Promising luxurious ships, exciting destinations and a wide choice of cuisine, cruise holidays can offer disabled travellers a fantastic experience. Many of the larger ships pack a wide variety of accessible facilities and activities into a relatively compact area, and you get to choose the right balance of activities and relaxation to suit you.
Overall, facilities for travellers with disabilities are improving all the time, with many newer ships incorporating virtually all the accessibility features that modern technology can provide. Most larger cruise lines now offer disabled check-in desks; assisted boarding to your cabin; adapted cabins; and corridors wide enough for wheelchairs or mobility scooters. Some cruise lines go further than others, however. They may provide pool hoists, hearing and Braille facilities, or allocated dining tables and show seats in easily accessed areas– all the extra little touches that make your cruise holiday experience more enjoyable and hassle-free, just as a holiday ought to be!
On-board disabled facilities
Quiz the cruise line or travel agent in detail before you book. You may want to find out whether you can take your assistance dog on board; whether the ship incorporates Braille signs; whether the corridors are wide enough for wheelchairs; or how bathrooms and cabins cater for different disabilities. A lot of cruise lines also require each disabled passenger to have someone to accompany them on the cruise, so if you’re planning to travel alone make sure this is possible.
Shore excursions
Even if the ship itself is accessible, some scheduled ports of call may not be – particularly if you have mobility problems. If you usually use a wheelchair or scooter, make sure the cruise ship will let you take it off and on board at ports. Some ports do not have docks, in which case passengers are ferried from the cruise ship to the shore on ‘Tenders’ (similar to lifeboats), which can’t always cater for wheelchairs.
Top cruise lines for disabled passengers
Some lines have built up a solid reputation for offering the best experiences to disabled passengers, so they are a good place to start. Amongst these are:
• Royal Caribbean: Their ships are amongst the largest and have some of the most accessible cabins available. Three in particular are worth a closer look: Liberty of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, and Freedom of the Seas. Built on a grand scale, they offer a good choice of accessible cabins for different budgets, and incorporate features such as assisted-listening devices, closed-captioned televisions, Braille signs, large-print menus, hoists for the swimming pool, and wheelchair accessibility to the casino’s blackjack tables. The sheer size of these ships means there’s a lot of distance to cover to see everything, however, so those who have difficulty walking could consider taking a wheelchair on board.
• Celebrity Cruises: Again, facilities such as pool and whirlpool hoists, automatic doors and accessible casino tables all help to make life on board even more enjoyable – and they also offer several larger accessible cabins for families. The Celebrity Solstice is probably their most accessible ship, but others are being upgraded all the time to improve their facilities.
• Holland America: The line’s mid-sized ships still manage to offer a high level of accessibility – particularly the Noordam, Oosterdam, Westerdam and Zuiderdam. Their smaller size makes them easier to get around, yet they still offer a range of accessible cabins,wheelchair-friendly tender transfer for shore excursions, and a good range of accessible activities.
• Princess Cruises: Boasting a contemporary fleet, you can expect wheelchair-friendly cabins and special wheelchair-transportation gangway systems alongside Braille signs and ADA “all-in-one” kits for guests with hearing impairments.
• Norwegian Cruise Line: With mobility aids such as adapted bathrooms, plus pool and jacuzzi hoists, Braille signs, and vibrating alarms for deaf passengers, Norwegian has also put a lot of effort into its disabled facilities.
Disabled cruisers’ needs are different, however – and a ship that is ideal for one person may be unsuitable for the next. If you ask all the right questions before you book you’ll have peace of mind that you’re taking the right cruise for you.