Electric scooter needed

[cruiseallways]

I am going on a my first cruise in June and have a leg injury and need to bring an electric scooter.  If it won't fit in the room can I park it outside my room ?

The rooms are so small thanks

[john watson]

No, this is regarded as a safety issue by probably every cruise line.  It would be an obstruction during an evacuation.

 

Regards John

[ggTexasGal]

10 minutes ago, cruiseallways said:

I am going on a my first cruise in June and have a leg injury and need to bring an electric scooter.  If it won't fit in the room can I park it outside my room ?

The rooms are so small thanks

You need to work-out things with NCL Access Desk... see info below.   Bottom Line: call 1-866-584-9756 and talk to NCL!

 

What about accessible cruising?

Norwegian believes that the fun and excitement of Freestyle cruising should be able to be enjoyed by everyone. That's why we are committed to providing all of our guests the freedom of choice to cruise your way. In order to assist you with any special requirements you may have, Norwegian has a seasoned group of cruise professionals who are specifically trained to meet your needs through our dedicated toll free number for accessible travel (866-584-9756). Norwegian's team of Access Coordinators at the Access Desk have experience in furthering Norwegian's mission to provide a safe and accessible cruise experience for all guests with special requirements to the extent that is feasible. The Access Desk Coordinators will discuss with you your needs and expectations for your cruising experience. You or your travel agent will be contacted so that we can try to meet your needs prior to your cruise as soon as we receive your Special Accommodation Requirements Information form available from our Access Desk. In order to make your cruise experience as enjoyable as possible and so that we can try to meet your specific needs, call 1-866-584-9756 (voice), fax (305) 468-2171, send an email to accessdesk@ncl.com or have your travel agent contact us. 

[Son of a son of a ...]

OP - sorry to hear about your injury.  Ask for a handicap cabin with hand bars.  

[Vinegarjoe10]

5 hours ago, cruiseallways said:

I am going on a my first cruise in June and have a leg injury and need to bring an electric scooter.  If it won't fit in the room can I park it outside my room ?

The rooms are so small thanks

Hi cruiseallways, 

 

We required a scooter as well when we took my wife's dad on his first cruise ( 79 years young, mobility issue). I did some research and found a company right at the port we were departing from ( Port Canaveral) and the scooter company meet us at the pier with a Norwegian cruise line compliant scooter. 

 

As you didn't mention if you were bringing your own scooter or renting one, I offer the suggestion to rent one at the port you are departing from. 

 

If you are bringing your own, as one of the other poster's stated, call the NCL Access line, they can provide you with the size requirements (maximum size) allowed for a scooter. 

I can confirm that NCl requires the scooter to be inside your stateroom with you when you retire for the evening. 

 

I hope this helps. 

 

Enjoy your first cruise ! 

 

Regards, 

 

Vinegarjoe 

[Umbarger]

5 hours ago, Son of a son of a ... said:

OP - sorry to hear about your injury.  Ask for a handicap cabin with hand bars.  

Good luck.  There are very few handicapped cabins.  They are usually booked a year prior to the cruise.  

 

Not to worry.  The room steward will find a place to hide your scooter away.  It is not allowed out in the hall way as it is a hazard.  

 

Have a great cruise.  

 

Linda 

[don't-use-real-name]

You did not indicate which NCL ship you are sailing on - - -

If handicap cabins are not available - check for getting one of the inside cabins that is orientated side-ways

you enter in the middle of the cabin instead on a end. These cabins are best suited for scooter

wheelchair storage in the cabin and ease of access to the passageway outside your cabin door.

Scooters don't need the 36inch wide door like wheelchairs.

Tell us which ship to offer further hints and tips.

If you can't get a cabin with good storage possibilities your cabin steward may have unused cabin maintenance

areas for overnight storage. It is quite common that two wheelchairs scooters can not meet in a passageway - best

to have a guide or scout to check before entering and to secure elevators for ease of movement. Sometimes it is

good idea to board an elevator going up by going down and then up - game the system.

[mdsgu]

My mother uses a motorized chair.  We have sailed with her using different strategies.  We've taken her chair to the port and she's used that, and she's also rented one from NCL's preferred vendor -- and it was waiting on her in her cabin at embarkation.  Those are much wider than scooters, but she's always had a handicapped cabin, which tend to be at the very ends of the ship (her last one, on Breakaway, had a very nice view out the front of the ship and was HUGE).  The easiest, if most costly, way is to rent one from whoever NCL is using this week and pick it up either in the terminal or in your cabin.  You will then return it to the same place you received it.  

