Ship wheelchairs for use on ship

My friend is on the Independence of the seas, do you know if they will lend you a wheelchair whilst you are on the ship, for like going to dinner etc. I know they do rent them out to go on shore, as there was a lady in front of us at guest relations once doing so.

She has an electric scooter that she is taking with her, but thought a wheelchair maybe better whilst on ship. I do have one in my garage that I no long use (had double lung transplant now) so she can take that with her if she needs to.

Thank you

Yours is the first comment I have seen here about ANY use of the ship wheelchairs other than for embarking/disembarking. Every other comment has been "no" to using them on ship or to get off/on at ports. People ask on a regular basis if they can use the ship wheelchair for something. Best bet is to call the cruise line and ask.

However, I doubt she would find a wheelchair useful to get around the ship anyway, unless she has extraordinary arm strength. Even the "small ships" are BIG! Long corridors, big dining rooms and theaters, and it always seems to me that whatever I want to get to is at the other end. I do bring both wheelchair and scooter, but use my wheelchair primarily for times I'm going to be sitting for some time (like at a show). I love my scooter but it isn't very comfortable to just sit on.

I have never heard of a cruise line renting a wheelchair for use in port, or anywhere. There are typically a very few wheelchairs onboard for emergency use. You can rent a chair for use onboard through various agencies. Most cruise lines have preferred companies that they use, typically "scootaround" (previously carevacations) and "special needs at sea". These companies will provide the chair waiting in your cabin on embarkation, and you leave it in your cabin on disembarkation.

the chairs on board are for emergency use only, and are NOT actually wheelchairs. they are push chairs( 4 small wheels) and tend to be in crap shape. one of our previous cruises, a couple with us in the Suite Lounge ( already Pinnacle) took 4 days and a lot of trips to Guest Services before they were given one to use on board and it basically took the threat of suing if he fell( he really was medically fragile so why they didn't bring their own since they cruise 3 weeks a month is beyond me)

as far as I know no ship/ line rents them on board at all for any purpose.

My friend is on the Independence of the seas, do you know if they will lend you a wheelchair whilst you are on the ship, for like going to dinner etc. I know they do rent them out to go on shore, as there was a lady in front of us at guest relations once doing so.

 

She has an electric scooter that she is taking with her, but thought a wheelchair maybe better whilst on ship. I do have one in my garage that I no long use (had double lung transplant now) so she can take that with her if she needs to.

Celebrity provides wheelchairs to use while on board or in port for free. You have to arrange for them ahead of time and if they haven't run out, one will be in your room when you board. We did this on the Silhouette in January and pushing my husband around the ship was a breeze. So you could make arrangements for wheelchair assistance (using Celebrity's wheelchairs and one of the crew to push you) to embark and debark and also arrange for a wheelchair to be in your room when you arrive to use during the cruise. However, we are on the Serenade of the Seas later this month and they do not have wheelchairs to use during your cruise. Direct from Celebrity's website:

"We provide complimentary wheelchair assistance for embarkation and disembarkation only.

If you would like to have a wheelchair during the cruise, we have a limited supply of wheelchairs available on our ships. Please contact our Access Department if you would like to make a reservation for a wheelchair. If you want to ensure you will have a wheelchair or scooter onboard, you are welcome to bring your own or rent one from of the companies below who will deliver it your stateroom on the ship"

I'm so glad you shared that, koko. People ask about this all the time and now we know Celebrity does offer it.

Sorry for late reply, I have been away for a few days with no internet access. Thank you for your replies. It was very helpful. We have sailed with celebrity, so maybe I was thinking about their wheelchair policy. Thanks again. :)

Several years ago we were on a Carnival ship and I was having a hard time. That was before I got my own wheelchair and scooter. We were docked at Nassau and I asked at GS about renting a wheelchair for the day. The charge was $85 for the day. I declined. I am a cheapskate and thought that was an exhorbatant amount for one day. i suffered thru and made it back to the ship just fine. I'm not sure if they still rent them. ......I would take my own or a scooter if I were you. Those ships are so big now. Its a long walk from the MDR to the showroom and worse if you are in a hurry.

RCCL does NOT provide wheelchairs for rent or otherwise on any of it's ships unlike its sister cruise line Celebrity. RCCL's wheelchairs are solely reserved for medical emergencies incurred during the cruise. If you require the use of a wheelchair on board ship you either have to bring your own or rent one through RCCL's approved vendor.

Check out http://www.SpecialNeedsatSea.com They provide rental wheel chairs and scooters to most of the major cruise lines.