Help required onboard Discovery Princess

[Fisherwoman]

I have an elderly friend on Discovery Princess who isn't feeling well and wants to end their vacation in Los Angeles.  They need a wheel chair and help to get off and a cab or service with help with luggage at LAX.  Is there someone onboard that can help them?  The pursers desk was useless.  

 

 

 

[Thrak]

Check with the Captain's Circle host. They "should" be able to advise and assist.

[Fisherwoman]

Thank you!!!!!

[cr8tiv1]

I'm not sure what you mean by end their vacation.  Is this the end of the cruise or are were they doing a back to back?

 

Princess most likely will assist them in getting off the ship, but that's about it.  I have never heard of them escorting someone to LAX.

 

This might be covered under their insurance.  

 

This is an interest to all thread.  Please keep us updated.  Good luck to your friend.

[Shelly97060]

Talking to the Captains Circle Host is a good idea as they may be able to help with logistics depending on how sick your friend is.  If they are very sick they may be referred to the medical center. You may be able to help your friend with some of the logistics. 

 

The disembarkation paperwork will give your friend the meeting location for those who need wheelchair assistance to disembark the ship.  

 

Once your friend is assisted through customs there will be porters to help get the luggage to the taxi station ( getting a taxi can be a very long wait) or to meet a private car service or Uber which was plentiful and faster than cabs when I disembarked in San Pedro 2 weeks ago.  
 

For a private car you could contact a company like Viator, LAXBlackcars  or similar company to meet your friend at the cruise terminal and take them to LAX. If you arrange for a car your friend will need to let Passenger Services know what time they need to be off the ship to meet it.  
 

If your friend (or you) contact the airline they can request a wheelchair in advance or once they arrive to check in they can request it from the airline and let them know they need it at both ends of the flight. The airline will arrange for a wheelchair to take them from the ticketing area to the plane and arrange to have wheelchair assistance meet them at their destination. 
 

If your friend’s cruise was not originally going to terminate in LA ( a planned B2B) then Princess will need to be notified that the second cruise will not go forward.

 

I hope your friend feels better soon. 

[2 cruises a year]

1 hour ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I'm not sure what you mean by end their vacation.  Is this the end of the cruise or are were they doing a back to back?

 

Princess most likely will assist them in getting off the ship, but that's about it.  I have never heard of them escorting someone to LAX.

 

This might be covered under their insurance.  

 

This is an interest to all thread.  Please keep us updated.  Good luck to your friend.

There is not much detail here, but a visit to medical might be a good idea to get a medical reason to leave the cruise early so a PVSA penalty can be avoided. 

[cr8tiv1]

1 hour ago, 2 cruises a year said:

There is not much detail here, but a visit to medical might be a good idea to get a medical reason to leave the cruise early so a PVSA penalty can be avoided. 

I will admit that I did not provide op with enough assistance.  I am not sure a medical assessment will avoid a PVSA penalty.  
 

I have used wheel chair assistance at airports. LAX is difficult at best. Some airlines do not have curbside check in.  Someone would need to go to the ticket counter and ask for assistance.  
 

I have not used this service before, but my sister had a good experience with them.  https://curbsideexpresslax.com/book-us/
 

Having a pre-arranged pick up service is probably better than trying to catch a shared ride or taxi.  It will be more costly.  Traffic at San Pedro is bad if two ships are at the terminal.  There is a small window of time between everyone who has disembarked and before the next wave arrives.  Normally, disembarkation is an easy walk off with face recognition technology. 
 

Again, I know of no service that will accompany your friends from the ship to the airport. It would involve 3 separate hand offs:  ship to car service to LAX.

 

It would help if the op would return with more details.  We are searching in the dark for ways to assist her friend.  
 

I wish your friend well.  Will she be okay enough to travel on the plane home?

 

[VibeGuy]

All Discovery itineraries are currently starting or ending in LA.  So PVSA concerns aren’t an issue.  
 

If your friend is currently booked back to back, they should have an invite from the Guest Services Manager for Friday at 11:15 in Sabatini’s for a Q&A on the back to back process.  This might be the easiest way to ensure they can get a ranking officer’s attention to their plight.  There should be no problem booking a Princess transfer to LAX, and terminal personnel can provide wheelchair assistance from where ship personnel leave off.  They can also summon a porter to gather the baggage and accompany the passenger through immigration.  There’s no need to prearrange this service - just meet in Crooners slightly before the scheduled disembarkation time that gets assigned. 
 

If a Princess shuttle isn’t in the cards, use UberX or Lyft’s “Assist” service - specially trained drivers who are used to dealing with the elderly and/or mobility impaired.  They can pick up directly outside the CBP exit at Berth 92 and can drop at the departures lane at LAX.   

 

It’s a darned shame that Princess doesn’t offer Luggage Valet to LAX.  This would be the perfect use case. 
 

At LAX, the airline is technically required to provide wheelchair assistance from curbside - how you actually get them to do it varies a lot from airline to airline.  Most of the carriers serving LAX have an 800# for an accessibility desk.  I’d reach out to them directly.  
 

So, no issue getting them and their luggage out to the ADA pickup area at San Pedro.  Lyft or Uber Assist will get them to the airport and get their luggage unloaded.  A call to the airline accessibility desk should be able to solve the gap from there to the ticket counter.  
 

 

[Fisherwoman]

I got an email last night.  Their cruise ends in Los Angeles this Saturday but they were going to Palm Springs for three weeks.  Therefore they needed air fare home and help off the ship.  I haven't heard if they've gone to the Medical Center, but I sent the info last night about the Captains Circle Host.  I haven't heard back this morning so I'm hoping they are getting onboard assistance. 

 

I thank everyone for their ideas.  Hopefully Princess will help them onboard.  I will update the outcome.  

[MsSoCalCruiser]

Maybe a family member or a friend can meet her at the ship and accompany your friend home. That would be the easiest way that I can think of.

[cr8tiv1]

Place a post on their roll call.  Maybe there is someone who is on the same ship AND catching the same flight home.  

 

Keep posting.  Maybe someone will see or spread the word.

[YEG Cruizr 68]

Am on the Discovery this week and the Captain just announced that a MedEvac by helicopter is going to take place at 8:30 this morning.  They’ve been working with both the Mexican and US Coast Guards and decided the best option was a helicopter from San Diego.

[mtnesterz]

23 hours ago, Fisherwoman said:

I thank everyone for their ideas.  Hopefully Princess will help them onboard.  I will update the outcome.  

Thank you for the update. Please do let us know how things turn out. Wishing the best! Also true it is good to know what to do when things go awry.

Edited February 10, 2023 by mtnesterz

[MsSoCalCruiser]

2 hours ago, YEG Cruizr 68 said:

Am on the Discovery this week and the Captain just announced that a MedEvac by helicopter is going to take place at 8:30 this morning.  They’ve been working with both the Mexican and US Coast Guards and decided the best option was a helicopter from San Diego.

I wonder if this was the OP’s friend or if this is someone else? 🙏🏻

[Fisherwoman]

Update:  My friend went to the Captains Club Host who helped her with departure at the port.  They will take a cab to John Wayne Airport, because that was the fastest flight home.  I called Helping Hands at SNA and they gave me a number for them to call when they arrive and will have help from curbside to the gate.  I have not heard anything from them today so I'm assuming the MedEvac was another passenger.  Thank you everyone for your help!