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Princess Cruises Disabilites

Disabilities at Sea - Princess Cruises

Posted: September 6, 2022

Health & Safety, Onboard Features, Tips and Advice, ,

Princess Cruises has long retained a high precedence on making cruise holidays accessible for all guests, including those with disabilities.

Princess Cruises introduced its award-winning Princess AccessSM program in 1992 to raise the standards of cruise ship accessibility across the fleet, while keeping in mind the limitations and special attention characteristic to a cruise ship.

Even before 1992, Princess’ well-recognised guest service stretched to accessible cruising.

Princess’ efforts in this area have gained them many awards and recognition.

Physical Disabilities

Princess Cruises introduced Princess AccessSM program in 1992 to raise the standards of cruise ship accessibility across the fleet

Princess Cruises have wheelchair-accessible staterooms on all Princess Cruises’ ships. If you require a mobility aid, you must provide your own.

When bringing your own wheelchair, Princess Cruises highly recommend you bring along a collapsible wheelchair, as the width of the stateroom doors differs.

Some Princess Cruises ships have areas that are not wheelchair accessible. Lift-equipped transportation options are limited so arrangements must be secured in advance.

Guests using mobility aids with batteries are advised that the batteries must be a dry cell type and must be stored and recharged in the stateroom.

Mobility aids of any kind, like other items, may not be left outside the stateroom. Princess Cruises crew are not specifically trained to support guests with physical disabilities, Princess Cruises recommend you go together with by someone who is physically able to assist you both on board and on shore if necessary.

Wheelchair users will find access-friendly design across most of the Princess fleet, making it easy to enjoy each vessel’s restaurants, theaters, spas, lounges and open deck space.

Elevators have generous 36- to 42-inch doorways, and wheelchair seating is available in show lounges and other public spaces.

Wheelchair-Accessible Cabins

Princess Cruises vessels features up to 31 accessible cabins, across a variety of stateroom categories

The Princess fleet offers more than 350 wheelchair-accessible cabins. Each vessel features up to 31 accessible cabins, across a variety of stateroom categories.

These rooms are designed for wheelchair manoeuvrability, with widened doorways into both the cabin and its bathroom; wheel-in showers, hand-held shower heads and bath distress alarms; as well as lowered closet railings, sinks, and handrails; and removed or revamped thresholds.

Additional equipment is also available on request, such as toilet seat raisers, shower stools and bed boards.

Disembarking Via Tender

The judgement to permit or disallow guests from going ashore will be made on each occasion by the ship’s Captain, and the decision is final

Cruisers with disabilities should check in with the onboard Shore Tour Office to ensure all pre-reserved tours can accommodate their needs. Not all port amenities are accessible for those using mobility aids.

You may gain access to ports of call by a selection of means including, but not limited to, a ramped gangway, series of steps or by tender, which is a small boat used to ferry guests ashore.

In some circumstances, you may be able to access the tender; on the other hand, the shore side facility may not be accessible. With your security and comfort in mind, the judgement to permit or disallow guests from going ashore will be made on each occasion by the ship’s Captain, and the decision is final.

Those ports which routinely use tenders to access the shore are noted on your itinerary. In many ports of call, a device known as a “stair climber” is used to assist guests up and down the gangway. This requires that guests transfer to a Princess Cruises wheelchair which is then connected to the stair climber and operated by the ship’s personnel. If you cannot transfer or your personal mobility device cannot be easily disembarked due to size or weight, you may be excluded from going ashore.

Visual and Hearing Impairments

All Princes Cruises vessels are fully equipped to accommodate guests with visual and hearing impairments

Guests who are visually and hearing impaired will find Princess Cruises vessels equipped with such helpful features as Braille elevator call buttons, audible arrival sounds and infrared listening assistance systems in the Princess theaters. ADA “all in one” kits are available upon request — featuring telephone amplifiers, visual smoke detectors, door knock sensors, text telephones (TDD) and other aids. In-cabin movies feature close captioning, and ship libraries feature a selection of books on tape.

