alliebrandy

9 hours ago, capriccio said:

OP is disembarking at Port Everglades (not Port Miami) and flying out of Fort Lauderdale airport so traffic isn't a big concern.  Being risk averse and hating to end a cruise on a bad note, I too would recommend getting a later flight.

You are correct, I did think that they were traveling to MIA.  My error.  But I do believe IMHO that if the OP is able to reschedule to a later flight, then there is no need to be rushed and stressed the morning of disembarkation to make an early flight.  Unexpected issues can occur to cause a delay regardless if the airport is just "technically" a 10-15 min ( 3 mile) ride away.

Need to also factor morning traffic (especially if your return is during the work week) heading south on I-95 and any accidents that may pop-up along the way.  Agree with Steve20832 see if you can change to a later flight possibly.  This way you don't need to become immediately stressed to make it in time.  You can still be on Vacay - Time instead.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

Honestly, dependent upon how quickly you are able to disembark and retrieve your luggage and go through customs and get out to the cab pick up area AND on what particular day of the week you are returning to PE you will more than like run into some kind of morning traffic.  If it is during the week, I-95 traffic back-up heading south starts to build around the 6:30-7:00 am timeframe hopefully there aren't any accidents along the way either.  On-looker delays also must be factored into play.

I would suggest as others have to take first largest taxi you can find.  But if it was me, I would try to see if I could arrange for a later flight.  If this is not possible, then Lyft or Uber is next best.  They are usually close at hand, not too far from pick up area and you can order a size that would fit your needs.  We live in Miami and use the services of Lyft and Uber alot, when we don't feel like driving to and from places in Broward at certain times of the day either.  We have never had an issue with either company.  

I would also try to price out what JohninDC offered of the two Limo and Shuttle Services as well.  But be sure its you and non-stop straight to Miami.  Good Luck and Happy Sailing to you!

On 8/19/2021 at 12:41 PM, mexico8 said:

There are many places in Halifax near the port to plug in your scooter.   Lots of nice coffee shops and restaurants and the people there are so pleasant and helpful.  We love Nova Scotia and just booked flights and hotel for 8 days in October.  We will be very close to the boardwalk near the port and it's great for me and my scooter to tour around.   

Thank you for the information.  I am really looking forward to getting back out and travelling.  Hopefully by the time we do, we won't have to worry about still getting sick.  🙂  Wish you happy travels as well.

On 8/14/2021 at 7:30 PM, mexico8 said:

In Halifax port there is a very long boardwalk (all wooden) and a huge market very close to where the ship is parked.   You can enjoy all the restaurants and shops all along there.   Very easy with scooters and I enjoyed the whole area.  Lots of places to see and nice views of the ocean etc.

Thank you for the information.  I think this will be our way to go.  We love exploring on our own this way.  I just make sure to have an extension cord along with chargers for those "just in case moments" when not sure if they can make it back to ship and up gangway!  Happened in Cozumel once, but we pulled into a cantina and they let us charge up for about an hour or so, while we had some appetizers and drank some beer or margaritas. 🙂 

4 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

For the ports in Maine, I can give some insight.  Bar Harbor is very hilly, and the ramp from the tender dock is very steep.  Sidewalks in Maine suffer greatly from winter frost heaves, and many are brick, so they are not flat and smooth.  For Portland, the downtown area is also hilly, and the sidewalks are mainly brick, and some of the streets are cobblestone, so again, not real scooter friendly, though I do see them about town.  While all of Portland's buses can handle two chairs at a time, I'm not sure the small scale transportation in Bar Harbor can.  Also, due to the historical nature of Portland, many businesses are not accessible.

Thank you for the information.  Very much appreciated. 🙂 

9 minutes ago, GTJ said:

 

Assuming that the scooters you use weigh less than 600 pounds when occupied, then the transit systems in the cities you mention would be able (and at least within the United States are required) to transport the two of you on the bus with your scooters . . . no need to park and leave them behind. There are some nuances within the ADA regulations as to privately-operated services (depending on whether they are operated as regularly-scheduled fixed-route, demand response, by a business not primarily in the transportation business, etc.), but again you should generally be able to travel with your scooters as they are deemed to be wheelchairs. See USDOT's interpretation of its regulation at 49 C.F.R. 37.3.

 

The main issue I see is whether sights of interest are actually served by transit systems. Many of the ports of call in the itinerary have reasonable transit systems that provide good access to their respective regions. The largest exception to that is Charlottetown, which has a rather limited (though in recent years growing) public transit system. To the extent that local transit in Charlottetown goes to where you want to go, you should be in good shape, but accessibility in Canada is, of course, not governed by the ADA, and private companies are not as accommodating as in the United States. I have read complaints about accessible non-transit transportation in Charlottetown (e.g., taxis). Nonetheless, I would tend to approach the issue by first deciding where you would like to go, and then secondarily ensuring that there exists accessible transportation there.

