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16th July 2008, 11:32 PM

"D.F. Manno" <dfmanno@mail.com> wrote:

>I raised this question on another NG, and I was advised to bring it here.
>
>There's a cruise on the MSC Orchestra in February that I'd like to take,
>with the following ports of call: Key West, Cozumel, Grand Cayman and
>Cayo Levantado. The ship leaves from Ft. Lauderdale.
>
>I'm wheelchair-bound, and I have no idea how feasible it is for someone
>in a wheelchair to take a cruise. My sister warned me that even though
>the ship claims to be wheelchair-accessible, the cabins would be
>impossibly small for me to use.
>
>I have called the cruise line, and was told that the accessible cabins
>are 226 square feet in area, which would be roughly 15 x 15.
>
>Also, tenders are used at Cayo Levantado.
>
>Do any of you have any experience/knowledge of the particular ship, and
>on taking cruises while in a wheelchair, and would be willing to share
>it with me?
>
>I appreciate any assistance.

I had a wheelchair accessible cabin on the NCL Jade and it was huge (I
don't have a wheelchair, I just use a cane). The greatest difficulty
ON the ship is that you have to take an elevator between levels and at
peak times the elevators may be crowded. There are also thresholds on
some of the deck access points IIRC.

Will you be traveling with someone who can help push and carry
luggage?

As others have mentioned, I would not do that itin in a wheelchair
because at least two of the ports are tender ports. I have seen
people do tenders in wheelchairs, but looked very uncomfortable for
them, as the chair and person had to be moved from the ship to the
tender by muscle power, with both the ship and the tender bouncing up
and down, but not together.

Occasionally, even in the non-tender ports, the ramps are too steep
for the wheelchair and the wheelchair bound pax could not get off.

Also you have to consider what you will be able to do if you do get
off. I don't think the streets of Cozumel are very wheelchair
friendly. I don't know how accessible the cabs are. If you dock at
the RCI dock you are quite a long distance from town.

16th July 2008, 11:32 PM	#2 (permalink)
Rosalie B. Guest Posts: n/a Classified Rating: % ()	Cruise ships and wheelchairs "D.F. Manno" <dfmanno@mail.com> wrote: >I raised this question on another NG, and I was advised to bring it here. > >There's a cruise on the MSC Orchestra in February that I'd like to take, >with the following ports of call: Key West, Cozumel, Grand Cayman and >Cayo Levantado. The ship leaves from Ft. Lauderdale. > >I'm wheelchair-bound, and I have no idea how feasible it is for someone >in a wheelchair to take a cruise. My sister warned me that even though >the ship claims to be wheelchair-accessible, the cabins would be >impossibly small for me to use. > >I have called the cruise line, and was told that the accessible cabins >are 226 square feet in area, which would be roughly 15 x 15. > >Also, tenders are used at Cayo Levantado. > >Do any of you have any experience/knowledge of the particular ship, and >on taking cruises while in a wheelchair, and would be willing to share >it with me? > >I appreciate any assistance. I had a wheelchair accessible cabin on the NCL Jade and it was huge (I don't have a wheelchair, I just use a cane). The greatest difficulty ON the ship is that you have to take an elevator between levels and at peak times the elevators may be crowded. There are also thresholds on some of the deck access points IIRC. Will you be traveling with someone who can help push and carry luggage? As others have mentioned, I would not do that itin in a wheelchair because at least two of the ports are tender ports. I have seen people do tenders in wheelchairs, but looked very uncomfortable for them, as the chair and person had to be moved from the ship to the tender by muscle power, with both the ship and the tender bouncing up and down, but not together. Occasionally, even in the non-tender ports, the ramps are too steep for the wheelchair and the wheelchair bound pax could not get off. Also you have to consider what you will be able to do if you do get off. I don't think the streets of Cozumel are very wheelchair friendly. I don't know how accessible the cabs are. If you dock at the RCI dock you are quite a long distance from town.