The Best Advocatefor a Cruise? You!

By Alan St. James

You’ve probably done it.

You’ve looked at the brochures or listened to the pitches from the many cruise companies and thought it’s a great way to travel and see the world. For many people with disabilities, that’s true, but only if you’re willing to actively advocate for yourself, plan carefully and accept some compromises.

A little background: I’m a veteran cruiser who’ll be on his way to the Bahamas as you read this. I also use a power wheelchair, have worked with and for various disability advocacy organizations, and have substantial knowledge of disability affairs and law. Here are some important steps I’ve learned work well when considering cruising with a disability:

First, ask yourself some very important questions before you make any plans or spend a dime. Your honest answers will shape your cruise experience.

Are you fully independent or will you need at least some help in an unfamiliar environment? Do you have a travel companion willing and physically able to help you if necessary, and to what extent? Someone who once traveled with me put it this way: “It’s one thing to assist a wheelchair over a bump -- quite another to push it all day up 400-year-old, uneven cobblestone streets in 90-degree heat.”

How flexible are you when it comes to making dining, excursion and other special arrangements? How resourceful, patient and tenacious are you? Do you have a good sense of humor? You’ll need it because cruising offers many memorable – and sometimes strangely absurd – experiences and adventures for people with disabilities.

Next, do some basic research to get a better idea of what cruise line, ship and itinerary may best suit your wants and needs. Each of the major cruise lines offers comprehensive websites and brochures with information about their destinations, ships, general charges and services. Many will also give you basic access information and restrictions.

Start your research with a general idea of what you’d like to do – such as, “go someplace warm on a ship catering to mostly adults for seven days sometime in the spring.” Once done, you should be able to more specifically narrow that to “go to Puerto Rico or Bermuda on a Royal Caribbean or Princess Cruises ship round trip from Ft. Lauderdale in April or May.”

Where a ship embarks or debarks should factor into your decision because if you choose a ship that docks fairly close to where you live you may be able to eliminate some travel expense and the hassle it entails. For instance, I live fairly close to ships that dock in New York City, New Jersey and Boston. I drive my van to those ports and use my power wheelchair during the cruise. I may still have to pay to park for the length of the cruise, but I don’t need to book travel to or from the port or rent a third-party vendor wheelchair to use during the cruise – both of which can be expensive.

Next, find a good travel agent – preferably one who knows the sometimes-unique demands of traveling with a disability and who specializes in booking cruises. This person will be invaluable because he or she will know the right questions to ask the cruise company and the right people to contact -- specifically, those who deal with access issues. Tell the agent what your research turned up, your specific preferences, your budget and your special needs (such as an accessible cabin). He or she can then find you the best fit.

Typically, the agent will offer you a few cruise options. As you review and narrow them down, you should ask many questions and take nothing for granted.

One of the first things I’ve learned is that the word “accessible” means many things to different people. Don’t simply ask, “Is the ship and my cabin accessible?” Be very specific about what you need to accommodate your disability and put it in writing, if necessary. Can you get to every area on every deck, or are there places with stairs or that are hard or impossible to reach? Does your accessible cabin have a lowered threshold, roll-in shower, raised toilet and a bed that’s easy to maneuver around with a wheelchair, walker or crutches? Is there Braille or large-print signage on the ship?

Once you’re satisfied with all the answers and made your cruise decision, you’re ready to book. After you’ve confirmed and paid your deposit, most cruise companies will send you a detailed questionnaire asking about your disability, limitations, specific needs, what medical equipment you will be bringing and whether you will be traveling alone. Your agent can help here, but I also always talk directly with the cruise company – most have specialized toll-free contact numbers for people with disabilities – and email a follow-up summary to ensure they know what I’m expecting and need.

Typical questions you may want to ask include: “Is there disabled parking near the ship and how do I get from there to the ship? Can I expect help getting on board? With whom do I speak to request accessible dining, early boarding and priority departure?”

