Cruising With a Wheelchair

Let’s face it, the airline industry has done a better job of taking care of people in wheelchairs or with other disabilities than the cruise line industry; especially concerning on-land tours post disembarking. ‘If you can’t walk a few steps and transfer to a standard bus seat, the shore excursions the cruise lines offer are generally not wheelchair-accessible,’ commented Karen Joyce Baker to TheNewsTribune.com, who went on a solo trip to Europe due to a friend’s cancellation at the last minute.

The airline journey to the port was suitably satisfactory to Baker, as she had booked first class tickets, understanding her own needs in the confinements of the airplane seats. Yet on the boat, she discovered, cabins with wheelchair access were booked at least a year in advance, and she was confronted with the fact that she hadn’t anticipated such needs onboard.

Author of Barrier Free Travel: A Nuts and Bolts Guide for Wheelers and Slow Walkers, Candy Harrington, urges passengers to speak out about wheelchair assistance when travelling or during the planning of their travels.

It is recommended that passengers with disabilities plan for their trips at least a year in advance, as more in-depth research is required as to wheelchair access in all the destinations and locations one may be interested in experiencing as part of their holiday. ‘I learned I need to travel a different way or not at all,’ said Baker, of her experience. ‘The accessible balcony cabins go like hotcakes, especially on Alaska cruises. But you should plan cruises early anyway, because in most cases you need to find accessible shore options on your own.’

Baker’s online research skills may be credited to her eventual enjoyment of her cruise trip overall, as she was able to google handicapped-friendly excursions in the ports she was heading to whilst onboard.