Originally posted by:
steverk
Took my dad on an RCL cruise out of Seattle for his 90th birthday. He uses a walker and we rented a wheelchair for him.
Everything worked out fine. The cruise line was very helpful.
A couple things to keep in mind though:
1. The standard room was much too small even for his walker. The wheelchair room made a huge difference.
2. On the Explorer of the seas, the door to his stateroom had a very tight door closer. He could not open it himself. It wasn't a problem since we were there, but it would have been a disaster if he had been sailing alone.
Absolutely EXCELLENT point...yes, cruise lines (and the onboard crew) usually "go out of their way" to help...if they didn't that WOULD be a solid reason to never cruise them again, no second chances either. However, that door bizness is a very important point for another reason.. ..certain items that everyone else takes for granted can become huge, cruise ruining obstacles...some bathrooms for example, require a step up to enter...then theres the whole experience of embarkation, debarkation, and so on...my wife has mobility issues, not requiring a wheelchair...but it has driven home how most of the world simply isn't built to accommodate folks with issues...anyone who has been to Europe, for example, would discover that the vast majority of tourist sites simply aren't accessible...and Europe is "civilized"....