Service Animal

If you are travelling with a service animal, please advise Princess Cruises at time of booking

If you are travelling with a service animal (subject to approval), please be aware that Princess Cruises requires notice at time of booking. Entry regulations vary from port to port, and there are some ports that prohibit the landing of animals altogether. Guests are advised to consult the local authorities at each port of call prior to departure for the necessary documentation. Princess Cruises does not provide food for service animals.

MSC Cruise Special Needs At Sea

Disabilities At Sea - MSC Cruises

Posted: July 15, 2022

Onboard Features, Tips and Advice, ,

MSC Cruises and its staff have always been observant to the needs of their guests, and continually do their utmost to offer the best possible service, meeting international accessibility standards.

MSC Cruises Welcomes You On Board

Guests should notify MSC Cruises of any special requirements by completing the relevant form. This information should if at all possible be provided at the time of booking, or no later than two business days before departure.

This allows MSC Cruises time to deliver the best possible service for their guests, who are contingent on the facilities and resources on board each ship. If MSC Cruises are notified after this deadline MSC Cruises will do everything in our power to provide the services requested, but this may not be possible at such short notice.

Guests will only be prevented from booking or embarking in exceptional situations, and only in the event of a severe or serious danger to the safety of the guests or the crew.

Physical Impairments and Limited Mobility

MSC Cruises will make every effort to accommodate your needs wherever and whenever possible.

All areas on board, public areas and tenders are designed to be as accessible as possible for guests with Physical Impairments and Limited Mobility.

Moreover, there are a number of specially equipped cabins available on each ship in the fleet. For safety reasons, guests requiring assistance may be requested to travel with a carer, dependent on the particular itinerary.

Wheelchairs are available on board MSC Cruises ships, for the use of guests during embarkation and disembarkation only, or in case of emergency.

Guests that require full-time use of a wheelchair or any other mobility aids must bring their own equipment with them.

It is the responsibility of the guest to check with the related producers/suppliers that your mobility aid is safe to take on board and use on a cruise ship, and to organise both its delivery to the departure terminal allowing enough time for embarkation, and its collection at the end of the cruise.

Stateroom Categories

Accessible Inside Stateroom MSC Divina

 

Accessible Oceanview Stateroom MSC Divina

 

Accessible Balcony Stateroom

 

MSC Yacht Club Suite

Visually Impaired

All The Fleet Have Facilities To Cater For The Visually Impaired

MSC Preziosa, MSC Divina, MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia have Braille signs in public areas, in lifts and at the entrance to the cabins; all the ships have deck indicators in the lifts and fully accessible public areas, decks and tenders.

Hearing Impaired

TDD System kit are available on request in your stateroom. This kit, contains light and vibrating devices, a text phone and an analogue alarm clock.

For your own well-being, guests with hearing impairments must travel with a carer. Passengers with partial hearing impairments can travel unaccompanied, only if they request the installation of a TDD System kit in their cabin. This kit, available in limited numbers on all ships, includes light and vibrating devices, a text phone and an analogue alarm clock.

Additionally, wireless amplifiers and indicator lights are available in the theatre and other rooms. Indicator lights are also available in the lifts.

Service Dogs

TDD System kit are available on request in your stateroom. This kit, contains light and vibrating devices, a text phone and an analogue alarm clock.

Suitably trained and certified guide dogs are allowed on board all ships, assuming that they are in a good state of health and possess all necessary documents for entering the foreign countries visited during the cruise.

The guest will be informed in advance about the accommodation made for the animal, the facilities available (if required) and the embarking and disembarking procedure.

The guest is personally responsible (with the aid of the carer if applicable) for the custody, feeding and general care of the animal during the whole stay on board.

