Leave scooter on ship for tender port?

[mom22frogs]

How does this work? My traveling mate needs her scooter to traverse the ship, but I don't *think* she'll need it in Grand Cayman. I'm looking at getting us an excursion where we would do the stingrays, snorkel, etc. I think it would be a taxi to a catamaran. The walk from the ship to the taxis wasn't too bad in Grand Cayman. Of course I'm not the one with the foot problem, sigh, easy for me to say.

 

Can she drive her scooter to the tender, leave the scooter there, and then tender to Grand Cayman and go about our day? Will they store her scooter there or return it to the cabin? Are there other options I'm not thinking of? This excursion is not listed as accessible. I think Carnival might have some that are. I was looking at going through Island Marketing Ltd. Is there a bag check of some kind at Grand Cayman where we could check her scooter? I didn't notice it. And while we're at it, what about at Cozumel? Was there a bag check there? I was thinking in Cozumel we would taxi to the chocolate factory. She won't need her scooter at the chocolate factory, so we could check it before getting on the taxi or just take it apart (it's one of those quick disassemble kind) and throw it in the taxi.

 

Any opinions on how to handle Jamaica/Ocho Rios with scooter? I was looking at the river tubing for us, so again she doesn't need her scooter once she's to the van. They could either throw it in the van (we can break it down quickly) or check/store it at the pier? I don't know, lol.

[1025cruise]

I have no personal experience on this, so here is my guess.

 

The scooter may or may not be allowed on the tender. She will need to transfer to the tender herself (with the aid of the crew if needed). Sometimes they allow the scooters on, sometimes they don't. Grand Cayman generally uses their own tenders, so probably a better chance of allowing the scooter. However, if you do bring the scooter ashore, you will need to keep it with you. There's no place to leave it. Same on the ship, it will need to be left in your cabin. 

 

For the other ports, you will need to have the scooter with you, or leave it on the ship, in your cabin. 

[mom22frogs]

I need to call Carnival. I don't even know basic things, like whether a steward can return the scooter to the cabin while we're off the ship or whether we need to do that. 

 

Hold it, when we did the tenders before there were STAIRS to get down there, weren't there??? How does that work? They have a secret elevator for people on wheels?

[GUT2407]

41 minutes ago, mom22frogs said:

I need to call Carnival. I don't even know basic things, like whether a steward can return the scooter to the cabin while we're off the ship or whether we need to do that. 

 

Hold it, when we did the tenders before there were STAIRS to get down there, weren't there??? How does that work? They have a secret elevator for people on wheels?

Every ship I have been on has had a small elevator, but no guarantee you won’t encounter steps shore side.

[VirginiaIsForCruisers]

I can't speak to Carnival, but on the NCL Jade, when I went to Grand Cayman, I took my scooter down to the tender area. I asked the crew there if there was any way I could leave it close by, since it was hard for me to walk from my cabin to the tender area. They were very nice and let me pull it off into a little alcove only a few steps from the ramp to the tender. When I got back on the ship, the scooter was right there. It made the trip so much nicer.

[1025cruise]

1 hour ago, mom22frogs said:

I need to call Carnival. I don't even know basic things, like whether a steward can return the scooter to the cabin while we're off the ship or whether we need to do that. 

 

Hold it, when we did the tenders before there were STAIRS to get down there, weren't there??? How does that work? They have a secret elevator for people on wheels?

I would assume the answer would be no, you would need to bring the scooter back.

The rules for tenders are that you need to be able to get on/off under your own power (with some help from the crew). If you can't walk, you won't be allowed on. With that said, some tenders have the ability to wheel a wheelchair on, but I wouldn't count on it. Plus, if conditions don't allow, you won't be allowed to.

[kokopelli-az]

I have never been on a cruise where there was not an elevator (although it may be on the opposite end of the ship) to access the gangplank deck.   

 

If you are taking Carnival excursions, check with Carnival regarding the possibility of leaving the scooter in the van/bus.   On a private excursion, check with the tour operator regarding the same.  

 

Here is information from Carnival that should be of assistance:

https://www.carnival.com/about-carnival/special-needs/wheelchair-users.aspx

 

[mom22frogs]

2 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

The rules for tenders are that you need to be able to get on/off under your own power

She can walk short distances just fine.

