Many people who embark on cruise holidays do so because cruise ships are generally very mobility friendly, which is great for people who are unable to walk or who have trouble walking over any sort of distance. Cruise lines are increasingly attempting to accommodate disabled passengers by making as many areas of the ship accessible as possible.
Do Your Research
If you have limited mobility, some thorough research before you book your cruise holiday should enable you to travel safe in the knowledge that everything on board will be easily accessible to you.
Generally, all cruise ships have ramps which allow passengers to board and disembark safely if they are in a wheelchair. There are also always lifts to all floors of the ship and as such it is easy to move around and visit all areas.
If the ship cannot go into a port and it anchors and smaller tenders have to be used to transport passengers to the land there will be dedicated staff members to help passengers with limited mobility safely on to, and off, the tender boats.
Most, if not all, more modern cruise ships have specified cabins which have been designed with disabled passengers in mind. Cabins with wider doorways, more spacious interiors and more accessible bathrooms have been created on many cruise lines. This means that when you are booking your cruise you can enquire as to whether the ship has any specific cabins fit for this purpose.
There are usually also always grab handles in bathrooms and other areas of the ship to make life easier.
Most cruise lines also have all the cruise ship’s signs in braille to help blind or short sighted passengers navigate their way around the ship, which I think is a great idea.
Holland America, and many other cruise lines, have dedicated employees who are dedicated to overseeing accessibility issues and the requirements of any guests who have special requirements and needs.
Wheelchairs and Scooters
Some ships will offer wheelchairs and scooters that you may use for the duration of your cruise holiday should you need them. This is something that you would need to enquire about directly with your cruise line who should be able to help you.
I would highly recommend doing plenty of research before you decide to book a cruise holiday if you have limited mobility or any other disability.
If necessary, contact the cruise line directly and ask any questions which you may have. In general, the newer the cruise ship, the more accessible it will be as cruise companies become ever more aware of the difficulties facing disabled passengers and attempt to overcome them.
Thanks Emma