Scooter use in San Juan, Tortola, and St. Kitts

[phoenix_dream]

First time traveling with a relative who needs to use a scooter.  I understand San Juan might be very difficult to get around due to hills and cobblestone streets?  I think St. Kitts has a nice little shopping area we can go to.  I don't recall the port at Tortola - can anyone help with that?

 

Secondly, are there taxi services or tour companies on these islands who could handle a disabled person using a scooter?  He's never been to any of these islands and it would be nice if he could see them.  The cruise line (Celebrity) has a very, very limited number of tours with accessibility.

[kokopelli-az]

Is this your relative's scooter or is he going to rent one for the cruise?   If it is his own scooter and is small enough, taken apart it may fit into the trunk of a taxi.  The rental scooters can be broken down, too, but you might want to practice breaking it down ahead of time.   If you have a wheelchair there will be a lot more tour options.  You might have all this already taken care of, but your relative will probably need an accessible stateroom (scooters have to be 23" or less to fit through standard stateroom doors).  You will need to advise Celebrity's Access Dept that there will be a scooter; they will have a form for you to complete.  

 

San Juan:   we do not even get off here any more.  The big Walgreens (can't miss it) right off the ship seems to have the best sidewalks around it.   You do have to cross a busy street to get there but there is usually someone directing traffic.  You will have to pick and choose your exact route since not every street corner (or sidewalk for that matter) is scooter friendly.  

 

St Kitts:   Very accessible right off the ship.  If you want to go further, you should probably book an accessible tour.

Here's someone describing this port of call:  https://spintheglobe.net/dir/2019/01/28/cruise-port-of-call-wheelchair-accessibility-review-basseterre-st-kitts/

Sage is one company that offers tours here:  https://www.accessiblecaribbeanvacations.com/st-kitts-accessible-shore-excursions (they also offer accessible excursions of Tortola)

And a video taken right off the ship so you can see the accessibility:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfDNj3KL_is

 

Tortola:  Very accessible right off the ship.

Here's some information, including a video, to show you the accessibility:

https://cruiseportadvisor.com/port/tortola-british-virgin-islands/

 

With St Kitts and Tortola, there's a lot to see right off the ship.  

 

 

[phoenix_dream]

5 hours ago, kokopelli-az said:

Is this your relative's scooter or is he going to rent one for the cruise?   If it is his own scooter and is small enough, taken apart it may fit into the trunk of a taxi.  The rental scooters can be broken down, too, but you might want to practice breaking it down ahead of time.   If you have a wheelchair there will be a lot more tour options.  You might have all this already taken care of, but your relative will probably need an accessible stateroom (scooters have to be 23" or less to fit through standard stateroom doors).  You will need to advise Celebrity's Access Dept that there will be a scooter; they will have a form for you to complete.  

 

San Juan:   we do not even get off here any more.  The big Walgreens (can't miss it) right off the ship seems to have the best sidewalks around it.   You do have to cross a busy street to get there but there is usually someone directing traffic.  You will have to pick and choose your exact route since not every street corner (or sidewalk for that matter) is scooter friendly.  

 

St Kitts:   Very accessible right off the ship.  If you want to go further, you should probably book an accessible tour.

Here's someone describing this port of call:  https://spintheglobe.net/dir/2019/01/28/cruise-port-of-call-wheelchair-accessibility-review-basseterre-st-kitts/

Sage is one company that offers tours here:  https://www.accessiblecaribbeanvacations.com/st-kitts-accessible-shore-excursions (they also offer accessible excursions of Tortola)

And a video taken right off the ship so you can see the accessibility:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfDNj3KL_is

 

Tortola:  Very accessible right off the ship.

Here's some information, including a video, to show you the accessibility:

https://cruiseportadvisor.com/port/tortola-british-virgin-islands/

 

With St Kitts and Tortola, there's a lot to see right off the ship.  

 

 

Thank you so much for the detailed info. He is renting a scooter and unfortunately won’t have a wheelchair with him. He can walk short distances with a walker but has diabetic neuropathy in his feet so is afraid to walk too far so his strength has deteriorated. I’ll check out the handicapped tours and see what his thoughts are. Thanks again 

[Scooter girl 58]

I use a small mobility scooter and got off the ship and managed to get round fine in San Juan.  The only problem was looking for drop curbs, but I find that a problem in many places.  I was fast tracked back onto the ship as I was checked over by a lovely police dog so I could then bypass security.  

[kokopelli-az]

2 hours ago, Scooter girl 58 said:

I use a small mobility scooter and got off the ship and managed to get round fine in San Juan.  

I agree that a small mobility scooter would do better.   The ones that are rented (at least from the on-line companies mentioned here al the time) are not that small.  

[Scooter girl 58]

The Pride Go Go is the usual one that the rental companies use and I owned one of those for many years and used it  on many cruises  and it would definitely  be suitable for San Juan. 

 

 

[mets123]

On 11/1/2022 at 5:52 AM, Scooter girl 58 said:

The Pride Go Go is the usual one that the rental companies use and I owned one of those for many years and used it  on many cruises  and it would definitely  be suitable for San Juan. 

 

 

Just keep in mind that if you're going to do more than ride around the water front in San Juan, you're going to have to deal with hills. And many streets are cobblestone. Agree that the other two are a piece of cake.

.

[misguy]

You can rent a Whill Ci or C2, and they are small, and can be broken down.  They work better on the ship than most, you don't have to transfer for a meal.  You can get these from Scootaround.  They also have collapsing scooters the can be folded up and put in the trunk of a vehicle.