Help Needed to Walk Long Distances from Ship

[Bandit236]

I will be traveling with a friend who has a difficult time walking long distances. Specifically, when we get off the ship and have to walk quite a distance down the long, long pier. I was wondering if Royal offered any kind of assistance for this type of problem. It wouldn’t be so bad if there were benches to sit and take a short break. We don’t see them too often. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.

[kathyemma]

In St Maarten there is a guy who has a golf cart. He gives passengers who need help a lift.

 

Where are you going? My mom doesn't walk long distances either. She has never had a problem. There always seems to be a bench for her to rest or a guy in a cart to give her a ride.

 

Kathy

[xxoocruiser]

RCCL only provides wheelchair assistance with boarding/unboarding on embarkation day and disembarkation day. If your friend needs assistance at port he/she is required to provide their own mobility equipment as you cannot reply on assistance being offered at the pier. RCCL does not loan or rent wheelchairs for this purpose. Your friend might want to consider bringing a wheelchair with them or renting it though one of RCCL's pre-approved providers which will than be waiting in their cabin on embarkation day.

 

www.CareVacations.com

 

www.Specialneedsatsea.com

[Bandit236]

Kathy,

Thank you. We will be going to St. Maarten (good to know about the golf cart), St. Kitts (we have never been there) and Puerto Rico. We're going on the Independence of the Seas. I could not remember if there was a long walk from the ship to shore. I know there's a pretty good like when we get to Labadee. We were on the Freedom this past March.

[gerif]

How about getting her a rollator? They provide a seat when needed and fold up easily to fit into a taxi or tour bus.

[kathyemma]

Kathy,

Thank you. We will be going to St. Maarten (good to know about the golf cart), St. Kitts (we have never been there) and Puerto Rico. We're going on the Independence of the Seas. I could not remember if there was a long walk from the ship to shore. I know there's a pretty good like when we get to Labadee. We were on the Freedom this past March.

 

When you get off in St Maarten just keep an eye out for him. He makes rounds to all the ships so you might have to wait a few minutes. There are benches.

 

St Kitts - never been

 

Puerto Rico - it has been years. I can't remember.

 

Labadee - it has been a few years but i think they have the big beach wheel chairs you can borrow. Walking on the sand can be hard. We hit a different private island and we drove my mom crazy - we kept walking trying to find a good place to set up for the day. Not sure how many are in your group but if more than the two of you - i suggest you guys find a place to sit and wait. When the rest of your group has decided on where to stay they can come back and get you.

 

Have fun!

 

Kathy

[BDsquared]

Not sure if this would help, but my parents swear by these...its a cane that folds into a small seat. It is fairly light weight and has been a real lifesaver for them. I believe theirs fits in a suitcase.

 

Here is a link. I have also seen them at sporting goods stores.

http://www.fashionablecanes.com/Seat_Cane.html

[KAWS]

I will be traveling with a friend who has a difficult time walking long distances. Specifically, when we get off the ship and have to walk quite a distance down the long, long pier. I was wondering if Royal offered any kind of assistance for this type of problem. It wouldn’t be so bad if there were benches to sit and take a short break. We don’t see them too often. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

No they don't. Only on/off the ship. I had this problem too when I took a couple of cruises and was in need of back and knee surgeries. I took a walker with me on the cruise (the kind with a seat). If your friend doesn't have one of these, you can rent one before you go and bring it. It was an absolute life saver some days. And if your friend is having a good day and doesn't need it, fine. But better to have it than not.

 

Also make sure you ask for "wheelchair assistance" at the airport when flying. Those airports can just about kill ya with all the walking. I do this and it's a tremendous help. I've had my surgeries now and won't need the walker on our next cruise, but I'm still signing up for the airport assistance. It's free and it's so great to have available.

[vlynn]

RCCL only provides wheelchair assistance with boarding/unboarding on embarkation day and disembarkation day. If your friend needs assistance at port he/she is required to provide their own mobility equipment as you cannot reply on assistance being offered at the pier. RCCL does not loan or rent wheelchairs for this purpose. Your friend might want to consider bringing a wheelchair with them or renting it though one of RCCL's pre-approved providers which will than be waiting in their cabin on embarkation day.

 

www.CareVacations.com

 

www.Specialneedsatsea.com

 

 

Yes. This is what we did for my MIL for our upcoming cruise. She probably won't use it much but it is nice to have! It wasn't real expensive either. :p

[Rala]

At Labadee, there are open sided shuttle busses to take you from the beach area to the security area and then you can get a wheelchair from security down the long pier to the ship gangway. We used the shuttle busses and my friend used the wheelchair as well....very convenient.:)

[Bandit236]

Thank you all for all of your suggestions.

[welikepalms]

RCCL only provides wheelchair assistance with boarding/unboarding on embarkation day and disembarkation day. If your friend needs assistance at port he/she is required to provide their own mobility equipment as you cannot reply on assistance being offered at the pier. RCCL does not loan or rent wheelchairs for this purpose. Your friend might want to consider bringing a wheelchair with them or renting it though one of RCCL's pre-approved providers which will than be waiting in their cabin on embarkation day.

 

www.CareVacations.com

 

www.Specialneedsatsea.com

 

Great links! Thank You. My mother is one of those that can't walk long distances either. On our next adventure in May next year she is talking (for the 1st time on a cruise) a portable wheelchair. She used it on a land trip last month and it made a world of difference for her.

 

Thanks again the links are great

 

Happy Cruising

[Dayenu]

I will be traveling with a friend who has a difficult time walking long distances. Specifically, when we get off the ship and have to walk quite a distance down the long, long pier. I was wondering if Royal offered any kind of assistance for this type of problem. It wouldn’t be so bad if there were benches to sit and take a short break. We don’t see them too often. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

This depends on the port, in some shuttles are provided. How mobile is your friend? If s/he doesn't want to use a wheelchair or a walker with a seat, there are other things to help. You can google "seat cane" - it's like a walking cane with a fold-out seat, or a "folding stool" - they are usually lightweight, or you can carry it for him/her.

[Sequim88]

I may be mixing up a port but my recollection of St. Kitt's was it was one of the shortest pier walks of anywhere we've been. I'm sure that was the port where the bow of the ship (Serenade) actually seemed to extend over the shore. Compared to other ports the walk from the gangway to the port entry building was pretty short and the plaza beyond was full of taxi/tour drivers. My wife walked with her cane there and did not feel the distance was far enough to need her wheelchair which we had left onboard. We found a super driver named Bernie who was very good helping her in and out of the van. So once in the van there was very little more walking.

 

If you can use GoogleEarth zoom in on the cruise dock and the terminal building There is a photo titled "Basseterre, St. Kitts cruise ship terminal" that has a nice image looking out from the terminal to two ships that are not very far away. In the GE image there is a ship showing that is at the far end of the pier and the walking distance shows to be 245 yards. But I know we were much closer and it could not have been more than 150 yards. Note - the image is from 2004 and the port area is much more built up with shops now.

[grand isle joe]

Your friend should look into a "Travel Scoot" scooter. It is made to travel and is very light weight.Folds up to fit in a medium duffle bag. Plus the A.D.A. law states that the airlines has to let you ship it with you on the plane for free. It has a battery that last a long time and can be recharged in the cabin. Google the name. Happy Cruising.

[orville99]

On Labadee there are shoreside staff with the balloon tire wheel chairs that will take you wherever you are going. DW needed one on our last visit and they were great - pushed her all the way to Nellie's Beach.:)