3 hours ago, VirginiaIsForCruisers said:

I can't speak to Carnival, but on the NCL Jade, when I went to Grand Cayman, I took my scooter down to the tender area. I asked the crew there if there was any way I could leave it close by, since it was hard for me to walk from my cabin to the tender area. They were very nice and let me pull it off into a little alcove only a few steps from the ramp to the tender. When I got back on the ship, the scooter was right there. It made the trip so much nicer.

This was exactly what I was wondering. 

34 minutes ago, kokopelli-az said:

I have never been on a cruise where there was not an elevator (although it may be on the opposite end of the ship) to access the gangplank deck.   

 

If you are taking Carnival excursions, check with Carnival regarding the possibility of leaving the scooter in the van/bus.   On a private excursion, check with the tour operator regarding the same.  

Sounds like that's my next step.

[Splinter]

Consider taking a manual folding wheelchair for use ashore. This is what we did when I traveled with my mother who was a full-time wheelchair user. We left her power wheelchair in the cabin, transferred to the manual chair, and took that ashore. Much easier to get around were there are no curb cuts or ramps into shops as we could bump it up/down a step or two (you cannot do this with a transport chair), and folding was critical for getting into cabs or rental cars as well.

[mom22frogs]

6 minutes ago, Splinter said:

Consider taking a manual folding wheelchair for use ashore. This is what we did when I traveled with my mother who was a full-time wheelchair user. We left her power wheelchair in the cabin, transferred to the manual chair, and took that ashore. Much easier to get around were there are no curb cuts or ramps into shops as we could bump it up/down a step or two (you cannot do this with a transport chair), and folding was critical for getting into cabs or rental cars as well.

Yeah, I was wondering about that. It would make Cozumel easier too. We want to go to the chocolate factory. I've been there before, and it's a taxi ride. She won't need her wheels at the chocolate factory, and it's actually kind of tight to have a scooter there. So even though her scooter comes apart pretty easily, a wheelchair would be way more convenient. 

So is that the kind of thing we would *buy* or rent? I also have this kind of side concern that I think it's really risky taking her good scooter ashore in some of these places. It's not a rental, so if she incurs damage in a rough port with uneven walkways or something, it's really her expense to repair. And I know the machines are durable, but still. 

[Splinter]

6 minutes ago, mom22frogs said:

So is that the kind of thing we would *buy* or rent?

I would recommend renting a good quality manual, folding wheelchair (with big back wheels) rather than a "transport" chair, and rent it at home. Take it on the plane (gate check, no charge), and use it for the airport flying to/from your cruise.  You will be able to rent for much less from a local DME than from one of the cruise company approved rental agencies, and you will have it for travel.

Of course if you friend has a long term on-going need for a wheelchair in the future like this, she may want to consider purchasing such a wheelchair. A website like 1800Wheelchair, SpinLife, or RehabMart can be used for assistance in finding the best price and best chair for her needs, but do price shop once you find the right model.

[mom22frogs]

25 minutes ago, Splinter said:

I would recommend renting a good quality manual, folding wheelchair (with big back wheels) rather than a "transport" chair, and rent it at home. Take it on the plane (gate check, no charge), and use it for the airport flying to/from your cruise.  You will be able to rent for much less from a local DME than from one of the cruise company approved rental agencies, and you will have it for travel.

Of course if you friend has a long term on-going need for a wheelchair in the future like this, she may want to consider purchasing such a wheelchair. A website like 1800Wheelchair, SpinLife, or RehabMart can be used for assistance in finding the best price and best chair for her needs, but do price shop once you find the right model.

So you're addressing a lot of the issues I'm looking at here. I need to check about the door width and what will fit through. She uses her scooter full time, and apparently it goes where she needs to be. So she'll have her scooter in the airport. I'm not sure how practical it is for her to manage her bags AND drive her scooter AND get a wheel chair through. It looks like it's about the same price to buy a wheelchair or rent, but I'm just not sure about the logistics. We're flying in from separate locations, so I won't be there to help her.

Is a transport chair really obnoxious compared to the big wheel wheelchair? It looks like the big wheel adds width.

I was just realizing, the width doesn't totally matter, as we could collapse it in the hall and have her walk into the cabin, no problem. Still, the transport chairs are lower price. But maybe they're less easy to take drive through a port? 

Edited December 23, 2019 by mom22frogs

[mom22frogs]

Ok, so I found a Drive wheelchair on amazon for basically the same price as renting. It's cute and would work for the 3 port days, no problemo. So I'm inclined to buy it, take it myself, and then just let her fly home with it. She's taking the Carnival transportation *back* from the cruise terminal to the airport. So can they handle her scooter and bag and get her checked in and pushed through? I would think so. But then she has to get through baggage claim with her stuff AND her wheels AND a wheelchair. That's a lot.

