Guide to Cruising for the Physically Impaired

cruiseshipEven though there are a lot of accessible cruise ships to choose from, some ships make better choices. Take for instance the Alaska-based Sea Wolf which features itineraries around Alaska. Although not 100% barrier free, they are upfront about access limitations.

What about the ships of the Norwegian Cruise Lines? The Pride of Aloha, the Pride of America and the Pride of Hawaii all sail seven-night inter-island itineraries from Honolulu and since the Americans with Disabilities Act is law in Hawaii, there are many more accessible sights to see.

As with everything else, information is key to make the best choice of cruises, ships and itineraries that is available to the physically challenged. Check and recheck details. Get definite yes or no answers and recheck again later to make sure you have accurate information. Cruise brochures may say that a ship has ‘wheelchair accessible’ cabins but that doesn’t mean that a wheelchair will fit into the bathroom or into the shower stall.

What Cabins Should Include:

• No ‘lip’ or threshold at the cabin door which should be a minimum of 35 inches wide
• Bedside ‘panic’ button
• Rooms large enough to maneuver a wheelchair
• Closet with ‘pull-down’ clothes rail
• Telephone mounted at wheelchair height
• Mirrors mounted at wheelchair height
• Safe or lockable drawer at wheelchair height
• Convenient electrical outlet

What Bathrooms Should Include:
• Outward opening door
• No ‘lip’ at bathroom door or shower stall
• Detachable showerhead at head height from a wheelchair
• Grab rails for shower and toilet
• Washbasin at wheelchair height
• ‘Panic button’ or pull-cord in or near shower

Experienced physically impaired travelers offer this advice for someone considering their first cruise:

  1. Choose a ship with an elevator and a cabin close to it. Older and smaller ships may not have elevators, so getting to all decks or even to the dinning room is likely to be challenging.
  2. Choose a cabin in the middle of the ship if you are concerned about sea sickness.
  3. Although more expensive, choose a larger cabin. You will have more room to move around in a wheelchair.
  4. If you want to dine in the dining room and you are offered two fixed-time seatings for meals, choose the second. You can take your time with dinner.
  5. When you make dinner reservations be sure to mention that you’ll need plenty of room for your wheelchair. Space at dinning room tables may be limited.
  6. Take your own wheelchair or rent one to take with you. Ships carry a limited number of wheelchairs and they are provided for emergency use only.

Questions to ask a cruise line:

A good travel agent will have answers to these questions, but even so, you should double check the answers so there won’t be any last-minute slip-ups.

• Are any public rooms or decks inaccessible to wheelchairs?
• Will special transportation be provided to transfer you from airport to ship?
• Do passengers have to sign a medical release?
• Are collapsible wheelchairs provided?
• Will you need to provide a medical release?
• Do you need a doctor’s note to qualify for a handicapped cabin?
• Will a crew member be on hand to help or do you need to provide a traveling companion?
• How will you get to the lifeboats in case of an emergency?

It’s important to choose a ship that provides the right facilities for the most hassle-free vacation possible. I’ve list a few of the best ships that cater to the physically impaired.

Most suitable for wheelchair passengers:

Adventure of the Seas
Asuka II
Aurora
Constellation
Crown Princess
Crystal Serenity
Crystal Symphony
Infinity
Norwegian Star
Rotterdam
Star Princess
Voyager of the Seas
MV Sea Wolf

Reasonably accessible for wheelchair passengers:

AIDAaura
AIDAdiva
AIDAcara
Amsterdam
Blue Dream
Carnival Princess
Carnival Destiny
Carnival Glory
Disney Magic
Disney Wonder
Island Princess
Norwegian Crown
Norwegian Spirit
Pacific Princess
Pride of America
Pride of Aloha
Pride of Hawaii
Queen Elizabeth 2
Royal Princess

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