Alaska with a couple of elderly ladies

[SportTourer]

My wife and I are planning an AK cruise for the summer of 2020 as a 90th birthday present for my mother.  My 79 y/o mother in law will be joining us.  We plan to cruise one way northbound out of Vancouver.  Considering the age of the ladies, we will need a ship with easy access, and probably with wheelchairs available.  They are both fairly mobile but that could change at any time, give their ages.  Their main desire is sightseeing.  Fine dining, entertainment, etc are not priorities.  We are open to the idea of a smaller ship that could get us in to more remote places.  Given these metrics, what lines and ships should I be looking at?  Thanks in advance!

[Cheryl H]

What a wonderful birthday present.  I cannot speak to smaller lines and ships.....but we did our first Alaska cruise as a northbound out of Vancouver.  It seems to me the flight times offered home from Anchorage were all redeyes.  Flying home after an exhausting week, on a very late flight was hard on me and I was just 46 at the time.  That's the one thing that I would have done differently....taking the long flight to Anchorage first and then cruising southbound.  Once you decide on a cruise line, you might call their special needs number about whether wheelchairs are available or not.  We were with a friend in a wheelchair on a cruise once, but she brought her own.  Happy Birthday to your mother.

[PRPLE]

Most lines have wheelchairs for

emergency use... that said you will

pronanly want to either bring your own or rent from one of the companies authorized by your cruise line... most use Special Needs At Sea... I’ve used them for scooter rental.  The rental item is in your cabin... the dock folks will have wheelchair help (there sometimes is a wait) to get you aboard.  

 

As someone one who needs help periodically I travel with a walker that has a seat.... I usually need it not for walking but so I have a seat when I get tired.  I got a great one on amazon that folds up super small for transport...  if interested I’ll find the link.   

[VennDiagram]

13 hours ago, SportTourer said:

We are open to the idea of a smaller ship that could get us in to more remote places. 

 

Can you describe what a "smaller ship" means to you?  50 pax? 500 pax? 1000 pax?

[katrina915]

I would caution smaller ships, but depends what you mean by that.  Look at ship designs and make sure a clear path for rollator or wheelchair (whatever you decide).  And rent to bring along or delivered to cabin.  I would post certain ships once you get it narrowed down and get others' opinions (there is also a disabled board that could be very helpful).

 

If they would need a mobility device, they would be eligible for accessible cabin which you should then book.

If they can get in an out of bus, then they could take most excusions that are labeled "easy".  Whale watching in Juneau, train in Skagway, etc.

 

I took my 91 year father to Europe on cruise and we went to Alaska when he was 82.  Nice of you to do it, but what they can/want to do depends on mobility.  No matter what ship, I would advise rollator or wheelchair since there is a lot of walking. 

 

I would read excursions very carefully to see what activity is required and see what they want to do.  You could always rent a car at port- I had a lightweight wheelchair for Dad that was easily collapsible and survived the cobblestones of Paris.

 

 

 

[SportTourer]

1 hour ago, VennDiagram said:

 

Can you describe what a "smaller ship" means to you?  50 pax? 500 pax? 1000 pax?

By smaller ship I mean one of the ships that can get into more remote areas.  It would still have to have a deckplan and cabins that would be wheelchair friendly.

[SportTourer]

13 hours ago, Cheryl H said:

What a wonderful birthday present.  I cannot speak to smaller lines and ships.....but we did our first Alaska cruise as a northbound out of Vancouver.  It seems to me the flight times offered home from Anchorage were all redeyes.  Flying home after an exhausting week, on a very late flight was hard on me and I was just 46 at the time.  That's the one thing that I would have done differently....taking the long flight to Anchorage first and then cruising southbound.  Once you decide on a cruise line, you might call their special needs number about whether wheelchairs are available or not.  We were with a friend in a wheelchair on a cruise once, but she brought her own.  Happy Birthday to your mother.

We will probably spend a night in Anchorage before flying home.  I like the northbound route because the scenery gets better as you travel.

