Getting on and off the ship

[Feels Goodman]

Hi. I have never been on a cruise, but once again thinking of trying one. 

I usually just use a cane, but I can't stand for long. Is getting on and off the ships something we line up for or is it more like a plane and I can pretty much walk on. I doubt I will have a scooter.

[shadow 123]

1 hour ago, Feels Goodman said:

Hi. I have never been on a cruise, but once again thinking of trying one. 

I usually just use a cane, but I can't stand for long. Is getting on and off the ships something we line up for or is it more like a plane and I can pretty much walk on. I doubt I will have a scooter.

You may want a walker with a seat, Rollator. Sometimes there are lines especially to get on the ship. I get on in Boston and it is quite a distance to get from the pier to the ship.

[kokopelli-az]

Consider requesting wheelchair assistance for embarkation and disembarking.  The ship's employees (or sometimes a port employee) can push you (using the ship's wheelchair) from getting into the terminal to any public area in the ship (or your stateroom if it is ready).   There are many threads about this.  Search this forum for "wheelchair" and "assistance".   The same for when you disembark.  There will be a special area for wheelchair assistance passengers to wait and then a wheelchair pusher will come get you and push you off the ship, through the terminal (again, sometimes you will have two pushers - the ship's pusher and a port employee pusher) and outside to your transportation.   

 

Also, the suggestion about a rollator with a seat is good.   You can sit down when you need to and you will have more stability using a rollator than with a cane.  

 

What cruise line are you considering?   They will have a special section on their website about passengers with mobility disabilities.   

 

You will love cruising.   

[Essiesmom]

It can depend on when you want to get on or off.  On embarkation at home port there may be long lines to check in.  Some lines assign times in the hopes of keeping the lines in order.  And then don’t enforce them.  To avoid those lines, arrive after noon.  And you might want to request wheelchair assistance for boarding.  Debarkation at the end of the cruise will be more of a mess as it seems everyone wants off first.  I would request w/c assistance here too.  Getting off in ports of call will have lines early.  Have a leisurely breakfast and think about leaving around 1000.  But be aware the pier may be a long walk into town. We just pulled into Cozumel and this is the downtown pier (MSC).

[darstamp]

I agree with the suggestion of getting a walker.  I have cruised a lot and, unless it is a very small ship)) cruising involves a lot of walking.  I was starting to struggle with the walking so I got a walker and it made all the difference.  Even on the ship there are lines from time to time - for guest services, dining, etc..  Being able to sit on my walker is a godsend.

[Catlover54]

It is not just about boarding and disembarking.

If you have trouble standing a long time and are cruising on a mainstream line where there are tender ports (e.g., where you have to take a little boat to get into either hard to access ports, or ports the cruise line didn't want to pay extra for to dock  side by side, or where the ship is too big so they are at anchor), I strongly recommend having your own portable Rollator.  Waits for tenders returning to the ship can be very long, and especially if it is very hot, it can be even dangerous for people who cannot stand a long time or are older  (risk of falls, loss of conscioiusness, dehydration). 

I am a senior with some chronic health problems, though I don't usually need a cane unless I've had a recent injury on top of my other problems. On mainstream lines, when the ship is full or not many tenders are deployed, we have had to stand as long as 1.5 hours to get back on a tender boat to the ship (when the ship was full, so there are lots of people to move) . And on a recent mainstream medium sized ship (Holland America Rotterdam), in both of the two tender ports we had, my recent wait for tender return (admittedly in prime return time, i.e., after excursions and closer to time of departure) was 45-50 minutes (fortunately it was just in the cold wind, and not in the heat). 

Crew will assist those with special needs equipment and help move their equipment to get on and off tenders, even if you can walk on/off,  and you may get a special special area to board the tenders. On my recent cruise, there were many dozens of pax with all kinds of equipment, many of whom could walk ok , but not stand for very long (I am almost there, often carry a collapsable cane to lean on just in case but a Rollator  would be better on some days and on some ships). 

[kokopelli-az]

For anyone shopping for a rollator, I highly recommend this one (the Drive Nitro series).   Very stable, larger wheels (which makes going over bumps easier) and it comes in different sizes depending on how big the user is.  A handy dandy little zippered bag, too.  

 

https://www.amazon.com/Drive-Medical-Foldable-Rollator-Lightweight/dp/B0BZWVR6QM/

 

(Double-check Amazon's Warehouse to see if any are available there = less expensive)

[pukekolive]

10 hours ago, Feels Goodman said:

Hi. I have never been on a cruise, but once again thinking of trying one. 

