Sitka, Ketchikan in wheelchair

[CHOPPERTESTER]

We are booked on the Island Princess in May. We tender at both ports. Our son is a para and in a wheelchair. We have booked shore excursions at both places. Is there any chance that we won't be able to disembark because of rough seas? This will be the first cruise for us with tendering ports.

We also tender in Santa Barbara. I still haven't a clue as to what we will do there.

In San Francisco we plan on going to Alcatraz and are looking into which ferries are accessible.

Your advice would be most appreciated.

 

Choppertester

[Queenie2]

Rough seas can always be an issue whenever you tender, and it's always the captain's call. In the end it's a safety issue.

 

If you want to do Alcatraz in SF, you need to get your tickets in advance. they sell out fast. In fact they sell out 2-3 weeks in advance. check out http://www.accessnca.com for more info (it has all the SF access guide info on the website). And make your res in advance directly with blue/gold fleet.

 

Candy

[Splinter]

Sitka is a fairly long tender, and yes it can get rough. Just have an alternative plan if you can't get ashore. Be sure the excursions you book will guarantee a refund if the ship will not let him tender ashore. Not all will do so. You can see a lot in Sitka town without booking a tour (Archangel dancers, the old Russian Orthodox cathedral, etc.). It is a pretty easy town to push around although there are a few hills. I can also recommend the Native American Arts Center.

 

Tendering on the Island Princess is pretty easy. There is an elevator down to the tender platform, and then will then lift the wheelchair up a foot or so onto the tender, which has a platform for the wheelchair. There are tie-downs, but you have to insist that they be used. It is not safe to tender with just the brakes on in a manual chair. I have pictures if you want them (contact me privately).

 

Santa Barbara is a pretty accessible town. There is a lot to see right on the pier at the south end of State Street. There is a great paved boardwalk along the beach where you can go the entire length of the beach. Every Sunday there is an artists fair here. The shuttle buses that go from the beach up State Street are accessible. State Street is where most of the nice restaurants and shops are located. Also, the Mission Santa Barbara is known as the Queen of the California Missions and is one of the most beautiful and interesting to visit. It is an inexpensive cab ride from the pier.

[CHOPPERTESTER]

I have looked up the blue and gold fleet but I am still too early to buy tickets. I will look up the buses and schedules for Santa Barbara see if we can check out the mission.

If they only have to raise the wheelchair a foot off the ground to get into the tender it should be no problem. My husband has just gotten him up and down a flight of twenty steps last weekend so my son could participate in a LAN (local area network) party.

We should be good to go if the seas stay calm. I booked our tours with Princess and will inquire about refund if we can't disembark.

[Splinter]

If you booked through Princess call their excursion office NOW and tell them that you MUST have a lift equipped bus or van for your tours. If you don't make it crystal clear that this is your need, they will tell you that the tour is accessible because it only requires the person to "walk up a couple of steps"!!! Their concept of "accessible" is pretty bizzare. Once you get on the ship, have the same discussion with the on-board excursion staff as soon as you board. The communication between the shore and ship's staff is poor at best.

 

Our last trip it took me 3 phone calls to Princess Excursions prior to the cruise, and 3 visits to the excursion desk after we embarked to get this all arranged.

[Tinknock50]

We are booked on the Island Princess in May. We tender at both ports. Our son is a para and in a wheelchair. We have booked shore excursions at both places. Is there any chance that we won't be able to disembark because of rough seas? This will be the first cruise for us with tendering ports.

We also tender in Santa Barbara. I still haven't a clue as to what we will do there.

In San Francisco we plan on going to Alcatraz and are looking into which ferries are accessible.

Your advice would be most appreciated.

 

Choppertester

 

Hey Choppertester,

You sound like you are on the May 6th cruise! Have you joined the roll call yet? There are many Cruise Critic people on this cruise!

I will be using a wheel chair for my Mom so we can share any tips we discover about that.

[CHOPPERTESTER]

Hey Tinknock50,

 

You are correct. We are on the 6 May cruise.

 

Arriving in LA on the 4th & heading to Disneyland with the kids for the 5th.

 

We'll join the roll call. We just booked our Blue & Gold tickets to Alcatraz tonite. The ferry is accessible and they have a tram on Alcatraz to assist those in wheelchairs to the top of the hill.

 

See you there!

[Tinknock50]

Hey Tinknock50,

 

You are correct. We are on the 6 May cruise.

 

Arriving in LA on the 4th & heading to Disneyland with the kids for the 5th.

 

We'll join the roll call. We just booked our Blue & Gold tickets to Alcatraz tonite. The ferry is accessible and they have a tram on Alcatraz to assist those in wheelchairs to the top of the hill.

 

See you there!

 

Cool! See you at the Roll Call. We are meeting right after muster in the Wheelhouse Bar. Come and join us!