HELP! 1st cruise post stroke

[BonnieD]

We will be cruising on NCL's Majesty to Canada and booked a HC room. Does any one have any suggestions to make the trip easier? We will take my husband's walker and wheel chair. Staying on the Promenade Deck.

Thanks

[uppitycats]

We will be cruising on NCL's Majesty to Canada and booked a HC room. Does any one have any suggestions to make the trip easier? We will take my husband's walker and wheel chair. Staying on the Promenade Deck.

Thanks

 

Yes. Talk to CareVacations -- they do business exclusively with NCL, and rent a power wheelchair. It'll make your trip much easier. Getting about the ship with either a walker or manual chair will be challenging, as it's really hard to push a manual chair or maneuver a walker on carpeting.

 

Don't forget room service. It's great for those times when you both are jus too tired to navigate out one more time for a meal.

 

You might want to take either the walker or manual wheelchair, if you rent a power chair. Otherwise you'll be tripping over equipment (although I know that both walkers and wheelchairs can be folded up.)

 

Don't expect to do many excursions off the ship. Even though you're talking Canada, and they're more accessible than most, many of the towns you're visiting are old, and the sidewalks are cobblestones or brick, and not a lot is accessible. We took this vacation last fall and while it was lovely, other than a few areas right around where the ship docks, we didn't find much I could do in my manual chair, and getting off the ship in a pwoer chair is a challenge, particularly if your husband isn't used to operating one.

[Arwenmark]

I recommend you DON'T get a power chair on the Majesty and the reason is that there are bulkhead lips all over that ship in the halls and many power chairs cannot manage them and get stuck. That said it is also hard to get over them with a manual chair. AND the four HC cabins on the Majesty are not in fact accessible at all. They are very difficult to use.

I LOVE the Majesty but it is not a HC friendly ship.

 

Uppitycats, did you actually use a power chair on the Majesty? I know I could not possibly use mine though I can do my scooter, but scooter won't fit in the cabin.

[leoandhugh]

we agree with the above Norwegian Majesty is the oldest and least handicapped friendly ship in the NCL fleet. Almost any other ship would be far easier specially for someone just recuperating from a stroke and using accessible aids for the first time. Sorry - but I have to tell you like it is; the decision is still yours to make.:)

[WEELYNCRUZER]

I agree. The Majesty is by far the least accessible ship out there. rccl is offering a New England Canada cruise in Seotember. I would wait and take that one.They are one of the most accessible lines out there. I would definitely rent a scooter or power chair but he should try it before he rents it. There is a big difference in comfort and ease of handling between chairs or scooters.

[LuLaLuvlee]

Try using the wheeled riders at your local grocery store, costco, target, or lowes. That will give you a feel for driving one:) A power chair is much different though since it steers via joystick.

 

We have used CareVacations several times and are well pleased with them; the chair/scooter is in your cabin waiting for you and you leave it when you go.

 

We still use our own transport chair (with a memory foam pillow on the seat) for the airport. I wouldn't suggest using a transport for the whole trip though for several reasons: 1) removes independence 2) can cause the pusher to get a hernia (personal exp. :( ) 3) they aren't designed to be used long term comfort wise 4) they are a bitch to get over doorway humps/bulkhead humps when filled (even if you go backwards) -- course in a power device these things can't be handled at all

 

We used our power chair in Victoria without any problems at all. There was an accessible bus at the port to take us into town and we had a good time going round in town. Many of the shops were easy to get in/out of and some even had a special little lift just for wheelchairs :)

[Arwenmark]

Also power chairs, with joystick are MUCH harder to manuever accurately without a lot of practice. Scooters are much easier, but one won't fit in the cabin on Majesty very well without breaking it into pieces.

[BonnieD]

I appreciate your replies. While dismayed about Majesty, we will probably still go. It is a small vessel which is a good thing as it should be easier to get about. My husband navigates fairly well with a walker. He can do 4 blocks with it, if he tries. So we are only taking his transport chair to get him on and off the ship.

He does not want to go ashore. It is our first time and it will be enough just to go. He can be on his own for a while, so I am still going ashore and plan to take 2 excursions.

He used the scooters in stores a few times, but they are set up for right handed individuals and he must use his left hand. Even so, he did pretty well, once he got the hang of it and stopped running me over with it!

I too thought of room service and will take advantage of it. We are going out of Philadelphia as we will not have to fly or have a long drive. That was a big factor in selecting this trip and ship.

I apprecaited your advice.

[Arwenmark]

Bonnie,

One more thing, if your husband is not leaving the ship then you don't need or want the transport chair to board. NCL will give you WC boarding assistance. Notify the special needs dept. in advance that you will need it. They will transport your through check in quickly and right onto the ship. They will also transport you off the ship just sign up for that assistance after you are on board. The transport chair will not work well for boarding or debarkation.

[Starr Mtn]

FYI: Bonnie

 

If/when you decide the need for either a power chair or scooter -

they can be set up with left hand controls. Even the rental ones.