Thank you for the information.  We certainly appreciate your knowledge.  Hope you are enjoying your summer.

Allie 🙂 

Will be cruising to the following ports of call (first time visiting any of the places) Bar Harbor, Maine; St. John, NB; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Charlottetown, PEI (2 days in port); Sydney, Nova Scotia; and Portland, Maine in September 2022 and though I know it is extremely early, would like to begin to learn about these areas and get any suggestions for things to do or see.  Hubby and I utilize mobility scooters to get around easily - but are wondering if anyone knows of what we might be able to enjoy rather than having to just park the scooters and get into a bus.  Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I am extremely hopeful that the one port (tendered) in Bar Harbor, we will be able to get our scooters off the ship and be able to use them on land.  we really love to explore new ports, even if we just stay close to port.

thank you

allie

PS - i have posted in Disability forum also.

On 7/25/2021 at 9:56 PM, RonPaula said:

As I recall, it was easy getting onto the tender, which seemed more like a ferry. The ramps at the port were steep in places and were quite extensive. My husband pushed me in a wheelchair.  It is quite steep to get into the heart of town.  We did a tour of Acadia National Park but the bus was kind of a school bus design and maybe wouldn’t have enough storage for two scooters, however there was some beautiful scenery.  Also, we did a bus tour in Boston. It was through Shore Excursion Group and called Concord, Lexington. That was a fabulous tour. This was on Anthem of the Seas.

Thank you for the information.  Will look into the bus tour in Boston.  Will speak with Captain's Club or Shore Excursions if I can't research on my own.

On 7/25/2021 at 6:55 PM, 1025cruise said:

You might also want to ask on the Canada/New England ports of call board..

Bar Harbor is a tender port. In all honesty, its very hilly. Not sure a scooter would work that well.

Thank you for the tip, will post over there as well. 🙂 

First time for cruising this area (all ports are new to us) and would like to make the most out of our days and see as much as possible.  Can anyone give any suggestions of this to do and/or see as hubby and I utilize mobility scooters to get around.  we are capable to walk some, but for long distances unable.  also, anyone know if Bar Harbor, Maine (tendered port) if scooters are able to get from ship to shore?  would hate to not visit a port on itinery.

Chicken Parmesan Tomato, Melted Mozzarella, Pecorino Pasta -

 

I came up with the idea of heading to the buffet for theprepackaged crackers they usually have sitting with the tureens ofhot soup but no such thing was out by this time of the evening. Weran into Ashley up at the buffet getting her dinner so we asked herfor ideas. She suggested whole fruit and I asked about that beingtechnically against the rules. She replied “just stick it in yourbag and no one will question it.” We left Ashley to enjoy herdinner in peace and discovered a cheese tray decorated with manyclumps of grapes. I grabbed a plate to hold one of the clumps and akind crew member went in the back to retrieve a couple bananas at ourrequest.

Love your review. I am sorry though that you experienced some issues throughout your cruise that you may not have had when sailing on other lines. Things happen and as I'm sure you did, you go with the flow and not let it ruin your travel. Just hope that you will give Celebrity another try if the itinerary is right for you. On a side comment in hind sight for future sailings - when in the buffet area late at night, you can always ask one of the servers behind a counter as you did for the bananas - to also grab either crackers or the boxed cereals as well. We also pick up things to keep with us when we venture off ship or on excursions, as Rene is a diabetic and needs to maintain his sugar level. So in the mornings, like from the spa or gym area, if we see packaged bars we pick up a few and keep them in our cabin for when we go ashore.

Hi Allie,

 

I will be traveling with my husband and another couple. I will be using a folding portable electric wheelchair for this trip. We haven't made a lot of plans for this trip. We've seen most of the ports and are most interested in our 3 days in New Orleans. We decided not to buy a ticket to Jazz Fest ahead of time. If the weather is too wet or too hot, I won't want to go. We are going to play it by ear and just wander about.

 

Kate

That is our plan as well. Rene and I will be scooting around NOLA on our own. Friday will just go about - maybe go over to the WWII memorial or the Civil War Museum and want to go and check out St. Charles Ave. and Ghost Tour that night, 2 walking tours for Saturday and maybe either go to casino or some pubs in the evening. Sunday going to just continue to scoot about til we leave.

You do have some options.

 

Accessible Caribbean Vacations does offer some wheelchair accessible tours. One of the local resorts offers a day with accessible bus transportation from and to the port (cannot find current listing). Pinder's Point is within scooting distance (approx. 1 ¼ miles) but it is nothing to get excited over. Or you can just wander around the port area.

