Wheelchair and Disability Travel
Mobility
Wheelchairs, rollers and scooters are an indispensable part of life for many disabled travelers. Fortunately, both cruise lines and tourist destinations are paying more attention to the needs of mobility restricted travelers. With a little more advanced planning, disabled travelers can enjoy most of the experiences on a cruise vacation.
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, there are no official regulations that apply to cruise ships. However, newer cruise ships have been built with the goal of full accessibility. You will find the corridors and hallways wider, elevators are larger and easier to access, doorways have ramps rather than sharp bumps, and dining halls have alternate pathways that avoid steps. You will encounter very few problems on cruise ships or shore excursions within the US. Of course, while traveling on a ship, size matters. A small, compact wheelchair is preferable to a large wheelchair simply because it has a smaller footprint and makes it easier to squeeze into elevators with other passengers, wait on line at the buffet, etc., and you will have more room in your cabin.
Older ships may present a problem, with doorways to outside areas raised to keep out water, many steps and staircases, and narrower and smaller elevators, bathrooms, and cabins.
Cruise lines make every effort to accommodate your disability, but they have to know about it in order to meet your needs. So when making reservations with a travel agent or directly with the cruise line, speak up and tell them about the nature of your disability. As questions: do their bathrooms have ramps? Do balcony suites have ramps from the cabin to the balcony? Can outside decks be reached without assistance? Can you request a table in the dining room that's easy to access so you don't have to go up stairs or onto a platform? Are onboard elevators wide enough for your wheelchair? Are there enough elevators? Do they have buttons at lower levels? The agents at the cruise line and travel agencies will be able to advise you which ship and which itinerary would allow you to enjoy the full experience of the cruise, with a minimum of restrictions.
If you have mobility issues, request a wheelchair accessible cabin. These cabins are NOT for all disabled people, only those who have to use a wheelchair, scooter, walker, etc. The cabins are roomier to accomodate assistive devices for those unable to walk to their bed, and the bathroom facilities are accessable to those who must wheel up to the sink, etc. Since there are very limited numbers of wheelchair accessible cabins on cruise ships, please save them for those with a true need. If you can, get a cabin close to activities, or at least close to an elevator so you do not have to negotiate hallways filled with people, luggage, and cleaning crews. When your cruise documents arrive, read them carefully to insure that you were assigned an appropriate, accessible cabin.
While we rarely have problems negotiating around cruise ships, shore excursions in foreign lands are another matter. While most shore excursion descriptions will tell you if they are suitable for people with walking or mobility issues, do not be afraid to ask your travel agent or the ship's excursion staff for specifics. If the excursion involves climbing steep, uneven stairs, it probably isn't suitable, but if you are unsteady on your feet and must travel over cobblestone or uneven paths, a scooter or electric wheelchair may actually work out better for you. When visiting a foreign city or tourist port, a folding or collapsable chair is easier to load onto standard taxis, busses, etc. However, if you do need a large or electric wheelchair, it pays to research which cruise lines are the most accomodating for your special needs, and the availability of accessible mass transportation or even renting a wheelchair van at each destination.
Before your trip, familiarize yourself with the ship's layout. Note where your cabin is, in relation to key lounges, theaters and dining rooms. When you board, ask for a guide and map at the front desk, and go on a tour. Make sure everything, especially bathrooms on the main decks, are accessable to you. Locate the infirmery and introduce yourself to the doctor-on-duty. If you need special equipment in your cabin request them from your steward. Make sure ramps are in place where needed.
Avoid ships that stop at tender ports, such as Grand Cayman, Portofino, and Sitka. Ships do not pull up to the dock at tender ports. Instead, the ship remains out in the harbor, and passengers are ferried to shore in smaller boats. Elderly people, and the disabled who have mobility issues, can have difficulty embarking, moving around inside, and disembarking tenders. Not all tenders are wheelchair accessible. On some you may have to step out of your wheelchair and have it stowed during the trip.
In port, sightseeing tours often use motorcoaches that have fairly steep steps. Most do not have wheelchair lifts, and can only store collapsible wheelchairs. Since shore excursions are independent contractors, the accomodations they provide are beyond the control of your cruise line. Unfortunately, disabled passengers usually take more time to get situated and one wheelchair bound passenger can occupy the space for three or four full paying fares. So it is not in the excursion companies financial interest to accomodate the disabled. It is only through pressure on cruise lines, which hire these subcontractors, that disabled passengers can improve accessibility for all.
Carry basic tools and duct tape to repair minor damage to your chair. Consider taking an older chair/scooter when you travel. If you use an electric chair and plan on any extended excursions off ship, check with your manufacturer about the best battery charger. International voltage is usually different from that in the US and you definitely do not want an inoperable chair when traveling.
Traveling with Medication and Medical Equipment
If you have special medical needs (defibrillators, dialysis, etc.), make sure the infirmary is equipped to help you, prior to sailing.
Be sure to bring enough medication on your trip. While availability of specific medications varies by country, many pharmacies in foreign countries will not honor a written prescription from a U.S. doctor. Your insurance plans will likely approve "vacation prescriptions" about a week before you are scheduled to leave. So make sure you have all of the medications you will need for your trip. Carry your medications on you at all times, do not leave them in your luggage, as luggage can be lost (more likely lost by airlines than cruise lines, but you do not want to be the exception to the rule).
Some medical insurance providers cover visits to the ship's infirmary. If you do have to see the doctor, you will have to pay at time of service and get reimbursed by your insurance company afterwards. If your insurance company does not cover cruise emergencies, take out a travel insurance policy that will reimburse you for these costs.
It is best to obtain a recently dated letter from your doctor, identifying your disability and the need for any medication and/or assistive devices you require. While cruise lines are accustomed to dealing with disabilities and medical needs, Security at ports and airports are often not up to the same standards. Medication, especially syringes, are suspect. All medication should be in its original pharmacy packaging and clearly labeled as to what it is, your name, the prescribing doctor, and pharmacy name. Wheelchairs and other mobility assistive devices can be subject to close scrutiny. Expect Security to use a wand, and a pat down search is possible and legal. Any backpack attached to a service animal may also be searched. Remember that these efforts are to ensure your safety while traveling.
If you are Diabetic
Contact the special needs department of the cruise line and have them leave a sharps container in your cabin. Some cruise lines allow you to set your dinner time pre-trip, while on others you must do this upon boarding. Explain your need to eat at set times every day and request the seating in the diningroom closest to that time. They will prepare whole wheat buns and sweet potatoes for you if you let them know on the first night. Remember the buffet is always available should you miss your dining room seating.
You will probably need to decrease insulin because your physical activity level increases. But be sure to bring glucagon or some candy or glucose tablets along with you on shore excursions. A great tip is to bring along a tube of cake icing, which does not spoil in the heat or freeze in the cold, and squirt it into the mouth if your blood sugar drops.
If you are Deaf
Most cruise lines have an alert kit for guests with hearing impairments, which can be fitted to any cabin. TTY kits include visual notification of the door knocker and smoke alarm; also a vibrating alarm, bed shaker and phone amplifier. In order to keep in touch with a member of your party who is deaf, we recommend the TSX 300 walkie-talkie (described on www.trisquare.us/tsx300.htm) as it supports text messages and can be used to communicate on ship, without incurring extremely expensive long distance cell phone minutes.
Also see Cruising with Service Animals
