Traveling by Cruise Ship
 
Many modern cruise ships are totally wheelchair accessible.  Many
ships are not.  Unfortunately, there is no standard as to what is
considered accessible and many travel agents simply do not know, and
rely on the representations of the cruise line (whose sales and
customer service people may not know either).  Many ships also have
"accessable cabins"- and again, one definition is different than
another.

I cruise a lot (two or three times a year) and I make it a point to
see how accessible each ship is.  I have seen ramps that go to
"nowhere", elevators that cannot accommodate even the smallest
wheelchair, and "accessable" bathrooms that were made accessible by
the addition of a grab bar- but no way for the wheelchair to get over
the "lip" into the bathroom (much less through the very narrow door).

But a lot of my customers cruise successfully, and I see a lot of
wheelchairs on ships, so the trick is finding out how accessible a
particular ship is- and what to do if you arrive and it is not.

First, find a travel agent that specializes in both cruising =and=
traveling with wheelchairs.  Travel agencies for the disabled do
advertise, but find one that books a lot of cruises.  One that has an 
excellent web site (but I have no knowledge of their "performance") 
is  Small Ship Cruises  whose "wheelchair" webpage can be reached by 
clicking on their name (a new window will open when you do).  They must be 
good, though, because they use this page that you are reading as a 
reference in theirs!

Second, demand the names/phone numbers of satisfied customers who have
the same type of equipment as you have (manual, power, scooter) and
ability level as you (how they transfer, can they walk a limited
amount, etc).  The agent may not know that much about them, but should
be able to give you their names and numbers (with their permission, of
course)  Call them.  Ask them questions regarding the particular ship,
their abilities, and their equipment.  Find out just how accessible
the ship was- and what they didn't like about the ship (accessability
and non-accessability issues).

No ship is going to be 100% accessible  For example, I have never seen
a pool lifter or ramp on a ship.  But if you want to lounge =by the
pool=, and that particular ship has no accessability to the pool area
(many do not), this may not be the right ship for you.

Next, if you live near the port, ask the agent to arrange a visit to
the ship prior to booking.  This is not difficult to do- I have
visited many just as a "good customer".  Every cruise line has "agent
lunches" every few weeks on the ship.  This gives the travel agents a
chance to tour a ship (and get a free meal).  If the agent tells you
they cannot do this for security reasons, get a new agent.

During the visit, check every aspect of the ship that is important to
you.  Make sure you can get to every part of the ship you want to
(engne room will be off limits ), and remember that when it is
crowded it may be more difficult (are you willing to wait 15 minutes
for the one elevator that can open wide enough for the chair).  Find
out if their are alternate routes to get from place to place (what if
that one elevator is broken.  Being used to haul luggage, etc).
Obviously check the room =and particularly the bathroom=.  Make sure
there is a convenient outlet for the battery charger and that the
voltage is correct for the charger (particularly in older ships) and a
place to park the equipment.  I have seen scooters parked in hallways
with special transformers hooked up to the  battery charger.

Decide if you feel comfortable doing it that way.  Ask how you will
get off the ship at ports of call.  Does the ship use a tender or
gangway.  Is the tender accessible  Is the gangway?  Decide if you
feel comfortable being carried these places if the response is such
that you may have to be.  And remember that many ports you visit may
not be wheelchair accessible  Decide if remaining on the ship is
acceptable under those circumstances (it wouldn't bother me in the
least to remain on board ).  Find out if they have shower chairs
(most do not have shower wheelchairs) to sit on (you may have to bring
your own), and whether the chairs they may have are appropriate for
you (some "stools" have no backs).

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE has announced (September 2000) that
they are installing what it's calling the first
wheelchair-accessible tendering system aboard Ryndam and Statendam. HAL
tested the system, which will be installed throughout the fleet, aboard
Statendam during the summer. Designed by HAL for Cap Sante Marine of
Anacortes, Wash., the system locks a guest's wheelchair to a lift that runs
on an inclined track from the gangway to the tender. A ramp on the tender
allows the chair to be wheeled aboard and locked into place. 

As a general rule, the newer the ship, the more accessible  But just
because a ship has been "rebuilt" or "refurbished" does not mean it
has been made accessible Newer "mega ships" generally have many
elevators that are accessible  But I have been on a ship with totally
accessible cabins in which over half the ship was not accessible

When you book, make sure the cabin you =need= is =assigned= to you.
Make sure the contract specifically states that if =that cabin= is not
available for =any reason=, you will not only get a refund, but your
transportation and any hotel bills incurred prior to getting back home
will be refunded as well.  Find out if insurance is available for
compensating you for these expenses, as well as the "standard"
optional insurance if you have to cancel due to medical reasons.  If
you have specific medical needs, make sure the ship is equipped for
these needs.  And "hand carry" all medications on to the ship (as well
as any airplane on the way to the ship).

If you have not toured the ship prior to arrival, get there very early
and tour the ship then (as described above).  If you are not
comfortable with all the accommodations and accessability =leave the
ship=.  Let the lawyers fight it out later, rather than being a
"prisoner" on the ship or possibly even having medical problems.
Verify that the dining room accommodations will "work" with your
equipment.  It is not unusual for the ship to have to reassign a table
(or a seating time), and your fellow passengers will probably be more
than willing to move to a different table to accommodate you (if you
must be near a door for accessability reasons), but you may be eating
your first dinner in your cabin...

Remember, the ship will not "turn back" and take you home if you are
not happy.

Please don't let any of the above "scare" or discourage you.  I have
found that cruising can be a very enjoyable experience.  They crew
will literally bend over backwards to see that you have the best
vacation that you have every had.  No request will be too large or too
small.  But it is necessary to match the ship to your needs.  HAPPY
CRUISING!

All the information provided herein is Copyright © 1993 1994 1995
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000, & 2001 Stuart L. Portner.  All rights reserved.  May be 
printed and reproduced for individual use, but may not be distributed 
without the permission of the author.  


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