Here comes the Costa Victoria! Photo by: oziris (Stock Exchange)

Hello, everybody! Today’s Disabled Travelers blog is dedicated, once again, to accessible cruises; it’s been a tough nut to crack, but I’m finding new ways to make it easier to choose your cruise line.

Last time, we shared some new handicapped travel resources for ocean voyages, including a great new website with lots of articles.

Now, I’m going to put the accessibility information for major cruise lines “at your fingertips” by rustling up each company’s hub for disabled travel info, and giving an overview.

Carnival: All of Carnival’s ships have certain adapted services for the blind, hard-of-hearing, and mobility impaired access – and the newer ships are truly top of the line. Accessible elevators on all ships allow for use by passengers in wheelchairs; tactile controls and audible signals help out with navigation. Braille signage and cabin kits for the deaf are also offered. While on deck, accessible routes are posted and accessibility maps are available for every ship in the fleet right from the website! Not comfortable with long voyages, or maybe shore excursions aren’t your thing? No problem – choose a “Cruise to Nowhere”, which allows you to enjoy the famed shipboard hospitality and entertainment of Carnival without shore trips, and can be as short as 2-3 days.

Celebrity: Celebrity has a complete compendium of information covering wheelchair users, the blind or deaf, adapted tours for shore days, and handling your medical needs while onboard. Wheelchair accessible staterooms feature wall-to-wall adapted furniture and barrier-free paths, including ramped bathroom thresholds, grab bars, roll-in showers, and other useful features. One thing you can be sure of when going on a cruise is that ship staff members have measurements for every door and passage, so you’ll easily be able to tell if your “ride” can be accommodated by Celebrity and most other lines.

Disney: Looking for accessible cruises with more family-oriented fare? Disney may just be your best bet at sea. On land, the Disney properties are known for thorough attention to accessibility for visitors with all kinds of special needs, which recently included upgrades to parks worldwide to make them even more accessible for the deaf. At sea, accessible accommodations on Disney ships are first class, and all events onboard feature special seating areas for wheelchair users. Just be aware that beach wheelchairs used on some excursions are on a first-come, first-served basis; if you have a favorite beach chair, you might make arrangements to bring it along with you.

Princess: With luxury cruises going to such destinations as the Caribbean, Hawaii, the South Pacific, the Mexican Riviera, and more, not to mention their amazing world cruises, Princess Cruise Lines is one of the leaders in providing a true luxury experience. First-time and veteran cruisers alike will find something to love here. The same goes for handicapped travelers, who’ll benefit from Princess Cruises’ partnership with Special Needs at Sea, the premier medical supplier for ocean voyages. Princess does have a few issues – for example, collapsible wheelchairs are recommended since door measurements are not standardized, since every ship is a little bit different – but these are easily remedied thanks to SNAS, a truly international outfit.

When it comes to disabled travelers, the fact is that not all cruise lines are created equal. These are some of the best choices, though, and I hope I’ve made it a little bit easier to get the information you need for your next vacation. Remember, there’s no substitute for getting in touch with your would-be ship line directly if anything looks amiss; if the customer service isn’t all you expect, then you know all you need to know!

Bon voyage – and adventure on!

Si

A cruise ship at Willemstad
Photo by: Paul Jursa (Stock Exchange)

Hi, all! As you’ve definitely noticed around here, Disabled Travelers hasn’t touched on the subject of accessible cruises very much.

And in all honesty, good information on the topic still seems to be pretty scarce!

However, since it’s been quite a while I thought I’d offer what I’ve been able to put together since our last go-around, many moons ago.

There are some new resources and a couple of tips I want to emphasize so handicapped travelers will get to enjoy voyages at sea just like everybody else! It’s not to be missed …

The biggest news on the accessible cruise front is Cruise Critic. Cruise Critic is a comprehensive resource for cruising, which also happens to include a bevy of facts and articles pertinent to disabled travelers. Reviews encompass pretty much every major cruise provider and give you the pros and cons, do’s and don’ts, and insider information you need to make the best cruising decision. Though there are pieces offered by writers and editors, much of the real “golden” information is provided by recent passengers.

