Special Needs at Sea or Scootaround for scooter rental?

[berbet]

Taking a Royal Caribbean cruise. These are the 2 scooter companies who service Royal. I’d love to hear the good, bad and ugly about both. Trying to decide which to book a heavy duty scooter through. Thanks!

 

 

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[xxoocruiser]

Taking a Royal Caribbean cruise. These are the 2 scooter companies who service Royal. I’d love to hear the good, bad and ugly about both. Trying to decide which to book a heavy duty scooter through. Thanks!

 

 

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Both are good companies. Suggest you contact both and compare the prices.

 

FYI - Scootaround's standard scooter is the Pride GoGo which has a 325 lb. weight capacity may be cheaper than SpecialNeedsatSea's full size scooter.

[mosiegirl]

Taking a Royal Caribbean cruise. These are the 2 scooter companies who service Royal. I’d love to hear the good, bad and ugly about both. Trying to decide which to book a heavy duty scooter through. Thanks!

 

 

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I have rented the heavy duty 350lb+ scooter from Special Needs At Sea for almost 10 yrs now each time we cruise. .and i have been thoroughly pleased. Its a nice 3 wheeled easy to handle Pride Victory 10 scooter(look it up) very smooth comfy ride and long battery life. I liked it so much I bought my own when I got home after our first cruise. When you rent with them they have it waiting in your room when you get there..

[carolitis]

If sailing from Ft Lauderdale (do not know about other locations), Special Needs now has a Kiosk at the Pier where can pick up your scooter rental for Embarkation. As we will embark early for our May cruise on Allure, I was stressing about the wheelchair assist depositing me somewhere on the ship and being stuck in one place till cabins open so could get scooter or the scooter guaranteed delivery time of 2pm. Kiosk is right near security at the pier. Looking forward to using the extra mobility time with scooter to get familiarized with the ship, have lunch and meet with about special dietary needs. Meeting up with family so do not want to be the one left behind.

[DMRick]

Special needs includes insurance in the price. Scoot around does not. SN has also been cheaper in price even with insurance included. . Both had the same scooters.

 

 

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[xxoocruiser]

Special needs includes insurance in the price. Scoot around does not. SN has also been cheaper in price even with insurance included. . Both had the same scooters.

 

 

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Have not always found SpecialNeedsatSeas to be the cheaper price. Additionally the price can an does vary greatly if OP needs a full size or Bariatric Size scooter. Personally have found Scooteraround (formerly CareVacations) to have overall better customer service.

 

When wanting a scooter pre or post cruise more often when I tell Scooteraround I'll be responsible for getting the scooter to the ship or from the ship they don't charge me the extra couple of days. SpecialNeedsatSea always charges for the extra couple of days. Bottom Line if cruise on any cruise line other the NCL* one should always compare pricing regardless what's posted on this form.

 

* NCL only allows SpecialNeedsatSeas

[WannaGoNorth]

I just posted a review (negative) in a separate thread. You might want to take a look at it.

[mexico8]

I just posted a review (negative) in a separate thread. You might want to take a look at it.

If I were going to rent a scooter I would pick the "other company" and tell Special Needs at Sea about the negative review on cruise critic and because they did not deal fairly with the person I am not going to rent from them. It might help them to refund her $50 deposit.

[mgdehoyos]

I had a very positive experience with scootaround, especially in deciding to book last minute! SN wouldn’t even consider the booking based on the short turnaround. I thought the cost was fair and I was also enticed to purchase my own scooter after the trip after the positive vacation experience the scooter afforded me.

 

 

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[SusieCruises]

I rented a scooter last year for my cruise on Celebrity (out of Miami) from SCOOTAROUND. I was VERY happy with everything from the initial phone call to inquire about price to the follow-up after the cruise. The scooter was in my room when I arrived on the ship and I only had to leave it in the room at the end of the cruise.

Just a personal note.....I have been on many cruises on different cruise lines and this was the first time I ever rented a scooter. I WILL NEVER CRUISE WITHOUT ONE AGAIN! I can't believe all that I missed by having difficulty getting around! I saw more, did more, and experienced and ENJOYED more than I have on any other cruise!

[honeyclair]

If sailing from Ft Lauderdale (do not know about other locations), Special Needs now has a Kiosk at the Pier where can pick up your scooter rental for Embarkation. As we will embark early for our May cruise on Allure, I was stressing about the wheelchair assist depositing me somewhere on the ship and being stuck in one place till cabins open so could get scooter or the scooter guaranteed delivery time of 2pm. Kiosk is right near security at the pier. Looking forward to using the extra mobility time with scooter to get familiarized with the ship, have lunch and meet with about special dietary needs. Meeting up with family so do not want to be the one left behind.

