Sky Suite vs Celebrity Suite on Apex with Scooter

[yogagal47]

We are booked on the January 6 Apex western Caribbean. We are taking a sky suite in the retreat. Friends would like to join us, but the assessable suites are all taken. Our friend uses a small tricycle style scooter, which can fold up. I felt like they should book the celebrity suite a class up from the sky suite is that would give her a little more room to move around in the cabin. There is another category of sky sweet that I think is at the back of the ship but I’m not sure how much bigger is. Just wondering if anyone has had the experience of having any of these cabins with mobility issues? 

[Shiba_Lover]

I would have the travel agent call Celebrity ask about an accessible sky suite. They may be holding some back for those who truly need them.  Celebrity sure are larger than sky suite, but the bedroom, bathroom and veranda areas are still not necessarily made for accessibility.  I have stayed in the aft corners sky suite which I think you are referring to as well.  It is not a great deal larger than the sky suite, just a different layout.  And again, the bathroom and veranda will have a ridge, so you could not get a scooter into them

Edited March 30, 2023 by ehall

[Jeremiah1212]

The CS definitely has more open floor space in the main cabin but the bathroom may be a problem. It’s very tight. I prefer the SS bathroom over the CS. Both have the tub/shower combo that you would have to step in to. Watch some YouTube videos to get a better idea. 

[yogagal47]

9 minutes ago, ehall said:

I would have the travel agent call Celebrity ask about an accessible sky suite. They may be holding some back for those who truly need them.  Celebrity sure are larger than sky suite, but the bedroom, bathroom and veranda areas are still not necessarily made for accessibility.  I have stayed in the aft corners sky suite which I think you are referring to as well.  It is not a great deal larger than the sky suite, just a different layout.  And again, the bathroom and veranda will have a ridge, so you could not get a scooter into them

Thanks

I had not thought about the holding back business!

[wineoclock]

I’ve been in both CS & viewed SS on Apex.
 

Without my husband’s help I could not get in & out of bath/shower combo. There were no accessible SS left when we booked & I would be reluctant to book a standard SS or CS again. I don’t think there are accessible CS on X ships. 

[Baynanno1]

The space around the bed in the separate bedroom of a CS is quite tight, also most of the hanging space in the suite requires access past the bed.

[yogagal47]

35 minutes ago, wineoclock said:

I’ve been in both CS & viewed SS on Apex.
 

Without my husband’s help I could not get in & out of bath/shower combo. There were no accessible SS left when we booked & I would be reluctant to book a standard SS or CS again. I don’t think there are accessible CS on X ships. 

We did speak with one of the celebrity agents on the phone and the sweet category accessible cabins are all booked.

They will give her a stool for the shower. They can also make available a raise toilet seat if necessary. She will be ok with the step for the bath. Also, the cabin location is right by the forward elevators leading to many of the retreat, spaces and Luminae restaurant. And the spa.

[Gracie115]

There is no step up to the bathroom in the CS on Apex.  The bath/shower IS difficult to get in and out of and there is no "real" grab bar inside the tub itself.  Just a half bar. When the ship is rocking if you are in high seas it can be very unsteady when taking a shower.  I'm not mobility challenged, but did not like the bath/shower especially in rough seas which we had a lot of on the fall 2022 TA. 

[H2OH!]

Does your friend need to scooter for long distances or does she need it all the time in a cabin?  

 

I traveled with my mom who used a scooter. We booked a regular sky suite for us several times. She got in the shower 1-2 times during the cruise and only when docked in port. The tub is VERY hard to get in and out of. She sponge bathed the rest of the time and got her hair done at the salon. The tub is REALLY hard to get in and out of. We found the size of the sky suite was perfect to park the scooter and charge it since my mom could ambulate with her 4 prong cane when in cabin. Mom needed the scooter for distance. 

 

When I traveled with my mom and sister (who has MS), we booked a royal suite for the walk in shower (celebrity provided a shower chair) and the second bathroom where we had the over the toilet raised chair because my sister needed handles to get off/on toilet. Plus we needed the extra room for 2 scooters--- one for my mom and one for my sister. During this last trip, my mom was on oxygen 24/7. We worked with celebrity to ensure the oxygen concentrator was there with a humidifier, the bath bench and toilet seat. Mom had a portable oxygen unit but we needed a concentrator in cabin. This trip was alot of work to make happen. So glad we did it as was my mom's last cruise and my sister can no longer cruise due to dizziness. The memories are priceless.

 

Best story was when we ate at Lawn Club Grill. When we were done eating, two of the crew went to get the scooters for my mom and sister. They decided to have some fun and were racing each other around the deck and as they kept passing us they would wave and keep riding...it was on of the funniest things ever. This memory will with us forever. 

 

Lastly, my husband and i have traveled in a celebrity suite many times. I agree with what the others have said. If she needs the scooter in the cabin and near the bed, it is too tight in the bedroom to make that work.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2023 by H2OH!

[Shiba_Lover]

17 hours ago, yogagal47 said:

Thanks

I had not thought about the holding back business!

They don't hold to prevent business.  They sometimes hold them since they are larger and the same price.  They"hide" then from view, but they are available for those that may truly need them if that makes sense.   Like a person who doesn't need it would not book it just because it is a larger room ( which sadly happens).  Celebrity may good back one or two, and when someone who needs one calls to ask, they do have them.  

