Cruising with Mobility Issues

We decided to do a “three hour cruise”. OK, so it was an 8-day cruise through the Caribbean (Virgin Islands, Bahamas) to celebrate our anniversary. We had traveled on a Carnival Cruise Lines ship before, so we were comfortable with the company. However, this was the first cruise where my mobility issues were a concern.

When we looked at the new ships and the changes, we found that Carnival has suites set aside for the mobility impaired. This is the good news. The bad news is that they are limited, so it was necessary to reserve our room well in advance of our travel date.

The room was oversized, with sufficient space to move from the entry door to the balcony door, between the bed and the vanity area, in a power chair or wheel chair. The entry door was motorized, eliminating the problems that we have getting through a typical door. The bath was fully tiled, with a roll-in shower area.

The staff of the ship was very helpful, and were always willing to help with food trays, moving of housekeeping trolleys to clear the hallway for access, and other services. For example, when we arrived at the terminal, we were moved past the long lines, and quickly processed for boarding.

This is not to say, all was rosy. There were problems, some minor and some major. Here are some of the more significant issues.

Do not rely on the cruise line to provide your transfer to the ship. We utilized the provider suggested by Carnival as part of their travel package, Greyhound bus lines. We arrived at Ft. Lauderdale Airport at approximately 11:30. The time for the trip between the airport and the cruise terminal is 10 minutes. You can actually see the cruise terminal from the airport. We were after 2 PM arriving at the cruise line terminal as there was only one bus with a wheel chair lift to handle all wheel chair travelers from both Miami and Ft. Lauderdale airports. The same 2 hour delay occurred when we left to return to the airport.

Check out such providers as Super Shuttle, and other local shuttle bus providers. Also, the local public transportation system connected between the airport and the cruise terminal, running every 10-15 minutes. So, take the initiative and do not rely on a secondary provider. As a representative from Carnival told me, “We contract for them to provide transfer service. We do not have any control over how they do it.”

On the ship, the pools and hot tubs are not handicapped-accessible. Simple changes can make these facilities readily available. The gangways are narrow, and can create problems with some access to the ports. If you are traveling to ports without dock access (transfer by small boats), you may not be able to transfer to the boats unless you can exit the wheelchair. At the various ports, the vehicles with lifts were non-existent. You had to be able to exit a wheel chair and climb into an open vehicle. This can be very difficult, as the vehicle beds are often 2-3 feet high, eliminating almost all island tour and travel activities.

It was discouraging, as a disabled individual and an advocate for the disabled, to see that the disabled still has far less access to typical amenities than others. However, I truly expect this to change.

On our ship, there were over 50 individuals that were in wheel chairs and power chairs, not counting those that were significantly impaired to the point of using walkers and similar amenities. The sheer numbers of the disabled using the ships will help move the providers to become more accessible to the disabled. Further, the fact that older individuals, who are more subject to illness and injury, which limits their mobility, are becoming a major portion of the cruising population will force the providers to become more aware of the needs of this population.

So, if you are considering a cruise, go ahead. The ships are far larger and much more advanced than those of the “Love Boat” era, and feature many more amenities. Just take the time to fully check out the amenities available for the disabled, and plan accordingly. Early planning will lead to an enjoyable time.