Great Stirrup Cay and Mobility scooters

[Scrufsmom]

Can anyone offer any info in reference to those people who have mobility issues who are traveling on a NCL ship and visiting GSC?  My husband is mobility impaired and uses a scooter to get around.  I see that the ship (Escape) we will be on uses a tender to gain access to the private island.  How many other people can attest to NCL allowing scooters onboard the tenders with no issues gaining access to the island.  I'm trying to plan my day.  Appreciate all who can offer me their reviews, advices and concerns.  Thx 

[mking8288]

In all of 20+ years tendering GSC, not always successful and don't ever recall powered scooter being taken ashore - only part of the island is paved, rest of the walk path being over sand.  Have you called into & check with the Access Desk about this ??  I also recalled weight restrictions about combined weight of passengers & transport wheelchairs allowed, as the tendering process isn't any easy one - for all practical purposes, NCL really wasn't making it easy or permitting, for safety reasons.  It's often just as relaxing to stay onboard and enjoy a less crowded pool deck and buffet, etc.  Best of luck and do let us know, as things might've changed lately ... 

 

These are older pictures in my collection ... we're there again in 2018 and 2019, and also last Spring, different ships but essentially the tendering process is the same.  From the ship, you need to transfer & be able to walk across the short ramp to the upper deck of the Norway I or II, and once at the private island - need to be able to walk downstairs & then exit via the front "ramp" of the tender.  Process to return to the ship is a full reverse of the sequence and we've seen folks struggled, even with assistance from other family members & friends traveling together giving strong helping hands.  There are (were) limitations on how much assistance and the type of help crew members are allowed to offer. 

 

Edited February 13, 2023 by mking8288

[1025cruise]

I would plan to enjoy a quiet day on the ship.

[JustAllie]

One of my friends uses crutches and can't walk far. When we stopped at Great Stirrup Cay in December 2021, she left her mobility scooter behind and took her crutches with her on the tender boat (which is a sort of ferry boat as shown here, not one of the ship's lifeboats). I don't think I saw anyone with a scooter on the tender boat, so I suspect they aren't allowed. 

 

We had rented a villa for the day at Silver Cove. As soon as we got on shore, we got onto an electric tram that took us to the villa. They went to great lengths to get my friend as close as possible to the villa. It was great. I think the prices of the villas have gone up quite a bit, although I guess it varies by cruise.  

 

I think a disabled visitor might want to ask the ship's Access Officer* ahead of time to figure out the details of getting around the island. There may be electric trams or carts that can assist you to other parts of the island, not just Silver Cove. 

 

*I didn't even know this was a job until my last cruise to Alaska. My friend had some trouble with getting assistance off the ship in Skagway, and she ended up sitting down with the Access Officer afterward to share her concerns about the issues. (The Access Officer had other roles on the ship, in this case being the Group Services Officer.) Now that we know that there should be an officer tasked with accessibility issues on any NCL ship, we will know to seek that person out whenever we have trouble or questions. 

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, Scrufsmom said:

Can anyone offer any info in reference to those people who have mobility issues who are traveling on a NCL ship and visiting GSC?  My husband is mobility impaired and uses a scooter to get around.  I see that the ship (Escape) we will be on uses a tender to gain access to the private island.  How many other people can attest to NCL allowing scooters onboard the tenders with no issues gaining access to the island.  I'm trying to plan my day.  Appreciate all who can offer me their reviews, advices and concerns.  Thx 

GSC is a tender port. You will get a notification (below) closer to your cruise. There are steep stairs from the ship down to the tender dock. Then you must be able to walk across on an unstable, moving gangway. 
 

 

Dear Valued Guest,

Thank you for choosing to cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line. We hope you are as excited about cruising with us, as we are to have you on board. Tender Policy: Please be aware this Itinerary has Tender Ports which are subject to change without notice.

Guests must be aware that certain vessel transfers, such as tendering and gangways, may not be fully accessible to wheelchairs or scooters and a guest may not be able to go ashore. When a ship is unable to dock, guests are taken ashore on smaller boats called tenders. Some guests with limited mobility may find it difficult to embark or disembark the ship while at dock or while tendering. Scooters cannot be taken across on the tender, guests must utilize a collapsible wheelchair

• If the guest can walk onto the tender, the total weight of the wheelchair cannot exceed 100 pounds (45kg) (a guest may have to utilize steps or a staircase to access the tender and re-board the vessel).

