disability advice needed

[CorkySue02]

Hi there,

 

My family is taking a group cruise out of Miami on the Splendor in February. My father is recently wheelchair bound and we are all still adjusting. We are trying to plan as much as possible and I could use some friendly advice. We have all cruised many times we just have a new normal to think about. Any advice on boarding and getting around the ship, excursions that could be possible, and general tips would be so helpful.

 

My father is used to being a very active man and has been down since the loss of feeling in his legs. We want to make this a positive and uplifting trip :)

[pusywillow]

Hi there,

 

My family is taking a group cruise out of Miami on the Splendor in February. My father is recently wheelchair bound and we are all still adjusting. We are trying to plan as much as possible and I could use some friendly advice. We have all cruised many times we just have a new normal to think about. Any advice on boarding and getting around the ship, excursions that could be possible, and general tips would be so helpful.

 

My father is used to being a very active man and has been down since the loss of feeling in his legs. We want to make this a positive and uplifting trip :)

 

Lots of good advice on the disabled passenger forum on CC.

[pusywillow]

Lots of good advice on the disabled passenger forum on CC.

 

It's listed under Special Interest Cruising.

[PattBenatar]

Hi there,

 

My family is taking a group cruise out of Miami on the Splendor in February. My father is recently wheelchair bound and we are all still adjusting. We are trying to plan as much as possible and I could use some friendly advice. We have all cruised many times we just have a new normal to think about. Any advice on boarding and getting around the ship, excursions that could be possible, and general tips would be so helpful.

 

My father is used to being a very active man and has been down since the loss of feeling in his legs. We want to make this a positive and uplifting trip :)

 

Do him the biggest favor you can, suggest a scooter or a power wheel chair so he does not feel burdened to have people push him around for the entire trip.

[Essiesmom]

Make sure you have booked a handicapped accessible cabin. EM

[TerReuv]

Also, be sure to notify Carnival's special needs department. When you get to the port, porters will assist and when it is time to board, you can usually get a Carnival staff member to assist in pushing the wheelchair up the ramp. Make sure you get assistance, because those ramps are at a good slant and it is stop and start and that is hard with a wheelchair. The staff is great at dealing with that.

 

I would also suggest FTTF, especially if you have tenders. First, you can get into your room as soon as you board and drop off your carry ons. Also, you will have priority boarding on the tenders. You will board the ship early with the wheelchair, but not everyone can board with the wheelchair person.

[Barry ATL]

DH is paraplegic so has been in a chair the 26 years we have been together. Staff are always great about helping. Here are a few tips:

 

--If you are on early or late dining, go to the dining room the first day with your father. They may not let you in at first, but tell them you need to see if the table you are assigned will be easy to get the chair to. Remember, the dining room will have all of the chairs pushed out some as people are sitting in them. If the table is not to your liking, see the dining room manager (or whatever the title of that person is) for a table change. Please do this early after getting on the ship. You will have better choices.

--Scope out the wheelchair spaces in the theatre. There will be some on the upper and lower level. Do not try to get the ones dead center close to the stage. Someone will champ out an hour for those. Look for the seats along the outside on the far left or far right. Those are usually empty and if someone is sitting in the chair next to the wheelchair spot, ask them to move (they ususally do not offer).

--I usually help Ken on the ramp to board the ship, but I have many years of experience man handling his chair. Ask a staff person to do it. There is a steep incline on one side or the other of the boarding ramp. A staff person will know when the chair should be pushed backwards.

--Be a bit aggressive with the elevators. During peak times able bodied people will jump in front of you to get on the elevator. Many times we wait for several elevators because we are a little to nice. This does not apply to all able bodied people, but just enough that you can end up waiting 30 minutes to go up one floor during the dinner or theatre rush.

--Unless it is a newer ship, don't count on the public restrooms being too wheelchair friendly. Batter to go back to your cabin.

--Most bars have a lower section of the bar for wheelchairs or have tables that the staff will serve you at.

--Almost all public spaces on a ship are accessible with the exception of a few secret decks that are usually up front just below or above the bridge. That being said, you may have to go a round-about way to get to an area. Example is the Serenity area on a Fantasy Class ship. You have to go through a club to get to the ramp. Just ask guest services or any crew if you find yourself "trapped" from getting to an area by wheelchair.

--In the guest services area of the Carnival webpage there is a map of each ship and wheelchair routes are listed along with bathrooms, etc. Print this map and take it with you. By the second day you will not need it, but it helps on the first day as you are getting your bearings. http://www.carnival.com/about-carnival/special-needs.aspx

--The buffet is usually wheelchair friendly. 9 times out of 10 someone on staff is going to offer to carry a tray for you. That 1 out of 10 time they don't can be annoying especially if the person in a wheelchair is alone.

--On Carnival, there is a special line at guest services for people with disabilities. It is much shorter than the regular line.

--If you have ports that tender, beware. Depending on the ship and how rough the waters are, wheelchairs may not be able to take the tender. The staff will bend over backwards to make it happen one way or the other, but we have had one instance where the seas were just too rough.