 

Is that better than renting? Or is it better to pay the same money and rent but not have the inconvenience of getting through airports with this thing? I mean, it's not like I'm going to be traveling light either. I'll have my ds and 3 checked bags and 2 carryons. (We travel heavy because of his disabilities.) 

 

As much as it sounds nice to buy, it sounds kind of like a logistics nightmare, lol. 

Edited December 23, 2019 by mom22frogs

[Splinter]

The airport should provide an escort service for her from the curb to the airplane (including through TSA to the gate) and she can drive her scooter, and have the escort push her manual chair (with her carry-on bags riding in the chair). Both can be gate-checked at no cost to her. When disembarking the plane, she can also request an escort who will do the same as above to baggage claim and usually to the curb.  Double check with the cruise line that they will have wheelchair accessible transport for her to the ship...if it is an American port, and she signs up for the cruise shuttle, the ADA requires that they provide her wheelchair accessible transportation at no additional cost.

 

A transport chair is smaller, but has many disadvantages for travel. It is difficult to push on carpet, and the person using it cannot reposition the chair on their own; even to turn to face a different direction. Ashore, they are very uncomfortable and difficult to push on uneven surfaces such as cobble stones, etc., and impossible to bump up a curb or one step into a shop which does not have a curb  cut or ramp.

[mom22frogs]

3 minutes ago, Splinter said:

The airport should provide an escort service for her from the curb to the airplane (including through TSA to the gate) and she can drive her scooter, and have the escort push her manual chair (with her carry-on bags riding in the chair). Both can be gate-checked at no cost to her. When disembarking the plane, she can also request an escort who will do the same as above to baggage claim and usually to the curb.  Double check with the cruise line that they will have wheelchair accessible transport for her to the ship...if it is an American port, and she signs up for the cruise shuttle, the ADA requires that they provide her wheelchair accessible transportation at no additional cost.

 

A transport chair is smaller, but has many disadvantages for travel. It is difficult to push on carpet, and the person using it cannot reposition the chair on their own; even to turn to face a different direction. Ashore, they are very uncomfortable and difficult to push on uneven surfaces such as cobble stones, etc., and impossible to bump up a curb or one step into a shop which does not have a curb  cut or ramp.

That is so helpful, thank you! 

[1threadshort]

On 12/22/2019 at 1:47 PM, mom22frogs said:

I need to call Carnival. I don't even know basic things, like whether a steward can return the scooter to the cabin while we're off the ship or whether we need to do that. 

 

Hold it, when we did the tenders before there were STAIRS to get down there, weren't there??? How does that work? They have a secret elevator for people on wheels?

i was on norwegian and told stewards not allowed to return the scooters

 

[kokopelli-az]

On 12/22/2019 at 6:00 PM, mom22frogs said:

She's taking the Carnival transportation *back* from the cruise terminal to the airport. So can they handle her scooter and bag and get her checked in and pushed through? I would think so. But then she has to get through baggage claim with her stuff AND her wheels AND a wheelchair. That's a lot.

 

As much as it sounds nice to buy, it sounds kind of like a logistics nightmare, lol. 

Carnival transportation from ship to airport:   If she gets a vehicle with a lift, at least the scooter would not have to be taken apart to load it in the luggage compartment of the bus.    More information from Carnival's website about this:     

 

AIRPORT TRANSFER
For transportation from the airport to the cruise port, hydraulic lift transfer is available for guests with mobility impairments. This service must be requested in advance. Hydraulic lifts have a maximum weight limit of 600 pounds, including wheelchair/scooter and guest. Standard airport transfer charges apply; there is no additional cost for the lift. If you require this service, please let us know no later than 14 days prior to sailing. After booking your cruise, you can reserve your hydraulic lift transfer online, by accessing the Manage My Cruise page or by calling the Guest Services Contact Center at 1-800-438-6744 ext. 70025

 

If you decide to rent a wheelchair, Carnival suggests Scootaround.   The wheelchair will be in the stateroom and it is left there upon disembarkation on the last day of the cruise.

https://scootaround.com/en/rental-equipment

(Use this code for a 10% discount:   curbfree19   (from the website https://www.curbfreewithcorylee.com/)

Edited January 4, 2020 by kokopelli-az
clarification