Best Cruise Line for the Mobility Challenged?

[jomarie10]

My mom wants to go on an Alaskan cruise next year. She's 80 and at home gets around with a walker, but doesn't have the strength in her legs to walk a cruise ship, so we will rent a wheelchair for the trip and book a wheelchair accessible cabin. Does anyone have any suggestions as to which cruise line will meet her physical needs and her desire for good food and amenities? I'm thinking she would probably be happiest with Holland America, Celebrity or Regent. She went on several cruises years ago on the now defunct Royal Cruise line and loved the service and refinement. Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated.

[uppitycats]

My mom wants to go on an Alaskan cruise next year. She's 80 and at home gets around with a walker, but doesn't have the strength in her legs to walk a cruise ship, so we will rent a wheelchair for the trip and book a wheelchair accessible cabin. Does anyone have any suggestions as to which cruise line will meet her physical needs and her desire for good food and amenities? I'm thinking she would probably be happiest with Holland America, Celebrity or Regent. She went on several cruises years ago on the now defunct Royal Cruise line and loved the service and refinement. Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

I think any of those choices would be excellent. My friend, who often cruises with his family including his elderly mother who uses a wheelchair, highly recommends HAL, saying they are very helpful to people with disabilities, and cater to their elderly passengers. So that might be a good choice.

[usavvy2]

you may want to consider the itinerary as much as the line as some itineraries/ports are more ADA friendly than others.

[ILoveScotland]

My husband is now 87 and in a wheelchair. We were on Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas from Vancouver to Seward just over a year ago. I loved the ship for its accessibility among many other things.

 

There's a thread on here somewhere about accessibility in various Alaskan ports. If I find it I'll post the link. Otherwise just do a search, and the link should turn up.

 

Depending on how far in advance you book you may have difficulty getting an accessible cabin. If she's in a walker at home she'd probably be fine in a regular cabin. The ship will provide a shower seat if she needs it. That's what we had to do last year since we booked the Radiance pretty late, and DH did okay.

[xxoocruiser]

 

Depending on how far in advance you book you may have difficulty getting an accessible cabin. If she's in a walker at home she'd probably be fine in a regular cabin.

quote]

 

A regular cabin may not suit their needs. Have to take into consideration the width of the walker versus the cabin door width and bathroom door width. Also need to take into consideration that the regular cabins have a step up into the bathrooms.

[ILoveScotland]

 

Depending on how far in advance you book you may have difficulty getting an accessible cabin. If she's in a walker at home she'd probably be fine in a regular cabin.

quote]

 

A regular cabin may not suit their needs. Have to take into consideration the width of the walker versus the cabin door width and bathroom door width. Also need to take into consideration that the regular cabins have a step up into the bathrooms.

 

I understand all of that as DH has numerous mobility problems and can't walk even with a walker without help. Still he manages in a regular bathroom if need be. Also, on the Radiance the cabin door was wide enough to accommodate the scooter we rented for him to use onboard.

[leoandhugh]

For general accessibility of both cabins and public venues, we have found that RCCL is the most accomodating, and the ship's personel seem more in touch with the requirements of pax with handicaps.:)

[judyfssw]

I like Celebrity. They do not have a step up into the bathroom but an incline. The doors into the cabin are very accessible as my husband has used a large rented scooter with no problem. Princess, may have larger rooms but that cuts down on the size of the hallways. My husband's travel scooter lost a fender to some cart trying to pass it and with Celebrity, it's no problem. If your mother uses a scooter in a grocery store, you might want her to consider renting one on your cruise.

[CaptData]

Go on newer ships built after 2000. Hal has several that fit this. Princess and RCCL and Celbrity are also good choices. But Hal has the best rep for the older crowd.

[jomarie10]

 

Depending on how far in advance you book you may have difficulty getting an accessible cabin. If she's in a walker at home she'd probably be fine in a regular cabin.

quote]

 

A regular cabin may not suit their needs. Have to take into consideration the width of the walker versus the cabin door width and bathroom door width. Also need to take into consideration that the regular cabins have a step up into the bathrooms.

