Handivan / Assistance

[cavaaller]

will be traveling with my walking impaired dad and wondering whether I should arrange for a private transport instead of the handivan:

 

My TA offered to order a handivan via celebrity but she could not tell me, what exactly that would entail -

dad can walk a couple of steps but is painfully slow - I don't see us using the transfer bus being in the way of all the 

impatient pax wanting to get on with their holidays. 

Can you tell me: what is a handivan, how is the X- Assistance port side handled (regarded embarkation and 

getting off the ship in the ports) we will take our own wheelchair.

thank you in advance - the situation is totally new to me and very recent, so I am a little anxious if traveling is such a good idea otoh do not want

my parents to miss out on this (maybe last chance) experience 

[the penguins]

On 2/8/2024 at 4:18 AM, cavaaller said:

will be traveling with my walking impaired dad and wondering whether I should arrange for a private transport instead of the handivan:

 

My TA offered to order a handivan via celebrity but she could not tell me, what exactly that would entail -

dad can walk a couple of steps but is painfully slow - I don't see us using the transfer bus being in the way of all the 

impatient pax wanting to get on with their holidays. 

Can you tell me: what is a handivan, how is the X- Assistance port side handled (regarded embarkation and 

getting off the ship in the ports) we will take our own wheelchair.

thank you in advance - the situation is totally new to me and very recent, so I am a little anxious if traveling is such a good idea otoh do not want

my parents to miss out on this (maybe last chance) experience 

if you haven't already done so you need to contact X ( or get your Agent to do it) and get the Guest Special Needs Form. This needs to be completed and when you submit it you can ask all your questions and request any additional assistance you need. 

Good luck and enjoy your cruise. 

[cavaaller]

1 minute ago, the penguins said:

if you haven't already done so you need to contact X ( or get your Agent to do it) and get the Guest Special Needs Form. This needs to be completed and when you submit it you can ask all your questions and request any additional assistance you need. 

Good luck and enjoy your cruise. 

thank you for your reply. We already filled out the medical form (via our TA).

Our TA could not give us any detail - just that Celebrity would take care of it all...

 

[the penguins]

46 minutes ago, cavaaller said:

thank you for your reply. We already filled out the medical form (via our TA).

Our TA could not give us any detail - just that Celebrity would take care of it all...

 

personally we always do this direct and in the covering email ask all the questions we want answered that way we know exactly what to expect when we are at the terminal.

[Shiba_Lover]

I feel like your TA should be going a better job or getting these answers from you.  If the TA cannot get the answers from Celebrity, then the TA should seek an alternate private option that can give you the transfer services that you need.  If you've informed the TA that you need Y, X and Z for my father to comfortably get from the hotel/airport to the port for the ship - the TA should be able verify that the transport company can deliver the requests. 

 

If tendering is involved - make sure that you dad will be able to disembark safely.  Depending on the tender - it may involve stepping high or low to get into the tender.  Sometimes they won't allow a wheelchair to be taken on.  Hopefully you have no tender ports.  

 

Disembark in most ports - In any port that has a steep ramp for disembarking - staff will help guide the wheelchair safely down the ramp.  I've been behind people in wheelchairs several times - it's really not an inconvenience, so don't worry over inconveniencing people.  It really does not take them too long - they may turn the wheelchair around backwards and walk it down at a safe speed, then they will help push it back up the ramp later.  The staff would also assist with disembark even if the ramp is not steep - they are there to make him comfortable and safe.  They often will allow people in wheelchairs to go to the front of the security line so they don't need to wait in line or walk too far to get through the security scanners.

 

 

[DUTRAVEL]

Never heard of a "handivan" supplied by Celebrity. At embarkation / debarkation ports in the United States, Celebrity will provide an accessible transfer (which is just the large bus that everyone else is on with a lift at the back). Generally, in my experience, Celebrity may provide accessible shore excursions, but only at an increased cost which is usually quite expensive.

[dcbiker97]

Personally, I'd want to have direct communication with Celebrity Special Needs instead of going through a third party. Unlike the normal customer service side who will not talk to you if you have a TA, special needs will.  That way you can be sure they are aware, and you can be sure that they understand what you need, instead of it going through someone else. Even if the TA has made contact, you can also talk to them. 

 

Wheelchair Accessible Cruises | Celebrity Cruises (Contact is on this page)

[cavaaller]

Thanks everybody, you have all been very helpful

[the penguins]

18 hours ago, DUTRAVEL said:

Never heard of a "handivan" supplied by Celebrity. At embarkation / debarkation ports in the United States, Celebrity will provide an accessible transfer (which is just the large bus that everyone else is on with a lift at the back). Generally, in my experience, Celebrity may provide accessible shore excursions, but only at an increased cost which is usually quite expensive.

regrettably in our experience X's idea of an accessible excursion is always just a panoramic tour with no actual assistance.