ADA handicap boarding procedure at Port Liberty

[turtle1947]

Although I've boarded many times at Port Liberty this will be our first time with our special needs grandson. We have booked an ADA cabin and filled out the form with Royal. Can any who has gone through the boarding process with a wheechair give me an idea what the experience was like? Do you wait in a seperatte room? Are you escorted on the ship etc.? Thanks

[Longstockingpippi1]

2 hours ago, turtle1947 said:

Although I've boarded many times at Port Liberty this will be our first time with our special needs grandson. We have booked an ADA cabin and filled out the form with Royal. Can any who has gone through the boarding process with a wheechair give me an idea what the experience was like? Do you wait in a seperatte room? Are you escorted on the ship etc.? Thanks

Request all the assistance you can. They always direct wheelchairs to a separate quicker line . If you are able to push the wheelchair up the ramps you don’t have to wait for assistance. Rest assured that will be the last time you do it.  For port visits they control the wheelchair. Some ports are more confusing than others, don’t be afraid to constantly ask staff “ am I in the right line?” . I’ve learned to speak loud and often. Try to have all documents ready. Unless you have The Key whatever you board with you are stuck with till the cabins open. 

[Merion_Mom]

3 hours ago, turtle1947 said:

Although I've boarded many times at Port Liberty this will be our first time with our special needs grandson. We have booked an ADA cabin and filled out the form with Royal. Can any who has gone through the boarding process with a wheechair give me an idea what the experience was like? Do you wait in a seperatte room? Are you escorted on the ship etc.? Thanks

 

At CAPE Liberty, the security line for handicapped is the far left lane.  It's not necessarily faster, but they are accustomed to dealing with wheelchairs and other assistive devices.  After you go through security, there are about a million check in desks, with almost no waiting.  If you arrive after 10:30, you will probably be able to go directly onto the ship after check in, without being in the waiting section.  If you DO have to wait, the section is all the way to the left after check in.  

 

There is an elevator, and either someone there will help, or you can take him there yourself.  I would get help because after that point, someone else should push him up the boarding ramps.  Anyone in the terminal can radio for someone to do that for you.  

[reallyitsmema]

To add one more detail, when dropping off luggage, make sure you tell the port worker that is directing cars, that you are have someone in a wheelchair and they will direct you to the first drop off zone directly in front of the terminal.  You can drop luggage off there and also get your grandson out there and have someone continue on to the garage to park the car.  The garage is handicap parking only during the summer when there are multiple ships sailing from Cape Liberty.  

[mets123]

Look for gate 5. It's right in front of the main entrance. There's a beveled curb there which makes it easier to push your grandson from the car to the walkway into the terminal.

[turtle1947]

Thaks everyone for all the really good infomation!

[lakelorain]

When we've been in Cape Liberty with a wheelchair, we were directed to the far left after security(suites lounge).  Someone came up to us with an ipad to check us in there.  We did not have to go to a desk to check in.  We boarded with the suites.

[Merion_Mom]

14 hours ago, lakelorain said:

When we've been in Cape Liberty with a wheelchair, we were directed to the far left after security(suites lounge).  Someone came up to us with an ipad to check us in there.  We did not have to go to a desk to check in.  We boarded with the suites.

 

Yes, this is correct.  I experienced more complete information about the process the day after I posted above.  The people in this waiting area also take care of getting someone to push your wheelchair onto the ship.