Wheelchair and key card

[BCSites]

If someone in your party is in a wheelchair is it worth getting the key card?

[Joseph2017China]

You mean the "Key"?  That is a program.  The key card is your seapass card and everyone gets one.  

 

Being disabled is irrelevant to getting the "Key".  Plus you need to be more specific, because using a wheelchair, can either be "full time" or "part time".  But either case, the lunch, and wifi package it comes with is allowed for everyone to use, despite disability.

 

[twangster]

Key card?

 

Everyone who sails is given a sea pass card.

 

Are you referring to "The Key" program that comes with Voom internet and other "priority" perks?

 

I personally see no value in "The Key". 

 

Wheelchair or not the value of "The Key" is a personal matter no different than if you should buy a dining package or a beverage package.  "The Key" comes with private hours at activities like the zip line or flowrider.  Does your wheelchair bound friend use these activities?  Does your friend always buy a paid Voom plan?  For many people the value of "The Key" is bound to having a paid Voom internet plan.  The value or wisdom then relates to the cost of Voom versus the cost of "The Key".  The boarding lunch is a one time first day thing but you have to be there early enough to eat at the lunch. 

 

For many "Key" perks there is no apparent correlation to a wheelchair guest so it comes down to personal preferences for the perks that come with "The Key".  

 

Priority boarding on day one might be of some value if getting on board first means something to your group.  That is a one time perk mostly wasted if you are not in the terminal early on day one.  

[BCSites]

sorry I meant the Key program and yes it would be for a fulltime wheelchair user.

[Joseph2017China]

2 hours ago, BCSites said:

sorry I meant the Key program and yes it would be for a fulltime wheelchair user.

Personnally, like another said, I see no real value in it, and for a full time Wheelchair, I see even less value. You can get the wifi cheaper than the key and the only other item is boarding day lunch, but you can also get free lunch in the buffet so not really worth it

[brillohead]

As someone who often cruises with two people in a wheelchair, I can tell you there is absolutely NO benefit to getting The Key. 

 

In fact, the wheelchair itself is often enough to give one "priority service" in many cases.  For example, if there's a line to get into the MDR, we're usually pulled out of the line and escorted right in as soon as an employee sees a wheelchair.

If the person needs help getting up the ramp to board the ship, they'll have to wait until an employee is ready -- there is no special wheelchair pusher specific to people who paid for The Key.  However, if they don't need a pusher (or have a pusher in the traveling party, or have an electric wheelchair), the group will often be pulled out of line and escorted separately to board, because you'll need to access the elevator rather than the escalator/stairs to get to the boarding area of the terminal.  

So basically, the wheelchair itself is usually a pass to "jump to the front of the line" in even more cases than The Key would be.  

 

[BCSites]

1 hour ago, brillohead said:

As someone who often cruises with two people in a wheelchair, I can tell you there is absolutely NO benefit to getting The Key. 

 

In fact, the wheelchair itself is often enough to give one "priority service" in many cases.  For example, if there's a line to get into the MDR, we're usually pulled out of the line and escorted right in as soon as an employee sees a wheelchair.

If the person needs help getting up the ramp to board the ship, they'll have to wait until an employee is ready -- there is no special wheelchair pusher specific to people who paid for The Key.  However, if they don't need a pusher (or have a pusher in the traveling party, or have an electric wheelchair), the group will often be pulled out of line and escorted separately to board, because you'll need to access the elevator rather than the escalator/stairs to get to the boarding area of the terminal.  

So basically, the wheelchair itself is usually a pass to "jump to the front of the line" in even more cases than The Key would be.  

 

thank you. This is our first cruise with a wheelchair and I am a trying to figure things out. 

[brillohead]

24 minutes ago, BCSites said:

thank you. This is our first cruise with a wheelchair and I am a trying to figure things out. 

Happy to help.  If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. 

Will you be flying to the port? Happy to help with questions there, too.

[rudeney]

It's been years ago, but we took my MIL on a cruise and she was using a wheelchair.  I echo what @brillohead said - we were often put ahead of others because of the chair.  The show venues have special seating areas to accommodate guests in wheelchairs.  

