Wheelchair accessible ? what would you think ?

[melika091900]

Hey everyone,

I had to vent on here after returning from the dawn princess to alaska I had something happen and Im wondering if I'm reading the terms wrong or something , i just wanted to see if you all could help me out here,,

 

 

so I booked a shore excursion for my family (mom, husband,daughter ) and myself in juneau, the excursion clearly stated WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE , ok so my mother who has bad knees, uses a wheelchair while we are vacationing just so she doesnt have to walk alot,

so i booked this and it stated to contact the shore ex desk 48 hrs before if you are in a wheelchair, which i did 4 days before,

so we get outside of the ship about to look for our tour number and its a regular bus,( like a greyhound ) no lift, steep stairs

my question is does wheelchair accessible not mean with a lift? i was really mad , and i asked the driver I said I thought there would be a lift? he said no those tours have to be booked privately,,

 

to me i felt i was mislead, and i was very mad that my mom had to go up and down steep stairs hurting her legs and knees even more and god bless her for doing it,

I wanted to cry , but we were already there,it was pouring rain, i didnt want to get back on the ship and go complain, miss the tour altogether and i asked my mom if she wanted to go back, she said no she was fine,

im just wondering how they can say wheelchair accessible if it really only means they can store wheelchairs for people,

 

 

what does everyone think ?

[nlvc12]

Hey everyone,

I had to vent on here after returning from the dawn princess to alaska I had something happen and Im wondering if I'm reading the terms wrong or something , i just wanted to see if you all could help me out here,,

 

 

so I booked a shore excursion for my family (mom, husband,daughter ) and myself in juneau, the excursion clearly stated WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE , ok so my mother who has bad knees, uses a wheelchair while we are vacationing just so she doesnt have to walk alot,

so i booked this and it stated to contact the shore ex desk 48 hrs before if you are in a wheelchair, which i did 4 days before,

so we get outside of the ship about to look for our tour number and its a regular bus,( like a greyhound ) no lift, steep stairs

my question is does wheelchair accessible not mean with a lift? i was really mad , and i asked the driver I said I thought there would be a lift? he said no those tours have to be booked privately,,

 

to me i felt i was mislead, and i was very mad that my mom had to go up and down steep stairs hurting her legs and knees even more and god bless her for doing it,

I wanted to cry , but we were already there,it was pouring rain, i didnt want to get back on the ship and go complain, miss the tour altogether and i asked my mom if she wanted to go back, she said no she was fine,

im just wondering how they can say wheelchair accessible if it really only means they can store wheelchairs for people,

 

what does everyone think ?

 

 

 

Well, I haven't been through the experience yet myself, thank goodness. But perhpas the local culture considers a bus with storage for wheelchair as 'accessible'. Perhaps in future you'll need to identify the use of lifts or kneeling buses. I think these people are so poor they will say YES to anything to get more passengers.

 

Good luck.

 

Nancy

[uppitycats]

The issue is with *Princess*, not the tour company. On my last Princess cruise I ran into the same thing -- went through all the steps you went through (booked what were described as "wheelchair accessible", checked in with the tour desk, etc.) -- and still ended up off the ship in my wheelchair, parked by a big tour bus I couldn't get onto (unlike your brave and resourceful mother, I really am not able to mount steps).

 

I parked in front of the bus until a Princess rep showed up and escorted me (and my non-disabled husband) to a van we could get in to, and we had a lovely (if somewhat abbreviated) tour.

 

On another occasion they did refund our $$ entirely, for both me and my husband, as he would not go if I couldn't, and on a third occasion, they rented a cab and paid for it to take us to the destination, where we caught up with the tour, and then back to the ship.

 

"Wheelchair accessible" means very different things to different people, even those of us who use wheelchairs for mobility. Some folks like your mom are able to walk some, and take some steps; others of us simply can't. I think it's a matter of being absolutely clear about what we can...and cannot (or won't!) do..and unfortunately, sometimes, having to settle for staying aboard the ship while others are touring. Which is what i"m going to have to do when we cruise next month...

[Doc07]

Yes fully understand where you are coming from on this.

 

My wife (full time wheelchair user) and I got an insight into this problem on Idependence OTS in June.

We booked a 'wheelchair friendly' excursion but on the morning of the trip my wife insisted I go to the explorations desk just to check for sure that it would be suitable for her with not being able to transfer to a seat.It wasn't.We got a full refund but still very disappointing.