Holland America is still going strong as the best travel option for handicapped passengers, hands down. Though this article from Sealetter Cruise Magazine is several years old now, it demonstrates a real commitment to accessibility that has only grown in the years since. Just check out the amazingly detailed accessibility info on the Holland America website that covers virtually every access topic imaginable.

Also bear in mind that in some cases, deaf travelers may have even more cruise options than folks requiring mobility impaired access; as I’ve pointed out before, deaf travelers love cruising. Deaf organizations and tour operators are known to keep their fans and friends sailing as much as possible. Just about every installment of our deaf travel series, released monthly, has at least one cruise operator especially for the deaf.

For a lot of great travel tips, including further resources and in-depth articles on accessible cruises, visit our unofficial “top tour operator”, Accessible Journeys. Most “travelers with wheels” will probably find that their best bet in cruising is to partner up with a reputable tour operator, but if you choose to go solo, be sure to check out some crucial points: If you need travel equipment, will you have to bring it or does your cruise line have a designated medical provider? What accommodations are available for your specific needs, including room, shipboard movement, and getting on and off the ship?

Accessible cruising is a challenging subject, but Cruise Critic makes it much easier than it was before. Also don’t forget travel community sites like Lonely Planet where you can connect with other travelers who’ve had positive (and not-so-positive) experiences like the ones you’re seeking! Many major cruise lines have a whole host of destinations, so once you find a line that works for you, you may never wish to switch!

Thanks for tuning in to today’s blog. See you soon, on land or water; and adventure on!

Si

The Radcliffe Camera in Oxford, one of my favorite destinations
Photo by: Alan Rainbow (Stock Exchange)

Thanks again for visiting Disabled Travelers!

You know, over the past many months we’ve covered a lot of territory, and some of our favorite sites – the ones that are most useful for handicapped travelers around the world – haven’t gotten as much attention as they used to.

In this post, we’ll visit some old favorites and also some new entries in the world of accessible travel, and take a little refresher course on what they offer and where to find them.

Quite a few new pages have popped up, too!

Let’s look …

Start off with 14 hot disabled travel tips from Independent Traveler, which also offers a great links page that covers a lot of topics including accessible cruises. Then try Global Access News for a local, ground-level perspective on international travel destinations; new travelogues from wheelchair users are posted every month! Current articles cover Prague, Amsterdam, and points of interest in England, and accessible hotels are highlighted, too. Speaking of hotels, please use Hotels.com and encourage them to continue expanding their disability-friendly search features!

Gimp on the Go is good for a collection of interesting travelogues; though the site itself hasn’t been updated in many moons, the archives are still worth visiting. Apparelyzed, a spinal cord injury support and community website, is also great for reading about others’ valuable international travel experiences. Disabled World also boasts a huge number of articles on many, many topics relevant to disabled travel, including accessible cruises, tour operators, and way more stuff than I could even list! Makoa.org also has a stellar general directory of handicapped travel links; prepare to be astonished!

Speaking of tour operators, Accessible Journeys has always been at the top of our scorecard. Providing customized, disability-friendly itineraries worldwide for over 25 years, it’s now visiting destinations including New Zealand, South Africa, Buenos Aires, Israel, and Chile. World on Wheelz is another well-established firm that seems to be everywhere at once: Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and the U.S. West, among many other places. It’s the only handicapped travel organization I know of to visit Ecuador and the Amazon! For another option that’s adventurous and challenging, Endeavor Safaris is a big name in African excursions for the wheeled crowd.

And what about wheelchairs? A lot of “all-terrain” wheelchairs have sprung up on the market, which we like to highlight from time to time for those who want to get off the beaten path. Renegade Wheelchairs is one of the pioneers in this biz; and many folks find the Renegade ideal for outdoor sports like hunting and fishing. Everyone enjoys a day at the beach, and you might want something more specialized for such a trip, so check out De Bug Beach Wheelchairs and Natural Access. For getting in the pool or spa, Aqua Creek products might be your best bet, and the Tiralo handles beautifully in the ocean!

