Easy Debarkation for stops

[cruisegirl]

I have mobility issues and won't be able to board tenders.  Our itinerary includes Key West, Grand Turk Island, Amber Cove, San Juan, and St. Thomas. Will we be able to dock at the pier for these stops? The cruise also includes Half Moon Cay which I believe you have to use a tender for. Is that correct?  Thanks for your help. I don't want to book excursions without this information.   

[Lido - Lanai]

56 minutes ago, cruisegirl said:

I have mobility issues and won't be able to board tenders.  Our itinerary includes Key West, Grand Turk Island, Amber Cove, San Juan, and St. Thomas. Will we be able to dock at the pier for these stops? The cruise also includes Half Moon Cay which I believe you have to use a tender for. Is that correct?  Thanks for your help. I don't want to book excursions without this information.   

If HAL's tender port list has been kept up to date you should be good with the exception of Half Moon Cay.

 https://www.hollandamerica.com/content/dam/hal/marketing-assets/Accessibility/port-tender-list.pdf

[mexico8]

You will also have some information on accessibility etc. in the area that is for "Disabled" on this site.   

[rafinmd]

I think you may be ok everywhere, depending on who else is at Half Moon Cay.  HAL has some island based tenders and as I recall with those they have a short gangway and you can roll onto and off the boats (I hope others will correct me if I mis-remembered).  If there are 2 ships visiting, the larger one gets the island based boats.  Also, be aware that there occasionally be several ships in a port exceeding the docking capacity of the port.  I would think if that were the case it might be fairly easy to get a refund.

 

Roy

[msmayor]

8 hours ago, cruisegirl said:

I have mobility issues and won't be able to board tenders.  Our itinerary includes Key West, Grand Turk Island, Amber Cove, San Juan, and St. Thomas. Will we be able to dock at the pier for these stops? The cruise also includes Half Moon Cay which I believe you have to use a tender for. Is that correct?  Thanks for your help. I don't want to book excursions without this information.   

 

I haven't been to Key West or Amber Cove, so can't speak of those ports...but any time we've been to Grand Turk, San Juan and St. Thomas we always docked at the pier.  I know in St. Thomas there are two locations for ships to dock (Havensight or Crown Point) so there is plenty of dock space...BUT there was one visit when we were notified ahead of time that due to the number of ships, St Thomas would now be a tender port.  We prepared for that, but something must have changed on the schedule because a slot opened at Crown Point and we docked there. 

 

Our trips that included San Juan were always docked, as was the visit to Grand Turk.  

[Florida_gal_50]

You will be docked at amber cove and key west if the cruise does go to key west.

[cruisegirl]

Thanks to each of you. You have been very helpful. 

[Sharon in AZ]

16 hours ago, cruisegirl said:

I have mobility issues and won't be able to board tenders.  Our itinerary includes Key West, Grand Turk Island, Amber Cove, San Juan, and St. Thomas. Will we be able to dock at the pier for these stops? The cruise also includes Half Moon Cay which I believe you have to use a tender for. Is that correct?  Thanks for your help. I don't want to book excursions without this information.   

Key West, San Juan, St. Thomas will be docked. Half Moon Cay is a tender.  Not sure about the rest. If I remember correctly Grand Turk is a tender. 

[MTAK]

We docked at Grand Turk.

[510picker]

Half Moon Cay (HMC) is the only tender port on your list. What type of mobility issues do you have, if you don’t mind me asking? I have been a full-time wheelchair user for the past 26 years since I was 23. I have been to all of those ports in my wheelchair, including HMC. The island tenders are wheelchair accessible and make getting to the island very easy. 

[cruisegirl]

6 hours ago, MTAK said:

We docked at Grand Turk.

I hope we do too. We don’t plan to do excursions in all ports but would like to do Grand Turk. 

[cruisegirl]

4 hours ago, 510picker said:

Half Moon Cay (HMC) is the only tender port on your list. What type of mobility issues do you have, if you don’t mind me asking? I have been a full-time wheelchair user for the past 26 years since I was 23. I have been to all of those ports in my wheelchair, including HMC. The island tenders are wheelchair accessible and make getting to the island very easy. 

No I don’t mind you asking. I walk with a cane due to balance issues. I plan to get a walker for the cruise to use as an alternative to the cane when it would be safer.  If the water should be the least rough getting on a tender could be difficult. However if the island tenders are wheelchair accessible then I might be able to manage. I don’t think I have ever seen a tender like that. Thanks for your help. 

[Florida_gal_50]

7 hours ago, cruisegirl said:

I hope we do too. We don’t plan to do excursions in all ports but would like to do Grand Turk. 

You will be docked at Grand Turk.

[rafinmd]

40 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

You will be docked at Grand Turk.

I have seen 3 ships in Grand Turk with docking for 2.  It's rare but it can happen.

 

Roy

[cruisegirl]

3 hours ago, rafinmd said:

I have seen 3 ships in Grand Turk with docking for 2.  It's rare but it can happen.