Children With Disabilities

Children with disabilities have normal access to all on-board services and facilities

Children with disabilities have normal access to all on-board services and facilities. Although the entertainment staff do not offer a childcare service, they are trained to provide a wide range of entertainment aimed specifically at children.

All children, including those with disabilities, are assigned to a certain entertainment area depending on their age. If necessary, children or young people with disabilities can be placed with a lower age group (with the agreement of their parents), or they can take part in specific activities, together with their parents if required.

Disabilities At Sea - Celebrity Cruises

Posted: June 20, 2022

Health & Safety, Onboard Features, Tips and Advice, ,

Celebrity Cruises are dedicated to providing all its guests with disabilities an unparalleled cruise experience.

To tailor your accommodation to meet your specific needs, please complete the Guest disabilities Form.

Mobility Impairments

The entire Celebrity Cruises fleet was designed with your every need in mind. You’ll find wide, spacious corridors, to allow 180° turns for wheelchairs. Most decks are accessible through automatic doors, and all public rooms feature entrances with gradual inclines.

Celebrity Cruises provide courtesy wheelchair assistance for embarkation and disembarkation only.

If you require a wheelchair during the duration of your cruise, Celebrity Cruises have a limited supply of wheelchairs available on all ships. Please contact the Access Department if you would like to make a reservation for a wheelchair. If you want to ensure you will have a wheelchair or scooter onboard, you are welcome to bring your own.

You may bring and use wheelchairs, mobility scooters and other mobility aids onboard.

Mobility aids including mobility scooters must be stored and recharged in your stateroom so fire doors, corridors and elevator lobbies are kept clear for emergency evacuation.

When parked throughout the ship, they must be parked out of the way to allow safe and easy access by other guests and crew members.

Mobility aids should fit through a standard stateroom entry doorway which is at least 23 inches wide.

We offer accessible staterooms which have wider doors which are at least 32 inches wide and may accommodate larger devices. If you have an mobility larger than 32 inches wide.

Note: Crew members are not permitted to lift mobility aids.

Services Provided:

  • Early boarding
  • Cruise transfers utilizing wheelchair accessible vehicles
  • Boarding and departure assistance
  • Scooter access
  • Lifts for one pool and one whirlpool on all ships
  • Accessible Blackjack tables in the casino
  • Accessible Guest Relations Desks

Exciting & Accessible Shore Excursions

Celebrity Cruises has added many new customised excursions that require less active activity for groups of any size. Otherwise, perhaps you’re looking for a totally wheelchair-accessible excursion.

Easy tours are available for certain destinations only. You can book by sending Celebrity Cruises an email no later than 10 business days ahead of your planned cruise. Celebrity Cruises can also arrange a private accessible tour for you.

Simply review the Accessible Tour Guidelines and send Celebrity Cruises an email no later than 21 days prior to your sail date. Celebrity Cruises will then respond with details and a price.

Visual Impairments

Celebrity has made the cruise experience as effortless as possible for our guests who are blind or have low vision. Braille signage and elevator buttons are available on Celebrity Solstice® Class ships, Celebrity Constellation®, and Celebrity Infinity®. As always, our crew and staff are on hand to assist in every way at any time.

Celebrity Cruises also provide Qualified Readers onboard our ships for guests who are blind or have low vision. Select crew members have been trained as Qualified Readers to read written material such as the daily Celebrity Today newsletter and shore excursions information. Waiters will also read dining menus upon request. To request Qualified Readers for your cruise, please contact Guest Relations upon boarding.

To adapt your accommodations to meet your specific needs, please complete the Guest disabilities Form.

Services Provided Include:

  • Service animals are welcomed onboard all ships except those sailing to the United Kingdom (UK) due to DEFRA regulations. A relief area measuring 4 feet by 4 feet, with cypress mulch, is provided. Large Print menus and daily activity planners
  • Qualified Readers
  • Braille/tactile signage and elevator buttons/audio call signals are available on Celebrity Solstice®Class ships, Celebrity Constellation®, and Celebrity Infinity®.