So, here you see the best of the best, the creme de la creme, the Triple Crown winners of handicapped travel in a whole slew of categories. Also remember that we’ve covered dozens of destinations around North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and even a few trips down south now and again, so anything that’s not covered here is probably in there somewhere! It’s been a pleasure to serve you – thanks again for reading, and adventure on!

Si

City lights of Melbourne Photo by: Timo Balk (Stock Exchange)

Are you ready for even more of the Disabled Access Australia series?

Today, we’re hitting the bush trail once again to visit Melbourne, the second most populous city, on the bay of Port Phillip.

A major cultural hub, home to the Australian film industry, television, and avant garde art, it’s an eminently livable place and a great base for your visit to the Land Down under.

But how does it rate for accessibility? Well, we’re about to find out!

Melbourne Airport has one of the most detailed disability access pages of any Australian airport we’ve looked at so far, definitely a good sign. Wheelchair accessible features include free wheelchairs available on request from all airlines, disabled parking, wheelchair accessible restroom facilities throughout the terminals, and assisted pick up and drop off of disabled travelers at the front of the airport. More information on accessible airlines and local airports is available from the Visit Victoria website. Transitions Abroad has strong content on various accessible public transit options.

Also from Visit Victoria, you can get information on over a dozen accessible hotels, motels, and rental properties, including Wheelies Rest, Countrywide Cottages, and Corella Rise Bed and Breakfast. Likewise, Backpack Melbourne is another public site with a useful mobility impaired access page giving you quick facts on accommodation, public transport, tickets, accessible transit lounges, toilets, taxis, emergency services, and more. If you’ve ever gotten a wheelchair banged up by inappropriate “care” from a taxi driver or sky porter who isn’t knowledgeable about handicapped travelers, you know how useful (and how rare!) some of this information is!

Per usual in Australia, Stayz is a major source for accessible hotels, and eatability knows everything there is to know about accessible restaurants and other venues in Melbourne and surrounding towns. These are definitely two sites to keep bookmarked if you’re going to spend a while in Australia, especially if you plan to move from place to place! (I’ll miss them when we’re done!) There’s also PleaseTakeMeTo, and don’t forget Hotels.com now has basic accessibility options in their search! For accessible vehicle rental, visit WheelAway. They’ll meet you at the airport with your new ride!

TravAbility is a brand spanking new website (you can tell by the .travel domain!) for a tour operator focused on inclusive, accessible tours that encompass Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Thailand, Africa, India, and destinations around North America. Customized Australia tours are available all over the continent, and can take in most of the cities and accessible attractions we’ve visited in our guide. The site also maintains a growing collection of news links related to accessible travel, updated regularly.

Of course, a city this serious about accessibility has plenty of wheelchair-friendly attractions to choose from. Major cultural venues generally have ample adapted seating available and also make room for caregivers. The official tourism site maintains a list of accessible gardens and parks. The Melbourne Cricket Ground has handicapped parking and accessible seating, and it’s the same with Etihad Stadium and the Melbourne Cricket Club, Looking for fun that’s a little less rough? The Melbourne Recital Center goes a long way to help out patrons with mobility, hearing, or sight impairments; the “arthouse” Cinema Nova is also devoted to a fully accessible experience. Melbourne just might be the most welcoming city for handicapped travelers that we’ve seen in Australia!

Next, it’s off to Perth. After that, I have a bevy of other goodies for you to enjoy before we move this party to New Zealand, and from there start to cover the whole region. Be sure to write in if there’s anything I’ve missed, or anything you want to see – this blog is for you! And I hope to see YOU for our next post … ‘til then, adventure on!

Si

Want MORE deaf travel news? You got it!
Photo by: Henning Buchholz (Stock Exchange)

Welcome everyone to Disabled Travelers, where we’ve decided to push the envelope and provide just a little more especially for deaf travel this month.

