1st Time Alaska Cruisers Disabled-Scooter or Wheelchair???

[WyoKorky]

My Mother and Father in-law will be taking their first cruise in September. They have booked a cruise/tour with Princess (T609S) starting in Fairbanks. My wife and I have been on 8 cruises and have seen many people using scooters to navigate the ships. My father-in-law thinks that renting or bringing a scooter with them will be too much of a hassle. Please help me with this!! My mother-in-law can not use a manual wheel chair alone, she will require assistance to get anywhere. My father-in-law has a heart condition and no idea how much territory there is to cover on a ship, not to mention pushing a chair on carpet. Will taking or renting a scooter be worth the effort??? [b]

[arwenmark]

Does she have her own scooter? if so then taking it is probably your best bet, I am not sure about renting in Fairbanks and does the cruise leave and return to different ports? if so that is a problem for renting as well.

She really should have the scooter on board though for the reasons you mention otherwise she will be basically a prisoner in the chair having to rely on whomever to get her anywhere, no independence at all.

I find it necessary to take or rent a scooter and to also take my folding manual chair since many excursions will not accomodate the scooter, hard enough to find ones where I can take the chair.

You can fly with both the scooter and the chair that is not a problem.

[WyoKorky]

Thanks for the reply and advice! She does not have a small scooter, but I am sure we can find her one. Any suggestions on makes or models? I know that after the first couple of trips around the ship pushing her in a wheel cair, my F-I-L will be tired of it. It won't be fair to anyone else either.

The trip originates in Fairbanks and debarks in Vancouver.

[arwenmark]

No boundries has some good ones but expensive. Pride go go has been one that some travelers have had success with.

and here is a link to one that would be a good one
http://scootermobility.com/Electric-...1-258-1323.htm

[CJH]

Be sure they are booked in an accessible cabin and room on the cruisetour