 

While Mom can get to the sink and commode in a regular bathroom she really needs the grab bars and a shower with a seat. She isn't able to step into a regular tub and at home has one of those walk-in tubs. I just think a wheelchair accessible room will be a must have. I saw a cruise agent today and he also felt that Celebrity or Holland would suit her the best. I don't think she would go for a scooter. I think she relishes the idea of me pushing her around the ship like a queen... LOL.

 

Thanks to everyone for their input.

[138east]

I had the same dilemma recently with my 90 year old mother and ended up buying a light weight transport chair. I looked into renting a wheelchair for just the cruise, but it was more expensive than buying the transport chair. The reviews between wheelchairs and transport chairs were mixed, but we found the transport chair to be the perfect solution for us because my mom is not really wheelchair bound, which makes a huge difference. There is no need for the large rear wheels so she can propel herself. Also, she weighs only about 110 pounds. Folks said they had problems with the transport chairs on carpeting, but I found it very easy to wheel her around the ship. The chair has a pedal lever so the chair could be tilted slightly to get over the bumps in the ship's halls. It also has 12" rear wheels, handbrakes, and a seat belt.

 

I think of the transport chair as an "adult stroller" - perfect for local travel to any activity that involves more than a short walk. My mom absolutely loves it and I wish I had gotten it sooner. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019VWOJ4/ref=asc_df_B0019VWOJ4921482?smid=A367RFIQRDER75&tag=nextag-hpc-mp01-delta-20&linkCode=asn&creative=380341&creativeASIN=B0019VWOJ4 $179.00 incl shipping.

[evgal/nj]

my 80 yr old mother hates the transport chair! she uses a walker to get around but for distances needs a wheelchair, in rehab after her first stroke they taught her to "scoot" herself in the wheelchair, she likes the independance of being able to get up from the wheelchair whenever she wants. the transport chair doesn't have brakes that can be operated by the person sitting, it makes it unsafe to independantly stand from the transport chair. per mom & dh the ride is not as comfortable b/c of the smaller wheels & lack of padding on the seat. if your planning to use the wheelchair off the ship i'd definately recommend a regular lightweight wheelchair. the transport chair is very convient for me since its so light, folds so small, but it doesn't go over threshholds, sidewalk cracks ect as easily as a regular wheelchair. the light weight regular wc weights about 25 ibs, the transport chair i think is 15.

we've cruised 2x to alaska on the princess diamond & rcl soverign of the sea, of the 2, princess was much more accomadating. have cruised hal, celebrity,ncl in europe & the carib. hal & celebrity were equal in our book.

[KL&KR]

We have cruised Princess and Celebrity to Alaska--both had wonderful staffs, except for the gangway personnel, who most often were not well-trained to handle people in scooters (maybe they were much better at wheelchairs!), and totally reluctant to take advice about ramping access. On our last cruise, Kathy was actually injured on the gangway.

 

Mixed bag for us--other people's comments about RCCL seem very promising.

[judyfssw]

I so agree with the above writer re Princess. We went with my husband and an 80 plus lady who needed a wheelchair to Alaska. We were the last ship into Juneau and at the end of the 5 ships into port. It was raining (not a problem really) and we went on an evening shore excursion sponsored by the ship. We had to go up a steep incline (covered) to get to the bus. (I blame Alaska for not following ADA policy here). But, coming back, I brought my my husband down the ramp but it was very difficult because the carpeting was very slippery. There was no possibility that the others could get down the elderly lady without assistance from a strong person. The security people at the top said that they couldn't help and were in a hurry to leave as we were the last ones back. I told the security people about Helen as soon as I arrived. They did nothing. I told them again and was yelled at and told that it would be taken care of. We waited over a half hour and repeatedly asked for assistance but the security people on the ship were busy getting ready to close up the opening. Finally, a man came out and went to get her. The people at customer service were originally concerned when we told them what happened but nothing was done.

Also, as I mentioned previously, the cabin doors are very narrow as are the hallways on Princess.

[ILoveScotland]

I so agree with the above writer re Princess. We went with my husband and an 80 plus lady who needed a wheelchair to Alaska. We were the last ship into Juneau and at the end of the 5 ships into port. It was raining (not a problem really) and we went on an evening shore excursion sponsored by the ship. We had to go up a steep incline (covered) to get to the bus. (I blame Alaska for not following ADA policy here). But, coming back, I brought my my husband down the ramp but it was very difficult because the carpeting was very slippery. There was no possibility that the others could get down the elderly lady without assistance from a strong person. The security people at the top said that they couldn't help and were in a hurry to leave as we were the last ones back. I told the security people about Helen as soon as I arrived. They did nothing. I told them again and was yelled at and told that it would be taken care of. We waited over a half hour and repeatedly asked for assistance but the security people on the ship were busy getting ready to close up the opening. Finally, a man came out and went to get her. The people at customer service were originally concerned when we told them what happened but nothing was done.