I usually just use a cane, but I can't stand for long. Is getting on and off the ships something we line up for or is it more like a plane and I can pretty much walk on. I doubt I will have a scooter.

I have been on 2 cruises using wheelchair assistance at both the airport and cruiseport since October 2023.

 

I highly recommend doing this with mobility issues whether you can use a lesser aid or not. 

 

Both ports/ cruiselines, Celebrity and Holland America, at Yokohama and Vancouver respectively, met passengers outside the terminal building and offered chairs.  They were great when waiting and were a 'skip the line' once moving. In all places, we were directed PAST the queues by attendants removing barriers and directing us either to special assistance lines or to the front of the queues.

 

In some places, any passenger with issues/ aids were ushered with us. As my partner was on shore at one compulsory immigration process in Japan, Celebrity assigned a crew member to accompany me into the port terminal for 30 mins!

Edited Friday at 08:33 PM by pukekolive

[Feels Goodman]

17 hours ago, kokopelli-az said:

What cruise line are you considering?   They will have a special section on their website about passengers with mobility disabilities.   

 

 

Thanks

 

Any that leave from California.

[kokopelli-az]

In the event you book a cruise on Royal Caribbean, this is direct from their website:

We offer boarding and departure assistance to guests in wheelchairs or with mobility disabilities. To request assistance at the pier, contact us 30 days prior to your cruise so that we may prioritize your assistance to go onboard. Wheelchair assistance for boarding is available from the terminal check-in, to the ship. During peak times there may be a wait for assistance.

 

This is pretty much what all the cruise lines request.

 

I am assuming since you are in Oregon that you will depart from PDX and fly to LAX (for example)?    Your cruise line will have transfers you can purchase from your California airport to the cruise ship.  This might be an idea for you if you are traveling alone.  If you arrive the day before and stay overnight in a hotel, you will have to make arrangements to either get back to the airport to catch the cruise line transportation or take other transportation to the pier (many hotels offer this).  The cruise line transportation will probably be a large tour bus.  If you go with a rollator, they can stow it below the bus along with the luggage.  

 

Personally, I would take an early flight from PDX (hopefully direct) and go to the ship the same day.  (We leave out of PDX all the time.)  

 

When you get to your pier, ask the first employee (of the cruise line or even one of the port employees loading luggage) where wheelchair assistance is located.  

 

Once you narrow it down which cruise line and which port you will be leaving out of in California, let us know.   People on this board can help with more specifics.  

 

PS:   There will be many, many passengers on your ship with mobility issues using canes, walkers, wheelchairs, scooters and rollators.  The cruise lines are set up very well for assisting passengers with mobility issues.  

[shadow 123]

On 6/28/2024 at 8:46 AM, Essiesmom said:

It can depend on when you want to get on or off.  On embarkation at home port there may be long lines to check in.  Some lines assign times in the hopes of keeping the lines in order.  And then don’t enforce them.  To avoid those lines, arrive after noon.  And you might want to request wheelchair assistance for boarding.  Debarkation at the end of the cruise will be more of a mess as it seems everyone wants off first.  I would request w/c assistance here too.  Getting off in ports of call will have lines early.  Have a leisurely breakfast and think about leaving around 1000.  But be aware the pier may be a long walk into town. We just pulled into Cozumel and this is the downtown pier (MSC).

I hope they plan on getting a trolley. I'll be there in October of this year. Even will the walker I wouldn't be able to do this. Well, maybe very slowly.

Edited Saturday at 08:20 PM by shadow 123

[shadow 123]

On 6/28/2024 at 1:22 PM, darstamp said:

I agree with the suggestion of getting a walker.  I have cruised a lot and, unless it is a very small ship)) cruising involves a lot of walking.  I was starting to struggle with the walking so I got a walker and it made all the difference.  Even on the ship there are lines from time to time - for guest services, dining, etc..  Being able to sit on my walker is a godsend.

I agree. That's when the walker most helped me. Waiting in lines on the ship.

Edited Saturday at 08:13 PM by shadow 123

[marden1970]

On 6/28/2024 at 11:27 PM, Feels Goodman said:

 

Thanks

 

Any that leave from California.

We have cruised out of San Francisco many times on Princess  They are very good with wheelchair assistance both in the terminal and getting on the ship.  And the reverse when you are disembarking.  Just ask when you get to the terminal.