Crown Princess w Mobility Scooter

[IceK]

I am going on the Crown Princess soon, and this will be my first time renting/using a mobility scooter, though I have a fold-up wheelchair which will also be coming with us. I am worried about the logistics of using a "travel scooter" (as opposed to motorized wheelchair) on board, in part because I am in my 30s and have experienced people rudely dismissing my need for mobility aides or accommodations for over a decade already. 

 

But specifically, I am worried about the logistics of getting around the ship when on my own. Are there accessible/automatic doors? 

 

How terrible/difficult is it to use the elevator, assuming there's room on it to start with? I've seen several discussions mention that it can be a long wait. Are people generally unwilling to make space for someone on a scooter? How difficult is it to actually navigate within the elevator and still reach the buttons?

 

What do you do with the scooter if you're out and about the ship, but not using it, e.g. if you want to go in the pool?

 

We do have an accessible cabin. 

 

Any other tips/insights on cruising with a rented scooter would be appreciated!

[kokopelli-az]

You shouldn't have much trouble getting around on the ship with a scooter.   The automatic doors will mostly be for going from the inside of the ship to the outside.

 

Elevators are a long story and talked about frequently on this board.  If it is busy it takes longer to get an elevator because other passengers usually run over to the elevator door when it opens and get on, leaving no room for a scooter.  We always stay near one of the elevators on the end of the bank of elevators and specifically wait for that particular elevator door to open.   We get on (assuming there is room) no matter what direction it is going and we will get to our floor eventually.   The best times on the elevators is when it's not busy because you will often be the only one on it.  If there is no one on the elevator, we always back in so it's easier to get off.   If there are already people on the elevator, then we just go straight in and back out of the elevator when we get to our floor.  People are pretty good on the elevator and will stand around the edge of it so the scooter can enter (plus they are worried about their toes - ha).   You'll be able to reach the elevator buttons or ask someone to push your floor number for you.   

On a few occasions after waiting forever to get an elevator, I (my husband is the one with the scooter) will go to the elevator as it opens and stand in front of the open door so it doesn't close.  If others try to crowd on, I ask them to allow the man with the scooter to board the elevator because he has been waiting a long time.   This works.  Here are a couple of threads discussing this topic:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2778566-elevator-concerns-with-wheelchair/#comment-61041964

And one on renting a scooter:  https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2950950-scooter-rental/

 

In the dining room we select a table that is easily accessible.   My husband takes his scooter right up to the table and after he gets settled, one of the employees will take the scooter and park it near the entrance of the dining room (there will be other mobility aids there, too).   After the meal, just ask them to go get the scooter and they will bring it back to the table.  

 

If you need to park the scooter, just find a place out of people's way to leave it.   If you have someone with you, they can even park the scooter for you after you get in the pool.  This works in the casino, too.  

 

Another thing is getting off with the scooter at port stops (you cannot take the scooter on a tender).  Always wait at the top (or bottom) of the gangway for one of the employees to assist you down (or up) the ramp.   They will be there and will be looking for passengers needing assistance.  You do not want to use the ramp without assistance.  

 

You will need to advise Princess you will be bringing a scooter.   Have you seen this?  (scroll to accessible cruising)   https://www.princess.com/learn/faq/pre-cruise/prepare-for-your-cruise/

 

If you happen to rent from scootaround.com, try discount code USCRUISE (you may have to call them to have it applied).  It's from United Spinal and will save you some bucks.   

 

[IceK]

Thanks! Good tip about getting on in any direction.

 

I have already informed princess, and the scooter rental was taken care of (though I appreciate the code! I'll have to save that for the future).

 

Do you mark your scooter in some way, for times when staff take it away, like what you explained in the dining room? Meaning, how do they (or you) know you're getting back the same device they took away? Sorry if that's a silly concern.

[kokopelli-az]

37 minutes ago, IceK said:

Do you mark your scooter in some way, for times when staff take it away, like what you explained in the dining room? Meaning, how do they (or you) know you're getting back the same device they took away? Sorry if that's a silly concern.

Well, it's not a silly concern because we had someone else's scooter (rental identical to ours) delivered to our dining room table and took off on it to our room.   It wasn't until we got to the room that I noticed it was the wrong scooter.   So I took it back to the dining room and we got "our" scooter.  The rentals pretty much all look alike.   We usually have a bunch of junk in the scooter basket and the wrong scooter that we got had the same stuff in their basket so we didn't know it was the wrong scooter.

 

Anyway, yes, we now use one of the pom pom luggage tags from one of our suitcases and attach it to the scooter.  And put it back on the suitcase when we go home.