First time cruiser with a disabled passenger - some questions.

[Cathalain]

I and my disabled mother will be sailing for the first time on an RCCL ship, Grandeur OTS, in September. Neither of us really know what to expect. Some questions I have, if anyone can assist, that would be wonderful.

 

We arranged through RCCL booking for a manual collapsible WC to be rented, will it be available at the pier when we arrive for her? She cannot walk up the gangway, I'm almost certain of it (she has very limited mobility but I know she won't make it that far). We are not sure of what to expect when we arrive at the pier (we do not have air transport, as we are residents of the departure port).

 

What are the WC accessible cabins like on RCCL ships, this ship in particular if anyone knows? This is the one cabin class that I cannot seem to find photographs of. The RCCL website has no information.

 

What are the procedures for disembarking for WC passengers at tendering ports? Is it worth the hassle? I keep thinking of being lowered down in lifeboats, which I'm sure she won't even attempt... :confused:

 

Thanks in advance :)

[uppitycats]

 

We arranged through RCCL booking for a manual collapsible WC to be rented, will it be available at the pier when we arrive for her?

The wheelchair will be in your cabin, waiting for her. Did you consider instead booking either a power chair or a scooter? That would give her even increased mobility, and relieve some of your need to push her.

 

She cannot walk up the gangway, I'm almost certain of it (she has very limited mobility but I know she won't make it that far). We are not sure of what to expect when we arrive at the pier (we do not have air transport, as we are residents of the departure port).

 

You need to look for an RCCL representative, and inform him (her) that your mother needs wheelchair assistance. They have wheelchairs that they'll use to push her up the gangway (and they'll assist with that), and get her to your cabin...but then they'll take their chair away (not a problem as you'll have your wheelchair in the cabin).

 

What are the WC accessible cabins like on RCCL ships, this ship in particular if anyone knows? This is the one cabin class that I cannot seem to find photographs of. The RCCL website has no information.

 

I've not been on an RCCL ship, so can't specifically answer your question.

 

What are the procedures for disembarking for WC passengers at tendering ports? Is it worth the hassle? I keep thinking of being lowered down in lifeboats, which I'm sure she won't even attempt... :confused:

 

Whether your mother will be able to get off the ship at tendering ports will depend entirely on whether she's able to maneuver at all on her own (usually there are steps onto a tender -- can she manage that at all?) and sometimes on the whim of the crew that is assisting passengers -- sometimes they'll go out of their way to help; other times they'll simply say "sorry, no wheelchairs on tenders". Sometimes it depends on the roughness of the sea -- if it is very smooth, they'll be more willing to help than if it is choppy -- her safety and theirs obviously at the front.

 

Thanks in advance :)

 

If you've booked a handicap-accessible cabin, you can generally expect that most of the amenities will be the same as other cabins of it's class, and in addition there will be more space for her to maneuver her wheelchair, no lip or threshhold into the bathroom, lots of grab bars in the bathroom and around the toilet for her to use, a shower instead of a tub, drop-down shower seat, and other such things.

 

Have a great cruise!

[Splinter]

Just wondering why you don't just purchase (if you don't already own one) or rent your own wheelchair? You can get a good quality lightweight standard wheelchair fairly inexpensively, and can get familiar with the chair before your trip. I would also recommend considering a scooter as well (but rent first and practice use) as it is unlikely she will be able to push herself around the ship in a manual wheelchair.

 

She will need to walk down a gangway to the tenders. They do not load the tenders and then lower them to the water...that is too dangerous so done only in an emergency. They will offer her a couple of strong arms when doing this, and you can usually bring the manual wheelchair along (but not a scooter).

[Arwenmark]

When you say you arranged a WC through the cruiseline, do you mean they arranged the rental with the outside agency? or do you mean they said they would have one on board? or what, I ask because normally they give you the name of whom they use, and you call and arrange the rental yourself for WC or scooter. scooter would be better other than tendering.

If you have tender ports they will take a folding WC but usually not a scooter and you must walk down stairs and across gangway from floating platform to tender in the water.

 

I had a HC balcony cabin on the Granduer it was very nice, plenty of room, large roll in bath and roll in shower.