Hearing Impairments

Celebrity Cruises accommodates guests who hearing impairments by providing them with technological advancements wherever and whenever possible.

To tailor your accommodations to meet your specific needs, please complete the Guest disabilities Form.

Services Provided:

  • A portable room kit in your stateroom is available upon request. It includes a visual-tactile alert system that provides alerts for door knocking, telephone ringing, alarm clock and smoke detector.
  • A TTY (teletypewriter) in your stateroom is available upon request. The TTY in your stateroom interfaces with the TTY at the Guest Relations Desk to meet all your in-stateroom needs.
  • Amplified telephones are available in the staterooms and public areas on Solstice class ships.
  • Assistive Listening Systems are located in the main theatre on Solstice class ships.
  • Sign language interpreting services will be provided upon request for deaf guests as their primary means of communication.
    Sign language interpreting services are provided for main production shows, port and shopping presentations and other major activities on a shared basis for all deaf guests onboard.
  • A request for sign language interpreting services should be made with the Access Department at time of booking but no later than 60 days prior to sailing. Requests are subject to availability of interpreters.
  • Closed-captioned televisions are available in all staterooms across the fleet. Please note that only select programs are captioned. All safety videos are captioned.

Accessible Staterooms

Celebrity Cruises accessible staterooms are designed with wider doors, roll-in showers, grab bars and other special features for guests with mobility disabilities and other disabilities that require the use of the accessible features of that stateroom.

Accessible staterooms are held for people with disabilities until all other non-accessible staterooms in that category are reserved. Upon reserving an accessible stateroom, we require our guests acknowledge the need for the accessible stateroom by completing a Guest disabilities Form.

If a guest is booked in an accessible stateroom and they do not have a mobility disability or other disability that requires the use of the features that are provided in the accessible stateroom, they may be moved at any time to a non-accessible stateroom in order to accommodate a guest with a disability.

Please note Celebrity Cruise investigate and take action on potential misuse of accessible staterooms where there is good cause to believe that such staterooms have been booked fraudulently.

Accessible Stateroom Features:

  • Wider doors with automatic doors on ships
  • No doorsill to get into stateroom
  • Ramped bathroom thresholds
  • Bathroom grab bars
  • Lowered sink and stateroom vanity
  • Roll-in showers with fold-down shower bench and hand-held showerheads
  • Lowered closet rods
  • Accessible balconies (selected staterooms)

*Five-foot turning radius available in accessible staterooms in most configurations. Exception: Inside accessible stateroom on ships in split bed configuration where a turning space (T-turn) is available.

Automatic stateroom doors (available on Solstice-class ships only).

Disabilities At Sea - Carnival Cruise Line

Posted: June 16, 2022

Health & Safety, Onboard Features, Tips and Advice, ,

Carnival Cruise Line are committed to offering the premium cruising experience to their guests with disabilities.

The Carnival Cruise Line fleet provide a quality of service and a variety of accessible features to make your holiday a relaxing and enjoyable experience. A “Fun Ship ®” cruise vacation is perfect for people who have disabilities!  Fun for all, all for fun! ™

Carnival Cruise Line have made extensive modifications to enrich your capacity to move about each ship. Carnival’s ships feature accessible elevators at each elevator bank with controls accessible for guests who use wheelchairs and audible signals for guest who are visually impaired.

Accessible paths are available throughout most areas of the ship and signs are displayed to support you in finding these passageways.

If you travel with your own medical equipment, medications or supplies, it is important that you hand carry. Please do not pack these items with your checked luggage.

If you need assistance with boarding your supplies, please see a Carnival Cruise Lines representative once inside the embarkation lobby.

Accessible Staterooms

Carnival-Legend-premium-balcony

Carnival Cruise Line have accessible staterooms for guests using wheelchairs on all of their ships.

