Wheelchair availability

Are there wheelchairs (electric or not) available for rental or use on Celebrity ships? If so, what is the cost and can they be taken off for excursions or use in port ?

I believe you will need to contact either "special needs at sea" or "scootaround" (formerly Care Vacations), as these are the two recognized providers of mobility aids for Celebrity. You can of course, rent your own, or bring one from home, but these two providers will have the chair in your cabin upon embarkation, and you simply leave it in the cabin at the end of the cruise. You can take the chair ashore on excursions. Wheelchair assistance will be provided at the beginning and end of the cruise, with cruise employees doing the pushing. There are wheelchairs on the ship, but they are limited for emergency use only.

There are contractors who can rent you a wheelchair for your cruise.

Celebrity can assist you in embarking and disembarking but they do not make their wheelchairs available for the entire cruise,

From the Celebrity website:

For more information contact our Access Department at (866) 592-7225 (voice) or local number (954) 628-9708, fax (954)628-9622, send an e-mail to special_needs@celebrity.com, or have your local Travel Agent or InternationalRepresentative contact us.

This is no quite correct.

There are two companies which can arrange for scooter rentals. They make if very easy to do so, and it's very reasonable. Just do a search for "cruise line scooter rental".

If you only want assistance embarking and disembarking the ship, then there are wheelchairs for that purpose provided at the port. Go inside and tell them you need assistance and they will bring it right away. Then they will have a staff member wheel you on the boat. Same when you come back. There is a waiting area for those that need wheelchairs. Just wait, and someone will bring a chair and wheel you right through customs to your car.

If you need a wheelchair for use in port, there are chairs available on the boat. However, they are rugged iron chairs which are very very heavy and difficult to push. You can call special needs services ahead of time (but they have never followed through in my experience) or call guest services the night before. I really don't recommend this option.

If you need 24hr assistance, then you should rent a scooter or your own wheelchair.

If you rent a scooter, it is yours to use whenever you like (onboard or in port) for the duration of the cruise. A rough estimate would be about $200-250/wk. Don't quote me on that.

Wheelchair on board

When I call special services for a wheelchair there is a list established that is at curb side prior to check in. Shore side services moves us to a holding spot on the other side of security and a celebrity staff member takes us thru check in and on to the ship. He or she will then take us to our cabin or elsewhere depending on the time. There will be a wheelchair in our cabin available to us for the duration of the cruise, but not off the ship. Everyone has seen wc outside staterooms that are for that cabins use exclusively.

On disembarkation day there is also a list in a wheelchair accessible lounge, and Celebrity staff pushes the wc off and thru the terminal all the way to the curb.

My strong suggestion, call Special Needs directly. This is done thru RCCI. They can give you the correct answers to your specific questions. We have done it this way for quite a few cruises. The only problem we have encountered is at disembarkation. When too many wheelchair passengers use this service, it backs up terribly in the terminal. Not Celebrity's fault except that not enough people are employed to help the handicapped down to the customs area. We were off early last cruise in Ft. Lauderdale and waited and watched as passengers with much higher numbers than ours went right thru AND used the few elevators for the handicapped passengers when the escalator was right there. If you have someone who can actually push you in the chair down to the customs/luggage area then it is okay. Waiting for someone to do it was impossible. Found out they only had 3 "pushers" and we were the only other ship in port. This time around we have our own "electric chair" so a no-brainer. Now Miami worked perfectly. I guess it depends on the date and port. BUT, definitely contact the desk. They have always been very helpful.

(y)

They have NO wheelchairs for use DURING the cruise. If you need one for more than getting on and off the ship at the beginning and end of the cruise, you will need to bring your own, or rent one from an outside provider.

My strong suggestion, call Special Needs directly. This is done thru RCCI. They can give you the correct answers to your specific questions. We have done it this way for quite a few cruises. The only problem we have encountered is at disembarkation. When too many wheelchair passengers use this service, it backs up terribly in the terminal. Not Celebrity's fault except that not enough people are employed to help the handicapped down to the customs area. We were off early last cruise in Ft. Lauderdale and waited and watched as passengers with much higher numbers than ours went right thru AND used the few elevators for the handicapped passengers when the escalator was right there. If you have someone who can actually push you in the chair down to the customs/luggage area then it is okay. Waiting for someone to do it was impossible. Found out they only had 3 "pushers" and we were the only other ship in port. This time around we have our own "electric chair" so a no-brainer. Now Miami worked perfectly. I guess it depends on the date and port. BUT, definitely contact the desk. They have always been very helpful.

(y)

Well, since the OP will be sailing Celebrity then he will have to call Celebrity. I can tell you from experience that they DO NOT follow-through to the ship. I have called numerous times and never once has there been follow-through.

However, there will be wheelchairs available for embarkation and disembarkation, and those heavy unwieldy ones for use on port.

They have NO wheelchairs for use DURING the cruise. If you need one for more than getting on and off the ship at the beginning and end of the cruise, you will need to bring your own, or rent one from an outside provider.

As stated earlier, they do have some available on board for use in port only. However, they are heavy, unwieldy, and difficult to push.

Are there wheelchairs (electric or not) available for rental or use on Celebrity ships? If so, what is the cost and can they be taken off for excursions or use in port ?

Check out the Disabled Cruise board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190

[url=http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190][/url]

Celebrity does have wheelchairs (no charge) for use all the time you're on the ship AND at port stops. It will be waiting for you in your stateroom; however, you need to contact their Access Dept and see if you can reserve one because they have a limited number: special_needs@rccl.com

We have a wheelchair reserved (from Celebrity) for the Summit in January 2018.

The information about wheelchair availability from Celebrity is not on their website right now. I inquired about this (since we have one reserved in Jan) and this was Celebrity's Access Dept's reply:

"Thank you for your e-mail regarding reserving a Celebrity Wheelchair. Kindly be advised our I.T department is currently making some modifications to our website.

As advised on the previous email we will provide you with a folding manual wheelchair for the duration of the cruise. The wheelchair will be delivered to your stateroom on boarding day. You may use this wheelchair in the ports of call.

Upon arriving at the pier, we recommend speaking with one of the Pier Agents and they will be able to provide boarding assistance. Once you are on board, please speak with the Guest Services Desk to arrange wheelchair assistance to depart the ship at the end of the cruise."

Check out the Disabled Cruise board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190

 

 

Celebrity does have wheelchairs (no charge) for use all the time you're on the ship AND at port stops. It will be waiting for you in your stateroom; however, you need to contact their Access Dept and see if you can reserve one because they have a limited number: special_needs@rccl.com

 

We have a wheelchair reserved (from Celebrity) for the Summit in January 2018.

 

The information about wheelchair availability from Celebrity is not on their website right now. I inquired about this (since we have one reserved in Jan) and this was Celebrity's Access Dept's reply:

 

"Thank you for your e-mail regarding reserving a Celebrity Wheelchair. Kindly be advised our I.T department is currently making some modifications to our website.

 

As advised on the previous email we will provide you with a folding manual wheelchair for the duration of the cruise. The wheelchair will be delivered to your stateroom on boarding day. You may use this wheelchair in the ports of call.

 

Upon arriving at the pier, we recommend speaking with one of the Pier Agents and they will be able to provide boarding assistance. Once you are on board, please speak with the Guest Services Desk to arrange wheelchair assistance to depart the ship at the end of the cruise."

If they provide with this wheelchair for the length of the cruise, then be aware it is a very heavy iron chair. Unlikely that the person sitting in it can wheel themselves and quite a chore for anyone pushing. Simply not doable for most people.

I would suggest that if someone cannot utilize a manual chair your best bet is to rent a scooter. Bottom line, if you are not capable of handling one or do not have someone who can push you in the chair provided, make your cruise better and do the scooter. We have had the use of a wheelchair for an entire cruise but I could push. You must weigh any decision on your age and health status. I wish you wonderful cruising and good luck with your decisions.

"Celebrity does have wheelchairs (no charge) for use all the time you're on the ship "

We have been told that this is the case only when one becomes injured during the cruise. Then they can use a wheelchair for the duration of the cruise. But if you know ahead of time that you will need one, you need to rent one from one of the services as mentioned.

Are there wheelchairs (electric or not) available for rental or use on Celebrity ships? If so, what is the cost and can they be taken off for excursions or use in port ?

X does not rent them.

I emailed Special_Needs earlier this week. They got back to me the same day and said a folding wheelchair will be in my suite to use on the ship, in port and during excursions.

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I emailed Special_Needs earlier this week. They got back to me the same day and said a folding wheelchair will be in my suite to use on the ship, in port and during excursions.

 

 

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Complimentary or a rental??

No charge.

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