 

Since the rented wheel chair will normally be IN the cabin you will need to tell them you need WC assistance for check in, do this in advance then when you arrive find the cruiseline personnel and tell they you have requested it and they should call them for you. she will then sit in the chair through check in and boarding. Once you get to the cabin you will switch over to the chair you rented.

[florrie135]

We are just back from Independence of the seas and we tendered at Cannes, there was a slope down to a pontoon and staff insist on tpushing chair and then there was a little bridge onto the tender. There was no need to get out of chair and the staff dis all the pushing, so really easy

[robinsnestnc]

We are just back from Independence of the seas and we tendered at Cannes, there was a slope down to a pontoon and staff insist on tpushing chair and then there was a little bridge onto the tender. There was no need to get out of chair and the staff dis all the pushing, so really easy

 

 

Same experience getting tendered off LOS in Labadee. The staff made quick work of getting my manual WC down the gangway, same for all cruise ports, St. Maarten and San Juan

[suvicki]

We are just back from Independence of the seas and we tendered at Cannes, there was a slope down to a pontoon and staff insist on tpushing chair and then there was a little bridge onto the tender. There was no need to get out of chair and the staff dis all the pushing, so really easy

 

Anyone used the pontoon in an electric wheelchair?

[sanspike]

I have been tendered off many RCCL ships in a variety of places. Never a problem. Sometimes a little slow going, but I have seen them take many people with chairs that I would have thought would make it. Just enjoy it. Also have been in a HC cabin on Rapsody which sister ship and it had plenty of room to get around.

[JHarry]

I agree, you should look into buying your own chair because anything you rent that pertains to the disabled will cost you an arm and leg. My wife is disabled and we require the use of a hoyer type lift, its not feasible to bring our own so we rented one for the week of our last cruise for the price of $245.00, granted they did deliver it and pick it up but still its a rip off. It just aggrivates me how much more expensive things are for the handicapped.

[Splinter]

You should consider purchasing your own travel lift, as we did. Ours has been all over the world with us. You can sometimes find a good one used (check out eBay). The Molift Smart and Hoyer Advance are good models, and if you can find a used Arjo Trixie (just saw one on eBay for sale) they can be a good choice as well (no longer available new).

[Cathalain]

Wow, all of the responses, thank you so much. :) It's helping me out as far as doing this for the first time...

 

We tender in Bar Harbor, Maine, on our cruise. It's a place that I really want to see, but I don't want my mother to feel uncomfortable getting on and off the ship. She is, to put it delicately, not a small person. Will she have to get out of the chair? I mean, she can, that's not a problem, she just can't walk very far (maybe a few feet if that).

 

When we called RCCL and told them we needed a WC, they gave us a number to call to make arrangements. I called and they said no problem. I just don't know whether they meant no problem as in "we'll have a WC on the ship" or on the gangway. I'm seriously thinking about just buying one through Craigslist or similar - they're not very much money and it'll solve a lot of the difficulty. I never thought about outright buying one before, but your suggestions have made me rethink that option, so I thank you for that.

 

I've thought about a motorized scooter, but she's unreasonably afraid of them for some reason. Anyway, I don't mind pushing her along, I know she'll half fight me the entire time. "I can do it, leave off!" :D

 

I love that woman. :D

 

Has anyone sailed on Grandeur OTS before? If not I'll give a complete report when the cruise is done. We're both looking forward to it so much...

[uppitycats]

When we called RCCL and told them we needed a WC, they gave us a number to call to make arrangements. I called and they said no problem.

 

So, did they take your credit card number?? If so -- then "no problem" means that when you get to your cabin the wheelchair will be there for your use. And when your cruise is over, you just leave it in the cabin and they'll pick it up.

 

When you get to the ship to start your cruise, you need to flag down a representative from the cruise line and ask them to bring a wheelchair for your mother. They'll do that..and escort her (and you) to the head of the line, through security, onto the ship, and to your cabin to pick up the chair you've reserved. Then they'll take their chair away and head off to pick up the next guest. The ship's wheelchairs are just for that purpose -- to help folks on/off the ship, and for emergencies (should someone fall and injure themselves aboard ship), but not for general use.

 

Anyway -- if you let the cruise line know your approximate time of arrival (some of them will even allow you to call from your cell phone when you arrive), they'll watch for you and be ready with the wheelchair to escort you.

 

Have a great cruise!