Embarkation and priority boarding?

[Cathalain]

Do cruise lines have priority embarkation for wheelchair/disabled passengers? I know that other forms of transportation do, such as Amtrak, some airlines, etc. I was wondering if the cruise lines do it the same way, or if it's just a standard 'wait in line until you're called' thing. We've never cruised before, this is our first one, so I don't know what to expect.

 

Thanks in advance. :)

[xxoocruiser]

Yes - Cruise lines do try to give priorty to assisting those who are disabled during embarkation and debarkation

 

However there are some things you should know :

 

• If traveling with a wheelchair or scooter you really should book a handicap cabin. Particularly if the individual is confined to the wheelchair, as the chair will not fit through the standard cabin door.
  

• The cruise lines will have a wheelchair available for embarking and disembarking only. They do not give out wheelchairs for the duration of the cruise. So if you are need of chair you need to make your own arrangements by either purchasing or renting one.
  

• The cruise line will make some reason accomdations at no charge. Such as providing a shower chair at no charge or moving furniture around in the room to make things easier. Basically anything else you need will have to be handle on your own. Again by bringing with or again renting it.
  

• It you need to rent anything, you need to first check with the Cruise line to fid out who are the approved providers that are allowed to board the ship . As the items you rent will be delivered to your cabin directly and the rental company had to have the proper security clearance.
  

If you have specific questions , please post them as there are many well experienced and kind indivudals on this forum that can assist you with answers.

 

You will love cruising !

[Putterdude]

Our experience has been mainly with Princess where they have a special desk for disabled pax. If you arrive pre-boarding time you will generally be placed in a special area and then boarding commences pax who have Elete of Platinum status are boarded first, followed very closely by disabled pax and their companions.

[uppitycats]

I've cruised with Carnival, Princess and NCL, and on each cruise I was met at the dock by a cruise representative (or when I arrived, a rep called someone), and I and my husband were escorted to the head of the check-in line, assisted up the gangway to the ship, and delivered to our cabin (where usually all we could do was drop off our carry-on and pick up my rented power chair -- cabin otherwise wasn't ready).

[kyriecat]

I noticed from your sig that your cruise is on RC's Grandeur. Just FYI - if you are traveling with people in another cabin, sometimes they won't be allowed to board with you. I've read on the boards that sometimes RC will allow them to board with you so I guess it varies. My husband and I have cruised with my folks 3 times. My mom uses a wheelchair and had always received priority boarding. The only time hubby & I were given priority boarding with them was once we had reached an elite status. The other 2 times we had to make arrangements to meet onboard once hubby and I finished our check-in process.

 

RC doesn't normally have a special line for disabled passengers. There is usually a person directing incoming passengers to the correct line, based on their status. There is a priority line for "Diamond/Platinum C&A and Suite Guests" that is for priority boarding. Disabled passengers are normally directed to that line unless the "regular" line is really empty.

 

Cabins on RC are usually ready around 1:30 so if you want to go to your cabin for a while after boarding, you should check-in after that time. Usually boarding starts around 11:30 and a buffet lunch is served on the upper deck. In the past, we haven't been allowed to go to the cabins prior to 1:30 to drop things off so have had to carry any bags we bring onboard around with us. My mom always brings her own wheelchair so the rules might be different if you need to stop by the cabin to get a rental scooter or chair.

 

If you have any medications or valuables (camera, cell phone, computer, ipod, jewelry, etc), keep them in a bag that you carry onboard with you. Your checked bags will be delivered to your cabin but the time varies. We've had some show up within an hour of boarding and others not arrive until almost 10 PM.

[GRBlizz]

Cath - In case you hadn't figured it out by the replies, cruise ships don't board the way airplanes do, all at once. For a late afternoon sailaway, hey open boarding at about 11a, and you can come anytime between then and sailaway (or rather, some cut off time before that). So, depending on when you arrive, there may be a lot of other passengers waiting to board, or just a few.

 

As you have been told, you will usually be directed to a line that involves the least waiting, and a porter will help with the wheelchair if needed. On our last X cruise, they had a low table set up for the wheelchair pax to fill out forms, since everyone else used a higher ticket counter.

 

We have only cruised 3 times, but on none of those times did we have more than a minute or two wait in line. As long as you have a wheelchair for the passenger who needs it, you will be fine (there is usually a lot of walking involved, even though there isn't a lot of waiting).

 

Have fun - you will have a great time.

[TravelingBabsNY]

I have traveled with wheelchair bound travelers on several occassions, all on RCL. We were given priority boarding, ahead of suite and elite status passengers. I was very impressed by how accommodating they were in helping to make it such a stree=free situation

 

Barbara