 

We quickly learnt to be absolutely sure to press the staff on the desk 'to what extent is tour wheelchair friendly'.

 

Regards Doc07

[leoandhugh]

Melissa, I think you have now found out what all of us who are wheelies or take care of one have had to deal with. Even though Alaska is a state and therefore required to be ADA compliant, terms like "wheelchair accessible" or "handicapped accessible" are rather loosely defined.

For instance, a cabin or hotel room can legally be wheelchair accessible even though the bathroom has a tub and a stool in the tub. For those of us who are wheelchair bound 24/7, we require a bathroom with a roll-in shower, being unable to climb into a tub, and it is up to us to be specific in our needs when making a reservation. Same thing applies to shore excursions and transfers to or from a ship; it is legally compliant even though you may have to go up a couple of steps to get into the bus or the van. If you cannot do that and require a vehicle with a lift, it is very necessary that you spell out that need when making a reservation. If you are going to do much traveling with your mom, it will be incumbent on you to make sure that the service you are reserving is aware of her needs in detail.

Sorry you and she had the experience you did, but knowing what you do now, I am certain you will make sure that is does not happen again:)

[melika091900]

thanks everyone for responding, yeah it really upset me ..

[serene56]

when you got back onboard did you voice your displeasure to the shore excursion people?

[Umbarger]

Handicapped accessible mean different things to different people. I was looking at some shore excursions on line. I finally found one that said 'handicapped accessible'. Down at the bottom of the page in small print it stated that the wheelchair has to be collapsible to be able to put in the bottom of the bus. I guess that is what they think 'handicapped accessible' means?

 

You really have to do your homework before you go.

 

Linda

[sanspike]

Hey everyone,

I had to vent on here after returning from the dawn princess to alaska I had something happen and Im wondering if I'm reading the terms wrong or something , i just wanted to see if you all could help me out here,,

 

 

so I booked a shore excursion for my family (mom, husband,daughter ) and myself in juneau, the excursion clearly stated WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE , ok so my mother who has bad knees, uses a wheelchair while we are vacationing just so she doesnt have to walk alot,

so i booked this and it stated to contact the shore ex desk 48 hrs before if you are in a wheelchair, which i did 4 days before,

so we get outside of the ship about to look for our tour number and its a regular bus,( like a greyhound ) no lift, steep stairs

my question is does wheelchair accessible not mean with a lift? i was really mad , and i asked the driver I said I thought there would be a lift? he said no those tours have to be booked privately,,

 

to me i felt i was mislead, and i was very mad that my mom had to go up and down steep stairs hurting her legs and knees even more and god bless her for doing it,

I wanted to cry , but we were already there,it was pouring rain, i didnt want to get back on the ship and go complain, miss the tour altogether and i asked my mom if she wanted to go back, she said no she was fine,

im just wondering how they can say wheelchair accessible if it really only means they can store wheelchairs for people,

 

 

what does everyone think ?

 

I had the same problem on a Princess cruise to Belize and Roratan. I shouldn't have, but with help climbed the steps. When we got off to do some of the tour the area wasn't even accessible so i had to sit with the tour operator for part of it as if my husband could not push. I really let Princess Tour know what i thought. Most of them do not know any more than what it tell you on the description.

[uppitycats]

I guess I'm more tolerant than some folks. I don't expect either the Princess tour operators or the local folks to really know what I need to make their tour really accessible..as "accessiblity" means so many different things to different people. What I might need will differ greatly from what someone else might need, even though we both use wheelchairs full time. And there are so many different disabilities "out there", each with different needs...

 

so I take great care to be very clear with what I need, don't generalize it to something like "everyone who uses a wheelchair", or "everyone with vision impairments", or "everyone with (name your disability here)", but instead simply what I need to make it successful for me.

 

And when that simply isn't possible..or I don't want to be spending my time figuring it out, then I simply make do, either by staying on the ship or by doing something else.

 

Unfortunately the world isn't yet made up to be universally accessible....

[Splinter]

Sorry you had not read some of my prevous posts here about this Princess issue, or posted before you went for some advice. This is VERY common with Princess and reflects their total lack of knowledge about disability and access issues, and poor staff training.

 

Also in Alaska, (and in Hawaii) we have found that you MUST do the following:

 

1. Be sure that the profile for the person who has the disability is complete on the Princess website, including their disability information.