Finding accessible hotels, attractions, and tour operators when you’re hard of hearing isn’t easy, but things are getting better – and if we do our part to make it easier, then I’d consider it a job well done!

We have a few more points of interest to share today, and then it’s back to the Land Down Under to finish up our Australia access guides. Right now, I am excited to present July’s deaf travel resources … the sequel!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: a good tour operator makes all the difference in the world when you’re traveling. We’ve mentioned Connie George Travel before as a good “general” travel consultant, with interesting packages for groups, women travelers, and more. An important thing to note is that Connie George also specializes in accessible cruises and sightseeing for deaf individuals, and has plenty of in-depth knowledge for making your travel experience top notch.

islbook is a massive social networking site especially for the deaf and users of sign language. The English is a little spotty, and the site is relatively new, but it shows every sign of becoming a major resource for the deaf, and has sections set aside for accessible travel and for the world’s deaf wanderers to meet up, plan trips, and exchange advice. While I would beware of any new site, this looks like one to keep an eye on, and we definitely hope that it grows into its amazing potential! Cheers to the islbook team! Also, see DeafHello for a similar concept, a little bit more established.

Deaf Rave is a community website organized by and for the deaf. Though it focuses on meet ups, music, and other general social topics, it provides some travel links and you can find many diehard travelers among the community. In fact, it was this site that turned me on to Smile Tours Vietnam, which offers international itineraries throughout Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Laos, and Burma. Several purpose-built deaf tours are available, including five or seven day tours of Ho Chi Minh City. There are also eight-day countrywide tours. Traveling Asia can be a challenge if you’re not familiar with the local customs, but this looks like a great option for deaf adventurers.

Last in our lineup today is Especially 4-U Tours, a tour operator with extensive connections in California, Arizona, and Mexico. plus some excellent theme tours, and even a stop in China now and then. Accessible deaf tours are available, fully customized and staffed by certified signers. Family owned and operated, they have been in business over thirty years now. If you are looking to see the see the States, the South, or the Far East, put them at the top of your list.

Wow! There are some promising new companies and sites in this batch. Here at Disabled Travelers, we believe everyone should be able to go around the corner or around the world – travel is for everyone, and there’s just no replacement for it. So, I hope we’ve helped our deaf and hard of hearing friends to make their next trip that much easier and more special. Next time, it’s back to Oz for the continuation of our Australia series, so seeya again right here in a few days. Adventure on!

Si

Costa Rica, one of the more popular deaf travel destinations
Photo by: Kurt Raihn (Stock Exchange)

Good day, all, and welcome!

It’s time for July’s Disabled Travelers deaf travel update … and just as I predicted, there’s more and more going on in the deaf travel world every month!

Granted, I haven’t found what I would call “access guides” for the globetrotter with hearing loss, but I’m kicking up my search a notch and hope to report back with more findings very soon.

There’s so much to share lately, you might see a deaf travel doubleheader from me this month!

From Travel Weekly, the insider news source for the travel industry, ‘My heart is with the deaf’ tells the story of travel agent Rod Smith and his company, Harvesttime Deaf Travel, based in Minnesota. Smith, raised by deaf parents at a time when “experts” warned against teaching children sign language, became interested in travel at an early age, and now operates Harvesttime on a part-time basis while teaching at North Central University. His heart is definitely in it, and we wish him luck growing his business!

The tour operator of the day is Great Deaf Vacations, an affiliate of Cruises and Tours Unlimited providing information on group travel for the deaf. Accessible cruises are a big feature here, with an upcoming selection including a Halloween cruise, new Disney dream vacation for families, and even the “epic” seven night round trip bringing you through the Caribbean from beautiful Miami. Next on the horizon? A trip to Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island, Bahamas. Sounds like a place I want to visit!

In partnership with GoPhilanthropic, the new handicapped organization Discovering Deaf Worlds is offering travel opportunities including Costa Rica, Cambodia, and Thailand. In addition to great sightseeing at sites like Thailand’s world famous temples, you’ll learn all about local deaf communities, meet local deaf leaders, and find out how you can contribute to international solidarity and full integration for the deaf.