You should also talk to both your agent and cruise line before choosing which excursions to take in each port. For a person with a disability, these can be major decisions.

It’s much easier when visiting ports in U.S. territories because Americans with Disabilities Act regulations (usually) apply. I recently cruised to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and found the former mostly accessible, but the latter’s cobblestone streets, steep inclines and mostly inaccessible shops in Old San Juan to be downright dangerous when using a wheelchair. Generally, you’ll be OK in built-up areas; not so much once you get out of the major towns.

You need to do most of the excursion homework and may be again required to provide vendors with detailed written disability information when visiting ports in countries without ADA protections. Setting up excursions for people with disabilities in these ports can be time-consuming and very expensive. One vendor in Bermuda quoted me almost four times the cruise line’s posted price for an excursion using an accessible van. Another charged me three times the listed price for a van tour of St. Martin/St. Marteen. I was unable to even visit the private island Great Stirrup Cay because a tender is required to transfer from ship to shore and it doesn’t accommodate wheelchairs weighing more than 100 pounds.

An excerpt of a letter sent to me from one cruise line’s shore access department:

“Please kindly note that in the United States under the ADA requirements, accessible transportation (bus/ van with a ramp or lift) is offered upon request. However, not all tour operators outside of the United States are able to offer accessible transportation to accommodate our full-time wheelchair user guests. Most of the tour operators have to outsource the accessible vehicle and not all of them are able to do so. ADA regulations and guidelines do not apply outside of the United States; therefore, you might experience some differences with additional cost, transportation, venue access, etc., throughout any of the selected tours at ports of call outside of the United States. Kindly note that due to the historical nature of the sites, most venues included in our shore excursions are not wheelchair accessible. All full-time wheelchair user guests must be accompanied by an able-bodied guest on the tours.”

The bottom line is you should read about the available excursions thoroughly and ask the cruise line and your agent plenty of access-related questions about ones that interest you before booking. All the back and forth Q&A can take time, so plan early, put everything in writing, book what you can in advance and reconfirm every detail with customer service or excursion staff on board early in the cruise.

You should now be set to go. On board, be sure your cabin steward, maitre de and other service personnel fully understand your special needs. Generally, ship staff members who coordinate excursions are eager to help, but I did come across a few occasions in which they were misinformed or unaware of access options at a given port. Your best option then is to get on shore and see what you can arrange on your own. One time, it took a local cabbie about five minutes to arrange an accessible van for me, even though ship personnel had repeatedly insisted no such accessible transportation was available on that island.

On shore, always take precautions and be aware of your surroundings, but don’t be afraid to be adventurous, flexible and have fun. Be willing to accept that there will probably be some things you may not be able to experience but, because you’ve done your homework and planned well, I can pretty much promise cruising will offer some of the most memorable and enjoyable experiences of your life.

Typical letter I send in advance to a cruise line:

To whom it may concern:

I am booked for a RCCL cruise on XXXX of the Seas for X/XX/XX. My reservation ID is XXXXX.

The ship's ports of call are Bermuda, St. Maarten, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. I am interested in booking an excursion while in these ports but, because I use a power wheelchair, am concerned about access to transportation and accessibility in general.

I need to know if I'll be able to board any type of accessible transportation with my power chair at each port and, assuming I can, the accessibility of each of the excursion destinations. Walking tours shouldn't be a problem for me, assuming I can get to the walking location. I can transfer with crutches but would be unable to get around if my chair wasn't with me.

I also need to be sure I can still get back to the ship should a tour end at a destination and not be returning to the ship. I would appreciate your assistance so I know, in advance, what tours may be accessible, what access is like at each port, and what equipment I may need to bring with me.

I have interest in the following tours. I will probably select one at each port, depending on your suggestions and thoughts. For obvious reasons, I do not want to book a tour in advance and then find I cannot join that tour. Thank you.

Alan St. James is a professional editor and writer and a longtime disability advocate. He enjoys travelling, cruising with his classic muscle car and musical theater. He lives in Albany, N.Y.