There are two categorisations of staterooms:

Modified Cabins: These cabins are designed for guests who may use a wheelchair or comparable mobility aids, for example grab bars and shower seats in the bathrooms.

Accessible Cabins: These cabins are designed for guest with limited or no mobility who use a wheelchairs or other similar mobility aids (and include amenities such as ample turning space throughout the cabin; and a large accessible bathrooms).

Accessible staterooms are strictly reserved for guests that have a mobility disability. Carnival Cruises require guests to acknowledge the need for the accessible stateroom by completing a Special Requirements Form.

If an accessible stateroom is booked by a guest who does not require the accessibility features in the stateroom, they may possibly be relocated at any time to another non-accessible stateroom in order to accommodate a guest with a disability.

As with all Carnival reservations, staterooms within each category are allocated on a first come, first serve basis. For that reason, it is wise to reserve an accessible or modified stateroom well in advance.

Passenger who use mobility scooters must store and recharge them in your stateroom. As a duty of care, wheelchairs and scooters strictly are not able to be stored in the corridors. Your mobility scooter is required to fit in a standard stateroom with a 21″ entry doorway. If your scooter is larger than 21″, you are required to secure a modified stateroom.

If you have need of assistance for embarking and disembarking the ship, Carnival Cruise Lines carry a limited supply of wheelchairs obtainable for this purpose & guests are attended to on a first-come/first-serve basis. With the purpose of accommodating these requirements, we reserve them for embarkation and debarkation at the pier facility only.

Deck plans of accessible routes as well as a deck plans that specifies the position of accessible seating within the restaurants and lounges, and accessible public restrooms, are located on the links below, under your respective ship:

Carnival Breeze

Carnival Conquest

Carnival Dream

Carnival Ecstasy

Carnival Elation

Carnival Fantasy

Carnival Fascination

Carnival Freedom

Carnival Glory

Carnival Imagination

Carnival Inspiration

Carnival Legend

Carnival Liberty

Carnival Magic

Carnival Miracle

Carnival Paradise

Carnival Pride

Carnival Sensation

Carnival Splendor

Carnival Sunshine

Carnival Triumph

Carnival Valor

Carnival Victory

Carnival Vista

Visually Impaired

Visually-Impaired

You should request a portable room kit prior to sailing.

This includes:

  • A visual-tactile alert telephone system
  • alarm clock
  • smoke detector
  • A TTY (teletypewriter)

Printed official papers are offered for the emergency lifeboat drill, onboard.

Braille signs are available onboard all ships, specifying cabin numbers and public rooms names. The only Braille format documents available are in your cabin directories and room service menus.

Dining room menus, Carnival Fun Times, and shore excursion information with larger print are available for your convenience. Carnival Cruises can also provide an audible format of our Carnival Fun Times. Simply contact Guest Services as soon as you are onboard should you require any of these items.

Children With disabilities

With Carnival Cruises tagline Fun for all, all for fun! ™ Carnival Cruise do not leave anyone out, even your children can participate in the fun. In order for children to take part in any Carnival youth program activities, the parent or legal guardian is required to complete a registration form. You will also be given an alternate disabilities checklist, which will help aid the youth staff in how to best serve your child while participating in the activities.

Carnival Youth Program Registration Pg 1

Carnival Youth Program Registration Pg 2

Children who are within one year of a Carnival Youth Program age group may move down into the younger age group. Additional exclusions will be deliberated on a case by case basis for disabilities children.

Guest that are 18 year old with disabilities are prohibited to join in the program, as they are legally adults.

Carnival Cruise do not arrange for one on one care, however if this is needed, the parent or legal guardian, assigned helper is welcome to stay and participate with the child during activity times.

Parents of children with disabilities will be given a beeper or phone (if applicable).

Youth program rules still apply to all children, in terms of management of medication, illness, hours and improper behaviour while in the program.