When you think of handicapped travel, the tiny African nation of The Gambia probably isn’t at the top of your list. Interestingly, though, an article on the UK’s Deaf Travel site suggests there is a thriving deaf community there, very proud and protective of its recently developed Gambian Sign Language. The Gambian Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is working diligently to develop the language, which is unique in a region where most deaf folks use American Sign Language. Aside from info on the deaf lifestyle in The Gambia, there are interesting facts here about travel and tourism.

One of the big challenges I always face when traveling abroad is getting a good alarm clock for the journey. and it can be extra difficult for those who are deaf. Though I don’t usually endorse products here at Disabled Travelers, I would definitely recommend taking a look at Harris Communications, which provides a whole array of products keyed into the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing abroad. Vibrating clocks, ADA-compliant hotel kits, closed captioning decoders, and much more are available. There’s a healthy selection in every category, so you should be able to find exactly what you need!

That’s a wrap for today, but tomorrow’s another day at Disabled Travelers. There’s more coming down the pike for our deaf readers, and we still have a lot to do to finish up our ongoing Australia adventure, which has looked at accessibility in the Outback, Canberra, Sydney, and Brisbane so far! See you soon, and adventure on!
Si

Sydney Harbor Bridge
Photo by: Claire Cresswell (Stock Exchange)

Good day, everybody!

Disabled Travelers’ Australia access guides are shaping up nicely, as we’ve hacked through the Outback and visited the capital, Canberra.

Now we have what’s arguably the most famous city in Australia in our sights: Sydney!

Home of the world-famous Sydney Opera House, now the most recently constructed UNESCO World Heritage Sites on Earth, situated in the city that’s easily the biggest tourist draw on the whole island. Without further ado, let’s explore!

It seems only fair to begin with the Opera House, which has its own comprehensive accessibility page. Virtually everything in the Opera House is accessible to some extent (usually a great extent!) and maps and detailed information about getting there, getting around, and enjoying what’s on offer is available from the main site.

Sydney’s Accessibility Test is an enlightening endeavor by The Sydney Morning Herald and former wheelchair tennis champion David Hall, who teamed up with the paper to lead an adventurous tour through the city’s transportation system, attractions, and restaurants. The result is a five-minute video that gives a good, street-level view of the accessibility situation in Sydney. Getting around is made easier for handicapped travelers by Zero200, the centralized service for wheelchair taxi booking in Sydney. You’ll also want to know about the local accessible buses, and learn all about accessible cruises from Matilda Cruises. (Psst: public ferries are accessible too!)

Wheelchair Accessible Sydney is an established tour operator that provides customized sightseeing and shopping tours through the city. Some of their most beloved itineraries include views of Sydney’s Harbor, the towns and attractions of the nearby Blue Mountains, and the Hunter Valley Wine Tour. Australia has many fine and historic vineyards, but accessibility conditions are checkered, so this may be the best way to enjoy this part of the complete local experience! Also check out the Wheelchair Accessible Tours listed over at Australia in Style.

If you’re going to Sydney, you’ll be spending a lot of time in the Central Business District, which is the at the heart of a major accessibility initiative. Accessible transportation, parking, and other handicapped travel resources are available through the City of Sydney website linked above. Local train stations that are wheelchair friendly are listed as part of The Rocks Wheelchair Accessible Self-Guided Tour, a private site. For wheelchair accessible attractions, check out My Fun, the centralized database of info for Sydney’s best parks, resorts, and points of interest. The search function gets you at-a-glance results on which sites meet your needs. For example, a quick search reveals that famous Sydney Tower Skywalk is now accessible.

Next time on Disabled Travelers, we’ll take another big bite out of Australia with a journey to Brisbane, the third-most populous city! We’re not going to be done until we’ve been everywhere and done everything in Oz … so just think of July as “Down Under” month, and adventure on!