Also, as I mentioned previously, the cabin doors are very narrow as are the hallways on Princess.

 

Judy, I have read other comments such as yours although not necessarily about Princess. Fortunately I've had none of those experiences on the three cruises we've taken since DH (now 87 and I'm 68) has been in his wheelchair - and we were on three different cruise lines - Celebrity, HAL and RCCL.

 

Instead I have always been asked if I needed assistance on the ramp exiting the ship and returning as well. In fact crew members have essentially come up to us and taken DH from me in order to help.

 

Beth

[judyfssw]

Hi Beth,

I don't want you to think that this experience has stopped me from cruising. My husband had a stroke almost 10 years ago and we have cruised extensively, admittedly mostly on Celebrity. This was the first time cruising for Helen and her daughter. The problem wasn't getting off of the ship but back onto the shiip. This was my first experience with a situation like this, ever. But now Helen and her daughter have had a bad experience and I'm afraid that they won't ever cruise again. I can tell them and others in their group that this was my first experience like this and to try again but, who knows if they will. I think if someone would have apologized to them, it might have helped, but nobody did or would.

It was a poor experience, that's all.

[skunkiemama]

What works best for someone is the cruise product that best meets their personal needs and interests, also with consideration of their budget. I love that you recognized your mother’s interests with your question. While I agree with the responses that Royal Caribbean is one of the most accessible lines, it’s not what I’d suggest for your mother based on what you wrote.

 

Considering everything you stated regarding the wheelchair rental, interests, need level (and apparent ability level), and preference for a premium or luxury cruise, I’d suggest the three cruises in the order in which you listed them. First choice, Holland America, second choice of Celebrity Cruises and a third choice of Regent Seven Seas. Look among them for which has the best itinerary for your family. If your mother opts to rent a scooter instead of a manual wheelchair, I’d suggest Holland and Celebrity equally.

Connie

[jomarie10]

What works best for someone is the cruise product that best meets their personal needs and interests, also with consideration of their budget. I love that you recognized your mother’s interests with your question. While I agree with the responses that Royal Caribbean is one of the most accessible lines, it’s not what I’d suggest for your mother based on what you wrote.

 

Considering everything you stated regarding the wheelchair rental, interests, need level (and apparent ability level), and preference for a premium or luxury cruise, I’d suggest the three cruises in the order in which you listed them. First choice, Holland America, second choice of Celebrity Cruises and a third choice of Regent Seven Seas. Look among them for which has the best itinerary for your family. If your mother opts to rent a scooter instead of a manual wheelchair, I’d suggest Holland and Celebrity equally.

Connie

 

I suggested a scooter, but she nixed that idea, saying she thought she'd probably run someone over with it. But still I think she relishing the idea of my pushing her around the ship like a queen... she's already practicing her royal wave. ;). And Skunkie you nailed it on the head. Today we booked a wheelchair accessible Veranda room on the Oosterdam for May 30th, 2010. I'm very excited about the whole trip.

[DWofHandicappedCruiser]

I'm also trying to find out which cruise line is best for someone in an electric wheelchair. My DH is 46 and has MS (fairly advanced), I am 55 and have AS but I'm still walking and driving. We tried HAL but were bored out of our minds. We're just too young for the activities and the crowd. Carnival's great but they do have limited accessibility and the gangplanks are horrible. They have no excursions for disabled people so we end up renting a handicapped van and driver who doubles as a tour guide for the Mexican ports. This works but the price is usually 350 a half day plus tip so it's not very reasonable. But we love the ships and the wide cross-section of people, I get to dance in the line dances and they make a very good martini, :-) We are on the West Coast and they only have 4 ships with one leaving soon for a new home port in the Gulf of Mexico. We are trying to find either a round trip or back-to-back to Hawaii and open up some new desitnations. Anyone have any suggestions?