first time disabled cruise with lots of questions

[lnnh]

We are planning our first cruise as a couple. My husband is totally wheelchair bound. (going on Carnival Fasination out of Port Miami)

My first questions: We are thinking of flying into Fort Lauderdale since it is much cheaper and the flight times are much better for us. I have also been told it is a much nicer airport. We almost always have wheelchair problems in smaller airports and smaller planes.

I have read of some hotels that offer transport service with vans with lifts from the airport. Anyone been to one recently? (We need roll-in shower)

Which ones are best?

Since we are leaving from Port Miami, we need transportation the next day from the hotel in Fort Lauderdale. How do we find this? We will have 7 people for this transport, so need a pretty big vehicle.

I will continue to look through this great site!!

I have more questions for a later time.

[Splinter]

Can't help you with which hotel, but find one that says it provides regular shuttle service from the airport and then to the cruise port. If they provide non-accessible transport, the ADA requires that they also provide it for someone who needs accessible transportation at no additional or higher cost. They may not be able to take all of you in the same van though (this is not required) so you may have to split up your party.

 

I assume you have a wheelchair accessible cabin.

[Reggae Mon]

I cruised on RCI out of Miami but flew into Ft Lauderdale. Rci provided a WC van at no extra charge. It could take 2 WCs & 1-2 ABs. Check with your TA & have them see what can be worked out for your group. You're paying the TA thru commissions from the cruise line so let them do the work. I DON'T recommend flying your hubsands WC unless it's a manual folding WC. If he uses a power WC consider renting 1. I've read horror stories about what the airlines do to power WCs. I've used & have a PWC booked with Care Vacations. they are great to deal with & rent all sorts of equipment. Check their web site at http://www.carevacations .com or call them at 877-478-7827. They generally deliver your equipment to your cabin & leave it there when you leave the ship but they will work with you on alternatives. Also have your TA tell your airline you need WC assistance.

:)HAPPY CRUISING:)

[Amy from Delaware]

I DON'T recommend flying your hubsands WC unless it's a manual folding WC. If he uses a power WC consider renting 1. I've read horror stories about what the airlines do to power WCs. I've used & have a PWC booked with Care Vacations. they are great to deal with & rent all sorts of equipment. Check their web site at www.carevacations .com or call them at 877-478-7827. They generally deliver your equipment to your cabin & leave it there when you leave the ship but they will work with you on alternatives. Also have your TA tell your airline you need WC assistance.

:)HAPPY CRUISING:)

 

I hope nobody minds if I butt in with a few more questions on this topic. :)

 

If you are wheelchair-bound and choose not to take your own power wheelchair on the trip, how do you get from home to the airport (and back at the end of the trip)? Also, what do you use between your destination airport and the ship, if the rented chair is being delivered to the ship?

 

Have you been able to rent a tilt/recline power wheelchair from Carevacations?

 

Thanks for the info, which will be very helpful for us too!

 

Three Rings

[vicnlou]

Hi Innh

My family of 5 will be going Carnival Fascination on April 14,2008. When are you and hubby going? You will have to give me some insight about the ship. We are on the Empress deck which is a modified cabin. My daughter can walk with my help. Guest relations wanted to change me to a fully accessible cabin but it was in the back of the ship and I don't want that a long way to the elevator. As of now we are in E70 next to the elevator. We are also taking the Carnival transfers from the airport to the pier. Our group has to split up though,myself and daughter will be on a wheelchair van with lift and she can have only one guest with her so the other three will have to go on the bus. Please keep me posted. Thanks Louise

Enjoy your trip!!!!!!

[CaptData]

There was a question about what to do if your want to rent a power chair? You should always bring a folding wheelchair as an emergency back up and for ports.

 

Most port are not that easily accessible. There are some that are quite wheelchair friendly such as St Thomas and San Jaun which must be ADA but others are not so, having a folding wheelchair will allow you to see most ports without to many problems.

 

A folding wheelchair can be put in the truck of a cab if required but a scooter or power chair will not fit. Folding wheelchairs are far earier to handle by the crew if you have to tender (go in a smaller boat to shore).

It is also good for hotels and airports.

[lnnh]

We will not be able to rent a wc- my husband is a quadriplegic with very specific needs for his wheelchair. He would be very uncomfortable in a rental chair. We do fly with his older power chair and leave his newer one at home. His manual chair is very frustrating for him and we never use it. It is also very large even when folded.

To vicnlou- we are going on our cruise Dec. 07 in a fully accessible room.

I am still looking for a hotel in Ft. Lauderdale with shuttle service from the airport.

I did locate a transportation service called DJ's transportation http://www.dj-transportation.com/ that has lifts on many vans that all 7 of us can ride together. Seems to be much cheaper than the Carnival bus, but I have a call in to get the price from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami port.

[ndsumfun]

Hello Innh

 

We need to talk!!!!! My hubby is also confined to a wheelchair. paraplegic.

 

We have been to the FLL airport. When we got there we went to the taxi stand & they called a w/c accessible van to come get us. DH was able to just roll right up into the back of it. We only had a total of 4 people with us so it wasn't a problem.

 

As for cruise arranged transfers.....well I really don't recommend it after what happened to us last time! We booked transfers through the cruise line & got stuck at the airport because the people that were running the transfers couldn't get anyone to bring a wheelchair accessible bus around. FINALLY when the airport workers were ready to go to the port we were able to get one. We road to the port with the employees!! once we got there we had a flat tire on the bus & it was throwing it off balance so the lift door would not open!!! needless to say, they had to call the captain & tell him to wait for us! We were standing on the pier watching everyone do the fire drill!!! it was nerve racking! so from now on I will find my own transfers!!! BTW, the rest of the cruise was GREAT!!! The only probs that you will encounter are the excursions are really not wc friendly. This will be our 3 cruise & I have researched on my own this time by looking here & contacting local operators to make arrangements for my hubby & I. I am expecting us to have the BEST cruise ever. Please let me know if you have any questions. I will be more than happy to help!!!

 

happy cruising everybody!!!

 

my e-mail addy is keller2@bellsouth.net

[LHC]

I know that the Hampton Inn Airport-North FLL has transportation from airport to hotel, and from hotel to port. I had to call them directly to set up accessible transportation for DS and Chair. This will be my first cruise with DS who is a right sided hemiplegic.

Reading the boards help me see others issues and try and smooth as much as possible before our trip.

Linda

[Reggae Mon]

I hope nobody minds if I butt in with a few more questions on this topic. :)

 

If you are wheelchair-bound and choose not to take your own power wheelchair on the trip, how do you get from home to the airport (and back at the end of the trip)? Also, what do you use between your destination airport and the ship, if the rented chair is being delivered to the ship?

 

Have you been able to rent a tilt/recline power wheelchair from Carevacations?

 

Thanks for the info, which will be very helpful for us too!

 

Three Rings

 

I used my own folding manual chair from home to the airport, gate checked it, used it between filghts & from the airport to the ship. I had WC assistance at my connecting airport & from the airport to the ship. My son took me to the airport. I'm not suppose to wheel my manual WC due to a shoulder problem. I reversed the scheme on my return. I had no problems with the transfers thru the cruise line that were booked by my TA when my cruise was booked. As far as renting a special power WC check with Care Vacations to see if they can fill your need.

:)HAPPY CRUISING:)