Enchantment of the Seas - Wheelchair accessibillity of tenders

[mtempelaar]

My husband and I are scheduled on the Oct 30th sailing of Enchantment of the Seas.  A family member is joining us who is now mostly in a wheelchair (was not at time of booking).  We have a couple of days where the ship is likely to tender instead of dock.  Can anyone tell me if the tenders are wheelchair accessible?  Given it's an older ship, I'm thinking likely not.  We will already have some challenges with the itinerary (Santorini with a wheelchair is 🥴) but we are still holding out (small) hope for Mykonos since I've both tendered and docked there.

 

 

[taglovestocruise]

1 hour ago, mtempelaar said:

My husband and I are scheduled on the Oct 30th sailing of Enchantment of the Seas.  A family member is joining us who is now mostly in a wheelchair (was not at time of booking).  We have a couple of days where the ship is likely to tender instead of dock.  Can anyone tell me if the tenders are wheelchair accessible?  Given it's an older ship, I'm thinking likely not.  We will already have some challenges with the itinerary (Santorini with a wheelchair is 🥴) but we are still holding out (small) hope for Mykonos since I've both tendered and docked there.

 

 

From Royal Caribbean’s website: “Guests with assistive devices who are unable to take a few steps will be unable to board tenders unless roll-on capability is available.

In order to safely board most tenders, guests must be able to take steps and use a collapsible manual wheelchair. In addition, motorized wheelchairs and mobility scooters can not be taken on tenders, unless roll-on capability is available. Inquire about tender roll-on capability at Guest Relations Desk while on board. Please note roll-on capability is not guaranteed.

Even if the ship is scheduled to dock at a pier, it can change to tendering.”

[firefly333]

Belize is the only tender I've seen that takes motorized chairs. 

 

Maybe there is a section on cc where other such ports with hc tenders are listed? 

[gail-s]

On our Western Med cruise we had 2 tender ports - Villefranche and Portofino.  In Portofino they used the lifeboats and the water was very choppy.  People were having trouble just getting onto them because they were moving up and down a couple of feet at a time.  There was no way that a wheelchair or someone with impaired mobility could have gotten on one of them.  In Villefranche we used larger tenders from the town and it wasn't as bad.  You may have been able to get a wheelchair on them.
I would go to the Ports board and ask people how the tenders are for the specific port that you're going to with RCI.  They would have the best information for you.  

[cruisequeen4ever]

It’s really a shame that not all cruise lines and not all ships accommodate wheelchairs and mobility scooters on tenders. It seems like the newer ships are more accessible, at least on some other cruise lines.

[mtempelaar]

Thanks for all the responses.  I've been to most of these ports a number of times but never with someone in a wheelchair.  My brother in law is going to have enough challenges as he didn't expect to need a wheelchair when he booked and he did an inside gty (😱).   He's submitted an medical accommodation form at my request, but this is going to be tough.  He's going on one of the roughest itineraries for someone in a wheelchair due to cobblestones and we already know Santorini is a no go due to tender AND the cable car has steps if I recall. I will stay behind with him on the ship that day. 

 

My primary concern was Mykonos, which is a roll of the dice.  When we went there a couple of years ago, we were docked in town, but I had previously been on tenders as well as a dock outside of town where you took a shuttle.  I did find a very recent video this weekend that showed a shuttle boat from the dock to the town, and it seems to allow roll/on, but we will be visiting guest services when we get onboard.      Crossing fingers!

[ARandomTraveler]

I know someone in a wheelchair/walker who sailed on Enchantment in May and was only able to get off in 1 port because they couldn't use the tenders. They also often couldn't leave their handicap accessible Junior suite without help, so on port days when they were on the ship themselves, they were stuck in their room. 

[mtempelaar]

6 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

I know someone in a wheelchair/walker who sailed on Enchantment in May and was only able to get off in 1 port because they couldn't use the tenders. They also often couldn't leave their handicap accessible Junior suite without help, so on port days when they were on the ship themselves, they were stuck in their room. 

 

OMG

 

Thankfully my brother in law will never be alone but he didn't arrange for wheelchair accessible, much to my dismay.  I'm so concerned.

  

[Giantfan13]

I was on the  Enchantment for her TA in May. We had one tender port, Nice, and they used the lifeboats and they had handicapped people come aboard. As long as the wheelchair folded up, they took them and the chair.

 

Cheers

Len

[jwlane]

15 hours ago, Giantfan13 said:

they had handicapped people come aboard

Were they able to roll on & off?

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

On 9/8/2023 at 7:16 PM, firefly333 said:

Belize is the only tender I've seen that takes motorized chairs. 

 

Maybe there is a section on cc where other such ports with hc tenders are listed? 

 

I'm on a cruise over new year's with my daughter, who is in a powerchair and we just assumed Belize was a write-off, as she wouldn't be able to board a tender. Are you saying there are tenders there that will take a powerchair? And would getting access to one be a port issue or a cruise line issue?

 

Thanks for any info.

[Giantfan13]

On 9/19/2023 at 11:27 AM, jwlane said:

Were they able to roll on & off?

No. They had to physically get on and off. The wheelchair folded up. When we arrived in port, the person, with help, got off and then entered the wheelchair. 

 

Cheers

Len

Edited September 23, 2023 by Giantfan13