 

Just contacted Special Needs and they said that they did NOT have a kiosk at Princess terminal. Does anyone know otherwise?

[calico cruiser]

Kiosk only available in Seattle on west coast.  I believe Ft. Lauderdale also.  They have a list of their "white glove service" locations on their website.

[catwoman6226]

Special Needs does have a kiosk in Ft. Lauderdale, but not available for Princess.  I rented a scooter for my cruise in February and confirmed that with them, so unless something has changed in the ~two months since then.....

 

I've rented from Special Needs 4-5 times and have been very happy with their service. 

[VirginiaIsForCruisers]

I've rented from both because I sailed with NCL in 2018 (when their only authorized provider was SNAS) and in 2019 (when their only authorized provider was Scootaround). I rent a bariatric scooter. Both cruises departed out of Miami and were the same length. Scootaround was over $100 cheaper, even paying for the insurance separately. Both had reasonable customer service, though I had asked for a cane holder, which was a separate, five dollar, option on Scootaround. The cane holder was not on the scooter, and when I called, the agent was pretty dismissive, saying it was there and I didn't see it. I don't think so. They did refund the charge for that.

 

The equipment was similar for both companies, though the SNAS scooter was newer and in better shape. I don't know about other cruise lines or ships, but on the NCL Jade, they let people with scooters leave them in the Bliss lounge, which is where the wheelchair assistance employees pick up people who need assistance in disembarking. This was very helpful for me, since it was a hike from my aft cabin. Following both cruises, there were 10+ scooters being left at the lounge. You can ask the customer service desk on the ship if they permit it.

 

I will be going on another cruise in 2020, on Royal. I know both companies are authorized. I think that SNAS has their "white glove" kiosk in Miami, meaning I could get the scooter before going through security and could bypass having a wheelchair pusher to embark and disembark. That might be worth any extra $$.

[cruise_mojo]

rented from scooterround twice with no problems had the scooter delivered to the room

 

once was on oasis and once was on freedom of the seas 

 

pride victory 10 the three wheeler has a shorter turn radius than a four wheeler just be careful if you're up at 3am whizzing along at the max speed up on deck and decide to do a quick turn or you'll end up on your face somewhere! 

 

we bought a victory 10 ctx with the off road suspension and larger tires in the 4 wheel version, it has a larger turn radius but is a way smoother ride and about a 50 pd heavier capacity 

 

we just went on line and compared prices too but in the end we called to book the rentals,    we see both companies represented on the ships all the time

[searoses]

After i booked specialneeds for carnival this week i was informed i had to pick up the scooter before entering the terimal...now im pretty good with a scooter in a supermarket but dont use one otherwise...could not see myself safely navigating the terminal and gangway so cancelled and booked with scootaround...would rather pick it up in the cabin...

[cruise_mojo]

good idea searose 

 

the first time you use on on the cruise this is the way to go, I'd add the insurance if you are gonna take if off ship, what ports are you going to?  

 

if half moon cay some Holland America tenders there will take the scooters and the guys on the tenders will help you but you do have to transit from up top all the way down to the bottom ON the scooter  and there's ramps to allow that and when you get back to the ship you ride it back up to the top of the tender too, there will be a guy on the tender to help you get it back up top too

 

not sure about belieze though if their tenders will take the scooters or not 

 

 

[searoses]

Im following several generations of my tribe to carnival....stt,sju,amber cove and gt...no stairs into the ship pools so i will do those at 2 or 3 of the stops...going to stj on the ferry from stt......only planning to take the scooter off at gt unless they come up with a golf cart or something...i have used a scooter on several cruises but do not like the bumps on the gangway or having to dodge people getting on...easy to feel invisible on a scooter....once my husband was ready to call security as it took me an hr to get back from the muster station... 

[cruise_mojo]

had one of those invisibility talks with someone last cruise, a guy that had had to rehab after an injury 

 

cant recall if I was on the scooter heading back from the buffet with some food for mama or if I was with the walker 

 

karen rides the scooter when she's out but from time to  time she lets me have some fun or I might slip out when she's napping for a joy ride!   we might do continental breaky for pill taking and then I'd hit the windjammer for a couple boiled eggs for her and some scrambled eggs for me and bacon that I could drop the bowl down into the basket  and toss some croissants on top 

 

we have harmony of the seas at Halloween this year and are taking our scooter next and just booked our hotels today, we are going eastern so jan juan I think and coco cay and maybe st marteen 

 

wish you good luck with it! 😎  just run some people over and they'll get the message!

[Going Coastal]

On a more serious note, I would like to commend special needs at sea for their problem solving for me on a recent cruise. If there are no issues, I think any of the approved companies are fine but SN really stepped up this time. 