 

On our last trip, we scooted to Pinder's Point. Wasn't too much to see along the way except for a few homes in one area. The lighthouse is at the point. Also, there were a few local vendors. I think some of the tour buses may stop there.

 

The port has a nice selection of vendors and was very clean. The public restrooms are accessible.

 

Have a wonderful cruise,

Betty

Thank you so much Betty for the information. I will look into that and at least map it out and bring it along with me.

Hi there

 

Places like the Lucaya marketplace are far from the port, you would not be able to use the scooters to get there. There really isn't very much in the immediate vicinity of the port.

 

The only times we were there we only had a folding wheelchair, so I can't comment accessible vans or taxis. If you are both using electric scooters, I think you might be better looking to see if there might be accessible tours that would allow you to see a bit of the island.

 

good luck

Thank you for letting us know. After posting I google mapped to get an idea of the distance and it was a little over 9 miles one way. That is far to try to attempt on electric scooters. Up to 4 1/2 miles we usually don't mind doing. Over that I worry about not finding somewhere that we can plug into in order to get a bit of a recharge to ensure getting back to port.

Hey there! We will be going on the same cruise! I'm so excited to go to Jazz fest. I will follow this post for any suggestions.

 

Kate

Hi Kate,

I had also posted this question under the port of call board to see what answer(s) I would get there and here is what I found out today.

It has been a real long time that we have been to Freeport that I have forgotten how it looked or what was around. From pictures that I have been able to look at over the internet and through trip advisor I see that this port reminds me a bit of how some other ports are: Falmouth, Jamica; Turks and Caicos; to name a couple. The cruise lines do a wonderful job in creating a friendly port area for people that may not want to venture too far out on their own. Hope this helps you out and hopefully we will meet up on this cruise. Do you have someone who is mobility challenged? What are your plans for NOLA?

I can answer some of your questions.

 

The area where the ship docks is much better developed than it was just a few years ago. Two nice bars/restaurants, i.e. Senor Frog's, many food kiosks, several small shops and vendors, and a gazebo with live music are available. All of that area is easily scooter friendly as is the dock itself. For your other questions, I do not know.

Thank you for your response. This does help in deciding if we actually need to venture out any further. Have a great day!

DH and I will be utilizing mobility scooters during our Caribbean cruise and we will be docking for the day in Freeport, Bahamas and are trying to decide what there is to do in the cruise port area or the nearby area to see. Would it be doable to ride the scooters anywhere, i.e. Port Lucaya Marketplace or do we need to take a taxi? Also, are there any taxis / vans that can accommodate scooters?

DH and I will be utilizing mobility scooters during our Caribbean cruise and we will be docking for the day in Freeport, Bahamas and are trying to decide what there is to do in the cruise port area or the nearby area to see. Would it be doable to ride the scooters anywhere, i.e. Port Lucaya Marketplace or do we need to take a taxi? Also, are there any taxis / vans that can accommodate scooters?

what is the pier number at the port of miami for the equinox leaving april 24

billboard will tell you when you arrive.

To my knowledge there is no dedicated "Soda Bar." All they would need to do is go up to any bar or stop a server and ask for a soda. they will then ask for their Cabin Card/Room Key and swipe it. If you bought the Soda Package it will be indicated on the card, if not then their card will be swiped and the soda charged to the room. You will finalize all room charges at the end of your sailing. That's the way it worked when we sailed with our grandsons.

We are sailing on the Reflection on Feb 18th. We are planning on purchasing a 6 night specialty dining package once we get onboard so we can use our OBC. Will there still be package available once we get onboard or are we risking them being sold out? Does anyone have any recent experience doing this?

I'm sure there will be plenty available. Just search on board for a table setup either outside any of the dining locations or around guest services area on embarkation day and you can get yourself set up. They may even offer some kind of discounted pricing to you for doing it on embarkation day. Enjoy you cruise.

It appears your question has been answered - but I would vote for the land based casino anyway... you can grab some great food & local cocktails while at the casino :) And I must say you have me curious, which cruise provides you w/ 2 nights/3 days in New Orleans?

In addition to the Mardi Gras sailing, Celebrity also has a Jazz Fest sailing that departs on April 24, 2017 out of Miami for 11 nights as well, with a 2 night/3 day stay in NOLA.

Its approximately a 25 mile difference. I'm sure once the ship has been cleared by all passengers and luggage and any rental equipment, it will head on down to Miami. While the transitioning is taking place, I'm sure the room stewards will continue to be turning over the cabins in preparation for the new guests. :D I for which am one of them. :cool:

oneputt18; Wine-O; and PostcardJar

Thank you all for the information. We certaninly appreciate it. Looking forward to our April sailing.