Skagway White Pass Railroad Accessible Car

[SLOlady2014]

We are just back from our 5th cruise to Alaska with Princess, but my first since needing to use a wheelchair part-time due to MD. I purchased WPRR tickets thru Princess before our cruise, requesting seats in the accessible car, since my husband would be pushing me in my transport chair. I am unable to climb steps. Once we boarded our ship, I received a voice mail as well as a written notice informing me that the accessible car was ONLY for those confined to wheelchairs, and to please certify that I was truly wheelchair bound. We went to the ship's tour desk to explain my situation, where the agent repeatedly told me I wasn't qualified to use the lift car since I could stand on my own and use a cane, and that someone would be able to help me up the steps of the train. After telling her that we would need to cancel if I could not use the lift, she gave me the tickets. On the day of our train ride, I expected to find the accessible car full, for why else would it be so difficult to get a seat? Nope, our car only held us and one other couple. For anyone taking the WPRR, please know that the actual WPRR employees were wonderful, and the train ride was beautiful! The WPRR is a great option for those with mobility issues. 

[Less2me]

Thank you so much for posting your experience! I am in exactly your situation, using a transport chair. I have already purchased the accessible excursion in Skagway but didn't know exactly how it worked.

I was on the train several years ago and I remember how difficult the steps were even with assistance. If questioned I'll remember to insist on the lift.

 

Happy cruising.

[Brerpossum]

Kay can walk short distances with a cane.  Steps are very difficult, and we have to be very careful.  (major back surgery – osteoporosis).  We booked this tour a couple of years ago through Celebrity assessable shore excursions before the cruise.

ShorexAccess@rccl.com

They sent us a pdf file of assessable shore excursions that we picked our tours from.  We really enjoyed the train ride and the Alaska cruise.

[jlp20]

White Pass is not owned by any cruise line. From what I could tell, on Princess, they were not connected in real time with the excursion. The SHIP PERSONNEL have no idea of the number of seats available. White Pass can add another regular rail car with little problem. However there appears to be only one accessible car with lift. I can only imagine White Pass has given strict instructions on who can/can not book this particular rail car. We were the only ship in port and rail car was over half filled

 

 

[SLOlady2014]

18 hours ago, jlp20 said:

White Pass is not owned by any cruise line. From what I could tell, on Princess, they were not connected in real time with the excursion. The SHIP PERSONNEL have no idea of the number of seats available. White Pass can add another regular rail car with little problem. However there appears to be only one accessible car with lift. I can only imagine White Pass has given strict instructions on who can/can not book this particular rail car. We were the only ship in port and rail car was over half filled

 

 

We were told by the conductor on WPRR that they have two lift cars which are provided for people who cannot access the train by using stairs. Unlike some other lifts that we have used, the lifts on the train allowed my husband to roll my transport chair onto the lift pad and ride up with me, rolling me into the car himself. The cruise lines sell a limited number of accessible seats, so by reserving one of those seats well in advance, there shouldn’t have been a space issue, and there wasn’t. When the ship’s tour desk employee was questioning me, I told her that if it was a matter of another disabled person booking at the last minute and needing the seat, we would gladly give our seats up, because we have done the train ride before. That wasn’t the problem. And, again, the WPRR employees were wonderful.