Explorer 2/13 sailing help!

[nycspagirl]

We are sailing on EOS on Feb 13th. One of us will be with a wheelchair. A few questions:

 

1) any suggestions for a good table placement (for 3) in the main dining room with a wheelchair?

 

2) embarkation - any tips for those with mobility impairments?

 

2) how warm should I expect it to get?

 

3) how many formal nights? just 1?

 

This is our first cruise on RCCL, we are very excited!

[MuncieCruisers]

I would call RCI directly to discuss. THe vacation planners and the followup people are excellent and most are avid cruisers.

[Lanark Lass]

We were a party of 4 with 2 wheelchairs who were on the Explorer on November 2008.

 

Dining Room

 

I e-mailed RCCL a few weeks before we were due to go requesting a table for 4, in the Columbus dining room, close to the door with easy access.

 

They gave a table for 4, close to the door and easy access but in the Magellan. The reason we asked for a specific dining room was when you come out of the Columbus you were straight onto the promenade, but with the Magellan you had to take the elevator up to the promenade.

 

The e-mail address is rcldining@rccl.com

 

We had no problem with embarkation, when leaving from Cape Liberty you are taken from the reception area on buses, wheelchairs go in a seperate line and each bus has a section for wheelchairs, an RCCL employee will take the person out to the bus and make them sure they are secure, at the other end, they will take the person out, someone will push the wheelchair onto the ship.

 

Every time you go on and off the ship an RCCL employee will push the wheelchair off and on, especially as some of the ramps are steep.

 

Make sure you are where you are supposed to be for the muster drill, this will ensure you do not get stuck trying to get an elevator, when the drill is over they let the wheelchair people and the infirm away before everyone else.

 

Our main problem was getting an elevator especially at busy times, what I ended up doing a lot the times was getting on the wrong elevator. We were on deck 10 and had problems getting an elevator especially on formal nights, what I would do it take an empty elevator up, which meant I was already on it when coming down. An elevator going up has to come back down again with me on it. Easy, stopped me getting irritated when elevator after elevator stopped at my floor and it was full.

 

Disembarkation at the end of the holiday was fine as well, we had to be down at the conference centre, and an employee came and collected us depending on the colour we were given. Took us off the ship and onto the bus.

 

Did not start getting warm until the end of the second day.

 

Not sure how many nights your cruise is, I have been on the 9 nights with 2 formals nights and last year 12 nights with 3 formal nights.

 

Sorry a bit long winded, but this was info we wished we knew about before we went. If you have anymore questions please just ask.

 

 

Lanark Lass

[yogimax]

We took an elderly friend in a wheelchair on two cruises and found RCCL to be absolutely wonderful. We were assigned a table in the dining room right by the entrance door and the wait staff was terrific.

 

If you cruise is seven nights, there will be two formal dinners

[138east]

1) any suggestions for a good table placement (for 3) in the main dining room with a wheelchair? Call Royal Caribbean and discuss it with them. Check your table assignment as soon as you board. They should seat you near the door on one of the three dining floors.

2) embarkation - any tips for those with mobility impairments? When you get to the tents, find a Royal Caribbean rep and tell them you have someone in a wheelchair. They will provide assistance and should expedite your boarding. Try to arrive by 11 am. If you have a handicapped placard, bring it along to use if you are parking at the pier.

 

2) how warm should I expect it to get? At least the first and last sea days will be cool. Otherwise you will be in the tropics and it will be warm.

 

3) how many formal nights? just 1? Probably 2.

 

This is our first cruise on RCCL, we are very excited!

 

Familiarize yourself with the ship the first day. For example, for certain destinations on decks 2 and 3, you must use a specific set of elevators. If you are aft, you want to go forward on your deck (assuming you are not on deck 2 or 3) and then take the elevator to the theater or the spa/solarium. If you are forward, you want to go aft on your deck to get to the Windjammer or the dining. This eliminates the need to cross the pool deck with the wheelchair or navigate the promenade or casino. Be sure to get tickets to the ice show and arrive at least 30 minutes ahead of time. They open the doors 30 minutes ahead and seat the handicapped passengers at that time. We did not go to the evening shows, but I understand that you should arrive as early as possible for them as well.

