Cruising for someone with Motor Neurone Disease

[margbem]

Can anyone help with advice for my friend who wishes to cruise in the Med with her sister who has MND? They would also take her two carers. Which lines should they look at for good access to everything and sympathetic staff and crew?

 

Is the idea of cruising at all possible?

 

The sisters are 66 year old twins and the carers are in their 20's.

 

All advice very gratefully received. Thank you.

[Splinter]

What is the actual disability?? Mobility issues?? Swallow issues??? Breathing issues??

 

It is VERY difficult to find a wheelchair accessible cabin that sleeps 4. Most likely they will need to be in two cabins, with one of the attendants staying with the sister, or the two attendants sharing a cabin and then coming and going to provide the PWD care. I did that with my mother on a couple cruises before her care needs got so severe...running up and down the hall in my bathrobe was a bit of a challenge!!

 

Stick to newer ships on the major cruise lines for the best accessible cabins. HAL, Princess, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, etc. all have good cabins. The wheelchair accessible cabins are few in number, and tend to book very early though, so booking as far in advance as possible is important. In addition of the sister with the MND cannot walk, then finding a cruise that has minimal or no tender ports would be best, as most cruise lines do not allow anyone onto the tenders who cannot walk onto them.

[margbem]

Thanks, Splinter. Her issues are mobility. She cannot walk now, but can stand a little. She would need a wet room. She drives her own motorised wheelchair. She also has problems feeding herself a little sometimes. They would have 2 cabins, probably she would share with her sister who is fit and able and who used to be a nurse so is well capable of helping her physically. Her carers do not live in.

 

The problem might be that they are looking to go quite soon so they would probably find little or no availability.

 

Thanks for your advice. If you can help further I would be delighted to hear from you.

 

By the way, our favourite place in the whole world is San Diego - we have visited a few times for holidays!

 

Margaret

[katisdale]

If she wants to go soon I would not even consider which line to take. I would focus on finding a ship with an accessible room available. I've always reserved at least a year out to get an appropriate room. However, last spring I was able to upgrade from an inside to a balcony cabin about 3 months before the cruise and I certainly hadn't expected to be able to do that, that late.

All of that said, she will certainly need the accessible room as the bath will have to have a no step either into the room nor into the shower. Will you need to bring a Hoyer or similar lift? Does she need a hospital type bed to sleep in? Those supplies can be rented in the states. I am unsure about Europe.

[xxoocruiser]

Extremely Important !

Your friend needs to be advised that Carnival and Holland America have both Fully Accessible HC Cabins and Modified HC Cabins. When speaking to a TA or directly with a Representative from either Carnival and Holland America your friend needs to be very clear that they MUST have a Fully Accessible HC Cabin.....NO EXCEPTIONS. Not all TA's or direct representatives of Carnival and HAL fully understand the difference. Therefore people have been known to think that they were booked in a fully Accessible HC Cabin when in fact they were placed in a Modified HC Cabin.

 

NOTE : A Modified HC cabin is a standard cabin that has a wider entrance door and a few grab bars in the bathroom. Other than that it's a basic standard cabin. Modified Accessible Cabins do NOT have the extra room to accommodate a person confined to a wheelchair to move throughout the cabin. Also the bathroom has a step up into it, a small doorway and is not large enough to accommodate someone who uses a walker let alone someone that needs to use a wheelchair full time

[margbem]

Extremely Important !

Your friend needs to be advised that Carnival and Holland America have both Fully Accessible HC Cabins and Modified HC Cabins. When speaking to a TA or directly with a Representative from either Carnival and Holland America your friend needs to be very clear that they MUST have a Fully Accessible HC Cabin.....NO EXCEPTIONS. Not all TA's or direct representatives of Carnival and HAL fully understand the difference. Therefore people have been known to think that they were booked in a fully Accessible HC Cabin when in fact they were placed in a Modified HC Cabin.

 

NOTE : A Modified HC cabin is a standard cabin that has a wider entrance door and a few grab bars in the bathroom. Other than that it's a basic standard cabin. Modified Accessible Cabins do NOT have the extra room to accommodate a person confined to a wheelchair to move throughout the cabin. Also the bathroom has a step up into it, a small doorway and is not large enough to accommodate someone who uses a walker let alone someone that needs to use a wheelchair full time

 

Thank you. Obviously very important for her. I am noting all this so I can give my friend as much infonas possible. She hasn't time to research it as she spends so much time looking after her twin.

[xxoocruiser]

Thank you. Obviously very important for her. I am noting all this so I can give my friend as much infonas possible. She hasn't time to research it as she spends so much time looking after her twin.

 

Since your friend has limited time to do research, perhaps using a TA that specializes in accessible travel might be something to consider. FYI- We are not able to provide names of TA's as is against CC Forums Policy .

[selma]

If she wants to go soon I would not even consider which line to take. I would focus on finding a ship with an accessible room available. I've always reserved at least a year out to get an appropriate room. However, last spring I was able to upgrade from an inside to a balcony cabin about 3 months before the cruise and I certainly hadn't expected to be able to do that, that late.

All of that said, she will certainly need the accessible room as the bath will have to have a no step either into the room nor into the shower. Will you need to bring a Hoyer or similar lift? Does she need a hospital type bed to sleep in? Those supplies can be rented in the states. I am unsure about Europe.

 

 

Actually, sometimes life has great surprises. I just did a last minute cruise. Called HAL somewhere in march 2013, looking for availability on their Rotterdam in June of this year. And guess what? They had at least 1 accessible stateroom on about all of the dates in june, may and early july. Most of the times oceanview or verandah, but also one with a suite and 2 with inside. I was very much not expecting this, and holding my breath for anything. Esp. combined with the knowledge that the route of departure and arrival in Rotterdam attracts a lot of mobility challenged Dutch cruisers.

 

Aids needed for Europe? No problemo, but if last minute working with the cruiseline might be the easiest as to not do the homework or find out who has approval etc. Beds, chairs etc. all not a problem to rent. Multiple cruiselines will have a preffered vendor or tips where you can find a company you can work with.

 

I ended up having my stateroom literally remodelled for that recent last minute HAL cruise I did. No problemo, stateroom host was very willing to help and request triggered supervisor to see it so he could make sure I wouldn't need anything else. I travel with my own anti pressure soar matrass which requires electricity 24/7. Do inform the cruiseline beforehand as officially they'll want to safety officer to OK it, and again; never a problem and would get official OK within a week or 2.

[margbem]

Thanks everyone, for the advice given. My friend is now looking into all this with help from a speciality travel agency.