Si

Peace!
Photo by: Henning Buchholz (Stock Exchange)

The deaf tourism market is growing by the day, and Disabled Travelers is here to help our deaf friends find the best deals and book the best trips in handicapped travel for the hearing impaired. Because this is so important, we’ve started a monthly special feature to show off the very best in deaf tour operators and vacation packages around the world. If you know something we don’t, or have an experience with any of these sites or services that you want to share, write in any time! Here are this month’s picks …

The DeafNation World Expo is taking place in Las Vegas in late July, and it’s not too late to visit or get involved. This is a major event that brings deaf people together in a spirit of sharing and celebration, and this year especially, it has captured a lot of interest from travel agents and tour operators. ASL Dream Team is one spectacular choice in deaf travel that has made available a full-featured Las Vegas getaway package especially for this event. Check out their Ultimate Vacation 2010 FAQ, which has both 3-day and 6-day options. It definitely looks like a stellar opportunity for the deaf and allies!

I don’t know what it is about the deaf, luxurious cruises, and great water sports, but it seems like the three always go together. I don’t question it, I just enjoy it! Worldwide Dive and Sail does the same, providing dive equipment and excursions at top scuba and boating destinations. “Worldwide” is unique in that it strives to create an environment free of language barriers: in addition to an especially wide range of spoken languages, staff can also accommodate the deaf and hard of hearing.

Deaf Cruise is our final destination for today. Many specialized tour operators have deaf accessible cruises or tours only in one region or area, or only on a very limited basis, but Deaf Cruise has the happy distinction of going all over to provide the best cruise experience. They often have three voyages a year, shooting past organizations that spend a whole year preparing for just one! Past destinations have included the Mediterranean, Canada, the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Alaska, to name a few. There’s even a planned world cruise, with info hosted on a separate companion site. The world cruise is scheduled for July 2013, and it’s intended to start in Rome and end in Athens. Outstanding!

More to come on Disabled Travelers, where we won’t stop until we’ve brought the world to your doorstep (and your monitor!) Don’t be a stranger, pop down to the comment box at the bottom of the screen and let me know what you think. But whether you join in or just keep reading, thank you for the visit. Enjoy your travels, and adventure on!

Si

Lake Tahoe on a beautiful December morning
Photo by: Daniel West (Stock Exchange)

Morning, everybody! Today’s dip into the mailbag brings us to Lake Tahoe, one of the largest freshwater lakes in North America, and the largest high-altitude “alpine” lake. Bordering the states of California and Nevada, it is a popular destination for water sports, winter sports, and of course, gambling. The Tahoe area is home to a number of great wheelchair accessible hotels and resorts as well as several tour operators and event planners who can help visitors get the most from this natural treasure.

Northstar at Tahoe Resort is our first stop. With diverse activities including ice skating, mountain tours, village crafts, a spa and fitness center, and even geocaching, Northstar is one of the best selections for handicapped travelers. Check out its ADA Access page and you’ll see accessible parking lots, pathways, elevators, restrooms, and other amenities featured prominently. Dogs, including service animals, are welcome on the grounds and at many events.

At Zephyr Cove Resort, you can enjoy wheelchair access cruises around Lake Tahoe. The resort’s Tahoe Queen is recognized as the only authentic Mississippi-style paddlewheel ship on the lake, and the M.S. Dixie II has the distinction of being the largest vessel out there on Lake Tahoe, hands down. All cruises leave from the resort and have accessible accommodations. When you’re not taking in a splendid dinner cruise, you can also enjoy a variety of other features at the resort, such as its beautiful marina.

If you’d like to learn how to ski, but you’re just not sure you can, Heavenly Ski Resort of Lake Tahoe is for you. Heavenly offers a full range of adaptive ski training programs and services for the disabled. This includes instruction for the blind and those with disability of one leg, both legs, all extremities, and those with other special needs. Heavenly provides a full range of equipment to get you out on the slopes and confident about your ability to ski. There are also special classes for other first-time skiers.

