Aid boarding ship.

[green flash]

How do I get in touch with Princess Lines to let them know I need help in boarding the ship?

[shof515]

The Access Office can be reached at accessoffice@princesscruises.com or by fax at 661-284-4408

 

Depending on your special needs, they might make you fill out a questionnaire that i attached.

Princess-Mobility-Questionnaire.pdf

[moki'smommy]

In our experience, the mobility form has only been required when we were booking Princess transfers.

 

For boarding assistance, there is an area in each terminal; some terminals are much more organized than others. You will sign in with the person managing the wheelchair assist area, and will be taken on board in the order you signed in.

 

Vancouver was amazing. They had a table where you could sit and check in rather than standing at a counter. Then you were taken to Tracy, who signed us in and got my daughter the help that she needed when it was available. She was also great as to keeping us informed about what was happening.

 

Houston and Tokyo were also good.

 

This was a contrast to Ft. Lauderdale where we asked 6 employees where the HA assist area was before we stumbled on it ourselves. We ultimately asked about distances and whether it was flat, ramps, or stairs and decided to board with walker and braces rather than dealing with the obvious confusion in the assist area. The ONLY excuse I can think of for that mess was that the Caribbean Princess was using terminal 19 as there was a problem at her regular terminal. We had notified Princess in advance of her needs.

[famski740]

After you fill out and send in the form they will send you an acknowledgement of receipt and tell you to see a princess representative at the embarkation port.

 

At Fort Lauderdale terminal 2, when you are facing the terminal go to the far right side and a representative will be there. They will tell you where to set and wait for the wheelchairs that will take you through the crew security and get you processed for your cruise card. They will then take you up to a special waiting room on the 2nd floor. When the time comes to get on the ship, ship personnel will come to this room to wheel you up the gangway and unto the ship. From there it depends if the rooms are ready or not.

[paul929207]

When in doubt just ask the first Princess rep you see.

[Colo Cruiser]

Princess crew members are available in the terminal to assist you.

[Thrak]

We've sailed twice with our disabled son and crew stepped right up and assisted.

[green flash]

Thanks everyone for the info.I use a cane but standing for a long time and walking any distance is very painful.Thanks again.

[moki'smommy]

Thanks everyone for the info.I use a cane but standing for a long time and walking any distance is very painful.Thanks again.

There are lots of people in your situation. They don't need a wheelchair all the time, but the distances and the slope/stairs involved in boarding, airports, etc. are more than they can handle. Princess provides assistance willingly to such guests, even though some of the crew don't seem to "get it." Don't let that bother you--request the assistance you need at the times you need it.

[Bubble-Ont.]

I also walk with the use of canes. I have my travel agent at time of booking to request assistance. As a rule, I just ask a Princess crew member where to get assistance and I am usually taken care of right away.

[Pierlesscruisers]

How do I get in touch with Princess Lines to let them know I need help in boarding the ship?

 

If you're embarking at Seattle, let someone know you need assistance as soon as you arrive and the first available wheelchair will be provided for you. That person will take you all the way through security and right up to ADA check-in. At that location you will be checked in, along with anybody who will be in your stateroom. After being checked in you will be transferred to a ship's wheelchair where you will be taken onto the ship as soon as boarding begins by one of the ship's personnel. The people who will bring you upstairs in the wheelchair are not supposed to accept tips but the people who will push you onto the ship are ship's personnel and are not covered by that restriction so a tip to those people is appropriate. The restriction on tipping the shore-based personnel may not be the case at all of the other ports.

 

 

Tom

[Grammyluvs]

I don’t need a WC but cannot climb ramps and stairs without the use of my portable oxygen. Is there a need for a special request to use an elevator and do they even have elevators?

[famski740]

My wife is in the same vote. She uses a walker but cannot get up the inclines at the Terminal. There is an elevator to get to the second floor where the gangway is but she still needs wheelchair assistance to get up the gangway. Once on the ship she can get out of the wheelchair and use her walker which I bring on board with me.

 

We tip both the terminal personnel for getting her through check in and the ship personnel for wheeling her on board.

 

Also, on debarkation day, there is a special area assigned for those who need wheelchair assistance to meet and they will take her off the ship, through baggage pick up, through customs (normally go to head of any line) and all the way to the car.

[Pierlesscruisers]

It might help to get an answer about the presence of an elevator if you would say what port you are going to be embarking and debarking at.

 

 

Tom

[moki'smommy]

If you are in a multi-level terminal, there will be an elevator. That has never been an issue for us. The issue is often the ramp to get onto the ship. Usually one gangway is set up as stairs and the other is set up as a ramp. Often there is quite a long walk just to get to this point. The whole setup can vary with the tides and can change throughout the day at some ports.

 

Bottom line--you'll want to ask for wheelchair assist for boarding with the oxygen, walker, or whatever. Just the distances alone can be more than what some people can do. If you need a mobility device of any sort, plan on needing assistance for boarding.

 

There is no elevator to get onto the ship. So even if you get to the bottom of the gangway on your own, the gangway is typically an incline. Just go with help from the beginning. There is no point in using all your energy just to get onto the ship--save your abilities for having fun!

[riclop]

How do I get in touch with Princess Lines to let them know I need help in boarding the ship?

Tell them when you get to the pier.

[moki'smommy]

Tell them when you get to the pier.

You can contact special services in advance but you'll still need to notify them at the terminal.