 

2. Book the "accessible" tour (if you think it looks do-able) on-line at the Princess website. Never do this for a tour outside the USA though, as there is a snowball's chance in h**l that you will find a lift equipped tour through the cruise line outside the USA.

 

3. Call the Princess Shore Excursions desk at least 2 weeks before departure. Ask to speak to a supervisor (insist). Get verbal confirmation that the tour will have a lift-equipped van or bus. You must be VERY explicit. Do NOT ask if it is accessible. To Princess, accessible means that you can walk into the bus, and at the destination you can walk off the bus, get into your stowed wheelchair, and get around the site(s) of the tour. Even though on the Princess site when you register you can indicate if the person "cannot walk or stand" they still don't get it. They always say "well, she only has to walk up a couple steps" and I always say "what part of 'does not walk or stand' do you not understand???" Once you have gotten verbal confirmation, INSIST on getting written confirmation via e-mail or fax IMMEDIATELY. Call them back if you don't get it within 24 hours.

 

4. Take the latter with you on the ship. The first day the shore excursions desk is open, take this written confirmation with you and again confirm that the tour is fully accessible with a lift-van or bus. Show them the written confirmation and be prepared again to explain to their little minds what "does not walk or stand" means. They will undoubtably not know about your discussion with the Shore Excursions office or that you were promised accessible transportation.

 

5. Go back the day before the tour and repeat #3 again (even if the same person is at the desk).

 

6. Take the written confirmation with you to the tour check-in location. Ask to see a supervisor if the transportation that shows up is not accessible. This may have to be the Cruise Director.

 

Whenever possible, book private tours on your own. This site has great resources, and you can wander the internet with Google and find a lot more. Private accessible tours will nearly always be better quality, cheaper, and more relaxing than having to do all of this hassle. If the person can transfer, even with assistance, use cabs or car services instead of having to try to find rare lift-equipped vans or buses.

[ILoveScotland]

melika091900, what a terrible experience. I guess the lesson learned which I also take to heart is that those of us who travel with disabled companions need to ask lots of questions and then some prior to booking.

 

DH is in a wheelchair but can climb on and off a bus with assistance and can walk some with a walker. That's an advantage in situations like yours.

 

Our Alaska cruise on the Radiance is in 9 days, and we're booked on one ship's excursion and a couple of private tours. I scoured web sites and then called to get specific information about private tours before booking.

 

We'll be in Vancouver overnight, and I've done the same there. We're even doing a flightseeing out of Anchorage at the end of the cruise, and I'm going on faith that the folks there have told me the truth about there only being a couple of steps from the dock to the float plane. Of course in my case they may have to pull me on the plane kicking and screaming as I'll be terrified to get in a tiny plane and fly up to the foothills of Mt. McKinley--but excited, too! :D

[msraye]

I love scotland--check to be sure what you are in for with the float plane. when I did one it was two steps (or so) but the first one was stretching from the dock to the float and the last was on the FLOAT and then a hop UP into the plane and maneuvering around inside the tiny cabin. Not easy at all.

[ILoveScotland]

I love scotland--check to be sure what you are in for with the float plane. when I did one it was two steps (or so) but the first one was stretching from the dock to the float and the last was on the FLOAT and then a hop UP into the plane and maneuvering around inside the tiny cabin. Not easy at all.

 

I have talked with the people at Rust's in Anchorage a couple of times and explained what my husband can and cannot do and am taking their word that based on what I know he can do and what they say he'll have to do all will work out okay He'll be okay in the plane as he can hold on and turn and all those things.

 

We'll see in a couple of weeks when we try it.

[Workathomemom]

It really is buyer beware at many of the ports of call with respect to accessibe tours. While the brochure may list a tour as accessible, very often the interpretations are "loose".

 

We had that experience in St Martin at Coral World. We specifically booked the excursion through Carnival while onboard and were happy to pay the tour price because we felt that we would be able to enjoy the day.

Upon arriving, we realized that there was a huge spiral staircase at the main attraction and that many of the other exhibits had a few steps leading to them.

Needless to say it was a very disappointing experience.

 

As a side note, we voiced our displeasure at the excursion desk and Carnival did send us vouchers for later use on a tour ... AND they have removed the accessible symbol from that tour in brochures now.

 

So a small victory I guess :)

 

Want to chat about cruising? Visit my blog .... See you on the seas!

[Janet19]

Well, I haven't been through the experience yet myself, thank goodness. But perhpas the local culture considers a bus with storage for wheelchair as 'accessible'. Perhaps in future you'll need to identify the use of lifts or kneeling buses. I think these people are so poor they will say YES to anything to get more passengers.

