How to Find the Right Accessible Transportation While At Sea

For a disabled person, day-to-day travel can be rather challenging, let alone the prospect of taking a cruise vacation. However, planning early and comprehensively will take out most of the surprises from the equation and give you that dream cruise you've always wanted. Unlike earlier times, there are many cruise companies today providing accessible transportation and boarding for people with disabilities.

Choosing your cruise ship

When selecting a cruise ship, newer ships are usually better, but older refurbished ships may also have been redesigned to provide for the needs of disabled people. Your choice of ship will depend on your special needs.

For instance, people on wheelchairs will need entry ramps, staterooms with wider entryways, bathroom grab-bars, roll-in showers and lower closet rods among others. There are cruise lines that have even gone a step further to incorporate pool lifts which carry the occupant into the water.

A blind person on the other hand will want restaurant menus and other important documentation being written in Braille, as well as a cruise ship that makes accommodations for service dogs, should you have one.

To start with, go through the cruise-line's official website, paying attention to sections labelled 'Accessibility' or 'Special needs' or other related terms. Most companies also have dedicated phone lines to cater for travelers with special needs; call in and ask to be connected to one such staff member.

Making your booking

Prior to making your booking, carefully go over all your requirements with the line's staffer, and ensure you are familiar with the cruise-line's policy on persons with disabilities traveling alone - some lines do not allow solo travel for disabled persons.

After booking, most cruise-lines require special needs travelers to complete a form outlining their needs and limitations. Make plans well in advance – even 2-3 months in advance –fill in and submit this form as early as possible in order to ensure your needs are properly taken care of by the time you're ready to travel.

In addition, many cruise lines have just a handful of modified staterooms, so early booking will ensure you secure one for yourself, rather than having to postpone your trip to the next available window.

Using a travel agent

Hiring a travel agent might save you much of the hassle that goes with planning a cruise vacation yourself. An experienced agent is conversant with many of the cruise-lines around and can guide you on their ships, level of accessibility, living arrangements, port access and accessible transportation arrangements as well as special needs excursions while on the trip.

In addition, they can arrange for specialized medical equipment hire, coordinate accessible transportation from home to airport to cruise-line and back, reservations of hotel rooms before and after the cruise as well as arrange for accessible shore excursions to give you your dream vacation. For better service, find a travel agent who specializes in your particular disability.