Tampa and help w/wheelchair

[Lammy]

I’ll be cruising with my elderly mother on RCCL from Tampa in early March.  The trip is a gift for her, as she’s been mentioning that she misses vacations and for the most part, this seems like the kind of travel she can enjoy.  She can walk short distances with a cane, and can stand for a few minutes but otherwise needs to sit.  We’ll rent a wheelchair to use around the ship and in ports, to be delivered to her stateroom, but she’s worried she may not be able to stand in line while boarding or waiting to board if needed. I completed Royal Carribean’s online special needs accommodations request form asking if we can have a wheelchair meet her; their response was that we should speak with an agent and during peak times there may be a wait.  Can anyone advise, are benches or similar readily available?  Is there a time it’s best to arrive (4:00 pm departure, so usually I’d arrive about 2:00)? Any advice or information appreciated!

[Corby114]

Once you arrive at the terminal ask anyone you see that you require wheelchair assistance. They will tell where the meeting point is in the terminal. Depending on how many wheelchairs they have and how many employees are available will determine how long you will have to wait for service. In most instances they will provide wheelchair assistance from inside the terminal, up the gangway and onto the ship. Not sure if they will escort you directly to your cabin but you can ask them if they will be able to accommodate you.

[Lammy]

Thank you.  Do you know if there are benches/chairs while we wait?

[Corby114]

I have only cruised from Tampa once but if I remember correctly there were plenty of seats in the terminal area for passengers to wait before boarding begins.

[Lammy]

Again, thanks so much!