[VennDiagram]

19 hours ago, SportTourer said:

By smaller ship I mean one of the ships that can get into more remote areas.  It would still have to have a deckplan and cabins that would be wheelchair friendly.

 

19 hours ago, SportTourer said:

We will probably spend a night in Anchorage before flying home.  I like the northbound route because the scenery gets better as you travel.

 

If wheelchairs are a consideration you will also need a ship with elevators.  And a ship that actually permits wheelchairs.  I suggest you post on the Disabled Travel board here to find out  which "small ships" allow wheelchairs.  I was surprised to learn Oceania (???) (I think, but verify this) doesn't allow wheelchairs. 

 

Disabled Travel Board: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/114-disabled-cruise-travel/

 

As for "the scenery gets better as you travel" north, I think it is far FAR more important to consider the well being of the moms.  At their ages, a day of potentially ghastly flights getting home seems like a very bad trade-off for any slight improvement in the scenery.  If this trip is primarily for them, it is important that their needs/comfort/abilities be kept front of mind. 

 

 

[VennDiagram]

Re:  wheelchair availability onboard.  When I have traveled with people who use them, we have had to rent them.  When you decide on a cruise line, contact that cruise line's Special Needs department.  I think you will find that the cruise line does not provide wheelchairs, they have a limited # available for emergency use only.  

[dundeene]

Oceania (having sailed 9 times) does indeed allow scooters, wheelchairs etc.  For safety reasons they actually enforce the maritime rule that these items never be stored in the corridors. These would make evacuation in the event of a catastrophe very, very dangerous.

If you have a mobility device it must be stored in your stateroom.  The handicapped rooms on Oceania have plenty of interior space for this reason.

Oceania does not have as many 80+-year-old cruisers as some lines like HAL. Their cruises tend to be very port intensive and they don't attract as many of the cruisers who never leave the ship.

[VennDiagram]

52 minutes ago, dundeene said:

Oceania (having sailed 9 times) does indeed allow scooters, wheelchairs etc.  For safety reasons they actually enforce the maritime rule that these items never be stored in the corridors.

 

Thank you 🙂  I will double-check with the friend who told me, and see which line it was (since it wasn't Oceania!)

[luvteaching]

My DH has mobility issues and will be 79 this year. We rent a scooter for delivery to the ship and have used a walker. We travel primarily on Holland America and have done some Princess trips. All the ships we've been on are very handicapped accessible and we've had no problems at all. If you do rent scooters be sure the moms have plenty of practice using them before they board. At Seattle the handicapped accessible helpers are wonderful. We drive down and DH is in a wheelchair right from the shuttle until after check-in, then seated. Once the ship is ready for him to board he is in another wheelchair and we are taken right to the cabin where the scooter is waiting. 

As for your comment about scenery - no matter what ship you are on the scenery is great. Going out of Vancouver gets you the inside passage moreso than Seattle. If you really want small ships and more ports look at the 14-day on the Amsterdam this year out of Seattle and it's out of Vancouver next year. They visit some ports that don't see many cruise ships. We love that itinerary! 

Karen

[peg013]

On 2/23/2019 at 8:12 AM, VennDiagram said:

 

 

If wheelchairs are a consideration you will also need a ship with elevators.  And a ship that actually permits wheelchairs.  I suggest you post on the Disabled Travel board here to find out  which "small ships" allow wheelchairs.  I was surprised to learn Oceania (???) (I think, but verify this) doesn't allow wheelchairs. 

 

Disabled Travel Board: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/114-disabled-cruise-travel/

 

As for "the scenery gets better as you travel" north, I think it is far FAR more important to consider the well being of the moms.  At their ages, a day of potentially ghastly flights getting home seems like a very bad trade-off for any slight improvement in the scenery.  If this trip is primarily for them, it is important that their needs/comfort/abilities be kept front of mind. 

 

 

 

I personally would rather they get tired on the way home than spend the entire cruise wiped out from the longer flight TO the cruise.  Plus the OP already said they will rest for at least one night in Anchorage before flying home.