Question: My husband uses a wheelchair and I’d like to find out about cruise ships that have accessible cabins and public rooms for disabled passengers. Can you tell me what ships are best?
— Enid Horowitz, Chicago
Answer: Cruise lines have come a long way in recent years to make their ships more accessible to disabled travelers. It’s not uncommon for the newest large ships to feature two dozen or more wheelchair-accessible staterooms with such accommodations as wider door frames, handrails, accessible furniture and closets, low sinks and wheel-in showers.
In the past, cruising could be a struggle for wheelchair users. Unfortunately this is still true on many smaller and older ships, where disabled passengers can encounter corridors and doorways that are too narrow, bathrooms that have lips at the threshold to prevent flooding, public rooms with thresholds that make them inaccessible, and elevator buttons that are too high to reach.
Although the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990, the act was not extended to foreign-flagged cruise ships until 2005, following a class-action lawsuit filed against Norwegian Cruise Line that went before the U.S. Supreme Court. The court ruled that cruise lines whose ships carry passengers to and from U.S. ports must provide features like grab bars, handrails and wheelchair-accessible water fountains; however, the court also held that cruise lines were not required to make major structural changes to their in-service vessels, such as widening doorways and adding new elevators.
Fortunately, many cruise lines are upgrading their older vessels simply because there is demand for fully accessible cruising. In fact, cruising has become the preferred style of vacation for many travelers with limited mobility because ships have become so user-friendly and offer a convenient platform from which to explore the world’s exotic destinations.
What to expect on the newest ships
Most cruise lines now offer public areas and staterooms large enough for wheelchair use; these typically include an accessible bathroom with handrails and emergency call buttons. Braille-coded elevator buttons, room numbers and restaurant menus are also in place on most ships for those with vision disabilities, and guide dogs are also now widely welcomed. Many cruise lines provide TTY, a text-messaging system that allows easier communication for folks with hearing and speech disabilities. Some cruise lines also offer “dippers” to lower handicapped swimmers into the pools, and many cruise lines make an effort to include shore excursions that can accommodate travelers with special needs. Crew members are available on almost every ship to assist disabled passengers with buffet service and with embarkation and disembarkation.
Here are some things to consider before booking your cruise:
Find the best ships for your needs
The Web site for the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) offers a “Special Interest Guide for Wheelchair Travelers” that details ship information for disabled passengers. The guide includes such information as the number of wheelchair-accessible staterooms on a ship, the number of decks with ramps, whether the elevators accommodate full-size wheelchairs, and whether the disabled traveler must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion. The guide is a bit out of date and does not include a number of newer ships; if you don’t find the ship you are interested in, you can make inquiries at CLIA’s toll-free help number: 800-327-9501, extension 70025.
The Horowitzes can also consider the advice of Mary Wilson, of Coraopolis, Pa., who travels with her disabled daughter on several cruises a year. Wilson says that each cruise ship and cruise line is unique, and that each cruise will have its own advantages and disadvantages for wheelchair users. Look for ships with lots of hard flooring, she suggests, as carpeting can make it difficult to wheel around the ship. Also, do a safety check the last night of the cruise, when passengers are asked to place their luggage in the hallways for disembarkation; if the luggage blocks wheelchair access, ask the purser to have it removed early.
“We’ve never had a problem cruising, and if we find issues all we do is ask for help,” Wilson says. “In our experience, cruise lines are very accommodating towards disabled passengers.”
Don’t let a physical disability keep you from enjoying a cruise vacation. All it takes is a bit of preparation, planning and a willingness to ask for.
Disabled cruisers, I’d like to hear from you. What do you have to say about cruising and what advice can you offer to other disabled travelers thinking of taking a cruise? Click here to send me an e-mail.
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I have a great book called 101 Accessible Vacations – Travel Ideas for Wheelers and Slow Walkers by Candy Harrington This book is really useful for me because my husband is disabled and we love to travel. Without this book, I don’t think we would get the pleasure to travel because we just wouldn’t know where to begin to research. We tried a few years ago but had no luck, until we went to a travel agent. She gave us the name of the book and we’ve just used it so many times for so many tips and ideas. We especially love the tips which I believe they even have listed on the website.
The website is: http://www.101accessiblevacations.com if interested have a boo! It’s really worth taking a peek.
cheers!