Special Living....

CRUISE TRAVEL:
YOUR SHIP IS IN

Cruise travel is good for you. It improves your physical and mental health, while exposing you to sea air, like-minded travelers, interesting shore excursions, and unique cultures.

However, cruise travel wasn't always good (or easy) for all kinds of travelers. Cruise ships and cruise travel in the distant past were often difficult for people in wheelchairs or with other special needs. But today's new luxury liners and renovated older classic ships now cater to all travelers with a variety of cabins, services, and other accessibility improvements.

"Today's ships are designed with wheelchair access and features for the hearing- and sight-impaired,” says Terry L. Dale, president and CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).  

In short, cruise ships have come a long way. Your ship is definitely in!

Showing great concern and regard for the special requirements of their physically-challenged guests, Holland America Line (877/SAIL HAL; www.hollandamerica.com) provides a perfect example of what's available. The company is at the forefront of the cruise industry in providing the facilities and services to give guests as much assistance as possible within the limitations of a seagoing resort.

For guests using wheelchairs, Holland America Line ships have several staterooms with roll-in showers in bathrooms, which are also equipped with ramps and heavy-duty handrails. Prinsendam has eight such cabins, with six of these staterooms on-board Statendam, Maasdam, Ryndam, and Veendam.

The Rotterdam has 21 wheelchair-accessible staterooms, including four with connecting doors to non-handicapped staterooms to accommodate families of physically challenged and non-challenged who are traveling together. The Volendam and Zaandam, with 22 accessible staterooms, and the Amsterdam, with 23, are similarly equipped. Holland America’s Vista-class ships (Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, and Westerdam) all have 28 accessible cabins!

As the first to address the tender situation for passengers in wheelchairs, Holland America currently has nine ships with a ‘tender-transfer’ system installed. Called the “Shore Tender Accessibility Project,” the custom-built systems provide a safe and dignified means of transporting a guest using a wheelchair down the gangway and onto the tender while still in the chair.

The guest’s wheelchair is locked into place on a lift that runs on an inclined track from the top of the gangway to the tender. A ramp allows the chair to be wheeled directly aboard and locked into place atop a specially designed scissor-lift. That lift is then raised to provide the guest a clear view through the tender’s windows. Once dockside, the tender has a hydraulic leveling system that allows the wheelchair to be rolled directly off the tender and onto the dock.

Holland America Line is obviously a leader in cruise industry efforts to provide appropriate facilities and services for disabled guests. However, many other lines have also made incredibly successful strides in their efforts. A short overview of a few ships and cruise lines follows, but most companies are now offering similar amenities and services.

Fun-loving cruisers will love Carnival Cruise Lines (888/CARNIVAL; www.carnival.com). The line offers a large number of wheelchair-accessible cabins aboard all of their varied ships--ranging from 16 to 30 on each--as well as a full line of amenities for guests with other special needs. Carnival even has a ‘Guest Access Services’ within its reservations department that is designed to handle specific requests and provide assistance in booking.

Sister companies Royal Caribbean (800/398-9819; www.royalcaribbean.com) and Celebrity Cruises (800/722-5941; www.celebritycruises.com) welcome cruisers with special needs in a big way. Royal Caribbean’s access coordinators are available to assist in vacation planning through their "Accessible Seas” desk (800/722-5472, ext. 34492), as well as offering a free brochure outlining their services and facilities. For Celebrity, ramps and wheelchair-accessible elevators are featured fleetwide, as is easy access to the line’s renowned restaurants, featuring the fare of Michel Roux.

Luxury liners are also wheelchair-friendly in a very upscale way. All-suite, all ocean-view Silversea (800/722-9955; www.silversea.com) offers two wheelchair-accessible suites aboard early sister ships Silver Cloud and Silver Wind (they’re Deck 4 Vista suites on the Silver Cloud and Deck 6 Midship Veranda Suites on the Silver Wind). Aboard their two newer sister ships, Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper, are Vista-priced, but they also feature floor-to-ceiling windows and verandah access!

Once you decide to cruise, it's best to use an expert to help book the right trip. Local travel agents, cruise specialist operators, and even companies that specialize in travel for those with special needs are all possibilities.

Linda Allen (800/422-3445), a Harrison, Arkansas-based Master Cruise Counselor and cruising expert for those with special needs, couldn’t agree more. She says, “From specifically designed cabins to convenient dining room seating, cruise lines are better than ever. However, it’s crucial that travel agents and the lines be informed as early as possible of special requirements, whether that means special cabin needs or embarkation help.” Allen also says that potential passengers should check whether tenders will be required in some ports of call and how wheelchair-friendly the ports are in general.

“In order for the cruise lines to provide the ultimate vacation experience for all travelers, it is very important that those with special needs make that information known to their travel agent early in the booking process,” says CLIA’s Terry Dale. “That way, the agent can help the traveler pick the cruise that best suits their needs.”

The key is to work with someone who understands your special needs and that can help make sure the cruise line also understands these needs in advance.