I want to know if all ports in Hawaii have tenders and if they will be able to carry me on and off the tenders? This is my hubby's and my first cruise and I have seen on NCL's website that all the Shore Excursions we want to go on are wheelchair accessible. We will be on NCL's 10 day cruise March 22. I gladly appreciate any and all suggestions and advice. I was planning on bringing my new Power Chair I will be getting through Medicaid, but just found out earlier this evening that NCL doesn't allow my type, as it doesn't collapse like my manual does. My hubby Bobm has a difficult time pushing me with his lung disease that has left him with only 50% lung capacity. And, would there be anyone on the tours who would be willing to push me if he borrows a wheelchair for shore excursions? And, is the walking not that hard?
It depends on the ship and the ports if you tender or not. You will tender in Hilo, Big Island like us on the Radiance. But we will also tender in Maui. But NCL uses another port and thats a docking port. There are so many handicapped people on board every cruise ship. They are prepared to help. I´m not sure about some help during shore excursions. I´m afraid, that no tour guides will help you pushing you. I saw many power chairs, but on RCI ships and there were different types. Many handicapped people using the normal wheelchair and the power-chair, depending on the situation and the place they wanna go, like the dining room.
Hope somebody else can answer your questions better than me.
Thanks for your quick reply to my question. I thought from NCL's Home Page I checked last night, that NCL wouldn't allow my new Power Chair that I haven't received yet. I am getting it through Medicaid, as Bob has a difficult time, at times, pushing me. I found out that they do allow Power Chairs onboard and will be able to get me on and off all Tenders they use. We are waiting for medicaid to get on the stick and approve my chair and it's been since late Sep that the wheelchair store sent the claim/order in. We will be calling Olympia tomorrow to see what the hold-up is, as I was told 2 weeks ago, that the approval would be made 11 days ago, but we know how slow the Government is.
Anyway, thanks for telling me about maui, that NCL has a port. Did I mention that my mom has paid for us to go on our first cruise? Combination Christmas, 25th Wedding Anniversary gift and my celebration from Chemo and being in remission with my cancer.
Teri, Congrats on taking your first cruise. What a wonderful gift your mom has given you! Sounds to me like it is quite well deserved. I am so glad to hear that you are in remission. Good luck getting your new power chair - I am sure it will make life easier. Nancy
Hi Nancy, About a week ago, I found and read an article written by Mary Finelli and her whelchair bound hubby. I was intending to cut and paste it into a mesage to send to my hubby to read, but I forgot and I've looked everywhere for the article. If I remember straight, it was on cruises.about.com. It was listed in a section that rated the cruiselines in '92, I believe. This article was Mary's comments on the Dream or Wind sailing to Hawaii. She talks about all the details on the ship, what she and her hubby saw and enjoyed, mentioned a little problem with the drawers in the cabins, talked about the awuarium aboard, their fun shore excursions and about this rude woman who wouldn't wait for Mary's hubby to be transferred off the tender. This woman appeared to have been hurt for her impatience. If you know where I need to go online to read this great article to my hubby Bob, I'd sure appreciate it.
We received our passports, so that's a relief and my approval on my Power Chair comes on Wed.
By the way, my mom said that when she booked our cruise back in Aug, they had ONLY one handicapped cabin left, and it was a VERY expensive cabin with floor to ceiling window, so does this mean it's a penthouse or owner's suite?
Also, how easy is it for the crew to transfer me from the tender and back? I can walk at home with my walker and cane, but is difficult for longer jaunts, as I walk around our mobile home with my walker and use my cane toget down our narrow hall to the bathroom and bedroom, but use my walker to get down my ramp and then use a step stool to get into the van.
How soon do we get our packet from NCL? We plan on driving the 4 hours to Seattle to fly to Honolulu the next morning and leave our van for free those 12 days instead of having our daughter drive us up and back. We also plan on reserving our shore excursions with NCL online before we leave.
We won't get to see the USS Arizona unless our departure flight to Seattle is a 9:00pm flight. I hope NCL has arranged it that way for that to occur.
