Carnival and Handicapped Cruisers?

[I Luv Crusin]

We have friends who just moved to Tampa. He has Cerebral Palsy and needs a walker to get around. He'd like to do a cruise for Thanksgiving and I was thinking Carnival. They have 2 children, a pre-teen boy and a young teen girl.

 

Does anyone have experience with Carnival cruising with mobility issues?

 

TIA

[*Luv2Cruz*]

We have friends who just moved to Tampa. He has Cerebral Palsy and needs a walker to get around. He'd like to do a cruise for Thanksgiving and I was thinking Carnival. They have 2 children, a pre-teen boy and a young teen girl.

 

Does anyone have experience with Carnival cruising with mobility issues?

 

TIA

My DW was in a wheel chair last year. Here's a link to Carnival Special Needs which should help!:) Enjoy your cruise!

[FireEater]

My wife uses a scooter. Carnival is very accommodating as is the crew on all ships we have been on. Your friend could rent a scooter for the cruise at a local med supply store. Would be a LOT better than a walker on a ship (due to distance) he would walk. I even took our spare scooter once due to a back issue then. It was great.

[deborahjo]

DH just had surgery 2 months ago and we sail in 54 days. Once special needs heard the type of surgery it was and what he was going to require THEY moved us into a handicap cabin to give him more room. They did not charge us for this move. It is a much better room. We are extremely happy with the service we have received from Special Needs department and this was just one thing they have helped us with on this cruise.

[FireEater]

Another thing, do fill out the paperwork they want for the special needs. It can help with placing him close to an isle if needed in the restaurant for dinners.

 

And as the post above states, the special needs cabins do come into play. We use them when we book early enough. We also wanted a quick getaway at Thanksgiving this year and booked a 4 dayer out of Port Carnival starting on Thanksgiving. Due to booking so late though, we ended up with a regular balcony cabin. But as long as she has a shower and not a tub, that was doable for a short period.

[ashadams617]

My brother (22) has cerebral palsy. He can't walk very well and he can't talk. Carnival is so accommodating to him! The crew and even the people on the cruise ship are extremely nice. My brother has the best time each time he goes. He loves to rock his wheelchair everytime the music plays. It was the best thing seeing his face light up every cruise. He just has a blast.

[RWolver672]

The problem we ran into when my SIL was in a wheelchair because of foot surgery was the rude passengers. The ship and the crew are very accomodating to the HC. Going down the gang ramp on the islands, they help you as much as they can. Every time we left the ship, at least two crew members were instantly there to help her.

 

We came back onboard from Cozumel and patiently waited for the elevator. As we made our way to the front, everybody would push their way in front of us. After about the fifth or sixth elevator that we missed because of the rude people, her grand daughter made it very clear and not with very clean language that the next person that cut us off would wish they hadn't. We were on the next elevator.

[ccruisequeen]

I've used a walker on the Paradise and Splendor. No problems at all getting around. Casino chairs are a tight squeeze in some areas. In the MDR, they will escort you to your seat, then move your walker,, chair, etc out of the way. Check in MDR when you embark to make sure your table isn't on an upper platform (1-2 steps) or too far away. The aft MDR on Paradise is a few steps down from the bar, so you may have to ask for the forward MDR. if you go to the theater early, you can park the chair or walker in the curve of the steps from the stage and sit at the end of the second row (good view and not blocked by person in front).

[PAPERBKWRITER]

The problem we ran into when my SIL was in a wheelchair because of foot surgery was the rude passengers. The ship and the crew are very accomodating to the HC. Going down the gang ramp on the islands, they help you as much as they can. Every time we left the ship, at least two crew members were instantly there to help her.

 

We came back onboard from Cozumel and patiently waited for the elevator. As we made our way to the front, everybody would push their way in front of us. After about the fifth or sixth elevator that we missed because of the rude people, her grand daughter made it very clear and not with very clean language that the next person that cut us off would wish they hadn't. We were on the next elevator.

 

Sorry that happened to you guys. Most of the people I've seen in wheel chairs have always been given priority on elevators on the cruises I've been on. Curious as to what ship and where it left from.

[Acordant]

We have friends who just moved to Tampa. He has Cerebral Palsy and needs a walker to get around. He'd like to do a cruise for Thanksgiving and I was thinking Carnival. They have 2 children, a pre-teen boy and a young teen girl.

Does anyone have experience with Carnival cruising with mobility issues?

There's a whole section devoted to Disabled Crusing at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190

You may find more hints in that section.

[tigercat]

My experience with a walker has been the same. I wait for my turn however rude people just keep jumping in front of me to get in. I don't expect to be pushed to the front but when I have been waiting for an elevator (once for over 20 min) let me on and stop jumping in front of me.

tigercat

[RWolver672]

Sorry that happened to you guys. Most of the people I've seen in wheel chairs have always been given priority on elevators on the cruises I've been on. Curious as to what ship and where it left from.

 

Conquest out of New Orleans.

[RuthlessBoss]

The problem we ran into when my SIL was in a wheelchair because of foot surgery was the rude passengers. The ship and the crew are very accomodating to the HC. Going down the gang ramp on the islands, they help you as much as they can. Every time we left the ship, at least two crew members were instantly there to help her.

 

We came back onboard from Cozumel and patiently waited for the elevator. As we made our way to the front, everybody would push their way in front of us. After about the fifth or sixth elevator that we missed because of the rude people, her grand daughter made it very clear and not with very clean language that the next person that cut us off would wish they hadn't. We were on the next elevator.

Generally things go okay, but this has happened to us with a motorized chair. Very disheartening. We had to get a little nasty too. Ironically, this was on a Celebrity cruise! I can still recall those people jumping ahead onto the elevators!

