Foldable power wheelchair on American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC)

[kodykatt]

Anyone familiar with AQSC and the use of wheelchairs on board as well as excursions. AQSC website states "Guests requiring a wheelchair must provide their own collapsible wheelchair".  It sounds like one can only use manual wheelchairs. I have called, left messages and sent emails but no one responds on the use of the newer foldable power wheelchairs. We would love to cruise the Columbia & Snake River but using the manual chair is too difficult for my husband. Appreciate any info.

 

[CRUISEWITHH]

We did a cruise on the American Queen Steamboat to the Lower Mississippi in May 2013 with my husbands scooter.  I was not able to get one of the handicapped staterooms but we did get a "larger stateroom with a double door #453  which was on the back of the Observation Deck.  It wasn't ideal, because the water would splash up from the PADDLE WHEEL and the deck outside our stateroom was always wet and water sometimes came into our stateroom also, but it was a bit larger than the other staterooms and the layout was very convenient with extra room to park the scooter.

 

They had 2 elevators so we were able to get up and down O.K.   When leaving the boat, we would go down to the "lower level" (not a passenger deck) and my husband was able to roll right off the boat from there.  Most of our excursions were easy since they had buses that follow along the shoreline and meet the boat at each stop.  2 of the buses were equipped to handle handicapped scooters and wheelchairs and the drivers told us, the very first day, that they were there to provide us with on/off service as often as needed and they wanted us to enjoy our stops without feeling that we were causing any extra work for them. 

 

All in all, we loved the experience.  The food and service were excellent and we would not hesitate to do it again.

 

I do not know anything about the Columbia & Snake River or the Empress that they use for that cruise but we would love to do that one also.

[VirginiaIsForCruisers]

@CRUISEWITHH-- did that stateroom have a step in shower or a bathtub? I can't lift my leg over the side of a tub, but can do a step in shower.

[CRUISEWITHH]

At the time that we cruised my husband was still able to step over the side of the tub.  He is not able to anymore. Our stateroom DID NOT have a roll in shower.  I don't know if the H/C staterooms have a roll in shower.  Best to call them and ask.