same model. EM

[3kidsncats]

Not sure if this counts as a tip or not (or if you're comfortable saying it to your MIL) but when in an elevator, be friendly and courteous when asking for help with pressing the floor button. A few years ago, there was a lady we encountered several times onboard who rudely barked out the floor she wanted. No please, no thank you, and always an imperious and rude tone. By the third time, I refused to push the button for her floor. Something I'm always happy to do for people who need the help, or are not near the panel. If she hadn't been in a scooter, I would have stopped by the second time, lol

[skf]

the only rules observed by scooters were in the same category as Australian Football Rules....(Used to enjoy Aussie football on the Wide World of Sports)

 

Just ask her not to drive at high speed, daring people to get out of the way, with her granddaughter sitting on her lap. (Yes this did happen in a main corridor at a casino in Connecticut. it was like watching the Demolition Derby, also on Wide World.

Steve)

[geocruiser]

I believe you are going on Crown Princess from you cruise list.

The links below are a Accessible routes Maps on board Crown Princess

 

https://www.princess.com/html/global/book/ships/deck-plans/kp-accessible-route-map.pdf

 

https://www.princess.com/deckPlans.do?shipCode=KP

[CruiseBabys]

Thank you all for the great suggestions! I never thought of pax taking the WRONG scooter, I will put a scarf and attach an extra luggage tag on the bbugasket [emoji6]. I will be walking along side mother-in-law scooter and be her safety navigator [emoji818]. AFT Vista Suite door is 22inch, and all scooters provided by "Special Needs @ Sea" are 21 inches ,but arms come off... UGH! might be tight.

 

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[ED49404]

Thank you all for the great suggestions! I never thought of pax taking the WRONG scooter, I will put a scarf and attach an extra luggage tag on the bbugasket [emoji6]. I will be walking along side mother-in-law scooter and be her safety navigator [emoji818]. AFT Vista Suite door is 22inch, and all scooters provided by "Special Needs @ Sea" are 21 inches ,but arms come off... UGH! might be tight.

 

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Have a Great cruise and stay Safe :D.

[DMRick]

Thank you all for the great suggestions! I never thought of pax taking the WRONG scooter, I will put a scarf and attach an extra luggage tag on the bbugasket [emoji6]. I will be walking along side mother-in-law scooter and be her safety navigator [emoji818]. AFT Vista Suite door is 22inch, and all scooters provided by "Special Needs @ Sea" are 21 inches ,but arms come off... UGH! might be tight.

 

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We've not had to take off the arms. It's easiest to push it in, not ride it in. There is a lever in the back bottom, that makes it free wheeling so you can easily push it. Much easier than trying to either ride it in, or push while in gear.

 

 

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[ibfern]

We have a AFT Vista Suite on the Crown and I ordered a small scooter from a vender that Princess uses. This is for my Mother in Law, she has cruised many times, she can walk, but not very far and she can/does know how to use scooters. However, I am nervous about crowds and rules on the ship.

 

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I've stayed in this suite on the Crown, since its aft you are close to Sabatinis and the MDR so all you have to navigate is the aft elevators for food. I've been in a wheelchair too (temporary), some people can be rude and do not necessarily even consider handicapped people's needs so give your self time to get places. We had to wait up to 20 minutes or more for an elevator in that wheelchair, it was a holiday cruise which made it even worse. So bring your patience, give yourself plenty of time to get places, and drive safely! HTH

[CRUISEWITHH]

After many years of my husband using a scooter we have found many situations that are a problem.

 

People do not realize that they cannot just step in front of a scooter or cross in front of a moving scooter, it doesn't stop on a dime! We've experienced this many times and it is hard not to say something to the extent that "if you are hit, it hurts" I worry that someone will sue us one of these days. Our worst experience was in New York where people were so rude that I finally had to walk in front of the scooter to "part the way". That only worked for a few blocks then someone stepped in front of me and I got hit by the scooter when I stopped.

 

We try to get a table in the dining room that is near the entrance, but they tell us "no problem, just drive your scooter to the table. But then they say that the waiter will take it back to the entrance. My husband does not allow anyone to drive his scooter but himself. Why? because they are not familiar with it and should anything happen to it, that would ruin our whole cruise.

 

We have had many many times that the airline has "screwed up" some part of the scooter. Sometimes Princess has been able to assist in getting it fixed enough to continue our cruise but now we are actually making a conscious effort to only cruise out of our home port so that we don't have to fly anywhere.

 

After many years of cruising with a scooter, we've been thru all the rude passenger problems, the try to get an elevator problems, the can't get down the corridor because of the service carts problems and the Lido buffet dining problem. Thou I must say most of the time you just need to ask for assistance and someone is always ready to help my husband with getting his food and taking it back to a table for him. That really helps for us to be able to both eat together, otherwise I would be getting my food and then have to go back for his food and by then my food has gotten cold.

 

Using a scooter is a challenge, but so worth it. We have traveled all over the world with my husbands scooter and it has allowed us to continue to travel which is what we love to do.

 

We usually do not have the problem of being denied tendering, since my husbands scooter is a Tzora and is very light. But the problem comes when you get to land and there is only sand or walkways that are impossible to maneuver.

 

My best suggestion is to go for it. Remember to be polite even if others aren't and enjoy life.

[CruiseBabys]

We've not had to take off the arms. It's easiest to push it in, not ride it in. There is a lever in the back bottom, that makes it free wheeling so you can easily push it. Much easier than trying to either ride it in, or push while in gear.

 

 

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Great Tip! I'll tell my Husband! [emoji4]

 

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[CruiseBabys]

I've stayed in this suite on the Crown, since its aft you are close to Sabatinis and the MDR so all you have to navigate is the aft elevators for food. I've been in a wheelchair too (temporary), some people can be rude and do not necessarily even consider handicapped people's needs so give your self time to get places. We had to wait up to 20 minutes or more for an elevator in that wheelchair, it was a holiday cruise which made it even worse. So bring your patience, give yourself plenty of time to get places, and drive safely! HTH

ibfern, since you have been in D736 VS suite and it's far AFT, does the hallway have a sharp turn to get to the door? TIA

 

 

 

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