family trip mom disabled

[laura215]

I am trying to decide between RCL Explorer, Carnival Lagend, NCL DAWN out of NY with my Mom who walks with a cane and my mother in law who has some trouble walking due to PArkinsons. It will be a large family trip including my 7 month old and 4 year. ANy advice would be appreciated.

I would like to know things like which ship is easier to get around on and which excursions should we consider taking?

[OracleBones]

I've been on both the Explorer of the Seas and NCL Dawn. Each offer some pros and cons. First, I would suggest getting a light weight wheelchair for your mother-in-law with Parkinson's. You may want to consider this for your mother as well depending on her stamina and how stable she is on her feet. Both ships are very large and require a great deal of walking. I addition, an accessible cabin would provide some added safety features such as grab bars, no step into the bathroom, fold-down shower seat etc. The accessible inside cabins on both ships were very good in this regard. You may or may not require this for your mother. I am confined to a power chair and overall I found that the Explorer was more accessible. There were automatic doors throughout the ship, wider hallways in the cabin areas and the layout was less confusing than the Dawn. On the other hand, we had an exceptionally large inside cabin on the Dawn which easily accommodated three adults. It was the biggest and best laid out accessible cabin we have had to date. Service, food and entertainment were about equal, with perhaps a slight edge to RCCL in the entertainment and food areas. We did enjoy the "freestyle" dining on the NCL Dawn as you were not tied down to a specific dining time. This may or may not be a feature to consider depending on how well your mother-in-law does with a fixed or flexible schedule. Personally I would cruise on both these ships again and would make my choice based on price, itinerary and length of cruise; the longer the better.

[laura215]

I've been on both the Explorer of the Seas and NCL Dawn. Each offer some pros and cons. First, I would suggest getting a light weight wheelchair for your mother-in-law with Parkinson's. You may want to consider this for your mother as well depending on her stamina and how stable she is on her feet. Both ships are very large and require a great deal of walking. I addition, an accessible cabin would provide some added safety features such as grab bars, no step into the bathroom, fold-down shower seat etc. The accessible inside cabins on both ships were very good in this regard. You may or may not require this for your mother. I am confined to a power chair and overall I found that the Explorer was more accessible. There were automatic doors throughout the ship, wider hallways in the cabin areas and the layout was less confusing than the Dawn. On the other hand, we had an exceptionally large inside cabin on the Dawn which easily accommodated three adults. It was the biggest and best laid out accessible cabin we have had to date. Service, food and entertainment were about equal, with perhaps a slight edge to RCCL in the entertainment and food areas. We did enjoy the "freestyle" dining on the NCL Dawn as you were not tied down to a specific dining time. This may or may not be a feature to consider depending on how well your mother-in-law does with a fixed or flexible schedule. Personally I would cruise on both these ships again and would make my choice based on price, itinerary and length of cruise; the longer the better.

 

Thanks for the advice. I will defenitly be requesting handicapped cabins for both of them on whichever ship we choose. I will also find out about renting a wheelchair for the week.

[CaptData]

the Explore of the Seas H/C rooms are very good. (I have been on Navigator which is sister to it). I will second the above poster but go a little futher and suggest a scooter for your mother and wheelchair for MIL. These ships are hugh (think of at least three football fields). I have MS and tire easily while walking so I use a scooter to save my legs for other things like swimming.

 

For your post, I believe that you consider the use of a chair as a let down, instead treat it as a tool that will allow your loved ones to enjoy themself a little more and be independent. If you present the idea as something that will add to their vacation rather then an admission that they have become burdens will give them their pride and dignity back.This is how I got a friend to try a scooter for a couple of days, now she won't allow her husband to push her in the store. She enjoys the extra freedom she now has with her scooter. She does walk but due to aruthrist it can be painful sometimes. Now that her hip has been replaced she does not use the scooter much but her husband had a mild stroke and uses it now.

[laura215]

the Explore of the Seas H/C rooms are very good. (I have been on Navigator which is sister to it). I will second the above poster but go a little futher and suggest a scooter for your mother and wheelchair for MIL. These ships are hugh (think of at least three football fields). I have MS and tire easily while walking so I use a scooter to save my legs for other things like swimming.

 

For your post, I believe that you consider the use of a chair as a let down, instead treat it as a tool that will allow your loved ones to enjoy themself a little more and be independent. If you present the idea as something that will add to their vacation rather then an admission that they have become burdens will give them their pride and dignity back.This is how I got a friend to try a scooter for a couple of days, now she won't allow her husband to push her in the store. She enjoys the extra freedom she now has with her scooter. She does walk but due to aruthrist it can be painful sometimes. Now that her hip has been replaced she does not use the scooter much but her husband had a mild stroke and uses it now.

I was thinking about renting a scooter. I will have to look around on line. I don't think it will be a let down, I just figured my Mom will feel funny about it. It took me a good 6 months to get her to use a cane! WHich makes it so much easier for her to feel comforatble getting around.