Scooter users...port help needed

[airdale]

We will hit...St Maarten, St Kitts, San Juan and Grand Turk during our cruise.  Anyone who used a scooter while in one of these ports, please tell me if you went off the ship or stayed on board.  If you took your scooter off the ship...in which port?  What did you do in that port and where did you go?  Did you take any paid excursions?  Did you use a cab or other type of transportation while taking your scooter along?  I am trying to figure how restricted I am going to be in the ports.  Thank you very much for your responses.  Don

[kokopelli-az]

We have been to all these islands. My husband is the scooter user and he has taken it off the ship at all these ports. We do not venture very far from the ship any more but we typically get off for a short time at least. We have never taken any type of accessibile excursion since the scooter (with the exception of St Maartin). Check with your cruiseline to see what types of accessible tours they might be offering on your sailing. Below are several links to sites with accessibility reviews (and some accessible tour recommendations) of these islands:

 

St Kitts. This site has a review of its accessibility:

https://spintheglobe.net/dir/2019/01/28/cruise-port-of-call-wheelchair-accessibility-review-basseterre-st-kitts/

 

And here is a video of the shopping area right off the ship:

 

 

St Maarten. One time we took an accessible tour from the ship that took us to the French side of the island. The vehicle for this tour had a lift for those in wheelchairs or scooters. However, the last couple of times we have gone to the Harbour Point Village just off the ship.

 

Accessibility reviews: https://spintheglobe.net/dir/2019/10/02/cruise-port-of-call-wheelchair-accessibility-review-philipsburg-sint-maarten-st-martin/

 

https://www.curbfreewithcorylee.com/2014/07/28/wheelchair-accessible-st-maarten/

 

San Juan. Unless your cruise originates in San Juan, you will probably be docking in Old Town, which is not our favorite place to get off the ship. In any event, you could at least get off the ship and go a ways to see how comfortable you are with the streets and sidewalks. If your ship originates in San Juan, you will probably dock at the Pan American Pier.

 

Accessibility reviews: https://www.accessiblecaribbeanvacations.com/san-juan-puerto-rico-disabled-access#.Xlq5eKhKjs0

 

https://www.curbfreewithcorylee.com/2014/07/31/wheelchair-accessible-san-juan/

 

Grand Turk: Also has a large tourist shopping area right off the ship.

 

Accessibility reviews:

 

https://www.accessiblecaribbeanvacations.com/grand-turk-disabled-access#.Xlq8jKhKjs0

https://www.curbfreewithcorylee.com/2014/08/04/grand-turk-cruise-center-reviews/

 

 

[airdale]

Man O' Man, OOPS!  SORRY!  WOMAN O' WOMAN!  Ha, ha, ha, ha!  

Thank you the great videos!  It looks like maybe the accessible tour in St Maarten, but NOT for $200.  HUM?  St Kitt sounds pretty good also.  Now it really surprised me that there was not handicap accessable ramps, sidewalks, etc. in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  I mean it is a part of the USA, maybe not a state, but still.  Grand Turk will be one of those..."My foot touched the soil."  He saw 3 cabs in Grand Turk...in 7 miles in length and 1 1/2 miles wide it may have been accually ONLY ONE CAB...the driver just changed door decals twice around the island.  I mean, how long can it take to drive a 20 mile circle?

[FOPMan]

For Grand Turk- the  Carnival-built port area is highly accessible (there are a couple of weird dead-/ends, and getting around the inside of Margaritaville could be a bit easier).

 

There is an accessible tour tram- you may have to go outside the cruise port area gates to get it. They use a fold-over steel ramp and will help give you a push up the ramp and assistance steering down. If you haven't been before, it's worth it for an island overview. When you stop, be sure to go get some conch fritters!

 

Th streets of Old Town San Juan are a bit rough, and curb cuts aren't always there or are good.

 

the hop-on-hop-off trolley does not take wheelchairs/scooters. You can get to the fort (the closer one, not the further one), and the cathedral is doable.

[catwoman6226]

We've been to St. Maarten twice with the scooters - no issues at all.

 

Grand Turk, however, was a no-go for me last year.  We were on the Regal, and the ramp had a big bump that meant I couldn't ride the scooter down, and I was having a bad day, so even though they offered to lift the scooter over the bad parts and let me walk down the steep ramp, I couldn't handle it.  Have fun and I hope you have better luck than I did.  Was glad to hear that Grand Turk has a  nice shopping area - maybe next time!

[airdale]

Catwoman6226, thank you for that information.  I have heard about a hump before but it seems like Carnivals pier makes it easier?  We will see.  It also sounds like there isn't much to see...shopping and Margaretville for lunch.  It sounds like it is one of those ports where you go to on land just so you can say you have been in the port.  Thanks again!  Don

[VirginiaIsForCruisers]

I was just in San Juan this week. I use a scooter. A friend in a powerchair and I went around the port area and the first two streets of old town. It was rough. As was noted earlier, curb cuts are not always there and some are very steep. Also, the cobblestones make for rough riding. The sidewalks are narrow. Finally, old town is very steep. It was scary coming back down hill. In fact, another woman from my cruise had her scooter overturn in old town and broke her shoulder.

 

I can't help with the other ports.

[dmndlil]

On 2/29/2020 at 3:04 PM, kokopelli-az said:

We have been to all these islands. My husband is the scooter user and he has taken it off the ship at all these ports. We do not venture very far from the ship any more but we typically get off for a short time at least. We have never taken any type of accessibile excursion since the scooter (with the exception of St Maartin). Check with your cruiseline to see what types of accessible tours they might be offering on your sailing. Below are several links to sites with accessibility reviews (and some accessible tour recommendations) of these islands:

 

Grand Turk: Also has a large tourist shopping area right off the ship.

 

Accessibility reviews:

 

https://www.accessiblecaribbeanvacations.com/grand-turk-disabled-access#.Xlq8jKhKjs0

https://www.curbfreewithcorylee.com/2014/08/04/grand-turk-cruise-center-reviews/

 

We were in Grand Turk in November 2020.  Hubby uses a Pride GoGo and we went on the Island Tram for a tour of the island.  They have a ramp available for wheelchairs and small scooters.  We did not go to the beach, but the pool has a zero entry area without steps which was nice

 

 

[Covepointcruiser]

Historic areas (old San Juan) are rarely accessible.   Even able bodied individuals had better keep their wits about them.   Cobblestones, and uneven paths can be treacherous.

[gadaboutgal]

I've used my scooter to get around the ports of St. Martin and San Juan.   I like to go just down to town from St. Martin's dock.  Sidewalks on the way make it pretty easy: some cobblestone in the boardwalk area make a bumpy ride but not too bad' and when I go down the main shopping street, I just drive in the one way street keeping an eye on who might need to pass.

In San Juan, I go up and come down the hill streets, but always try to do so straight on as I don't want to take a chance of tipping with my 3 wheeler(which is more than likely to happen.) 

True that most of the streets do not have curb cuts but, again, I usually stay on the street--just as if I am a walker, and following the same rules of the road for any pedestrian, walk opposite of the on-coming traffic.