I am 26, single and disabled. I am hoping to go on my first cruise sometime next year either to the Caribbean or the Bahamas. I would like to know what the best cruise line would be, right now I am looking at Carnival. I would appreciate any and all suggestions, comments, and observations.

Thanks

Mikeyto_96,

welcome to Cruise-Chat.com.

The annual Berlitz Ocean Cruising & Cruise Ships guide includes information on which ships are best-equipped to accommodate physically challenged passengers. According to the current 2004 issue (I hope to have the updated 2005 edition some time next week), Carnival's latest ships ("Destiny", "Spirit" and "Conquest" classes) are considered "reasonably accessible", which is the second-highest of four grades.

I would suggest concentrating on recently built ships, which are usually much better equipped than older units, even though there are exceptions in one way or the other. However, the recent Carnival classes mentioned above as well as the recent classes of ships operated by other major cruise lines are usually always either "reasonably accessible" or even "recommended as most suitable".

If you like me to look up some specific ratings for you, just let me know.

Mikeyto_96, of course it would depend on your specific disability, but Royal Caribbean's Voyager class ships have been given an "A" rating (the best) by Berlitz and would be an excellent choice, in my opinion.

They would be the Adventure, Mariner, Navigator, Explorer and Voyager of the Seas. I would highly recommend any of these ships for a first cruise.

Let us know if you have any specific questions.

Tom

Since my wife is also a HP, we find that cruising is the most trouble- free vacation. However, it pays to consider - as Mr. Fiebig claims, newer vessels are much more HP-friendly, and in addition - the Internet can be a mega library information source. It will help you find a right itinerary, not only a new ship, but also a HP cabin lay-out and cabin number, (so you can inform your TA, this is what you want).
In five years, (my wife lost her leg in 1999)
we have been on Princess four times and one each
on Celebrity and Royal Caribbean and absolutely
NO complaints. We are booked again on Diamond
Princess,(new vessel and balcony!) Mex.Reviera, Jan 29. Again, I requested a HP stateroom C300, about as far back as 11 months, in RE to a Princess Brochure and the ship's plan. More - you can click on "Global Access Disabled Travel", "CruiseMates.com", and
"Rec.Travel.Cruises" and find a wealth of info and reports by passengers.

In September 2003, I decided to take my mother-in-law on her first, and possibly her last cruise. At 76, overweight, ands with limited mobility, I booked a handicapped cabin for her, the wife, and myself. Upon boarding the Carnival Conquest, we were upgraded to a balcony cabin, as they had somehow overbooked the handicapped cabins. We were not told we could bring her electric scooter on board, so we had to push her around everywhere. The wheeelchair had to stay outside the cabin, and it was a very big chore for her to manuver inside, especially the bathroom. For breakfast the first day, I left a few minutes earlier to get seats, have coffee, etc. Asking to be seated and saving three chairs, the hostess became very hostile and said Carnival does not like saving seats, and was very ugly, even though it was a wheelchair passenger. Having waited about 15 minutes, I left to check on them. She said not to come back and hold seats. Later I talked to the hotel manager, and he sent a bottle of wine to our table that evening. As the mother-in-law is a bible toting penecostal, this didn't go over very well. About the third port into the cruise, having noticed we didn't get off ship, because we stayed with mom, the waiter at breakfast, who had been nice to us, said we should go ashore, enjoy ourselves, and he would make sure 'mom' was taken care of, he would make sure she was fine. The wife and I left, spent the day ashore, returned about 4pm. We found her still sitting in the bed where we left her, she had made it several times all over herself. No one had called, came by, nothing. I was not a happy camper. Another visit to the hotel manager, and the waiter was called in to explain. He said he was just kidding, and didn't think we would take him up on his offer. Just an apology is all we got from him. A letter to Carnival went unanswered.

Hi David,
I am so sorry to hear about the problems you had.I feel much compassion for your mother-in-law.
My first cruise was in Feb. 2002,if memory serves me correctly. we were on the Carnival Pride.She was a new ship then and it was her 3rd voyage, or so we were told.
I have problems walking and I have an electric scooter which I took with me. It made all the difference between having a great time and just a so-so time.I was able to go anywhere I wanted, most times with no help from my husband.
I found the staff to be very helpful.It just goes to show you that each ship and the staff are completely different.
I hope you won't let this experiance keep you from future cruises.I am traveling with Royal Carribians Mariner of the Seas in Feb. and I am sure I am going to have a possitive experiance!!!!I will make it happen!
Linda

Linda
Thanks for the encouragement. That was my mom-in-laws only cruise, she is in worse shape now. But I now have 24 cruises, working on many more. Our first was way back on 73.
David Landry

Hi, I was just wondering what cruise line you decided for your first cruise. I have chronic pain from back surgery and Princess was not accomidating at all.