• If the guest is unable to walk onto the tender, the total weight of the guest & wheelchair cannot exceed 100 pounds (45kg). This is for the safety of the crew as NCL depends 100% on manpower to either lift the wheelchair or the wheelchair & the guest onto the tender. The only one that can determine if the transfer would take place is the Staff Captain. Factors such as weather and sea conditions are taken into consideration.

• Note: Scooters and wheelchairs and/or guests that weigh more than 100 pounds (45kg) are not allowed to be transferred (lifted and carried) from the ship to the tender and/or from the tender to shore.

To further assure we have all your requirements, guests are asked to fill out and submit the Guest Special Needs Request Form. The detailed information you provide on the form will help us understand your disability and/or special needs. We will then feasibly adapt and personalize your cruise to the best of our ability to assure your sailing experience will be comfortable and enjoyable.

Please submit Guest Special Needs Request Form here: https://ncl.secure.force.com/AccessDeskForm/

 

This form should be submitted at the time of booking or as soon as possible. We prefer to begin processing your information within 24 hours of booking. If we do not receive your completed form, we may not be able to provide you with the assistance that you need. Once you have submitted the form, Norwegian Cruise Line Access Desk will respond within 72 hours.

Please note, if you have already submitted your “Guest Special Needs Request Form” for this sailing date, do not submit an additional form as this will duplicate the request and delay your response.

To learn more about Accessible Cruising and the amenities and services we offer, please visit our website:
https://www.ncl.com/about/accessible-cruising

Kind Regards,
Norwegian Cruise Line - Access Desk

Edited February 13, 2023 by BirdTravels

[Scrufsmom]

Well that’s pretty disheartening to say the least, but I thank you for that information.  You’d think that these private islands would have made it accessible by now. Guess we will enjoy the solitude if the thermal spa that day.   

[Peachypooh]

20 hours ago, Scrufsmom said:

Well that’s pretty disheartening to say the least, but I thank you for that information.  You’d think that these private islands would have made it accessible by now. Guess we will enjoy the solitude if the thermal spa that day.   

This won't help you(I am sorry)  but maybe someone else if reading this. I never walk with a cane but if I know that we are tendering to GSC or anywhere else for that matter I always bring one. Sometimes the tenders bob up and down so much when disembarking I need it to keep steady as there are very few places to hold on to to keep from falling.

[mking8288]

Fully appreciated OP's frustration but unlike Harvest Caye and other cruiseline's private island with a tier that is accessible friendly, GSC isn't one of them - for a variety of reasons.  The only way for NCL ships to get guests ashore is via these double decker tender boat that can hold up to 500 passengers at a time.  The tender will bounce up-n-down or move vertically, sometimes for more than a few inches across that narrow platform "bridge" on the tender deck - challenging even for able-bodied.  Realistically and practically speaking, it is just not safe nor possible, IMHO, to safely transfer and transport someone using a wheelchair and/or scooter, etc. to firmly make that few steps across and then step down/up to the upper deck of the tender boat,   From there, it's like 12 to 15 additional steps down the (fairly "steep") metal stairs onto the lower deck of the boat after the tender is docked at the island pier, to disembark or get onto the sandy island.  NCL does have specialized wheelchairs designed to move & get someone around the sandy island and its walk paths.  

 

I pulled up 2 more pictures to help illustrate the GSC tendering challenges (that's from the GEM in 2017) - with a bit of breezy wind and small waves, the tender boat will be rocking and rolling, up & down and it's not as easy as a walk in the park.   

 

Ships do not always make it to GSC to tender anyone due to maritime weather & forecast - it's better, perhaps, to have a backup plan and/or just enjoy a nice day onboard a less crowded ship.  Do contact NCL's Access Desk and speak with them to ask about whether they can be of further assistance.  

 

 

Edited February 14, 2023 by mking8288

[brookie848]

Yep...tendering is dicey in any situation. A couple of passengers have died while attempting to cross to the tender/vice versa. It is NOT something I would want to attempt with any sort of major mobility concerns.

 

I know we're one of the few, but we greatly disliked GSC. We hated the tendering process and just weren't impressed by the whole thing (this was before the new area was finished). If we're ever on another cruise that stops there we will likely just enjoy the quiet ship.

[1025cruise]

It is pretty much common knowledge that for the most part, scooters are not allowed on tenders. This isn't just for the private islands, but also any other tender port.

[BirdTravels]

More GSC tender pics.

 

You board the tender on the upper deck. To get off the tender at the island, you need to go down the stairs to the lower deck and exit via the front ramp. 

 

Go to / from the tender and the ship via a moving gangway on the upper deck of the tender. 

 

You exit / enter the tender at the island via the ramp on on the front of the boat on the lower deck