debarking at different ports

[maxydu]

I have spoken with the access dept. at Carnival about getting off the ship at the different ports while utilizing my wheelchair. I'm not sure that they understand the question so I'd like experienced cruisers to relay their experiences if you would.

 

Prior to getting off at ports AB folks go to one of two area's to get numbers to get off the ship in an orderly fashion. I don't want special treatment but this will be an extra burden to do with additional elevator waits/rides as well as a time factor. I would like to go directly to an elevator to level "0" and wait if need be to get on a tender or off the ship. I don't want to be last off if at all possible. What do you do? Are there so many disabled folks that this will burden everyone else? I really think that in its totality, this is reasonable. Set me straight if I'm missing something.

 

Thanks!

[kitty9]

First of all, are you in a motorized wheelchair? If so, most cruise lines have stopped allowing persons in that type of vehicle, along with motorized scooters, on a tender.

 

If you can transfer and walk onto the tender, they will fold up your wheelchair and put it on the tender while you sit in a regular seat.

 

Now as for waiting for a tender, no you cannot just go to the tender deck and sit and wait. Those areas are very tiny and there may not be a place for you to sit and wait without obstructing others. Your choices are to take a ship's tour, whereby you're the first to leave the ship, or just get a tender ticket and wait. But I would advise you to visit the purser's office and discuss this with them. They may be able to accommodate you on the first tenders after the shore excursion people leave.

 

If you're not in a tender port, you just roll off the ship whenever. You don't need to wait for a certain time or get a ticket for that. But using a scooter or wheelchair might mean that you will leave the ship from a different level, depending on how steep the gangway is. I know for many ports, they take me off via the employee exit or from the exit where they load provisions, as those areas don't have stairs and are less steep.

[katisdale]

The only time we have had to get tickets is when we had to tender to shore. If you purchase a tour from the ship and are docked you will still need to go to the gathering spot so you can stay with your group as you go from the ship to the transportation. I tend to avoid ship's tours (not always) as I don't like hearing AB's talk about how "slow" we will be now that I am on the tour but don't want to get separated from the group if I do go that route. If getting off at a docked port when we don't have a ship's tour we just get in line and leave - or even better, wait 15 or so minutes and then there is no wait.

[maxydu]

The chair is not motorized and I am able to transfer. I'm just surprised that they don't have a protocal for getting HC folks off the ship other than the mainstream way. Thanks for the advice!