Mobility questions - Parents first cruise

[bjd2]

I've been on 7 cruises so feel pretty good about most info but I have recently found that my elderly parents are interested in joining us on our Pride cruise in April. They would both need scooters (recent knee/hip surgeries) and I imagine an accessible cabin due to scooters and my dad having limited use of one arm due to polio that he had as a child.

 

I'm not sure how to book them (whether these conditions qualify for an accessible room), and if I can get them booked, how to go about getting scooters arranged for them. They currently only walk very short distances with walkers on wheels with the seats on them. This wouldn't work with the amount of walking on a cruise.

 

I did some searching and found very little in recent information. Has anyone had recent experience with this?

 

Thanks,

 

Bobbie

[KARTI1955]

Hi Bobbi,

 

Have you talked to your PVP? I am sure that between them and the special needs department at Carnival, you will be able to take care of everything for your folks including scooters. I don't have any first hand experience with this, just going by what I have read here and on the Carnival websitr.

 

Sounds like a great trip and how nice that your folks can join you. Have a wonderful time!

[cb at sea]

If they BOTH need scooters, you MUST get an accessible cabin....a standard cabin will NOT be large enough for 2 adults AND scooters. They may want to wait a bit, until they've completed their physical therapies and can walk better....

Edited November 2, 2015 by cb at sea

[Boozebabe]

I recently purchased my own scooter. During that purchase I told the salesman that I cruise a lot and he said they rent a lot of scooters to cruisers. Thru him it is less than $100 per week. Special needs at sea charges over $200 per week. If you rent at home it can be driven right up to the door of a plane and will be waiting there when you land. That way you would have it for the entire embarkation procedure. Renting thru Carnival it will be waiting in their cabin. I would also add that a suite would afford a lot more room for 2 scooters. Two in a regular cabin will be very crowded even in a handicapped cabin. Thats just my take on it. I would check around on rental prices and options before deciding. Give a call to the local place near you that sells them and ask about rentals.

[KARTI1955]

If they BOTH need scooters, you MUST get an accessible cabin....a standard cabin will NOT be large enough for 2 adults AND scooters. They may want to wait a bit, until they've completed their physical therapies and can walk better....

 

Jeez!!!!! I think that their physician would be the best judge of whether or not the can travel. No need for the caps btw. :D

[bjd2]

Thanks for the info so far. They are able to travel, but both heavier set and not able to walk very far. I will call my PVP for advice as well. I just thought maybe there would be some here with this experience. I'm so excited to be able to cruise with them even just one time. I want to try to make everything as easy for them as possible.

[ObstructedView2]

 

Many passengers across all cruise lines also use this website.

Special Needs At Sea:

http://www.specialneedsatsea.com/

 

 

 

[Mary Ellen1]

I can't speak to the scooter issue, but on our last cruise, DH was hobbling around with a surgical boot on his leg, following an Achilles injury. We had booked a cabin toward the aft of the ship, and it worked out perfectly -- he didn't have to walk very far to get to the aft elevator, and then it was just a matter of going down to the dining room, or up to the buffet. The same elevator bank served both, and was quite near our cabin. It was unintended on our part, but it was great. :) I'd recommend you look into doing the same thing. Good luck!

[Lil2Angelic]

Hi Bjd! You may want to check out this forum..

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=190

 

It's the disabled forum..I was just over there doing some research myself. I just happened to pop back over here and saw your thread. I don't particularly like the term "disabled" myself ;), but I am finding much info and "nice" people there. Hope this helps! Have a wonderful cruise with your parents!

Edited November 2, 2015 by Lil2Angelic

[Schoifmom]

They will definitely need an accessible cabin because that is the only rooms the scooters will fit in. There is tons of information in the disabled cruisers forum. The special needs department is fantastic and will do everything they can to make this trip special for your parents.

 

I hope you all have a fantastic cruise together !

[bjd2]

I really appreciate the positive advice. I will research all of it and use my PVP. My dad can hardly walk 100 feet so definitely need some help for him. I've told him how I've seen others scoot around the ship so hope to make it a great experience for him.

[ctkathchick]

We rented a scooter for my Moms last cruise. She did have a handicap accessible room so that was not a problem. When renting one be sure to have an extra battery pack so that while one is in use the other can be charging. That being said we have been on a few Carnival cruises where there have been scooters parked outside of rooms in the hallway each night for people who were not in a handicap accessible room. They will have a good time and people are very helpful my Mom felt very comfortable tooling around in her scooter.

