wheelchair available?

[EydieG]

I don't think I have ever noticed this question before or if I did I didn't pay an attention to it since it didn't apply to my family. Well, now it does. We are taking my mom on her first cruise and she has trouble walking long distances. Are there wheelchairs available on the ship just in case someone needs one? Also, I was just reading a review where someone mentioned using a wheelchair in Cozumel on the long pier.

Anyway, any information on wheelchairs would be appreciated.

My mom has never used one before and would probably be embarrassed but I would like to know just in case.

Thanks!

[10splyr]

There may be wheelchairs available, but most cruise lines don't guarantee they will have one. My DH needs one to get from the pier to the ship for original embark and debark and so far we have been able to get one. I don't know about using them in ports, however. Some ports have a shuttle cart (golf cart, etc) if the walk is long from the ship to the taxi, tour bus area. My suggestion would be to call Carnival and ask them your specific question, and don't be surprised if you have to keep asking different people b/c I have found that some agents just don't know the real answer:rolleyes: . If you booked through a travel agency, let them get the info for you: that's part of their service.

[firefly333]

We were in the same position. A $50 deposit is required and if there is a wheelchair available you can use it. Just happened to us too at Cozumel, the pier now is soooooooo long since they rebuilt the part over the road. There are elevators but they are hard to find.

 

PS you cannot get them ahead of time, dont bother, you have to wait until you are on the ship.

[afcj1]

I went on Princess last year. 10 days post knee surgery. When I called to ask them if they had any available, just in case, they said "no, they're not on any of the ships". I may not have been getting a straight answer, but who knows.

Thankfully, I was fine w/o, but if it's a necessity, I'd try to rent one and take it with you. When we're mobile, we take it for granted, but when traveling or even shopping with someone elderly, it can be quite challenging, if there are mobility issues. Even the walkers that have the small bench seats are very helpul.

Remember, that you can also request wheelchair service (if you don't have one) through your airline, if you're flying.

Enjoy your cruise.:)

[firefly333]

I went on Princess last year. 10 days post knee surgery. When I called to ask them if they had any available, just in case, they said "no, they're not on any of the ships". I may not have been getting a straight answer, but who knows. :)

 

Doesnt make sense. Every ship has wheelchairs on them, for embarkation and disembarkation. What they cant do is promise they will have a unused one to use while you are on the ship, as many others also want them. I was on Conquest last week and saw them all over the ship (the Conquest ones said Carnival or something, so they were ship wheelchairs obviously), folks who just had surgery or broke something, whatever, used them for the whole cruise. so if you dont want one until the last port they cant guarantee there will be one.

[sixy-six]

ITs hard to get one one. I had called a head the last time for one to help me with embarking. ended up finley having to walk. Wasin a great deal of pain by the time we sailed.

 

This time I called they faxed me some paper work to fill out and send back. We'll have to wait and see what becomes of that. Best advie I can give if she needs one Rent one. heres the list that Carnival sent me.

 

www.cruiseshipassist.com

 

www.scootaround.com

 

www.randlemedical.com

[firefly333]

We also tried calling ahead and talking to the Special Needs Dept at Carnival who was less than no help. Once onboard they were more co-operative and said there was no problem, just had to put up the deposit.

[sappygirl]

I know they had some on Fantasy when we were there. There was an older gentleman that used one for the whole cruise.

[Sundagger]

I don't think I have ever noticed this question before or if I did I didn't pay an attention to it since it didn't apply to my family. Well, now it does. We are taking my mom on her first cruise and she has trouble walking long distances. Are there wheelchairs available on the ship just in case someone needs one? Also, I was just reading a review where someone mentioned using a wheelchair in Cozumel on the long pier.

Anyway, any information on wheelchairs would be appreciated.

My mom has never used one before and would probably be embarrassed but I would like to know just in case.

Thanks!

 

You should also check the Disabled Cruising board on CC: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190

 

There are numerous threads about wheelchairs and mobility issues. It DOES vary from cruiseline to cruiseline. If you don't see a thread that fits your situation, just start one - there are a lot of experienced, helpful cruisers on that board.

[carson cruiser]

In September 2006 we took a Conquest cruise out of Galveston. When our transportation pulled up to the cruise terminal we asked for a wheelchair. They brought us a wheelchair and a Carnival employee pushed my mom all the way through security and up to the check-in area. An employee at check-in saw us and let us all check in through the reserved line for repeat customers. We were onboard the ship in about 20 minutes. We were able to keep the wheelchair for the entire cruise. Hope this helps.

[Essiesmom]

From the Guests with Special Requirements area on the Carnival website:

 

Onboard Wheelchairs are limited for emergency use only. If you require the use of a wheelchair while onboard, you must bring your own, or rent one. Carnival will provide Wheelchair assistance for embarkation and debarkation Guests arriving at the designated port of departure should contact a Carnival Embarkation Host /Hostess once they arrive. Debarkation procedures will be printed in the Carnival Capers onboard

[JaneBP]

I need a w/c for long distances and think that the ones the Carnival Legend uses in Tampa might belong to the port, not the ship. There were so many of us who needed one for embarkation and disembarking. It was quite a line-up.

 

The pier in Cozumel is frightfully long, with not too many places to stop and rest. However, when returning, a young man on the pier asked me if I would like a w/c and he went and got one and took me to the ship. But I don't think it's an advertised service, just a clever opportunist, who received a good tip from a grateful tourist.

[Ken076]

I thought I read somewhere on Carnival.com that limited wheelchairs are available for on-ship, first come first served -and- I thought they gave a link to a "rental" service, maybe to bring them onboard. Maybe SEARCH Carnival site and/or call TA/PVP or Guest Services to confirm. Or bring your own for the cruise duration - Folding chairs at SAM's Club for $150 or so. ken

[LHP]

Something that may also assist her in every day activities are the walking canes that fold out into a seat...for those who need to rest frequently when walking.

 

I hope she had a wonderful cruise.

[mosel]

We have cruised for many years with my Dad who needed a wheelchair for long distances. We never counted on Carnival to have one for us. They are very limited and even if you got one if they needed it for an emergency they would take it back. We started renting one because he needed it to get through the airports too and it was much easier to have our own then wait for someone to bring one. We ended up getting his own, medicare provided one for six months at a time if his doctor wrote an RX. You might want to check into that too. When he passed away last year we went to give the wheelchair back and they said to keep it, that is was ours.

 

When my MIL started cruising with us we bought her one because she can't walk more than a couple feet.It only cost a little over a hundred dollars on line and it saved alot of rental fees.

 

Good luck, travelling with a wheelchair can be an adventure. Especially the elevators on the ship. We would wait forever for an elevator that had enough room for the wheelchair and then someone would practically climb over the chair to get on the elevator before us. Cindy

[NorthernLite]

I'm a fulltime wheelchair user and would suggest you call one of the rental services. They will have the chair delivered to her cabin before she arrives. If she uses a wheelchair this way she can also ask for a handicapped cabin. A Carnival chair will sit in the hallway at night as will any chair that can not be folded and fit through the much smaller regular cabin doors. Those chairs have been known to be "borrowed" by "needier" cruisers or collected or moved by staff. A rented chair can be specific size for seat size, have a (clean) cushion, a push rather than soley a transport chair, etc. The biggie for me is knowing the rental companies deliver and pick up and sanitize their equipment. Many cruise ships give theirs a quick wipe down with a disinfectant but may not get all the surfaces. Yes, most ports and cruise lines are great at having chairs to get you to your cabin. Airlines tend to get you to and from the curb to your gate. And those $100 specials from drugstores are not great at going very far especially if dealing with sidewalks and roads. Good luck.