Limited mobility needn’t keep you from cruises

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Limited mobility needn't keep you from cruises

With some planning, users of wheelchairs and scooters can find cruise

ships that meet their needs.

By Catharine Hamm, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-tr-spot2mar02

For disabled passengers, the skies aren't always very friendly

Under ruling, disabled cruisers will get wider accessibility

Question: I have some mobility limitations and use a battery-operated

scooter that is somewhat portable. I'd like to consider a cruise, but

I have trouble visualizing how I would navigate narrow corridors. Is

a cruise even viable for me?

--Jim G. Thousand Oaks

Answers: Get out the suitcase and take the tux to the cleaners. Your

ship has come in.

Which is not to say that you call up and book and away you go. It

takes planning.

In fact, what you probably need is a travel agent who specializes in

helping those with disabilities. Two good places to start: the

American Society of Travel Agents' website, www.asta.org, which has

an advanced search function that lets you

choose " disabled/accessible " under specialties; and www.sath.org,

website of the Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality, or SATH,

which offers suggestions on agents. (Type in " travel agent " in the

search engine.)

But before you make that call, do a little research on your own.

Begin by going to the website of the Cruise Lines International

Assn., www.cruising.org, and clicking on " Vacation, " then " Plan Your

Cruise, " then " Special Interest Guides. " Under " Wheelchair

Travelers, " you'll find a comprehensive guide to ships' features,

including the number of cabins and whether the decks have ramps.

When you've chosen some ships that will work for you, peruse the

line's website. (To obtain a listing of websites, go to

latimes.com/cruiselists.) Look especially at the age of any ship

you're interested in; the newer the vessel, the more likely it can

accommodate you fully.

Consider, too, the destination. If you're planning on shore

excursions, be aware of which destinations require passengers to

disembark by tender. Sometimes, those little boats can't accommodate

a disabled passenger and a scooter.

As with most things in life, timing is everything. Because accessible

cabins are limited in number (and are available in various categories

and prices, from the least expensive inside cabins to the more

luxurious staterooms with balconies), you may need to reserve early,

especially for popular itineraries, says Candy Harrington, editor of

Emerging Horizons, a magazine about accessible travel.

" More and more people are cruising . . . so if you want a balcony-

accessible cabin on an Alaska cruise, you might even book a year in

advance, " she said. " They go fast. "

And there is something else you should consider: Rather than dealing

with putting your scooter in the airlines' hands if you're flying to

your port of embarkation, consider renting one and having it

delivered to the ship through such companies as Scootaround and Care

Vacations, says Jani Nayar, executive coordinator of SATH. (For more

information, see SATH's website.)

With a little research and some help from a pro, you'll be on the

deck with a frothy little drink before you can say, " Waiter, bring me

another. "