Interested in a Disabled Friendly Ship--Summer 2006 CC Group Cruise?

[montgomeryfamily]

One of our cruising family members is disabled, so I understand many of the needs of the disabled when cruising. We were interested in a Caribbean group cruise in August 2006 and wanted a disabled-friendly ship/cruiseline as well as itinerary. The Caribbean Princess August 19, 2006 Eastern Caribbean sailing fits the bill nicely.

 

The Caribbean Princess has sixteen balcony wheelchair accessible staterooms and a number of outside and inside wheelchair accessible staterooms. We have traveled on the Grand class Princess ships in balcony staterooms and found them to be very accessible, including ramps to the balcony and roll-in showers. The Caribbean Princess is fairly new (commissioned 2004) and has many accesssible features.

 

In addition, the Caribbean Princess' Eastern Caribbean itinerary is one of the most accessible Caribbean itinerary of any ship. The ship docks at St. Thoms and St. Marteen and Princess offers a wheelchair accessible shore excursion for St. Thomas. While Princess Cay is a tender port, Princess does have some beach/sand wheelchairs. SO...

 

We have received prices for a Cruise Critic Group Cruise August 19, 2006 sailing on the Caribbean Princess. :)

 

Inside (Cat. JJ): $ 889 pp

Oceanview (Cat. FF): $ 999 pp

Balcony (Cat BB): $ 1199 pp

Mini-Suite (Cat AC): $ 1359 pp

 

Single (Cat. JJ): $ 1339 pp

 

Rates are based on double occupancy and include port charges and gov't fees.

 

3rd/4th passenger rates are subject to change..currently:

$ 679 pp for Inside cabins

$ 769 pp for Oceanview cabins

$ 859 pp for Balcony cabins

$ 949 pp for Mini-suites

 

Amenities

$ 50 per cabin On-board credit (Single occupancy will receive $ 25 per cabin)

5" x 7" photo voucher per cabin

Cruise Critic Laynard (one per person)

Cruise Critic Magnet (one per stateroom)

15% discount on all other Cruise Critic merchandise

 

$ 250 pp deposit is required at the time of booking and the final payment is due on or before 5/5/2006.

 

The space is held until 8/5/05.

 

Caribbean Princess Aug 19 '06

 

Itinerary: 7 day Eastern Caribbean

Day Date Port Arrive Depart

Sat Aug 19 Ft. Lauderdale 5:00 pm

Sun Aug 20 Two days at sea aboard

Mon Aug 21 the magnificent Caribbean Princess

Tue Aug 22 St. Thomas 7:00 am 6:00 pm

Wed Aug 23 St. Maarten 7:00 am 5:00 pm

Thu Aug 24 At Sea

Fri Aug 25 Princess Cays 9:00 am 4:00 pm

Sat Aug 26 Ft. Lauderdale disembark AM

 

Many have posted on this board looking for wheelchair accessible balcony staterooms and cruise ships which are very accessible. I am posting this group cruise information here because I wanted the CC members on this board to be aware of the group cruise option on such a ship that has these wheelchair accessible balcony staterooms. In addition, I will try to assist disabled group members by locating relevant accessiblity information and resources. Since we also have a disabled family member who will be on this cruise, I am sensitive to the needs of disabled group members.

 

Please post if you are interested in this group cruise. Once we have sufficient interest, Laura will provide booking information to me for the group. If you have any questions or prefer to email me of your interest rather than post, please contact me at aleta@ev1.net.

 

 

Kathy

[montgomeryfamily]

We did it-the August 19, 2006 Caribbean Princess sailing is an official Cruise Critic group cruise! And now is the time to book if you are interested in this cruise because there is a reduced deposit of only $100 per person if booking by September 30!!! In addition to great group rates, there is also $50 per cabin ($25 solo cruiser) shipboard credit and other amenitie!!. Plus if you book by September 30, there is also a Princess coupon book!

 

Unfortunately, as we all know, there are a limited number of wheelchair accessible staterooms onboard any ship. The Caribbean Princess has 16 balcony, 4 outside, and 5 inside wheelchair accessible staterooms, so you also need to book early if you need a wheelchair accessible stateroom.

 

Also, there will be more limited availability of staterooms for Caribbean sailings next summer because Princess will only have one ship--the Caribbean Princess, sailing a seven day Caribbean itinerary next summer (the Crown Princess is the only other ship Princess will have in the Caribbean next summer--a nine day that also stops at Bermuda) and HAL and Celebrity will not be positioning a ship in the Caribbean next summer. So if you need or desire to sail in the summer, your Caribbean options are much more limited next year.

 

Our Cruise Critic group cruise is a great option! We will have a sailaway party and a meet and mingle and there will be an opportunity to share shore excursions! However, there is no requirement to do anything with the group if you just want to take advantage of the pricing and amenties--its ok! Thre is also no group dining--you eat when you want. You can do as little or as much as you want with the group.

 

The ship will be sailing the fantastic Eastern Caribbean itinerary--St. Thomas, St. Martin, and the beautiful Princess Cay! Lots of fun, activities, and great shopping plus usually no tendering except at Princess Cay makes this a very desirable itinerary!! Also, if there is enough interest, Princess has told me they will let us prebook the St. Thomas wheelchair accessible tour so we can make sure that it will be offered.

 

For more information, click on the links below or email me at kacruiser@ev1.net. You can also use the email address in the above posting.

[PiperMcB]

Sounds great--but unfortunately, I'm sure school will be back in session then, so I'll have to pass.

[montgomeryfamily]

Unfortunately when school begins very much depends on the locality/state. While there are some areas of the US where school begins early in August, there are many areas of the US where school doesn't begin until late August or after Labor Day. Also the schools in Canada usually begin in early September.

 

Even if you cannot join this group cruise, if you are planning to book the Caribbean next summer, I would urge you to try to finalize your plans soon on whatever ship/sailing you choose because the I suspect that the limited availability of ships/berths (as compared to this year, when so many more ships/cruiselines had ships positioned in the Caribbean) will result in more of the wheelchair accessible rooms to be booked by AB.

[montgomeryfamily]

Great news!! Princess is again offering the $100 pp deposits to those who book our August 19, 2006 Cruise Critic group cruise. The promotion only lasts through through Friday.

 

Click on the links below for pricing/info or email me at kacruiser@ev1.net for more information.