 

Good luck.

 

Nancy

 

FY...

 

Juneau Alaska is a city (and state) in the USA. It's 'local culture' is no 'poorer' than any other state.

As for the OP, I find her rant completely unwarrented. How many times has she seen a shore excursion bus with a lift?? There are none. Private busses, yes. She should have checked it out throughly instead of just assuming.

[DesrtDrmr]

I don't think it was unreasonable for the opening poster to assume that the accessible tours were accessible. I'd guess that most of us have found out the hard way, that able bodied people that check out the tours and "certify" them as accessible have no clue what accessible means. I see this in hotels where accessible restrooms have doors that open outward to get into the room, with a second door inside of the first, and in hotel rooms that are "accessible" and have bars in the tub, which you have to be able to climb over three feet barriers to use.

I have grown progressivly immobile and on our last cruise, we ended up getting all of our tours refunded as the tour desk told us, only when we actually went and checked with them, that the busses were accessible because there were "ONLY" a few steps (when asked, did admit that steps were at least twelve inches high, each), or that the rest rooms available on the tour were upstairs somewhere, and the ones on the bus were "out of order"............by the way, the restrooms promised on tour busses have ALWAYS been unavailable............on every tour we have ever taken.

I truly believe that all providers of public "accessible" services should have all of their spaces tested by a wheelchair and/or scooter user before they are marked as accessible.

[ILoveScotland]

I don't think it was unreasonable for the opening poster to assume that the accessible tours were accessible. I'd guess that most of us have found out the hard way, that able bodied people that check out the tours and "certify" them as accessible have no clue what accessible means. I see this in hotels where accessible restrooms have doors that open outward to get into the room, with a second door inside of the first, and in hotel rooms that are "accessible" and have bars in the tub, which you have to be able to climb over three feet barriers to use.

I have grown progressivly immobile and on our last cruise, we ended up getting all of our tours refunded as the tour desk told us, only when we actually went and checked with them, that the busses were accessible because there were "ONLY" a few steps (when asked, did admit that steps were at least twelve inches high, each), or that the rest rooms available on the tour were upstairs somewhere, and the ones on the bus were "out of order"............by the way, the restrooms promised on tour busses have ALWAYS been unavailable............on every tour we have ever taken.

I truly believe that all providers of public "accessible" services should have all of their spaces tested by a wheelchair and/or scooter user before they are marked as accessible.

 

You have said this very well. When we started traveling after DH was in his wheelchair I learned so much and am still learning. Last year we finally booked an apartment in Rome after booking a hotel with an elevator only to find out six weeks before we were to arrive that there was a flight of stairs to get to it; then another hotel with hotel booked only to find out the elevator was too narrow to accommodate a wheelchair. Now, I realize we were talking abot an ancient city and older buildings, but it's the same issue.

 

I've now learned to ask a million questions and then hope for the best once we arrive. Sad but necessary.

[nlvc12]

FY...

 

Juneau Alaska is a city (and state) in the USA. It's 'local culture' is no 'poorer' than any other state.

As for the OP, I find her rant completely unwarrented. How many times has she seen a shore excursion bus with a lift?? There are none. Private busses, yes. She should have checked it out throughly instead of just assuming.

 

Sorry about that -- I must not have reviewed the prior postings very well -- thought we were talking about the Caribbean or Central/So America.

 

I have been on some tours, in remote places, with my Mom in a wheelchair and was surprised how some busses were able to accomodate her wheelchair and secure it in place, no transfer needed. For the most part, while the PEOPLE are very accomodating, the BUSES and VANS are not.

 

nlvc

[Cruisin' Crazy]

FY...

 

Juneau Alaska is a city (and state) in the USA. It's 'local culture' is no 'poorer' than any other state.

As for the OP, I find her rant completely unwarrented. How many times has she seen a shore excursion bus with a lift?? There are none. Private busses, yes. She should have checked it out throughly instead of just assuming.

 

Not true, Janet19. We were in Juneau in Sept. 2001, and despite my wife being wheelchair bound, we booked a heli tour, as I had contacted the company before we left home, and they told me of their facility. On getting off the ship to go to the airport, we were absolute delighted to find that the tour bus had a back door hatch with a lift to put her up into the bus, still in the wheelchair and be tied down for safety. So there is at least one tour bus in Juneau that does have a lift. Incidently, the heli operator also had a custom made lift which raised my wife (not in her chair, just her) to the level of the seats and we only had to slide her sideways into the seat to get her in. It was wonderful to find so thoughtful an operation.