The youth staff will not administer any medication and/or needles to any child participating in the Carnival youth program. In addition, no medications, with the exception of epi-pens, diabetic testing equipment, nebulisers and inhalers are permitted in the facilities.

Should a child still be in nappies and they are older/bigger than what the nappy changing table can hold, then the parent or legal guardian will be asked to assist.

Youth staff cannot lift children with mobility disabilities.

As the youth staff is not capable to provide one-on-one assistance, children will need to be capable to feed themselves. If a child desires to be fed, a parent or guardian may stay with the child for the duration of dinner, or bring the child to activities following dinner.

Supervised lunch with youth staff is arranged for children ages 2-11 years old, during port days only, for parents who are on-shore and/or on a Carnival scheduled shore excursion.

Supervised dinner with youth staff is scheduled nightly (excluding embarkation night) for children ages 2-11 years old.

Special diets cannot be accommodated. Kid’s menus are subject to change based on availability.

Service Dogs

Service Dog

Carnival Cruise Line welcome guests who have a service dog escorting them on the cruise. Carnival Cruise Lines only permits service dogs onboard, a service dog is legally defined and is competent to meet the disability related need. We do not allow guests to sail with therapy/companion dogs or service dogs in training.

Service dogs must be up to day with their vaccinations; these vaccinations are in addition to what port officials require.

Please know that many of the ports you may visit will only accept annual rabies vaccinations. The three-year rabies vaccination is not recognised in many countries. It is the guest’s obligation to contact the Department of Agriculture or your Service Dogs Veterinarian to obtain information on the requirements at each port. Failure to have the mandatory vaccinations or documentation may result in your service animal not be able to disembark or quarantine.

If you choose to disembark the ship in a visiting port of call, in which your service dog does not have the required documents, or you choose to leave your service dog onboard. You must make arrangements for the care of your dog. Ships staff are not obligated to care for the dog, and you must not leave your dog in the stateroom unattended.

Please carry the original records of vaccinations and any permits required for visiting ports of call with you while traveling. A copy of these permits must be left with our Guest Services desk upon boarding. 

Milestone: Carnival Cruise Line Welcomes Half a Million Guests

Posted: June 8, 2022

Australia, Press Release, , , , ,

Carnival Cruise Line has achieved an extraordinary milestone, welcoming half a million passengers onto its Australia-based ships Carnival Spirit and Carnival Legend since its debut Down Under in 2012.

To celebrate the achievement, the Anderson family who tipped the cruise line over the magic 500,000 number which took place during Carnival Spirit’s current 11-night New Caledonia cruise, Carnival arranged a special welcome for first time cruisers,.

Briohney and Matt Anderson, both personal trainers from the Sydney suburb of Davidson, had been looking forward to their first cruise with their sons Taylor (8) and Ollie (6) but never dreamed their trip would see them sailing into the history books as Carnival’s 500,000th Australian guests.

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]  “I’ve always wanted to do a cruise and I had heard great things about Carnival – it was the only choice for me really!” Briohney said. “The slides on Carnival Spirit caught my eye, so we didn’t look at anything else.”   [/pullquote]

Briohney said while the family was surprised, the fuss made by the Carnival crew to celebrate the half a million milestone, including a “lovely cake” and balloons, had made them feel special.

The cruise, planned to mark another celebration – Briohney’s 40th birthday – also marks the family’s first family holiday in five years.

Carnival Cruise Line Vice President Australasia Jennifer Vandekreeke said reaching the landmark less than four years after the cruise line’s local debut was testament to the line’s growing popularity among Australian cruisers.

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “Carnival’s free-spirited, family friendly fun is a fantastic match with Australians’ outgoing and relaxed nature so our local ships consistently receive some of the top passenger ratings in the fleet.   [/pullquote]

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]We’re thrilled that thanks to the support of our repeat guests and new cruisers like the Andersons, we’re now on our way to welcoming a million guests onboard,” Ms Vandekreeke said.[/pullquote]