--Make sure you make a water dam around the shower with towels. This will stop the water from going all over the floor because there is no "lip" on wheelchair accessible showers. Just tell your room steward you need enough towels to build a water barrier around the shower. He/she will know exactly what you mean and will leave extra towels for that purpose.

--If you are on one of the older ships, have the cabin steward set up the beds in an L shape along the walls. This configuration will give you the space needed for the wheelchair. If you are on the newer ships, you should not need to do this as the cabin will be bigger.

 

If some of the above sounds negative, it is not meant to be. It is just the reality of living with a chair. You are going to have a great vacation! Chair or no chair, it is so much better than being at home or work.

 

If you have any questions, just ask.

[SadieN]

DH is paraplegic so has been in a chair the 26 years we have been together. Staff are always great about helping. Here are a few tips:

 

 

--If you are on early or late dining, go to the dining room the first day with your father. They may not let you in at first, but tell them you need to see if the table you are assigned will be easy to get the chair to. Remember, the dining room will have all of the chairs pushed out some as people are sitting in them. If the table is not to your liking, see the dining room manager (or whatever the title of that person is) for a table change. Please do this early after getting on the ship. You will have better choices.

 

--Scope out the wheelchair spaces in the theatre. There will be some on the upper and lower level. Do not try to get the ones dead center close to the stage. Someone will champ out an hour for those. Look for the seats along the outside on the far left or far right. Those are usually empty and if someone is sitting in the chair next to the wheelchair spot, ask them to move (they ususally do not offer).

 

--I usually help Ken on the ramp to board the ship, but I have many years of experience man handling his chair. Ask a staff person to do it. There is a steep incline on one side or the other of the boarding ramp. A staff person will know when the chair should be pushed backwards.

 

--Be a bit aggressive with the elevators. During peak times able bodied people will jump in front of you to get on the elevator. Many times we wait for several elevators because we are a little to nice. This does not apply to all able bodied people, but just enough that you can end up waiting 30 minutes to go up one floor during the dinner or theatre rush.

 

--Unless it is a newer ship, don't count on the public restrooms being too wheelchair friendly. Batter to go back to your cabin.

 

--Most bars have a lower section of the bar for wheelchairs or have tables that the staff will serve you at.

 

--Almost all public spaces on a ship are accessible with the exception of a few secret decks that are usually up front just below or above the bridge. That being said, you may have to go a round-about way to get to an area. Example is the Serenity area on a Fantasy Class ship. You have to go through a club to get to the ramp. Just ask guest services or any crew if you find yourself "trapped" from getting to an area by wheelchair.

 

--In the guest services area of the Carnival webpage there is a map of each ship and wheelchair routes are listed along with bathrooms, etc. Print this map and take it with you. By the second day you will not need it, but it helps on the first day as you are getting your bearings. http://www.carnival.com/about-carnival/special-needs.aspx

 

--The buffet is usually wheelchair friendly. 9 times out of 10 someone on staff is going to offer to carry a tray for you. That 1 out of 10 time they don't can be annoying especially if the person in a wheelchair is alone.

 

--On Carnival, there is a special line at guest services for people with disabilities. It is much shorter than the regular line.

 

--If you have ports that tender, beware. Depending on the ship and how rough the waters are, wheelchairs may not be able to take the tender. The staff will bend over backwards to make it happen one way or the other, but we have had one instance where the seas were just too rough.

 

--Make sure you make a water dam around the shower with towels. This will stop the water from going all over the floor because there is no "lip" on wheelchair accessible showers. Just tell your room steward you need enough towels to build a water barrier around the shower. He/she will know exactly what you mean and will leave extra towels for that purpose.

 

--If you are on one of the older ships, have the cabin steward set up the beds in an L shape along the walls. This configuration will give you the space needed for the wheelchair. If you are on the newer ships, you should not need to do this as the cabin will be bigger.

 

 

 

If some of the above sounds negative, it is not meant to be. It is just the reality of living with a chair. You are going to have a great vacation! Chair or no chair, it is so much better than being at home or work.

 

 

 

If you have any questions, just ask.

 

 

Adding on...

MDR is open around 1pm-3 or so at embarkation for changes etc. No need to go at other times. Exact times will be in the Fun Times.

 

Elevators- take the first open one, eventually it will get to your floor.

 

Guest Services has two lines- one for Diamond/Platinum/FTTF pax and another line for everyone else. Never seen one specifically for the disabled.

Edited September 9, 2015 by SadieN

[Barry ATL]

Adding on...

MDR is open around 1pm-3 or so at embarkation for changes etc. No need to go at other times. Exact times will be in the Fun Times.

 

Elevators- take the first open one, eventually it will get to your floor.

 

Guest Services has two lines- one for Diamond/Platinum/FTTF pax and another line for everyone else. Never seen one specifically for the disabled.

 

He accessible line is usually combined with the FTTF line.