I was talking to a co-worker about the cruise I am planning, sharing with her how excited I was and everything I would be doing. She was pretty quiet, and at first I thought she was just bored with me, or maybe a little jealous of my vacation. Then she said that had always wanted to go on a family cruise, but because of her son’s autism she guessed she’d never be able to. I was so saddened by that! I really never gave any thought to the fact that some people may not be able to cruise because of medical conditions. Shouldn’t there be special cruises for those with special needs? After all they’ve gone through they probably need it more than anyone! Even if not a special cruise, at least there should be a way that their medical needs could be met while on a cruise.
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Special needs
You are right; they do deserve some R&R; not just those with special needs, but their caretakers as well! And the great news is that they can take cruises, even taking their conditions into consideration. Celebrity of the Seas and Royal Caribbean are two cruise lines that work with a group called “Autism on the Seas”. This group offers several features to make the trip easier; autism awareness cards are provided to give to all staff members onboard, special check-points, priority boarding and priority disembarkation. The group also works with the cruise ship on dietary needs and activities. Since everyone is different, they also recognize each individual may have their own unique needs, and work with the cruise ship to meet those needs. Having all of this help on the cruise makes the autistic individual feel more comfortable and secure, and gives the caregiver some much needed assistance to help them relax and enjoy also. A remarkable service for some remarkable people.