Royal Caribbean Accessibility

[durko58]

Does anybody know what Royal Caribbean uses to lift an electric wheelchair when docked at a destination port? Do they use ramps or a lift system? I use a Permobil and plan to take a trip on the Explorer of the Seas to the Caribbean. Any help would be appreciated if you know anything about this ship. Thanks.

[kittykkray]

I don't know about Royal Carribean, but the ships we have taken do not have any lifts for electric wheelchairs. If the ship is docked you have to use the ramp. If you are tendered, you can not take your chair. My husband left his chair on the ship and used his walker to transfer to an excursion ship in Alaska. Two crew members lifted him on and off the excursion boat. Some destinations have a wheelchair accessible bus, but I think you would have to make arrangements ahead of time. Of the three ships we have taken, the Carnival Liberty was the most accessible. It has the largest banks of elevators which means you don't spend your whole day waiting for an elevator that will accomodate the chair. Hope this helps. Kitty

[KLD]

A manual chair is best for nearly all ports. You can take a manual chair on a tender, but rarely a power chair. In addition, there is a scarcity of ramps and curb cuts in most ports, so you will have to bump up and down a curb or step or two. Most ports have no accessible transportation, so you would need to transfer to a cab and use a folding manual chair to go anywhere.

I don't know of any cruise ships that use anything but a ramp for docked ports. No lifts, and the ramp can be very steep and bumpy.