Finding Excursions When Having to Use A Scooter.

[Guindalf]

We're flying to San Juan, PR in a few weeks and our cruise visits St. Martin, Antigua, St Lucia, Barbados and Dominica. We have found one accessible tour in Antigua and something we think will work in Barbados.

 

Anyone have any recommendations? Should we just book what we think will work, see someone on board and cancel if they won't at that time? We're happy to book direct, so it doesn't have to be through the ship.

 

TIA.

[kokopelli-az]

What cruise line are you going to be on?   Are you able to break down the scooter so it would fit in a van (for instance) or do you need a vehicle with a lift?   Check with your cruise line's Access Dept and ask about accessible excursions.   Some cruise lines have accessible excursions that are not necessarily listed on their shore excursion page.  If you are looking at the ship's excursions, they will state whether the excursions are accessible (most are not and the ones that are get booked quickly).  

 

My experience is the shore excursion desk on board ships is not very knowledgeable about accessible excursions.   So I wouldn't rely on getting much information from them...

 

 

PS:   Not shore excursion related, but have you already contacted your cruise line's Access Dept?   They need to know you will have a scooter.    Lastly, do you have an accessible stateroom?

[Guindalf]

Yes,we have an accessible stateroom and I've filled in the special needs form for me and the DW's CPAP. This is not our first rodeo, but thanks for the reminders. We'll be on Celebrity Summit in the Retreat, so maybe the concierge will be a little more knowledgeable.

 

DW has found excursions for each port (except ST Martin, where we're going to just take it easy as we've been there a few times) . We'll hope they'll work, either by taking the scooter or being a short walk with somewhere I can leave it for the duration.

 

Oh, and yes, it does come apart. It's a Pride Revo 2.0.

 

[FOPMan]

You may have variable luck with curb cuts and navigable paths. Many stores in Antigua and St. Lucia have significant steps to enter the store or get onto the sidewalk (and ramps/curb cuts are not plentiful.

 

If walking/standing is an issue, I’d strongly suggest taking a rollator and using that instead of a scooter in some environments. Rollators may be more easily accommodated than a scooter, especially when considering the volume of space each takes up. While you’re likely to see Greyhound-like buses on Barbados, vans/mini vans are more prevalent for group transit on St. Lucia, Antigua, Saint Martin, and Dominica.

[1025cruise]

If the excursion is not listed as "accessible", odds are there will be no place to put your scooter on the transport.

[FOPMan]

To add in- there is often no extra space available in the vans/minivans. Often, the tour guide has a cooler under or behind the rear seats for drinks for guests. As a result, there is no or little free space.

[kokopelli-az]

You know, if you're not going on an excursion in St Maarten, there is quite a bit to look at right off the ship.  

Here's a link that might be of interest:

https://spintheglobe.net/dir/2019/10/02/cruise-port-of-call-wheelchair-accessibility-review-philipsburg-sint-maarten-st-martin/

 

PS:   We're going to be on the Summit in April (out of Fort Lauderdale), also in an accessible Retreat stateroom.