How do u handle the dining room with a wheelchair?

[travelteam]

Last couple of trips we've asked for and gotten a table for two to avoid having to disrupt other passangers during dinner if we need to leave the dining room during the meal. How have you managed this? I keep hearing large tables are lots of fun, but we don't care to cause discomfort to others. Any thoughts?

[willieg]

We call ahead and ask for an easily accessible table for six. The table is usually near the entrance of the dining room so there is room to maneuver a wheelchair. On our last cruise my DH was in a wheelchair part of the time and our tablemate used a walker. DH transferred to a regular chair and our waiter stored the chair and our friend's walker out of the way. Call the special needs desk of your cruise line and they will direct you. Put in for any other special requests with them

Have a great cruise.

[Ken]

My adult son uses a power chair that will not fit under the tables. He always pulls up parallel and I sit next to him and feed him his food. We have never called ahead of time, but I always do a walk-through of the dining room before meal time to make sure everything will work, and so far it has. We have had the best success with rectangular tables, and we make sure we are one of the first in at meal time so Joey can sit at the end of the table.

[leoandhugh]

we do a lot of cruises and use a scooter and/or wheelchair. we have for several years asked for and been given a deuce and close to the entrance to the dining room. if you can get a square table for four so the wheelchair can be put at one side, fine; we have found with round tables somebody or bodies end up getting squeezed to fit the wheelchair in. and it can also make a difference of the table support(s); one pedestal is usually no problem, but two pedestals at a larger table can be, in trying to fit a wheelchair with footrests underneath. also we seldom eat every course, so we are finished eating before most.

in short, a larger table can be fun with conversation - it can also be a disaster, depending on the luck of the draw with table mates. we choose to do our socializing and conversing in places other than the dining room, based solely on our preference and experience:)

[travelteam]

Thanks you all for sharing your experiences. We'll probably stay with our table for two, and meet people at other times. This girl just wants to have fun, but also have DH comfortable.

 

Thanks again.:)

[leoandhugh]

travelteam we are on the brilliance TA barcelona/miami this year. we always work through rcl's special needs department for table assignment and anything extra for our handicapped cabin. they have already assigned us a table number(deuce) at main sitting close to the entrance to the dining room on one level or the other. it is much more reliable than waiting to board the ship only to find that they have to switch around to meet your request special needs no 800 722 5472:)

[travelteam]

:D I remember you're in OUR cabin (grin). On our TA next year some of the cc'ers want to have our tables linked so we can be near each other. IU'd love that, but with the scooter I am fearful that we will get stuck at a table that is not managable. I have 15 months to work it out.......we do like tables for 2, but being near the others sounds like such fun....especially with the pink boas (grin, grin).

 

Are you planning to go on the 07 Brilliance TA in December? Would finally like to meet you...........sounds like you know how to travel and have fun.

[leoandhugh]

no not in 2007 the other day i put a deposit on Voyager OS from Barcelona to Galveston. I have some misgivings about the timing because it does not arrive Galveston until 12/23. we are considering car rental and driving to San Antonio and spending Feliz Navidad on the Riverwalk - Mexican fiesta for Christmas course we could do the same here and drive down to TiJuana - not quite the same. but we had to make a reservation that far out to be sure of a JS accessible.

something for you to consider in what you finally decide the TA has lots of at sea days for you to be with your group, even for breakfast and lunch if you choose. I still think sticking with a deuce is better at dinner there is such a thing as too much togetherness and conversation at multi tables is just a shouting match anyhow. just MHO hugh:)

[travelteam]

I hear you............our TA roll call is getting friendly and we still have 15 months till we sail. I always decide in the end what's easier for us, and most comfortable for my guy. Never have we felt lonely on a ship, always had company when we wanted to socialize.

 

Seems like u have some adventures planned. We always book early because we want a specific HC. This time we have YOUR JS on deck 10. I hope it has a table and chairs for coffee............and maybe some harder stuff. Just love to gaze at the sun/moon and waves.

 

Dee

[leoandhugh]

travelteam according to my research the JS has an armchair with matching ottoman, a coffee table in front of the sofa, a side table next to the armchair and just loads of storage space for the hard stuff. all you have to do is figure out how you are going to get it onboard. if we find a way, I will let you know.:D hugh

[travelteam]

Hugh - do let me know if u get some aboard. If anyone can, I'm sure it's you. Let me know how it goes..............you must be getting excited with your cruise coming so soon. Lucky, we have no cruise until the 07 TA.

 

Dee