Wheelchair embarkation

[pcrum]

Hi:

 

This is our first time on Celebrity and our first time traveling with a guest in a wheelchair.  We are booked in a concierge accessible cabin on Summit departing Dec. 27, 2022.  My question is about embarkation.  Is it like an airline, where those with special needs embark first?  We are traveling with my 90 year old mother and she has her own wheelchair, so we are not renting one at the port (Miami is our port of departure).  I just wondered if we were able to embark first, ahead of the crowds, or do we wait until our zone is called?

 

Thank you.

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

I've never seen them board like an airlines and call out -  Pre-Boarding for those that need assistance boarding.  

 

This is observation only -  usually Suits board first -   Those that need wheelchair assistance have ship crew assist them and push their chairs to the embarkation with others in their group. 

 

Maybe someone who has actually used this service can comment further.

[Ferry_Watcher]

I can only speak about what happens in Seattle.  The upper suite folks are escorted onto the ship, followed by the Sky Suite folks.  This past season it was pretty much open boarding after that initial rush when the ship opened up.  While you should be able to bypass almost all the lines up to, and including check-in, that last leg of your entry onto the ship may be in the general line.

[Arizona Wildcat]

We have always emailed Celebrity special needs 4-8 weeks precruise.

As for boarding, it depends on the port.  Most US ports precovid would assist by moving you to the front of the line - especially with a walker - and call for a Celebrity person to take you from the terminal up the ramp.

Remember the port, not Celebrity, handles things inside the terminal; so depending on staffing help or preferential checkin might not happen.

Hopefully she has a folding wheelchair for on board as it will need to be stored inside your cabin and very difficult if it doesn't fold up.

Edited October 17, 2022 by Arizona Wildcat

[pcrum]

1 minute ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

We have always emailed special needs 4-8 weeks precruise.

As for boarding, it depends on the port.  Most US ports precovid would assist by moving you to the front of the line - especially with a walker - and call for a Celebrity person to take you from the terminal up the ramp.

Remember the port, not Celebrity, handles things inside the terminal; so depending on staffing help or preferential checkin might not happen.

Thank you.  I have printed off the Special Needs form and will submit that ahead of our cruise.

[HS2BS]

We recently embarked from Cape Liberty(Bayonne) on the Summit, and there was a separate area for special needs and as soon as the suites had boarded we did. With your own wheelchair you will still need a pusher, but you do not have to wait for on of the ship’s. This has been similar to boarding in Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Southampton and other ports.

[pcrum]

3 minutes ago, HS2BS said:

We recently embarked from Cape Liberty(Bayonne) on the Summit, and there was a separate area for special needs and as soon as the suites had boarded we did. With your own wheelchair you will still need a pusher, but you do not have to wait for on of the ship’s. This has been similar to boarding in Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Southampton and other ports.

Can we push the wheelchair?  There will be 4 of us traveling, so having someone to push the wheelchair is not an issue.

 

Thank you.

[Angua]

I can't speak to recent cruises, but last time we went out of Miami (probably early 2019) we were with my inlaws, and my MIL had a walker.  As soon as someone saw her they whisked her and my FIL through an express registration process.  They were so quickly whisked away that they ABANDONED us with half their luggage and other accessories to stand in line for 90 minutes to board on our own, because we got separated briefly at the metal detectors.

 

I was not a happy camper carrying my mother in law's purse, carry on bag and cane as well as my own accessories, only to have them call us half way through waiting in the registration line to ask where we were ;-).

 

 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Don't expect wheelchair help in Boston--it's non existent.  Unions prevent Celebrity employees from coming to collect you.  I'll never sail out of Boston again.

 

I suspect it's much better organized in Florida because the cruise lines would probably go out of business if they treated people like we were treated in Boston.  Haven't had occasion to use it in Florida yet.

 

I would suspect that you would be able to push the chair yourselves since it's privately owned.  But if you are not in a suite or a handicapped cabin, there may be an issue getting it through the cabin door.

[pcrum]

3 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

Don't expect wheelchair help in Boston--it's non existent.  Unions prevent Celebrity employees from coming to collect you.  I'll never sail out of Boston again.

 

I suspect it's much better organized in Florida because the cruise lines would probably go out of business if they treated people like we were treated in Boston.  Haven't had occasion to use it in Florida yet.

 

I would suspect that you would be able to push the chair yourselves since it's privately owned.  But if you are not in a suite or a handicapped cabin, there may be an issue getting it through the cabin door.

We have booked a handicapped cabin 

 

Thank you. 

[JFontaine]

Getting on board there are covered gaps,  uphill climbs and joined surfaces. Our port- supplied pushers knew when to turn around and pull over these areas for the safety of the person in the wheelchair. 

 

My advice is to wait until after the initial rush. We board at noon.  

[kathynorth]

I cruised on the Summit with my mother who used her personal wheelchair throughout the cruise. When you check in for your cruise you choose an embarkation time. When we arrived we were immediately  directed to a side priority line, processed and were quickly on the ship. An attendant did push the wheelchair up the very long and steep gangway. He offered to take us to the Buffet, but I took over at that point. We were also provided assistance each time we went off an back on the ship.

[cinderellen]

We sailed earlier this year on the Apex. My husband who has Parkinson’s, uses a rollater/transport chair when we have to walk long distances. We checked in with our group of 18 and a lady came over and directed us to a separate area. Everyone in the group had a wheelchair, walker or crutches. She explained that we would board after the gangway cleared. That way no one would be rushing us or crowding us. We didn’t wait more than 10-15 minutes. It was very nice. 

[Arizona Wildcat]

34 minutes ago, JFontaine said:

Getting on board there are covered gaps,  uphill climbs and joined surfaces. Our port- supplied pushers knew when to turn around and pull over these areas for the safety of the person in the wheelchair. 

 

My advice is to wait until after the initial rush. We board at noon.  

Excellent suggestion.

[Arizona Wildcat]

1 hour ago, pcrum said:

We have booked a handicapped cabin 

 

Thank you. 

PS - an email is fastest and we have gotten a response within about 10 days all but once in some 20 cruises.