 

Keep on cruisin' Cruisin' Crazy Ken

[Splinter]

We have had lift equipped vans or buses on ship's shore excursions in the following ports, but ONLY through persistence as I described above:

 

Juneau, Alaska

Sitka, Alaska

Hilo, (big island) Hawaii

Nawiliwilil, Kauai, Hawaii

San Diego, CA

San Juan, Puerto Rico

 

We have also arranged our own through private companies in these ports:

 

Santiago, Chile

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Acapulco, Mexico (although the tie-downs did not work)

 

Many other places we have had van drivers willing to lift my mother into a van. This includes several ports in Chile, Argentina, and Brazil.

[JoKen1]

My brother had a major stroke that left him paralized on his right side. He is now in a wheelchair and is unable to walk up or down stairs. He can transfer from wheelchair to chair or bed.

 

We want to plan a trip to Alaska next year to celebrate his one year since the stroke and all the hard work he has done to get to where he is now.

 

I was wondering about trying to tender with a wheelchair. If the person can not get up and walk down steps can they still tender to shore?

 

I have found that eating at a restaurant is hard. It's hard to get around in a wheelchair and even once at the table to sit close enough.

 

How is it on a cruise in the dinning room? Do they have tables for wheelchairs?

 

What about handicap rooms? Do they have showers you can just roll into?

 

Do the wheelchairs fit in the bathroom?

 

Where do they make wheelchairs sit durning the shows?

 

What do they do if there is an emergency and the elevators can't be used? How do wheelchairs get off the ship?

 

I want to get as much info as possible so I can put my brothers mind at ease.

 

Oh also, since we will have to fly how do the wheelchairs get down the isle in the airplane? I don't think it will fit, does it?

 

Anything else you can think of that I need to know about.

 

I think everyone should have to be in a wheelchair at least for a week just to see how hard things are for handicap people. You don't even think about some of the things until you or someone you know are in a wheelchair.

 

Thanks for your help.

Joanne

[DesrtDrmr]

HI Joanne,

I can try and help with a few of your questions.

If you book a handicapped accessible cabin on your cruise, the doorway will be wide enough for most wheelchairs, the bathroom will have a flat floor, a wide door and a roll in shower.

The dining rooms on the ships that I have been on have all done their best to seat me at an easy to get to table, and will help to get the chair situated, or let me transfer to a chair and they will store the chair until after dinner. Someone will bring the chair to the table for you at the end of the meal.

Usually the theaters have some seating area for wheelchairs. Often it's a space with a regular seat beside it, so a person in a chair can sit next to a companion. Do try to get to the show early, though, as there are not very many of these seats..........like maybe six or eight, if you are lucky.

Different ships have different guidelines and equipment for getting wheelchairs onto tenders. Someone else may address this more completely. I remember one ship where the crew members picked me up in the chair, and lifted me into the tender............it was rather scarey, and the other end was worse because the tender was quite a bit below the level of the dock. I can stand and take a few steps, so I have stepped onto a tender, with help, and sat in my chair for the crossing. I'm sure this was not the safest thing to do as my chair was not tied down, but I REALLY wanted to go.

I assume (this may get me into trouble) that if it were truly an emergency and the stairs were the only way to get off the ship, some crew members would carry me. The purser staff always tell me that, anyway. Be sure and go to the pursers desk when you get on the ship and tell them that your brother, in Cabin such and such, would need assistance in an emergency. They maintain a list of passengers that do need this help.

On an airplane, you can remain in your chair up to the door of the plane. If you cannot walk to your seat, there shoud be (always ask when you make your reservation and again when you check in) an aisle chair, which is a very narrow rolling seat to take your brother to his seat. The flight attendants do not assist with this usually. Also, during the flight, if your brother cannot get to the restroom, you may be able to use this to get him to the bathroom. When you make your airplane reservation, do tell the agent that your brother is bringing his chair and that you will need assistance. Call the day before your flight and make sure that is in his record. If you are carrying stuff, it is helpful to have a "pusher" from the airport push his chair to the gate. We always tip the person that does this. It sounds a lot more complicated than it is............once you've done it once, you'll be old hands at this.

Hope you have a great cruise! We have almost always found the crews of the airlines and the ships to be courteous, pleasant, and understanding. I hope you do too.