[pungo3]

My experience with a walker has been the same. I wait for my turn however rude people just keep jumping in front of me to get in. I don't expect to be pushed to the front but when I have been waiting for an elevator (once for over 20 min) let me on and stop jumping in front of me.

tigercat

 

This is truly unacceptable. I have helped many wheelchair or scooter people on an elevator. It's common courtesy. People who jump ahead are rude.

[kybluecruiser]

We have friends who just moved to Tampa. He has Cerebral Palsy and needs a walker to get around. He'd like to do a cruise for Thanksgiving and I was thinking Carnival. They have 2 children, a pre-teen boy and a young teen girl.

 

Does anyone have experience with Carnival cruising with mobility issues?

 

TIA

 

My mother had a stroke 4 months before went. Carnival bent over backwards to help her. We had atd and the maitre d always sat her at a table close by. I also brought a wheel chair for ports, but carnival will wheel you to the end of the peir. Disembarkation they will assit you off the ship. In fact our cruise director Risa Barnes herself helped my mother. Important note.... When they book tell them to be sure and tell their pvp or whoever they book with to note there account they have mobilty issues. During embarkation they will also wheel you up to lido deck. Just have to have them note your account.

[cbMcruiser]

We have friends who just moved to Tampa. He has Cerebral Palsy and needs a walker to get around. He'd like to do a cruise for Thanksgiving and I was thinking Carnival. They have 2 children, a pre-teen boy and a young teen girl.

 

Does anyone have experience with Carnival cruising with mobility issues?

 

TIA

 

My grandson has spastic displasia(?) CP and is 16 years old. He has been on several cruises with Carnival (starting at age around age 9) and every time the experience with them is marvelous. He uses a walker, a cane and a wheel chair (we bought a used collapsable one). Not only are they very helpful with the everyday requirements, but they are also very good at getting him on/off the tenders, up the ramps etc.

 

You will find that some of your fellow cruisers will be less cooperative than the Carnival employees.

[Elaine5715]

The most mobilty issues will be in ports. Places where Carnival has created their own areas should be accessible but places like PR will be difficult to maneuver on the tiny sidewalks.

[maxydu]

I have been on 9 cruises and have pretty much had the same issues on each cruise; other

guests being rude. I walk with a cane and a leg brace which appear to be invisible to a large majority of cruisers. I don't want special treatment but I also don't appreciate being pushed, shoved, cut in front of nor the looks I get for moving too slowly. In the same breath I keep cruising so the good times outweigh the bad.

[RWolver672]

Wow, this thread is really sad. To think that there are so many uncaring people... And here I thought it was just a one time thing that only happened to us.

[2addicted2xmas]

My second cruise I tore my ACL 2.5 weeks before the cruise and was helped onto the ship in a wheelchair and utilized crutches during our 8 day cruise. Last cruise my daughter my daughter broke her foot a few days before the cruise and they were wonderful to her.

 

The only rude people we encountered was my husband who called me and had our room steward calling me tink tink all week due to the sound of my crutches in the hallway.

[misstopgun]

My husband uses a walker on cruises or shopping excursions due to inability to stand for long periods. The only issues we have had was damage to the walker from airlines.

 

You do get rudeness occasionally at elevators but my husband looks grumpy though he is a big teddy bear so it isn't usually a problem for long.

[I Luv Crusin]

There's a whole section devoted to Disabled Crusing at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190

You may find more hints in that section.

 

Actually I looked there first but I wanted opinions of Carnival Cruisers. This is their first cruise and I want them to have a good experience. HAL might do a better job but they do have younger kids. The Dad is in his 50's.

[Raring to go]

I have taken my parents on two Carnival cruises, with a 3 rd on the Magic in October. If you don't feel you need a handicapped accessible room, which I never book as they use a walker and a cane, you can contact special services through the main Carnival 800 number. They can make accommodations to your regular cabin to make things easier. my parents use a shower chair and a toilet seat booster. These are both available free of charge. We have never had problems with rude people anywhere on the ship. People have even gotten off of the elevator to allow my parents to get on.

[ichigohime]

I strongly suggest that your friend bring a wheelchair. My brother has very mild CP and normally walks unassisted however he always brings a chair on cruises not only is there a lot of walking and standing in lines but the rocking of the boat makes him very unsteady.

[c&d]

My sister uses a walker, we take her wheelchair with us on cruises. There is a lot of walking on a ship and it can become very tiring,

 

We have also ran into the rude people hogging the elevators I have found myself blocking the door so we get on the elevator. People are less respectful when she uses the walker than when she in a chair.

 

One time we were in line to view the midnight buffet, we had a few passengers in line in front of us, along comes more friends and more friends, they could have cared less that she was sitting behind them in a wheelchiar, they got irrated because her foot pedals were in their way when they were chatting with friend. As the doors opened and we attempted to enter, more folks cut in line it was not fun trying to hold a wheelchiar in a stopped position on a incline when it wants to go backward, I rammed a few heals that night and I could have cared less those people were very rude and we had enough of them bumping her and getting mad because she was sitting there, not our fault they did not pay attention.

 

That was a issolated incident, but I highly recommend taking a wheelchair there is a lot of distance to cover, Carnival crew has always been very helpful to us when we cruise. 99% of the passengers are respectful also.

 

Lately I have noticed more passengers playing the disabiliyt act to get ship earlier. The few inconsiderent folks gives those with a true disabilty the glaring eye from passengers without disability who are patiently waiting to board.

 

My sister will be going on her 13 carnival cruise in November