[jandb6266]

What Schoifmom said is all wrong. I am sure op means well but I rent a

scooter every cruise from Special needs at sea and it fits in the regular

cabin just fine. Just do not rent the heavy duty scooter because it is

to wide for a standard cabin door. My scooter fits right in front of the

sofa and charges at night from the plug at the vanity table right in

front of the sofa. If you need two scooters then you will need a

handicapped cabin so two scooters will fit in the cabin. I have a

voltage adapter to go from 220 to 110 and that gives me extra

outlets for my charger on the scooter and my CPAP and nebulizer.

HAPPY SAILING!!!

[Delta Dear]

We will be sailing on the Pride in two weeks using a rented heavy duty scooter from Special Needs At Sea in a handicapped room. It is one with an extended balcony as well, so you may want to request one of those. Your parents certainly do qualify for that type of room.

 

It is exciting that they will be able to share the cruise experience with you. Our TA was very helpful. You may want to make sure that whoever you work with makes sure to work out seating in the MDR that will be easy for your parents to maneuver.

 

I'll check back in after we return to let you know how things worked our on the Pride.

[denas]

Door width in regular rooms can vary by an inch or two which makes all o the difference in scooters and chairs fitting in the room or not. My son uses a pediatric chair. We couldn't fit it through the door on Disney, but if we lined it up just right, it fit through a standard door on one of the RCCL ships, but not the other. I cNn find no info on the actual door size on the Pride. In fact I was going to see if some nice CC member would bring on a tape measure to measure it for me!!! There are no accessible rooms that accommodate more than 2 on the Pride, so we booked a regular room and hope for the best

 

If I was you, I would not sail in anything except an accessible room with the scooters. If they don't fit easily through the door, it is very difficult. We have had to try and carry my son, collapse the chair and carry it (it is the lightest version they make but still weighs 40 pounds) all while trying to hold open a heavy cabin door.

 

The one downside to a HC room is the roll in shower. If you don't need one, they are kind of a pain since water gets everywhere creating a fall hazard. I wish Carnival would make mire modified accessible rooms with just a wider door and entry for people with limited mobility. I really wish they would make accessible rooms that can accommodate families!!!

[sweetsixteencruisers]

I really appreciate the positive advice. I will research all of it and use my PVP. My dad can hardly walk 100 feet so definitely need some help for him. I've told him how I've seen others scoot around the ship so hope to make it a great experience for him.

 

Have they ever operated a scooter before? Please have someone from the crew help them up and down the ramps. They can be steep. It just scares me if they don't have any practice using them. There so many people.

 

The reason I say this is, a lady operating a scooter went to fast, panicked and crashed into my daughter coming up a ramp of the Freedom, hitting her from behind, knocking her down and running over her leg. Thankfully, my daughter who has an 8 inch rod and all its hardware in her spine was not hurt other then a few minor scrapes.

[Elaine515]

Both of my parents have had double knee replacement surgeries and Mom just had another one two weeks ago. While Dad is fine Mom is not and we have rented an electric scooter from CareVacations for her on every cruise..

 

The scooter is in the cabin when they arrive, never had a problem... When you do call your PVP, if he/she tells you they have no handicap cabins available, insist that he call the Special Needs Department and check to make sure that every passenger booked in a handicap cabin for your cruise has their paperwork submitted.. Unfortunately passengers book these cabins because they are larger and don't really need them... And yes, we have found that more than not... and Carnival will move those passengers...

 

If you also think your parents are unable to walk/stand until they get on the ship, Carnival does have wheelchairs available for boarding...

 

Hope this helps...

[It's a Ship!!!]

Call guest access services at 1-800-438-6744 Extension 70025. They will be the best bet to answer all of your questions.

 

I know a few have mentioned it, but the 2 main companies that rent scooters are special needs at sea, and care vacations. You can google either one and easily get to their websites.

 

If you rent from one of those places, be sure to ask for wheelchair assistance at the pier when you talk to guest access services.

[isaiahsnana]

Take your parents to a local walmart or grocery store with scooters available to let them practice maneuvering around on a scooter. The rental ones are speedier and have a better turning radius but the idea is the same and practice is good.

Edited November 3, 2015 by isaiahsnana
added information

[cjankowski]

My husband has used a scooter for many years on a cruise. I have found lots of information on this board under: Special Interest Cruising, then disabled cruise travel.

 

With the information you listed, your parents would be able to get a handicap / modified room, but remember they are very hard to reserve if not way out in advance. Only a few on each ship. MUST BOOK early usually.

 

If you parents need scooter for travel you may find a local shop to rent from that would be less, but then you have to transport. There are lots of scooters, but you need to know what is best for them and if they need reg / portable scooters.