By Charlotte Bethune-Fisher
In the last two months, we have looked at issues involved in traveling with spinal cord injury (SCI) by land and by air. This month, we look at travel by sea.
Cruises have become a popular way to vacation, and especially, as liners become more and more accessible, for people with disabilities. Many travelers enjoy the comfortable accommodations and the array of activities offered on board; the fact that these traveling hotels put in at interesting ports of call is almost a fringe benefit.
For people with SCI, however, ships have many common obstacles. Older ships feature “lips” at cabin, bathroom, and some public room doors. New ships in most cases have been able to remove these “lips” through new design techniques. It is advisable to avoid these older ships, even though ramps may have been built to attempt to overcome these obstructions. These retrofitted ramps are often steep and too frequent for even the most physically adept passenger to wheel up and down without extra assistance. Ramps on newer ships have been constructed with reasonable grading that would be equivalent to most shore-side facilities.
For your special needs, bigger is usually better. The bigger the ship, the more space you will have to maneuver. Larger elevators, wider hallways, and larger cabin facilities will be the norm. Naturally, ships without elevators will be out of the question. A large modern ship is often the equivalent of a twelve to fourteen story building. There are usually two or three banks of elevators aboard. A large ship may approach a length of a thousand feet. For this reason, a powered scooter is a fabulous cruise accessory. These electrical motored marvels are narrow and agile enough to circumnavigate the entire ship. Many ships are now equipped with wheelchair lifts at embarkation/debarkation stations. These devices will provide a power lift up and down the boarding ramp, making life for all very comfortable. In addition, ramps are often placed at lower decks. Some itineraries feature “out islands” or ports that require tender service to shore. Arrangements can be made to get you ashore, but rough sea conditions may preclude your ability to board the tenders. When possible, select an itinerary that uses a dock at every port call.
On Board Accessibility
Modern ships now feature cabins that have been constructed with you in mind. They feature doors that are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair, and open all the way. The interior designs of the accessible cabins have been altered to provide useful maneuvering room. In some cabins, roll in closets and clothes racks at chair height are available. Bathrooms have been designed with features that offer wider doors, grab bars, roll-in showers with fold down seats, water controls, and telephone style shower heads at heights that you can reach. Accessible sinks, mirrors, raised lavatory seats; nonskid bath mats and other special features can now be found aboard a modern ship. Please do not take anything for granted. There are far more cabins available that are wheelchair friendly, and additional amenities in those cabins to make your voyage a most pleasurable one.
A Seaworthy Check List
The following items have been deemed as necessary for inclusion on the list. These are minimum requirements and many not are suitable for everyone. In general, the newer the ship, the better compliance with modern standards.
• Has accessible cabins
• Has wide doors
• Has no/low sills
• Has bath with grab bars
• Ramps available throughout the ship
• Access to public rooms and passenger areas
• Equipped with elevators of sufficient size for wheelchairs
While the majority of cruise lines that patronize US ports of call have at least a minimal number of specifically designated cabins for wheelchair occupants available, a few report having 25 or more specially designed cabins for people with limited mobility.
Cruise Tips:
• If you anticipate difficulty getting on and off a ship, choose a cruise with fewer stops.
• Lock your wheelchair brakes when the chair is not moving because even the slightest rocking of the ship can cause a wheelchair to roll. (Some people use blocks in addition to the brakes.)
• Choose a cabin near the elevator and reserve a table near the entrance of the dining room if you anticipate difficulty maneuvering.
• Confirm that special requests have been passed on to the crew.
• Take along motion sickness medication prescribed by your doctor.
• Make sure the ship is accessible to wheelchairs.
• Be sure wheelchair brakes are in good working order.
• Determine in advance whether any ports of call will require a license for a motorized wheelchair.
ABLE to Travel
Members of United Spinal are eligible to use the accessible travel experts at ABLE to Travel to get the best deals from agents who are sensitive to your needs. Contact us by calling our toll-free number, 888-211-3635, or writing to sacosta@unitedspinal.org. Or just visit abletotravel.org.
Charlotte Bethune-Fisher is a case worker in Social Services.
Clarifications
The article “Travel After SCI: Airlines” that appeared in the December 05 Orbit contained some points that need to be clarified.
Stowage of battery powered wheelchairs
Air carriers must accept collapsible battery- powered wheelchairs as carry-on baggage on the same terms as those for manual wheelchairs. That is, if the passenger with a disability pre-boards and the on-board storage space permits, the electric wheelchair, including the non-spillable battery, must be stowed on-board the aircraft. If the wheelchair cannot be stored in the cabin without removing the battery, the carrier shall remove the battery and store it in the baggage compartment.
Also, an airline can not require that you leave your wheelchair at the ticket counter and check it as baggage. If your wheelchair needs to be placed in the baggage compartment, the airline personnel will check it at the door of the aircraft.
Oxygen
It should be clarified that currently airlines do not have to provide oxygen service and many do not. If oxygen is provided, airlines are currently allowed to charge for the oxygen. A passenger is not allowed to bring their own oxygen supply.
Department of Transportation
An important resource for resolving issues related to disability accommodations is the U.S. Department of Transportation’s aviation consumer disability hotline. The toll-free number is 1-800-778-4838 (voice) and 1-800455-9880 (TTY).
