Dining while using a wheelchair

[zazucirca]

Due to a fall and orthopedic injuries I will be cruising on the Freedom of the Seas in a wheel chair next week.  Is it possible to eat using a wheelchair at the ‘fast food’ restaurants (El Loco Fresh, Park Cafe, Sorento's)?  I assume the Windjammer would be too difficult to maneuver. Thanks for any advice.

[1025cruise]

I can't imagine any issues. Even in the Windjammer. If needed, there will probably be a staff member available to assist you.

[kokopelli-az]

Many, many passengers will be using mobility devices on and off the ship.  There is wheelchair accessible seating at all the eating venues.   Employees watch for passengers who might need additional assistance (like by yourself in the buffet) and can offer help.   

 

Take a look here:

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/ports/printAccessibilityInformation.do?pagename=accessible_features_FR

 

And here is some more information in case you haven't already seen it:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/topics/accessibility-disability-needs

 

If you get off the ship at one of your port stops, the ship's personnel will be right there to assist you down the ramp and back up.   

 

You might consider using the ship's wheelchair pushing assistance (available on Day One when embarking the ship and on the last day of your cruise for disembarking).   Personnel can push you (in your wheelchair or the ship's wheelchair) from where you drop off your luggage with the porters, through security, check-in and to the inside of the ship (to your room, the buffet, etc).  After the pusher takes you to your drop-off location inside the ship, they will at this point leave you.   Actually, you might have two wheelchair pushers.  The first one (from where you drop off your luggage curbside with the porters) would be one of the port employees who will take you as far as they are allowed.  Then the ship's wheelchair pusher will take over until they drop you off inside the ship.   Even if you have someone with you who will be pushing your wheelchair (or if you will be navigating it yourself), the wheelchair pushers know all the short-cuts and how to get you through lines as quickly as possible.    Tips are appreciated.    

 

Make sure you contact Royal's Access Department and advise them you will be bringing a wheelchair.   (866) 592-7225 or send an e-mail to special_needs@rccl.com

[GUT2407]

18 hours ago, zazucirca said:

Due to a fall and orthopedic injuries I will be cruising on the Freedom of the Seas in a wheel chair next week.  Is it possible to eat using a wheelchair at the ‘fast food’ restaurants (El Loco Fresh, Park Cafe, Sorento's)?  I assume the Windjammer would be too difficult to maneuver. Thanks for any advice.

Yes, even in windjammer you should be fine, MDR I transfer to a chair and park the wheelchair, though a couple of cruises did have a table I could wheel right up to.

[mets123]

My wife is a stroke survivor and has used a wheelchair or scooter for the past seven years. There should be clearly marked areas in the WJ. Sorrento's and the cafes will not be an issue either. As for shows, the accessible area is usually the back row. It allows seating for the person in the wheelchair as well as their companion. If you see healthy people sitting in these areas, just point it out to  the matre'd in a food area, or an activity member in a show area and they will ask the offender to move. Please do not flame me for the term "healthy people". Most people using an accessible area know exactly what I am saying.

[1025cruise]

7 hours ago, mets123 said:

My wife is a stroke survivor and has used a wheelchair or scooter for the past seven years. There should be clearly marked areas in the WJ. Sorrento's and the cafes will not be an issue either. As for shows, the accessible area is usually the back row. It allows seating for the person in the wheelchair as well as their companion. If you see healthy people sitting in these areas, just point it out to  the matre'd in a food area, or an activity member in a show area and they will ask the offender to move. Please do not flame me for the term "healthy people". Most people using an accessible area know exactly what I am saying.

Just to play Devil's Advocate, while I personally would not take an accessible table, if it's the only table available, I'm taking it. No reason it should remain empty.

[mets123]

Agreed, but many take it because of location. They don't want to go a few tables in where many tables are available. I've seen many people lay the accessible placard down, and then cover it with a napkin.

[1025cruise]

13 hours ago, mets123 said:

Agreed, but many take it because of location. They don't want to go a few tables in where many tables are available. I've seen many people lay the accessible placard down, and then cover it with a napkin.

Yeah, I would never do that. 

Reminds me of being back in the day when I was a college student. I assisted with running the school computer lab. We had some software for a class that required a hardware dongle that was tied to a specific PC. The instructor for the class put a sign up requesting other students yield the PC if one of his students needed it. I modified the sign to say, if another PC was available. Basically, they couldn't kick someone off a PC if they wouldn't have been able to use one in the first place because the room was full.

 

Same concept with the accessible tables. If there isn't a table left, then it's fair game. But, if I see someone right behind me that would need it, I wouldn't take it from them either.

[GUT2407]

On 11/25/2022 at 7:07 PM, mets123 said:

My wife is a stroke survivor and has used a wheelchair or scooter for the past seven years. There should be clearly marked areas in the WJ. Sorrento's and the cafes will not be an issue either. As for shows, the accessible area is usually the back row. It allows seating for the person in the wheelchair as well as their companion. If you see healthy people sitting in these areas, just point it out to  the matre'd in a food area, or an activity member in a show area and they will ask the offender to move. Please do not flame me for the term "healthy people". Most people using an accessible area know exactly what I am saying.

I find it amazing how often I read, stuff like, “If the accessible table, toilet, park etc is free, I’m using it” they seem to fail to realise that the person it is there for doesn’t have an alternative, they do.