Standard balcony vs scooter

[F355c5]

Has anyone had the experience of renting a scooter with a standard balcony cabin,

how was the experience?

I’m booked on enchanted princess with a deluxe balcony cabin and rented a scooter from special needs at sea.

very concerned princess state 22” door width , scooter is 21” .

Any feedback from someone who did what i have explained would be great.

 

[FOPMan]

You may very well have a "square peg, round hole" problem. At a minimum, you will want to clarify the true width of the scooter, not only at the base but also the dimensions of the seat with and without arms in place.

 

Princess does not provide non-cabin storage of your scooter. It needs to go into your cabin and cannot be left in the passageway.

 

It will be easier for you if your cabin is configured with the bed nearer the window/exterior door. Often, there is little space between the foot of the bed and storage. Getting through there on a scooter can be challenging.

 

Safe travels!

 

[F355c5]

40 minutes ago, FOPMan said:

You may very well have a "square peg, round hole" problem. At a minimum, you will want to clarify the true width of the scooter, not only at the base but also the dimensions of the seat with and without arms in place.

 

Princess does not provide non-cabin storage of your scooter. It needs to go into your cabin and cannot be left in the passageway.

 

It will be easier for you if your cabin is configured with the bed nearer the window/exterior door. Often, there is little space between the foot of the bed and storage. Getting through there on a scooter can be challenging.

 

Safe travels!

 

Thank you for your comment, I hope to get a response from someone that actually had the experience.

I’m aware of the pitfalls 

[fluffyclouds]

The 22” scooter will fit through the door although you will likely have to lift up the arms or remove one of the arms to get it in and out easily. The larger issue however is if your room is configured with the bed closer to the entry door (I.e. not by the balcony), you will not be able to get the scooter past the bed and there is no place to store it in the entry/closet area. If a regular scooter (versus a foldable scooter or foldable wheelchair) is necessary, I recommend getting an accessible cabin. 

[F355c5]

1 hour ago, fluffyclouds said:

The 22” scooter will fit through the door although you will likely have to lift up the arms or remove one of the arms to get it in and out easily. The larger issue however is if your room is configured with the bed closer to the entry door (I.e. not by the balcony), you will not be able to get the scooter past the bed and there is no place to store it in the entry/closet area. If a regular scooter (versus a foldable scooter or foldable wheelchair) is necessary, I recommend getting an accessible cabin. 

Tried and still tring for handicapped cabin

call princess every day , no waitlist option 

[fluffyclouds]

Yes, accessible cabins fill up quickly. For what it’s worth, and I know these ideas may not be feasible, the only options I can see are:

 

— Change your cruise to one that has an accessible cabin available.

 

— If possible, use a foldable scooter, wheelchair, or rollator/wheelchair combo rather than a full size scooter. Travel scooters tend to be smaller than ‘regular’ scooters, but they do have size limitations and I am not sure how available they are from the rental companies.

 

— If you are willing to pay a significantly higher price, the layout of a full suite will accommodate a scooter in that you will have enough space to store and get the scooter in and out of the cabin. You will still need to lift up one of the arms to maneuver through the cabin door.

 

As someone who also has mobility issues I can relate to your situation and think it is good that you are seeking information about what to expect on a cruise. The more information you have the more comfortable you will be going into the cruise. I should mention that all of my comments are based on Princess ships. The cabins on other lines may be different with regard to accessibility. Also, you can look at the Enchanted balcony diagram on the Princess website to get a better idea of the layout.

 

Good luck to you! I hope you have a wonderful cruise.
 

 

[DRS/NC]

I've done this scooter/cabin combo several times.  I rent the 19" scooter, but it's still a tight fit!  (My experience is w/Princess ships.)

 

The biggest problem is where the cabin is in the hallway.  HA cabins tend to be in wider parts of the hall, usually closer to the elevators; you then have a more direct "drive" into your cabin. 

 

If it's a non-HA cabin further along the hall, you'll usually have to make a Y-turn into the cabin doorway.  I sometimes need to get off the scooter & give it a firm nudge into the doorway.

 

The front bumper on the scooter can be a bit in the way too.

 

WARNING:  the smaller scooters usually cost more (fewer of them).BUT, you can do this!  And have great fun on the ship.

[F355c5]

Thank you

[F355c5]

Thanks all for your responses.

problem solved , renting a ultra light weight folding scooter,only weighs 37 pounds. Lucky that this was an available at Fort Lauderdale. Cruise port.

expensive but I can relax knowing the scooter will easily fit a standard cabin door.

 

 

[mexico8]

Sounds like my scooter - mine is a Travelscoot and fits the description you mention.  Hope it all works out for you.   

 

I think you made a wise decision.   Enjoy your cruise.

[Dunchues]

Must be a travelscoot at that weight I agree. Obviously you won't have any time to get used to it, and being 3 wheels you must be careful when learning to corner and manouver! There'd loads of videos on YouTube to help, and on Facebook there's Elizabeth's travelscoot and travelscoot owners club that will help prepare you! Often people wondering whether to buy one or not ( they arent inexpensive) will be offered a test ride by someone living locally, they are a very friendly bunch over there. Its not at all difficult to ride,  but they do take a little bit of getting used to.The Battery life is fantastic and the machine really is going to make you want one!