 

But, yes, you must keep whatever mobility aid you use INSIDE your cabin at night.  Besides, you'll need to charge it up!

[cruiseallways]

I will be sailing on the Gem. The scooter is a 3-wheel drive bobcat scooter I will be borrowing from a friend to take.

If the beds are near the balcony I think it will work. If not I don't know. May the room attendant can store it some place.

 

[fourofakind]

I have taken my mom on several cruises and she uses a lightweight small portable electric scooter to get around. Although we planned on keeping the scooter in the room the door was about an inch too small for the scooter to fit through (regular room not handicap). Definitely no room in the hallways for the scooter so it has to be stored away. Guest services had us call them whenever we wanted the scooter stored and they would bring it to a back room for storage, they would also plug it in overnight and charge it up for us. When we needed it we called guest services and they would bring it to us. We kept plenty of singles on hand and would tip the person bringing/taking it from us.

 

Just a note of caution- bring an extra power supply for charging if you can! One night while they had it stored (and charging) they had a power surge and it fried the charger. We had to use a wheelchair the rest of the cruise for her since we couldn't charge the scooter anymore. Wheelchairs were very hard to come by since several scooters were affected by that power surge so they could only move her from point A to point B and then we would have to call again to move her somewhere else, very stressful cruise! As soon as we got home we ordered a new charger and a spare to travel with just in case. So don't get caught without a spare charger.

[cruiseallways]

fourofakind

thanks for the info.  Well I guess that's what will happen.  

[BlueRiband]

Per NCL's policy:  "...if you have a motorized wheelchair or scooter, the width must not exceed 26 inches to enter the stateroom door. All scooters and wheelchairs MUST be stored in the stateroom. Due to the safety and escape way requirements established by SOLAS regulations, they cannot be stored in the hallways, stairways, or any other public area..."

 

I urge you not to show up on embarkation day with an undeclared scooter and assume that the cabin steward will figure it out.  At worst, NCL could deny you bringing the scooter on board.  At best you will be cramped in your cabin or waiting forever for somebody to bring it in the morning.  Pre-arranging this with their Access Desk will make things go much smoother. 

 

We have a poster who often claims that "most ships" will store scooters and "even charge it for you".   Some full time scooter users have replied that they would love to know which ships provide that kind of service because they have not seen it.

[fourofakind]

11 hours ago, BlueRiband said:

Per NCL's policy:  "...if you have a motorized wheelchair or scooter, the width must not exceed 26 inches to enter the stateroom door. All scooters and wheelchairs MUST be stored in the stateroom. Due to the safety and escape way requirements established by SOLAS regulations, they cannot be stored in the hallways, stairways, or any other public area..."

 

I urge you not to show up on embarkation day with an undeclared scooter and assume that the cabin steward will figure it out.  At worst, NCL could deny you bringing the scooter on board.  At best you will be cramped in your cabin or waiting forever for somebody to bring it in the morning.  Pre-arranging this with their Access Desk will make things go much smoother. 

 

We have a poster who often claims that "most ships" will store scooters and "even charge it for you".   Some full time scooter users have replied that they would love to know which ships provide that kind of service because they have not seen it.

 

I can tell you from experience the 26" width thing is not correct as some doorways are smaller then that. My first cruise with her we did call the access desk and they gave us the measurement so we thought we were all good, until we showed up and our doorway was smaller then that by about 2 inches. Scooter didn't fit. Other cruises the standard doorway was correct size and she fits just fine. If not in a handicap room its always a gamble.

 

Room stewards wouldn't normally handle moving scooters around you have to contact guest services and they will send someone from the special needs dept to help you. I can confirm the Gem, Breakaway and Escape will store and charge scooters for you when needed and the special needs teams are excellent on NCL :)

[cruiseallways]

Thanks for the info. First how do I contact the access desk. I measured my scooter and it 23" wide.

So now what to do?

[fourofakind]

33 minutes ago, cruiseallways said:

Thanks for the info. First how do I contact the access desk. I measured my scooter and it 23" wide.

So now what to do?

 

Access Desk 866- 584-9756   Just give them a call and let them know you are bringing a scooter and may require services at some point.

[cruiseallways]

Thank you I will call them.

[BlueRiband]

On 3/21/2019 at 10:23 AM, fourofakind said:

 

...I can confirm the Gem, Breakaway and Escape will store and charge scooters for you when needed and the special needs teams are excellent on NCL 🙂

Good to know, but unfortunately the prolific poster that I hinted often states that storage and charging services are common on "most ships".  It was a considerable disservice to first time scooter users on other lines.