Are hallways on cruise ships wide enough for motorized wheelchairs

[btc1951]

We will be cruising on NCL Escape next month and my husband will have his motorized wheelchair. I read a post by someone on Facebook about the difficulty he had getting down the long hallways in his wheelchair, and especially when the cleaning carts are parked in the hallways. Has anyone experienced this issue? I don't supposed there's anything we can do about it except possibly ask the cleaning people to move their carts while has passes. Your thoughts?

[FOPMan]

Passageways on cabin decks are fairly narrow. There is sufficient space to go down a passageway with a power wheelchair, however there is not sufficient room to either pass a housekeeping cart or a wheelchair going in the opposite direction. 
 

There are rarely carts in the passageways. The ship’s staff will be more than happy to move them out of your way.

 

Usually, accessible cabins are close to lobby areas, so there’s almost never an obstruction.

[kokopelli-az]

The crew is more than happy to move their cart to let you pass.   

 

Just some thoughts:   do you have an accessible room?   is the wheelchair collapsible?   have you notified NCL you will be bringing the wheelchair?

 

In case you haven't already seen it, take a look at this link:

https://www.ncl.com/about/accessible-cruising

[VirginiaIsForCruisers]

I've only sailed on NCL jewel class ships and RCL Voyager. I prefer the NCL ships overall, especially the cabin layout, but the passageways near the cabins are significantly narrower than the RCL ships. I struggled mightily getting the right angle to get into my cabin on the Jade, but had a much easier time on the RCL ships. On NCL, I could not get by the housekeeping carts with my powerchair, but was able to squeeze by on RCL.

 

Of course, I've only been on the smaller older ships, so the newer models may be different.

[GUT2407]

Sometimes there are carts or laundry bags blocking your way, but the crew are quick to move them in my experience.

 

Last night when luggage is out can be a problem.

[Joseph2017China]

On 10/7/2022 at 4:50 PM, btc1951 said:

We will be cruising on NCL Escape next month and my husband will have his motorized wheelchair. I read a post by someone on Facebook about the difficulty he had getting down the long hallways in his wheelchair, and especially when the cleaning carts are parked in the hallways. Has anyone experienced this issue? I don't supposed there's anything we can do about it except possibly ask the cleaning people to move their carts while has passes. Your thoughts?

That is why you don't use Facebook.  People complain and most times are incorrect, because they expect everything to be perfect.  

 

As far as obstacles.....get a horn or just ask them to move it

[sailtex]

I hope you got your answers in time for your trip. I asked the same question about Oceania Riviera last spring and never got an answer. Turns out on that ship, 23 inches is the gap left in the hallway when passing a service cart, housekeeping or room service.

[GoHuskies!]

The writer on Facebook was right.  In October we took a cruise to Hawaii and back from LA on Princess, and each and every day I had some difficulty getting past the cleaning carts in the passageways.  I have a rollator which folds in the center, making it narrower, but if it had not had that capability I would have had to call the room steward three to four times each trip.  They usually leave the carts in the most accessible places, where the cabin doors adjoin, but a motorized wheelchair could never have got by.  Plus there was one person who left their power scooter in the hallway all the time--which was supposed to be a no-no but it happened, for fifteen days.

[SargassoPirate]

13 hours ago, GoHuskies! said:

The writer on Facebook was right.  In October we took a cruise to Hawaii and back from LA on Princess, and each and every day I had some difficulty getting past the cleaning carts in the passageways.  I have a rollator which folds in the center, making it narrower, but if it had not had that capability I would have had to call the room steward three to four times each trip.  They usually leave the carts in the most accessible places, where the cabin doors adjoin, but a motorized wheelchair could never have got by.  Plus there was one person who left their power scooter in the hallway all the time--which was supposed to be a no-no but it happened, for fifteen days.

Did you report the power scooter being parked in the corridor?  It's a huge liability to the cruise line if they are aware of it and fail to take action to enforce their rules and SOLAS.

[GoHuskies!]

51 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

Did you report the power scooter being parked in the corridor?  It's a huge liability to the cruise line if they are aware of it and fail to take action to enforce their rules and SOLAS.

Yes, but they did nothing.

[SargassoPirate]

7 hours ago, GoHuskies! said:

Yes, but they did nothing.

Probably afraid of getting less than a 10 on the post cruise review.

 

Just wait until something untoward happens because of a mobility device parked in a corridor and then the suits at corporate will be all over it.

 

The SOLAS rules are there for a reason and it's not for the passengers convenience.