 

Roy

Guess I will have to hope with less ships sailing we get one of the two. 

[Florida_gal_50]

2 hours ago, cruisegirl said:

Guess I will have to hope with less ships sailing we get one of the two. 

I've been there many, many times and there have only been 2 ships. I think you have a very good chance of docking.  Sometimes wind can be an issue and may prevent you from getting into port.

[510picker]

19 hours ago, cruisegirl said:

No I don’t mind you asking. I walk with a cane due to balance issues. I plan to get a walker for the cruise to use as an alternative to the cane when it would be safer.  If the water should be the least rough getting on a tender could be difficult. However if the island tenders are wheelchair accessible then I might be able to manage. I don’t think I have ever seen a tender like that. Thanks for your help. 

The crew are extremely helpful when boarding the tender. The water can be rough going from ship to tender and tender to ship, but I’m sure the crew will gladly assist to and from your seat. Getting on/off the tender at the island is much easier because the water is calm in the channel. If you want to see the island, don’t let the tender process stop you. 

[rkacruiser]

12 minutes ago, 510picker said:

The crew are extremely helpful when boarding the tender.

 

I have observed the crew helping guests walk up and down the gangway to/from the tenders.  Unless my memory is wrong, they have also been able to get a wheelchair up/down a gangway when the guest is tendering.  

 

Speaking with the Guest Relations Manager after you have embarked and letting her/him know what your situation is may help make your cruise more enjoyable.  

[cruisegirl]

Lots of good advice. Thank you. I have cruised many times but not since my balance went south. I will definitely speak to Guest Relations. 

[GeorgesGal]

Didn't Key West adopt a rule last year which allows only a certain number of cruisers on the island at any time?  It was very restrictive, but I don't recall the exact number.

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, cruisegirl said:

I have cruised many times but not since my balance went south. 

 

My stability joined yours in its journey.  It has been a progressive migration of the ability.  2019/2020, still able to do so without too many issues other than requesting wheelchair assist in embarking and disembarking.  2021?  The question is should I or not?  There are days--and today is one of them--yea, you can do this again.  And, then.....the other days.  

[cruisegirl]

2 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

My stability joined yours in its journey.  It has been a progressive migration of the ability.  2019/2020, still able to do so without too many issues other than requesting wheelchair assist in embarking and disembarking.  2021?  The question is should I or not?  There are days--and today is one of them--yea, you can do this again.  And, then.....the other days.  

I sympathize with you. I have reconciled myself to the fact I won’t be able to go and do in the same way as previously but I love  cruising and just being on a cruise ship makes me happy. Are you booked on a cruise at this point? You may have told me but I don’t remember. We have booked a 14 Day B2B that has limited ports which suits us fine. 

[keysey222]

On 2/28/2021 at 8:49 AM, msmayor said:

 

I haven't been to Key West or Amber Cove, so can't speak of those ports...but any time we've been to Grand Turk, San Juan and St. Thomas we always docked at the pier.  I know in St. Thomas there are two locations for ships to dock (Havensight or Crown Point) so there is plenty of dock space...BUT there was one visit when we were notified ahead of time that due to the number of ships, St Thomas would now be a tender port.  We prepared for that, but something must have changed on the schedule because a slot opened at Crown Point and we docked there. 

 

 

Been to St. Thomas with HAL twice. The first time we tendered, the second we docked. I think it's more likely you'll dock there, but there is that chance it turns into a tender. 

[rkacruiser]

18 hours ago, cruisegirl said:

Are you booked on a cruise at this point? You may have told me but I don’t remember.

 

No, I am not booked on anything yet.  Still too many unknowns related to the cruise industry and what the onboard experience may be like for me to make a booking.  

[St. Louis Sal]

On 3/2/2021 at 6:53 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

My stability joined yours in its journey.  It has been a progressive migration of the ability.  2019/2020, still able to do so without too many issues other than requesting wheelchair assist in embarking and disembarking.  2021?  The question is should I or not?  There are days--and today is one of them--yea, you can do this again.  And, then.....the other days.  

 

I appreciate your comments as well as the concerns of @cruisegirl..  I got off my last cruise on February 23, 2020.  I was already having some walking issues, but managed to even walk through the Miami airport unassisted.  Since then my right foot and leg have gotten progressively weaker and i was finally diagnosed with ALS.  One neurologist said of course I could continue cruising, even if I was in a wheelchair.  But that would be a very different cruise than in the past.  Plus my DH is 81 and has some issues himself, sometimes uses a cane, but has never been a big shore excursion fanatic.  Is it fair for him to have to take such a responsibility on our trips.  I guess one of the things I resent about the pandemic is that it stole an entire year when I could perhaps have done several more cruises to catch up on my bucket list.  So I will be excited for everyone to see cruising come back, I'm just not sure it will be for me. 

 

St Louis Sal