[uppitycats]

(Some editing done to save space:

I was wondering about trying to tender with a wheelchair. If the person can not get up and walk down steps can they still tender to shore?

Princess has a policy that says they will no longer tender a person in a power wheelchair. And he would be required to be able to stand/step up and down a couple of steps.

If the ship is moored at the dock, they do have equipment they can use to help him get on/off the ship without having to leave his chair, or at most, he'd have to transfer into a ship-approved chair. Many of the stops on the Princess cruises are right next to the town and tendering isn't necessary.

 

I have found that eating at a restaurant is hard. It's hard to get around in a wheelchair and even once at the table to sit close enough.

What kind of chair does he have? Some manual chairs have armrests that are "desk cut", meaning there is some space there to get up to a table or desk. Or they can be swung back out of the way.

 

How is it on a cruise in the dinning room? Do they have tables for wheelchairs?

You would want to be sure to accompany your brother on the first night into the dining room and make sure to get a table that will work for you. I found them quite accommodating (I use a manual chair). They moved another group so that we could get a table near to the door, with a direct line from the restaurant door to the table for me, and they were ready for me at every meal.

 

What about handicap rooms? Do they have showers you can just roll into?

 

Do the wheelchairs fit in the bathroom?

 

The handicap accessible cabins are quite spacious (by cruise standards) and yes, they have roll-in showers, lots of grab-bars, no or only a very small lip into the bathroom, and the wheelchair will fit into the bathroom just fine.

 

Where do they make wheelchairs sit durning the shows?

 

I can't precisely answer this, as I didn't go to any of the shows. The wheelchairs will "sit" wherever you want them to! (Proper use is: "Where do thy make people who use wheelchairs, sit?") The one program that we did attend which was in a venue where other shows were held, I believe, had areas at the end of several aisles where someone in a chair could park, and the ailes were slanted.

 

What do they do if there is an emergency and the elevators can't be used? How do wheelchairs get off the ship?

When we boarded, a crew member came to our cabin to ask about my ability to evacuate should that be necessary. When it was evident that I use my chair full-time, they assured me that -- if there was an emergency several crew members would come to my cabin and help move me down the stairs in my chair.

 

I want to get as much info as possible so I can put my brothers mind at ease.

 

One good way to get that information is to read through many of the threads on this board. Many of us have travelled a lot and can offer help. There are threads here about all of the questions you've asked, so far.

 

Oh also, since we will have to fly how do the wheelchairs get down the isle in the airplane? I don't think it will fit, does it?

 

No, your brothers chair, manual or power chair, will not fit down the aisle. When you make plane reservations you need to tell the airline that he'll need assistance. There are several ways to approach this, depending on how mobile he is. For me, they'll wheel my manual chair up to the door of the plane, and then I transfer into an airport wheelchair -- a sort of dolly, really, that is narrow. That is wheeled onto the plane, then I transfer into a seat (make sure you specify a seat where the armrest lifts up and back out of the way!)

If your brother's wheelchair is the only one on board that day, they'll sometimes be able to fold it and stow it in the closet. Otherwise they'll "gate check" it -- meaning they'll fold it up and stow it in the cargo hold, and bring it up to the gate when you get to your destination.

If your brother is traveling with a power chair, you'll need to find out what kind of batteries it's using. Airlines will only allow certain kinds of sealed batteries (although I think most of the new chairs only use those kinds...but I'm not certain). Getting on the plane will be the same -- he'll need to transfer to an airline wheelchair -- but different procedures will be needed to stow the power chair.

 

Yes, people with disabilities do face challenges that people without disabilities don't understand very well. I'm glad you're trying hard to get a sense of the way of life your brother is facing. I hope I've been helpful.

Thanks for your help.

Joanne

 

 

Don't hesitate to come back and ask more questions. We'll try to help. If your trip isn't for a year or so, your brother may well improve some by this time, and become more adept at using his wheelchair, making it easier for him, and all of you.

[cusyl]

I had a problem in the Med. The buses were big and beautiful, but had these steep steps I had to pull myself up on, then get myself to a seat in the rear because able bodied people were in the front seats.

 

Then, when we got to the destination the tour leader walked so fast that I could barely keep up with the group. I compensated by skipping one of the building tours so I could catch my breath and rest.:o I stayed on the bus which went to a parking lot. It parked next to another bus and I watched that driver and another person go through all the bags of passengers from the other bus. :eek: