neverthought

But drop off would be on deck 7 after the cruise, not good. Last time I rented from them the drop off was at the same place as pick up, did things change in the last year or so? And how do we get off the ship then? I'll be on cruches with a cast on, broke the bone in my ankle?

Drop it off where you need to but make access desk know you will need a wheelchair to get off. They will provide a "driver" for the chair, and take it back to the ship. Sorry just noticed you've gone already! Hope you cruise was good.

Great photos!

Wow, how wonderful to live so close to the pier and to see the ships come and go.

Escape is a great ship - I sailed on her four times! Was sad to see her leave Miami, but she'll be back at the end of 2019.

 

Going to see Bliss Tuesday in Miami!

It will be interesting to see the Bliss next to that at the pier tomorrow.

Thank you so much for the great review, the pictures, and the time you both put into taking us all along. I'll be going over this several times!! Hubby and I will get our turn on board the Bliss in a year and a half. Please let us know how disembarking goes. Safe travels home(weather in upstate NY is warm and sunny:cool:) hope to meet you on a future cruise!

Wish I had seen the live reports...are they noted on any of the posts? Love being on this cruise via The Doug Out. Our friends are boarding in Miami to do the Panama Canal on 5/10/17. Hubby and I will board the Bliss next year...but it's all good!!

Hubby and I are hopefully taking a cruise to Panama. We have cruised many many times, but haven't flown since he became disabled. My concern is him being able to get to his seat, and using the facility. He is unable to walk, do the airlines have a way to get people back and forth to their seats? He uses a scooter to get around onboard the ships, but that certainly won't fit down the airline aisle. I do know he can use the scooter right up to boarding, but how will he get to his seat and what do they do with his scooter?

If I can't figure this out, I guess we'll just cross this off our bucket list.

Thank you for any and all help or guidance you can give us.

Have a chance to upgrade for $1000 each (2 of us) from an AFT deck 10 to Aft Suite deck 9. We are just a normal income couple celebrating our honeymoon...thinking the Haven space would be worth the extra $...thoughts???

If you really want to do this for your honeymoon...tell them you appreciate the offer, however at that rate, to expensive...you could afford...( whatever you're comfortable with)...$1000 for both or whatever works for you. Just a suggestion. Enjoy the cruise whatever your decision

You will need to know both the width of the scooter you will be using along with the width of a regular room doorway(check with the cruise line). This is what I checked and did, we were able to fit into a regular room...it was a tight fit and with a lot of maneuvering to back it into the room. But it did work!

DH has his scooter to board and get around on however I will be requesting assistance.The ramp going up is not always flush and even. There is a chance it could get hung up, it happened before on one of our cruises!

CRUISING IS THE BEST!!🚢🚢🚢

Do you happen to know if the band Next Stage were performing on the Jewel?

Thanks

You totally did the right thing on taking a HC room. Prior to my DH having cervical and lumbar surgery two years ago, and we had a HC room and we still need one now. The cruise is for relaxing and enjoyment...having anything that helps hubby achieve that is total necessity. We would rent a scooter, which gave him total freedom to come and go as he wanted w/o me hanging around him always. We have a two week cruise coming up this November, however this time we'll be bringing his own scooter. Having the freedom and independence is priceless, and a HC room gives him that. Enjoy the cruise!

The biggest hassle will be the lowlifes knocking past them to get onto an elevator.

OMG, you are so right...not just for getting on or off ship but all around the ship. Hubby uses a scooter, we would wait for an elevator that was empty or with 1 or 2 other people on, he would proceed to back in...the able bodies were jumping behind him to get on. Many passengers are so rude and ignorant. They have the attitude"I'm on vacation and have places to go...well so is everyone else... HC INCLUDED!" I wish NCL would do something about having specifically marked HC elevators.

Neverthought

Dinner suggestions for the first night onboard the Breakaway? I know it's a personal preference, just looking for personal experience overall.

Thank you for any input!

Neverthought

I have used a scooter for my husband on our last two cruises. I ordered them online from http://www.specialneedsatsea.com and we have had no problems at all.

We second their comment.:) Great means of "walking" those large ships, and very convenient. Waiting in your stateroom when you board and you can leave it in the room when you do your final disembark.:D

Neverthought

Hubby uses a mobility scooter from SAS, and it fit through the door of a regular balcony. Took a little precision backing in and charged right by the door during the night. We also had a shower stool in the shower, again, a bit tight but it worked. Good Luck and hope you enjoy the cruise!:)

Neverthought

My husband has mobility issues - he has difficulty standing and walking. We sailed on the Breakaway in 2013 and on the Gem this past May, and rented scooters with Special Needs at Sea for both cruises. The Breakaway is such a large ship, that it would be difficult getting from one end to the other if your friend has mobility issues.

 

As for wheelchair embarkation, we typically go up in the elevator after dropping the bags at the curb and then there is special needs area to the left where people gather for wheelchair embarkation. You give your name to the representative there and then members of the ship's crew come in waves with wheelchairs and lead you through very quickly to board the ship. They take you through the bag xray, check in, picture etc all the way onto the ship. This past cruise, we rented the scooter which was in our cabin, but we also brought our own wheelchair because it was too difficult for my husband to walk from curb to the wheelchair area. The crew member pushed our wheelchair through to the ship.

 

The ship wheelchairs are are only available for embarkation/disembarkation so I would suggest renting or bringing from home. Remember also that a scooter allows for more freedom - no pushing of the chair. But you also need an accessible cabin to accomodate the scooter. It won't fit in a regular cabin.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!

I totally agree with NCC1701,on all her info. however we rented a scooter for my DH, and it fit fine in a regular mid ship balcony, a little maneuvering and he backed it right into the room with no problem. Our next cruise we do have a HC room, so he won't have to maneuver at all. Hope you and your friend enjoy the Breakaway, we do!!

Neverthought

You must be sick about it, :(:(I feel so bad for you. Please keep us posted on the out come...I'll be crossing everything possible for you...GOOD LUCK!

Neverthought

Out of all the food we ate on our recent cruise, the one that sticks in my mind is the Seafood Soup at the Moderno's salad bar area. The meal itself was good, but IMHO, the seafood soup was the absolute best! Would love to try to make it at home, anyone know the recipe or the complete contents of it? Yum, Yum Yum!:):):)

Neverthought

Request a larger or second table from your room steward. In addition notify the Access desk about needing embarkation and disembarkation assistance(contact info on their website). As someone already mentioned rent a wheelchair or scooter(this info also on their website) so he can get around the ship and really enjoy the whole cruise ship.

Neverthought[/color]

boarded in nyc and was taken to our cabin where the scooter waited....if the scooter had not arrived I would have been taken to the dining room or the buffet.

Thank you Searoses, that was my main concern, having to go to dining room or :eek: the buffet. Just spoke with Access Desk again and she assured me we would be taken right to our room so he can get and use the scooter. Saying and doing are two different things, so we'll see how this plays out and hope for the best. DH can't walk 5' w/o a great deal of discomfort and the possibility of his legs giving out. I think I'll call SAS just to confirm reservation and delivery.

Neverthought

Thanks for your info,that's what I thought, but spoke with Access desk and she said they would take him to the room...so it will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Neverthought

We are leaving from NYC and was wondering how well hubby will be taken care of? Access desk is aware of our needs and we have a scooter reserved which will be waiting in the stateroom,will hubby be brought to room to get scooter,or will he just be brought onboard?:confused: Neverthought

We do a bar setup everytime we cruise...well worth it in our opinion!

Neverthought

I went to Vitamin World and bought 1000 mg black cherry capsules. The gal recommended taking 1000 mg tumeric capsules as well, as tumeric also helps with inflamation. So I'll be taking 1 of each per day a week prior to my cruise and then during the cruise. Hoping for the best! Thanks for the advice!

I have the 1000mg black cherry capsules, maybe I'll get the turmeric capsules as well. The week before and all during our cruise was my plan of attack too. I also hope for the best!!

Neverthought

Quick question and I'll look at all the responses...I have the capsules(Black Cherry) but I'm really worried about the swelling. I'm thinking bringing a pair of DH's socks, getting them wet and place in a ziploc bag and keep in the frig. Then putting them on in the evening when I am relaxing with my feet up. Anyone think this might work too??? I just hurt so bad once the swelling starts and the skin is so so taut and tight that I can't even depress the swollen areas with my finger.

Neverthought

So happy to see this thread readdressed...I too suffer immensely from swollen ankles, feet and calves. My eyes just see our ship in port, then contact the feet,ankles and calves giving the go ahead to blow up!!! So so painful, and very unattrractive. I have tried many many things to alleviate the swelling to no avail, haven't tried the capsules everyone is talking about. Think I'll have to check with our Dr. and see if they can be taken along w/ any other meds we may be taking. Fantastic if it works!!!

Neverthought