[TeeRick]

Another way to look at it is area (sq ft). The Sky suite is 1.5x traditional balcony cabin.  The CS is 2x the size.  The CS has a separate enclosed bedroom.

[yogagal47]

5 minutes ago, ehall said:

They don't hold to prevent business.  They sometimes hold them since they are larger and the same price.  They"hide" then from view, but they are available for those that may truly need them if that makes sense.   Like a person who doesn't need it would not book it just because it is a larger room ( which sadly happens).  Celebrity may good back one or two, and when someone who needs one calls to ask, they do have them.  

My TA put me on speaker with the Celebrity Rep-he clearly understands that our friend has a disability and uses a scooter but he stated there were absolutely no accessible suites to be had on our sailing. He offered the stool for the shower and the raised toilet seat and said to ask the Retreat Concierge for anything else we might need.

[yogagal47]

3 hours ago, H2OH! said:

Does your friend need to scooter for long distances or does she need it all the time in a cabin?  

 

I traveled with my mom who used a scooter. We booked a regular sky suite for us several times. She got in the shower 1-2 times during the cruise and only when docked in port. The tub is VERY hard to get in and out of. She sponge bathed the rest of the time and got her hair done at the salon. The tub is REALLY hard to get in and out of. We found the size of the sky suite was perfect to park the scooter and charge it since my mom could ambulate with her 4 prong cane when in cabin. Mom needed the scooter for distance. 

 

When I traveled with my mom and sister (who has MS), we booked a royal suite for the walk in shower (celebrity provided a shower chair) and the second bathroom where we had the over the toilet raised chair because my sister needed handles to get off/on toilet. Plus we needed the extra room for 2 scooters--- one for my mom and one for my sister. During this last trip, my mom was on oxygen 24/7. We worked with celebrity to ensure the oxygen concentrator was there with a humidifier, the bath bench and toilet seat. Mom had a portable oxygen unit but we needed a concentrator in cabin. This trip was alot of work to make happen. So glad we did it as was my mom's last cruise and my sister can no longer cruise due to dizziness. The memories are priceless.

 

Best story was when we ate at Lawn Club Grill. When we were done eating, two of the crew went to get the scooters for my mom and sister. They decided to have some fun and were racing each other around the deck and as they kept passing us they would wave and keep riding...it was on of the funniest things ever. This memory will with us forever. 

 

Lastly, my husband and i have traveled in a celebrity suite many times. I agree with what the others have said. If she needs the scooter in the cabin and near the bed, it is too tight in the bedroom to make that work.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for this wonderful story! She does have MS and uses the neat little tricycle type scooter to go distances(example-it goes in the trunk of the car and she can zip up and down the streets and shop) She will be able to ambulate around the cabin without it. She does exactly as your mom did. She will get her hair done at the spa and mostly do sponge baths. The handheld shower spray with a stool will work fine for her as well. Also we will have a larger verandah where we can all gather. Friends may take the suite next door to them. Does anyone have any experience with being able to have them remove the partition between the verandahs's?

[CruiseCrew123]

Just to warn you that even for an able bodied person getting in and out the tub was a challenge as the edge is fairly deep to climb over 

Edited March 31, 2023 by CruiseCrew123
Spelling

[yogagal47]

4 minutes ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

Just to warn you that even for an able bodied person getting in and out the tub was a challenge as the edge of fairly deep to climb over 

Got it-she'll definitely need assistance (from her husband) for that. They recently stayed at our home for four days. She had to do steps up and down from the sidewalk to our house and ambulate with a cane. She also had a step up into our shower. Good to know what to expect for the cabin. Thanks all for weighing in!

[TeeRick]

22 hours ago, yogagal47 said:

We are booked on the January 6 Apex western Caribbean. We are taking a sky suite in the retreat. Friends would like to join us, but the assessable suites are all taken. Our friend uses a small tricycle style scooter, which can fold up. I felt like they should book the celebrity suite a class up from the sky suite is that would give her a little more room to move around in the cabin. There is another category of sky sweet that I think is at the back of the ship but I’m not sure how much bigger is. Just wondering if anyone has had the experience of having any of these cabins with mobility issues? 

I would ask your TA to take down a reminder to check with Celebrity later this year.  Perhaps shortly after Oct 6 this year when people have made their 90 day final payments.  There might be an accessible suite open up if somebody cancels.  A longshot but who knows?

[Tee & Chilli]

I cannot recall the ship however here’s an example of the tall bathtub 

 

[yogagal47]

58 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

I would ask your TA to take down a reminder to check with Celebrity later this year.  Perhaps shortly after Oct 6 this year when people have made their 90 day final payments.  There might be an accessible suite open up if somebody cancels.  A longshot but who knows?

Great idea thanks!!!

[yogagal47]

22 hours ago, CruiseCrew123 said:

Just to warn you that even for an able bodied person getting in and out the tub was a challenge as the edge is fairly deep to climb over 

On our recent Reflection cruise the sky suite tub/shower was not so easy to enter as I was dealing with a recent ski injury. Also the step from the bathroom was tricky so we were often warned about it.

[MikeMary4449]

Just an idea: Have you friends book a Sky Suite and have their travel agent "waitlist" them for an accessible Sky Suite cabin.  That way, if one comes available, they should be notified immediately.