[BCSites]

On 8/11/2022 at 3:05 PM, brillohead said:

Happy to help.  If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. 

Will you be flying to the port? Happy to help with questions there, too.

No we are driving to the port with the electric wheelchair on a lift on the back of my truck.

[brillohead]

7 hours ago, BCSites said:

No we are driving to the port with the electric wheelchair on a lift on the back of my truck.

I'm assuming you've already booked an Accessible Room. 

I recommend getting a short (5-10 feet) extension cord and packing it in with the charger already plugged into it, so it looks like part of the included charging cord.  The electrical outlets in the stateroom may not be easily accessible or in a convenient spot, so having a longer cord gives you more options on where you can park the chair while it's being charged.  (Yes, extension cords are technically not allowed, but when it's already plugged into the charging unit and wrapped up as one unit, it's unlikely to be noticed. And a 5' cord is much more manageable than if they bring you a big orange 50' extension cord to use instead.)

You may also want to bring a 3-tap outlet adapter so you can still use the outlet for other needs while the chair is charging.  

Another thing to consider is your wheel/tire situation.  Do you have no-flat tires?  If not, do you have a plan if you pop a tire in the middle of the ocean?  (FYI, the maintenance crew on board can be very helpful if you do experience mechanical difficulties. Don't hesitate to ask your room attendant to contact them if you need help with something on the chair.)  

Along those same lines, feel free to ask your room attendant if you need things moved around in the room, or if you need the bed level to be raised to make transfers easier.  Sometimes something as simple as putting a few blankets under the mattress to raise it a few inches makes all the difference in the world for the chair user and/or caregivers.

You can request a table that is aisle-accessible via Special Needs, but first thing when you board, go to the MDR and check the location of your table anyway -- those messages don't always make it to the people who assign the tables.  It's much easier to be assigned to a new table BEFORE everyone has already been seated for dinner that first night.

 

I hope these tips help.  And please, ask any questions you can think of.

[BCSites]

16 hours ago, brillohead said:

I'm assuming you've already booked an Accessible Room. 

I recommend getting a short (5-10 feet) extension cord and packing it in with the charger already plugged into it, so it looks like part of the included charging cord.  The electrical outlets in the stateroom may not be easily accessible or in a convenient spot, so having a longer cord gives you more options on where you can park the chair while it's being charged.  (Yes, extension cords are technically not allowed, but when it's already plugged into the charging unit and wrapped up as one unit, it's unlikely to be noticed. And a 5' cord is much more manageable than if they bring you a big orange 50' extension cord to use instead.)

You may also want to bring a 3-tap outlet adapter so you can still use the outlet for other needs while the chair is charging.  

Another thing to consider is your wheel/tire situation.  Do you have no-flat tires?  If not, do you have a plan if you pop a tire in the middle of the ocean?  (FYI, the maintenance crew on board can be very helpful if you do experience mechanical difficulties. Don't hesitate to ask your room attendant to contact them if you need help with something on the chair.)  

Along those same lines, feel free to ask your room attendant if you need things moved around in the room, or if you need the bed level to be raised to make transfers easier.  Sometimes something as simple as putting a few blankets under the mattress to raise it a few inches makes all the difference in the world for the chair user and/or caregivers.

You can request a table that is aisle-accessible via Special Needs, but first thing when you board, go to the MDR and check the location of your table anyway -- those messages don't always make it to the people who assign the tables.  It's much easier to be assigned to a new table BEFORE everyone has already been seated for dinner that first night.

 

I hope these tips help.  And please, ask any questions you can think of.

We do have an accessible room. Thank you for those suggestions. It is nice to know these things I would not have thought of.

[brillohead]

5 hours ago, BCSites said:

We do have an accessible room. Thank you for those suggestions. It is nice to know these things I would not have thought of.

That's that I love about Cruise Critic.  I've learned sooooo much from the folks here, and I'm happy to be able to pay it forward once in a while!