Electric wheelchair on Zaandam

[Vanisle]

Has any one used a wheelchair on this particular ship?

We are doing a circle tour out of Vancouver to Hawaii and want to plan for the unforseen.

We will take a manual for back up , plus comode, hoyer lift , ecct ect.

DH is 6'3 and 195 1bs sci C3/4 so phycical transfers are really not acceptable.

We know we will have to have a good attitude and go with the flow but any ideas , suggestions are appreciated.

[leoandhugh]

It seems to us that you failed to specify whether or not you have an accessible (handicapped) cabin booked on the ship. Considering all the equipment you are taking, I have to assume that you did book such a cabin. If, indeed, you did, you should have no trouble with either the electric or manual wheelchair. If your cruise includes a stop at Lahaina on Maui, be aware that is a tender port which is really accessble with a wheelchair when the seas are calm enough to permit one to be taken on the tender:)

[Vanisle]

Yes we do have a wheelchair room booked.

I guess I was wondering about gang ways ect. Getting around on the ship, ect

That would be great if we can get off at a tendered spot but we are prepared not to if that happens.

[Splinter]

We have not been on this ship, but have done the Hawaii Circle twice on HAL ships (Statendam and Ryndam) and used a power chair throughout. Just keep in mind that if you will be using the HAL tender lift they will ONLY take manual chairs of 18" width or less, no power chairs, and you will have to fight to get tendered to shore sooner than noon or so. They try to say they will only tender wheelchairs using the lift AFTER everyone else if off the ship, which is of course grossly discriminatory (we paid the same fare as those people!!) so you need to speak to people at the purser's desk the first day of the cruise and daily until your first port, and then again before the next tendered port to get anything else arranged.

 

We store the lift and shower/commode chair in the shower stall during the day. That works very well to keep it out of the way.

 

One of the nicest things about HAL is that they do not use room service carts. The room stewards use only a hand held basket for their supplies. There is no dodging of carts in the hallway to and from your cabin on their ships as is so common on Princess, RCCL, etc.

 

Otherwise, we found the ship quite accessible. Which cabin did you book? I hope it is not one of the modified cabins but one of the fully accessible ones (with a roll in shower). They have both types on this ship, and many people don't realize that the first one is really not adaquate for a full-time wheelchair user.

[Vanisle]

Thanks Splinter !

that was some of the best feedback Ive had.

Yes we did book a fully accessible room and we are planning on bringing the manual chair for tenders. I am really looking forward to being able to take a trip with Mike that isnt all work. We have done driving trips staying at hotels and even after many phone calls you still can end up getwith a room totaly unacceptable and then packing up and unpacking at each new place .

Whew!! LOL