 

If the WJ does not appeal, eat as many breakfasts and lunches in the dining room as possible. The atmosphere is much more tranquil. The breakfast menu is essentially the same and the food seems much fresher (it doesn't seem to come from steam trays). The lunch menu is more limited, but still a nice selection - as always as much food as you want. Each day the menus will be posted outside the main dining room.

 

You may also find that you are the "gofer". I "gofer" hot coffee from the Promenade or the WJ in the morning. I "gofer" lemonade and cookies in the afternoon. That's just part of traveling with someone who has mobility issues.

 

One more thing - sometimes the elevators are very crowded. You can do well by going up to go down or down to go up. Your cruise is February vacation break, so it will be crowded and there will be lots of kids. Just take a deep breath and be patient.

[nycspagirl]

Thanks this was all very helpful. I am a bit worried about the elevators per all the comments I have seen on the forums, but its a great suggestion to take it going the wrong way - we will definitely use it!

 

Any thoughts on whether a scooter is better than a wheelchair? Don't know if there are any steep ledges that would be navigated better with a wheelchair.

[138east]

Last year we didn't take my mother's scooter and I wish we had. This year it's definitely going. The only steep place I remember is the gangway, and you will always have assistance there. There are some gentle slopes at one end of the Promenade, but nothing to worry about.

 

Let me tell you about our situation, which is different from yours. My mother is ninety and has mobility issues. She can walk, but not really long distances and not quickly. We use a wheelchair for boarding for her convenience and protection. On ship we had a cabin near the aft elevators, so she was able to get to anything in the aft quite easily. The dining rooms, the Windjammer, Dizzy's, the card room, the rock climbing, the basketball court, and one end of the pool deck and Promenade are all at this end of the ship. However, the spa and solarium are forward and mom used her walker with a seat to do the walk from our cabin to the forward elevators. I really felt she skipped the shows at night in the forward theater just because she didn't want to do the walk. So that's why we're taking the scooter this year. It will give her more independence and more access to all the activities on the ship.

 

I would actually take both a wheelchair and a scooter. Also, definitely talk to RCL. I filled out a disabled questionaire for them and they asked specifically about Labadee. Is the person in the wheelchair going to be getting off the ship? St. Thomas and San Juan will be OK with some planning, but you need to look closely at Samana. Unfortunately, we have not done the shorter EOS itinerary.

[nycspagirl]

Thanks for the info. Scooter it is then, and we will also consider taking the chair just in case.

 

We are not really thinking that he will be getting off the ship at the ports, will not be able to stand the heat for too long, so I think we are fine there.

 

Thanks!

[aqhacruiser]

Thanks for the info. Scooter it is then, and we will also consider taking the chair just in case.

 

We are not really thinking that he will be getting off the ship at the ports, will not be able to stand the heat for too long, so I think we are fine there.

 

Thanks!

 

Call RCCL and ask to speak to the Special Needs department. You can rent a scooter from RCCL that will be waiting on the ship for you and special needs will give you all the info. The scooters RCCL provides are designed to fit thru all cabin doors as not all scooters will fit. Wheelchairs are provided on the ship as well. When you get to the port just tell your porter you need someone to assist you and the staff will help take you right thru the terminal. Handicap parking spaces are very close to the terminal now also so after you drop off your party and luggage you will drive around the buildings and enter the new parking area where you'll see plenty of spaces close to drop off area. Have a great cruise! :)

[138east]

Yes - take both. My mother's scooter is small, so we are planning to have someone help us load it in the back of the minivan. The guys at the pier will offload it. I'll post our experiences on the Disabled Cruisers board after we get back. You live in NY so it would be a lot cheaper to arrange to have the scooter transported to Bayonne and back than to rent one. I want my mother to be driving the scooter she tools around in every day, not some random scooter selected by someone else. We've also found the availability of wheelchairs on the ship to be unreliable. Take your own if you have it. We have a walker with a seat, and in a pinch I can push my mother in that.

 

The one port you should consider getting off in is St. Thomas. The shopping center is right there and is definitely scooter accessible. First thing in the morning is not so hot and there are shaded places. It will be a nice change of pace. Last year we did that in the morning, and then I grabbed a quick lunch and took a cab to Megan's Bay for the afternoon.