Motorized Scooters - Embarking/Disembarking:

[Catladyesq]

My better half recently gone to using motorized scooters aboard the various cruise ships. Until now, we have rented one and it is always awaiting us in our stateroom. Am considering buying a scooter. My concern how does one navigate the gangplanks embarking and disembarking given the extreme slope oft-times?

[gram2trips]

My husband uses a power chair. He has had little trouble embarking or disembarking. The ship's personnel are very helpful if needed. If the ramp is too steep sometimes there is another ramp he can use lower on the ship. Or someone walks in front of him to kind of hold him back & someone will walk behind him. Don't be afraid to ask for help. We have been on RCL & Carnival & both have been wonderful. We are cruising NCL in March for the 1st time. Just a side note if you are considering buying a scooter check with insurance. They bought my husband's chair 100%!!

[JackWP]

At ports if the ramp is wet, we do not go off the ship. I have observed too many scooters sliding off the end of the wet ramps and nearly turning over. This is mostly do to driver error.

 

The other problem that we experience is the crew places the ropes at 90 degrees too near the end of the ramp. A few times I have had to push the ropes out of the way with the scooter rather than turning too fast and wrecking.

[LindaLou48]

I cruised with my TravelScoot this month and didn't have any problems. One ramp on the Carnival Fascination was really steep, but with the TravelScoot, you just lean forward to change the center of gravity, and up you go. My friend walks behind me in case I need an extra boost. Going down ramps, I didn't use the throttle and squeezed the brakes.

[KL&KR]

My wife has had problems many times with the gangway, and has been injured. We have often been told that this is a fault of the gangways provided by the port. The biggest source of injury has been the point at which the gangway meets the promenade deck, and the ramp onto the deck has created an angle too great for the base of the scooter to negotiate. At this point the scooter "high-centered", the ramp attendants attempted to push her and the scooter over the "hump", and she (sometimes) injured her shoulder, arm or elbow. We have repeatedly asked them to modify the ramp to change the angle of the hump, but they don't seem to want to do that. Part of the problem has been that she and the scooter are very heavy, so the attendants could not push, lift or "adjust" her due to weight. Our advice would be to approach the hump angle carefully, and don't be rushed into going over the angle if it seems too extreme for your scooter.

[kitty9]

I've been on 5 cruises with my Go Go scooter and have not had a problem. If the ramp is steep, they always have a crew member behind the scooter to provide a push.