I was on Solstice from Sydney to Honolulu and rented a scooter because of the size of the ship. The scooter was erratic at low speeds and I am not comfortable using high speed in groups of people. Our room steward who had brought the scooter to the cabin confirmed this and I emailed Kenya at SN. She said she would let housekeeping on the ship know and within 20 minutes an officer came and checked the scooter and by the time I returned from breakfast, it had been replaced by one that ran fine at low speed. 

I am hugely grateful to both SN and Celebrity for this service and will always use Special Needs at Sea when renting equipment. 

[bearlyfree]

On 6/2/2019 at 12:58 PM, Going Coastal said:

On a more serious note, I would like to commend special needs at sea for their problem solving for me on a recent cruise. If there are no issues, I think any of the approved companies are fine but SN really stepped up this time. 

I was on Solstice from Sydney to Honolulu and rented a scooter because of the size of the ship. The scooter was erratic at low speeds and I am not comfortable using high speed in groups of people. Our room steward who had brought the scooter to the cabin confirmed this and I emailed Kenya at SN. She said she would let housekeeping on the ship know and within 20 minutes an officer came and checked the scooter and by the time I returned from breakfast, it had been replaced by one that ran fine at low speed. 

I am hugely grateful to both SN and Celebrity for this service and will always use Special Needs at Sea when renting equipment. 

 

[bearlyfree]

I loved cruising but the difficulty of walking and standing has gotten very prohibitive. For the last few years I send my husband on the excursions and I stay of the ship. We are doing 2 Celebrity cruises in the Spring and I am interested in renting a scooter or a wheelchair so I can enjoy the ports. Can anyone tell me if it is prohibitive to take the scooter or wheelchair on the excursions on Celebrity? I think the scooter would be hard to take on excursions and the wheel chair would fold up easier if allowed. Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Going Coastal]

You are right about the wheelchair taking less space.  If your husband is willing to push you when needed it would be a good choice.  It will fit under the bus and  you can still see what you want.You can rent this just like a scooter.  Just ask Celebrity who they use for rentals on your itinerary.

Have a wonderful trip,

[cruise_mojo]

just back from a Disney trip we rented a length of stay scooter from scooter bug at the Disney Caribbean for 195 for a whole week although we were only there for 6 days for 195 and that included inshonce and a few other goodies that's a great deal for a 4 wheel victory ten 

 

but I felt kind of sketchy in the short run with scootaround in jaxport we've rented with them plenty of times on 7 day royal cruises from cape c and tampa but on ecstasy they said online and the phone they only had the normal 400lb available in jax even after being on hold for about 10 minutes then for a four day cruise they were charging me like 275 or 280 for insurance and cancellation insurance too! we had some points to redeem so took the deal and end payment was like 260 ish for a 4 day cruise!!!

 

ouch!!!  anyway the nice carnival ladies when we got to the terminal let me know instantly they had big blue a scooter that a guy had specially delivered to them a couple years ago thru scootaround that is a 500+ maxima scooter of prides so they let me have it but they also told me they'd have rented to me a lot cheaper had I just waited till I got to port, of course they only had the one - I'd have been fine with a victory ten as long as Id have gotten up the boarding ramp and they may have had to push me a bit since that new ramp is a steep back and forth deal and you can't board accessible people at ground level like they used to for years there. 

 

anyway we had a great time but no way will that monster fit in the room on the balcony accessible rooms, its almost as wide as the hallways! it might fit into the main and Riviera deck cabins though 

 

 

 

[bearlyfree]

47 minutes ago, cruise_mojo said:

just back from a Disney trip we rented a length of stay scooter from scooter bug at the Disney Caribbean for 195 for a whole week although we were only there for 6 days for 195 and that included inshonce and a few other goodies that's a great deal for a 4 wheel victory ten 

 

but I felt kind of sketchy in the short run with scootaround in jaxport we've rented with them plenty of times on 7 day royal cruises from cape c and tampa but on ecstasy they said online and the phone they only had the normal 400lb available in jax even after being on hold for about 10 minutes then for a four day cruise they were charging me like 275 or 280 for insurance and cancellation insurance too! we had some points to redeem so took the deal and end payment was like 260 ish for a 4 day cruise!!!

 

ouch!!!  anyway the nice carnival ladies when we got to the terminal let me know instantly they had big blue a scooter that a guy had specially delivered to them a couple years ago thru scootaround that is a 500+ maxima scooter of prides so they let me have it but they also told me they'd have rented to me a lot cheaper had I just waited till I got to port, of course they only had the one - I'd have been fine with a victory ten as long as Id have gotten up the boarding ramp and they may have had to push me a bit since that new ramp is a steep back and forth deal and you can't board accessible people at ground level like they used to for years there. 

 

anyway we had a great time but no way will that monster fit in the room on the balcony accessible rooms, its almost as wide as the hallways! it might fit into the main and Riviera deck cabins though