A great handicapped organization operates around Lake Tahoe, the Tahoe Area Coordinating Council for the Disabled. As a nonprofit org, members provide complete access guides to services in the Tahoe Basin and Alpine County area. Their information includes accessible hotels, campgrounds, restaurants, businesses, conventions, and weddings. They also have monthly meetings and sponsor their own events and awards for businesses that go above and beyond in providing top-quality accessibility. Their site is about as close as you can get to an access guide for the shores of Lake Tahoe, and I’m sure they’d love to hear from you if you have any questions after browsing their pages.

Sierra at Tahoe is another outstanding option if you want a fully accessible ski resort that respects your abilities and needs. According to the site, it was selected “Most Friendly, Most Accommodating and Most Accessible” ski resort for 2005 from TACCD. Granted, it’s been a few years since then, but this is something they seem very proud of, so hopefully standards are still high!

If you ask me, Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful sights in the country, and this is just a slice of how accommodations on this lake’s pristine shores have expanded over the years. Just about any way you can think of to enjoy the lake is available to visitors of all abilities. So, as we close the mailbag for today’s visit, thanks for asking and for reading … and as always, adventure on!

Si

A cruise ship at the harbor of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands

Hello, everyone! I’m back and it’s time for more news from Disabled Travelers. Since the debacle I described last week about accessible travel problems with Canadian airlines, I’ve been thinking a lot about cruises. Cruises are a great way to get from place to place without the hassle of air travel; you get to explore at your leisure and enjoy luxury, wonderful scenery, and a whole slew of activities. So I’d like to spend some time in today’s post talking about wheelchair accessible cruises and disabled travel on the sea. I’ve had the good fortune to make a transatlantic journey on the Queen Mary II, and it’s an experience I wouldn’t trade in for any airplane, no matter how nice it was!

To start with, know that though most major cruise lines are very proactive about making accessibility easy for handicapped travelers, many ports of call outside the United States are not known for much in the way of mobility impaired access. It’s always a good idea to check with cruise companies and find out about individual stops on the itinerary before booking a cruise. The AARP’s Peter Greenberg has a huge assortment of great articles on accessibility in cruises. Peter covers transatlantic cruises and visits to plenty of exotic locales, including Alaska, China, and many more. Definitely worth a look. On top of that, Cruise Critic has a detailed piece on Top Ships for Cruisers with Disabilities.

Caribbean destinations can be some of the most troublesome for travel with a disability. Luckily, this trend might be on the reverse according to MSNBC, which offers an introduction on how to plan an accessible Caribbean vacation and tips on choosing a cruise line with wheelchair accessible ship cabins. Connie George Travel Associates arranges accessible vacations, including cruises, and maintains a blog all about accessible cruising. These resources are a great start for planning handicapped travel at sea. Remember that communication is key when you have special needs on a cruise – check and double-check any accommodations you’ve been promised at least ten days in advance of boarding, even if you’re fairly confident everything is in order.

Disability access is a priority for many major cruise lines, so disability access policies are generally pretty well spelled out – take for example the accessibility onboard page from Royal Caribbean International. CruiseCheap has a thorough overview of accessibility on Princess Cruises. Cunard seems a bit less forthcoming, but provides accessibility information in its FAQ. For those who might need accessibility equipment for an ocean voyage, Special Needs at Sea provides a variety of useful items and works directly with Royal Caribbean International and Holland America. I’ve heard mixed reviews on Holland America’s wheelchair access (this is their page on accessibility), but haven’t ever cruised with them. Anyone have any experiences to share?

Small Ship Cruises has information on small ship cruise companies with wheelchair accessible vessels in their fleet. Small ships are particularly interesting since they offer some destinations and opportunities the big cruise lines simply can’t. There are some amazing destinations covered here, including Antarctica, the Falklands, Africa, and a number of great U.S. waterways, as well as many more traditional destinations.

That’s all for now! Next week I’m looking at disabled travel resources for handicapped travelers who want serious outdoor adventure. Of course, this blog is here for you, and I’d be glad to cover whatever you need. Be sure to let me know if you have any requests. Until then, keep adventuring!

Si