Leaving from Port Everglades--what you should know In case you take your own wheelchair on the cruise

[luvn2cruzzz]

In case you use your own wheelchair, I don’t want you to be blindsided like I was at Port Everglades.  When we got to the terminal, I said I would need some help pushing my husband as I also had carryon luggage and couldn’t do both.  I was asked if it was our wheelchair and when I said yes, I was told no one could touch our wheelchair for liability reasons.  What?  And that person was not kidding. I somehow pushed him and the luggage through security and a person working there said she would help because she thought ‘it was a stupid policy.’  To make a very long story a bit shorter, we finally got upstairs and put our name on the list for a HAL wheelchair assist.  Unfortunately, we were at the bottom and the people waiting had been there for over an hour.  So, I decided I would take the carryons to the cabin and come back and get my husband.  I inquired if this was possible no less than three times and was told yes.  So off I went.  When I got to security, I again asked the question and was told that once I boarded the ship I could not leave.  The security officer felt sorry for me and said I could leave the carryons with her which was incredibly kind.  I re-entered the terminal, got my husband, and boarded the ship—finally.  People who were on the list ahead of us were still waiting for assistance so in the long run, even with the hassle, the decision made sense.  On board, I asked at the front desk at least three times during the cruise if this would be a problem disembarking and was told an absolute ‘no’—I just needed to get him to the Ocean Bar which is what we did and a kind HAL employee wheeled him into the terminal but then he could go no further and no one in the terminal would touch the wheel chair—again.  I complained perhaps a little loudly to someone who looked like he was in charge and he finally and reluctantly directed a terminal employee to help and through customs we went.  Wish I had known though we couldn’t have done anything differently under the circumstances. We still had a wonderful cruise on the Nieuw Statendam!

[GeezerCouple]

This suggestion won't help with the wait; you'd still be at whatever position you'd be in per time of arrival.

 

However, to deal with the "they won't touch *OUR* wheelchair that <someone> is using for liability reasons:  Request a "proper" wheelchair, whatever they use.  That's where the person goes after you transfer your carry-on luggage to your new Luggage Transport System, previously known as "your old wheelchair".

 

🙂

 

But you'd still have that wait...

 

GC

[Cruise Suzy]

10 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

However, to deal with the "they won't touch *OUR* wheelchair that <someone> is using for liability reasons:  Request a "proper" wheelchair, whatever they use.  That's where the person goes after you transfer your carry-on luggage to your new Luggage Transport System, previously known as "your old wheelchair".

 

At Port Everglades, I have seen many personal rollators and wheelchairs being used for carry-on luggage. The person who needs wheelchair assistance rides in the terminal's wheelchair and his/her companion pushes the rollator/wheelchair. I have even seen a solo passenger riding in a wheelchair and guiding their personal rollator with luggage along side.

 

Terminal assistance is limited to wheelchairs provided by the terminal or ship.