Celebrity- Boarding in Miami with manual wheelchair NO HELP NEEDED.

Sailed out of Miami before but with MSC, an it was a nightmare. Got off the shuttle went in the terminal to get on line for check in an we were pulled off the line an told to go back outside an shown where people needing wheelchair assistance were to wait. The guy didn't even give us a chance to say we don't need help my friend pushes himself an BTW we were 1/3 of the way through the line already. Waited nearly half an hour an nobody came out or even came to see how many of us were waiting. Went back inside got on the same line we were on to begin with which was now much shorter, passed the same guy who forced us outside to wait an he didn't say a word. Checked-in an then we were forced to wait with all the wheelchair passengers that needed help as we watched people who were behind us in line go right to the gangway which was up a few steps an when we asked about the elevator location told "the staff is coming to assist you all". As if we can't use an elevator on our own to go up two floors.

Someone please tell me Celebrity is not going to be such a pain to deal with when we get to the port? Plan to get there early so I know it'll be busy but why make people wait for staff assistance when it isn't needed or asked for.

We left through Miami in November on celebrity. I don't remember the exact layout of the port. However there were no issues. I do use a power chair don't know if that made a difference. As I remember, We got an elevator outside the terminal that took us to the check-in area. Once we get through that we got on another elevator to the gangway area. There were some ramps and we were on the ship. We got there about 11 for a 4 pm sailing. It took us maybe half an hour to get on the ship.

In Miami it depends a lot on the terminal. Even though most of the terminals are to a designated cruise line, the port authority tells the ship where to dock.

The terminals that NCL and Carnival normally use, everyone checks in and all the mobility devices wait in a designated area for the elevator regardless if they need assistance or not.

Since you are traveling on Celebrity, you will probably go out one of the terminals used by Royal Caribbean. At those terminals, all the mobility devices will wait until the elevators are available for boarding passengers and then check in on the second level. After check-in, back to the elevator for boarding.

In all cases, it is not an issue of needing assistance or not, it is when the elevators become available and boarding starts. The people working in the terminals may or may not be employed by the cruise line. Sounds like maybe you went out Terminal B. I got checked in OK, but then got the run-around on boarding when and we could start using the elevators.

Have a wonderful cruise,

Betty

My experience in any port for embarkation, you are at the mercy of the people working in the Terminal. I am not so sure who they really work for. But these folks, who work the terminals, are just trying to get 1500 to 4000+ people on the ship within a 5 hour or so window. Sometimes they steer you right other times no so right. I try to play it by ear and plead deafness when confronted. I wouldn't have gone to the other "Wheelchair area" and stayed in line.

I went out on NCL Getaway last February and they did not seem to know what to do with a person who needs no help propelling his chair,I was told to wait for help, nope, when the elevators were running I made my way to the elevator and went on with the first group with my wife following close behind

We were on Reflection in january. We got in the main queue inside the terminal and we're directed back out to a second door. Initially confusing but door was just around the corner and there was no line and two very helpful people. We got checked through and were directed up to security. We went through and went to the check in. We got immediately pulled from the line by staff and sent to the nearest check in. It was probably 30 minutes from curb to getting on the ship. Staff was helpful at every step.

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