What should I ask?

Hi guys. Thanks in advance for all your help. I've never been on a cruise before and we're travelling on the Navigator ship in August. Probably just a newbie but I'm finding cruising so complicated! Im cruising with 2 preteens and my husband. My husband also has mobility issues and walks with a walking stick. I've emailed royal caribbean and asked them what I need to know, if they could help with embarking etc but to be honest I don't really know what to ask, with regards to my husband and with anything else.

I've looked at the blogs, on the boards on here etc but is there anything important I should ask, or make sure I do? This is a BIG once in a lifetime holiday for us so want to make sure it goes well. Thank you so much :)

The ship people can help your husband with a wheelchair at initial embarkation and final disembarkation, but he would not be able to use that wheelchair on the ship or on excursions. If you think he could use some assistance while on the ship or while at ports, then I'd consider renting a mobility device like a scooter. There are companies that specialize in cruise ship passenger rentals, see below.

www.specialneedsatsea.com

www.scootaround.com

If you need an accessible cabin, request one sooner rather than later. They are in high demand and limited availability.

I he uses a walking stick, what else does he need?

If he can walk, as it sounds he can, an accessible cabin probably isn't needed. You can ask for wheelchair assistance for boarding and leaving the ship at the end of the cruise, if that's needed.

On the ship, there is a lot of walking needed...ships are large! If that sounds like too much walking, wheelchairs and scooters are available to rent from companies that will deliver to the ship. The ship does NOT have them for passenger use. That will be up to you to determine if it's needed.

You can call the "Special needs" dept. of the cruise line, and ask for boarding assistance.

I have limited mobility and use a walking stick. Plus I am from UK so done quite a few sailings from Southampton and done a number of cruises on Navigator. Here are my thoughts ...

First of all, there is no need to worry. You will find other passengers also with limited mobility so easy to blend in. My mobility is very limited but I prefer not to use a scooter or a wheelchair. For me it is not an easy option especially when it comes to getting in and out of lifts or navigating through crowds.

You can request wheelchair assistance for embarkation and disembarkation. Sometimes they get you to fill in a form so that they have full details of requirements but it is easy to arrange. Just call or email them and they should get back to you. I usually tip the person providing wheelchair assistance 5 to 10 dollars.

One thing to check is the location of your cabin. You can use google to find a deck map of the ship. Make sure it is near the lifts. If not, it is worth looking into getting your cabin changed. The biggest problem I have had is the walk from lift to cabin.

Try to get to the theatre early so that you can get a seat near the aisle and at the back. Plus there are seats designated for disabled and companions.

As for getting around the ship generally, I don't find it a problem. It's a matter of taking your time, planning your journey and finding routes that avoid crowds. I have found it fairly easy getting around the Navigator.

At some ports, you will find staff who will provide transport from ship to terminal entrance using a buggy or wheelchair. It can be a long walk and it is not always obvious that this service is available so worth asking when you get off the ship. I usually tip up to $5 is to use the service.

One area you should ask a lot of questions, ideally once on board is excursions. There are some gotchas like meeting points for catching the tour, amount of walking involved etc. I find it impossible to keep up so avoid booking excursions unless I am confident that I won't get stuck or left behind.

If he's only in need of a walking cane, he should be able to use the elevators at the port to board the ship. I was having some back problems this year and getting to use the elevator was a great help. If a long walk is a problem, get a cabin near the elevator on the ship. The halls are a lot longer in reality than they look on a deck plan.

Thanks so much for all the information :) Hes rarely needs a wheelchair so should be ok, glad to hear theres help with embarking as I was thinking after being stuck in the car for the journey down there he might be struggling then. He uses grab bars etc at home so I've emailed about that but if theres no room available I'm sure I can manage to give him extra help for the week :) Thanks again. I'm less worried about going now knowing that others have been and staff are helpful. :)