Topic: Fred Olsen for the Disabled

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines welcomes any passengers, dependent on the use of wheelchairs for mobility, to all their ships. They do request though that they are always accompanied by an able-bodied companion. There are a limited number of cabins modified to accommodate these passengers. The number of wheelchairs they can permit on each ship is limited by the Safety Classification Society. Individual crew members are assigned to each cabin occupied by a wheelchair user who will be called to assist in the event of an emergency.

As it stands at the moment
Braemar permits 5 wheelchairs and has 4 modified cabins.
Black Watch permits 6 wheelchairs and has 4 modified cabins.
Boudicca permits 6 wheelchairs and has 4 modified cabins.
Balmoral permits 12 wheelchairs and has 9 modified cabins.

The number of wheelchairs they accept for shore use only is also restricted.

Fred Olsen will only accept motorised wheelchairs/scooters on Black Watch, Boudicca, Braemar and Balmoral when occupying an adapted cabin.

We found FO to be the worst cruise line, Ramped gang ways with rungs across whichmakes getting on and off ship difficult, also tenders are impossible as you need to be able to walk down steps.
Royal Carribean are best. p&o Artemis also very hard to use gangways also the Conservatory is too narrow to push wheelchair through

It's true that FO allow wheelchair users as stated in the first post.

They also insist that wheelchair users have a carer (the able-bodied companion referred to by the OP) on board with them... Fair enough!

BUT, if you want one of the wheelchair-friendly cabins (like the 4 provided on Boudicca, for example), the carer has to share that cabin.

So you are thinking "why not?" - but what if the carer is not romantically involved with the wheelchair passenger? What if the carer just wants a single cabin next door?
The answer to either of these is that the wheelchair user then must have a normal cabin (in the case of Boudicca, using one of the 2 remaining wheelchair allocations). The carer can then have a separate cabin anywhere!

I'd love to know the reasoning behind this weird policy. If a wheelchair user is allowed a single (normal) cabin, why on earth (or on water perhaps!) are they disallowed from having a single occupancy disabled-access cabin?

Answers on a postcard...

QUOTE:

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines welcomes any passengers, dependent on the use of wheelchairs for mobility, to all their ships. They do request though that they are always accompanied by an able-bodied companion. There are a limited number of cabins modified to accommodate these passengers. The number of wheelchairs they can permit on each ship is limited by the Safety Classification Society. Individual crew members are assigned to each cabin occupied by a wheelchair user who will be called to assist in the event of an emergency.

As it stands at the moment
Braemar permits 5 wheelchairs and has 4 modified cabins.
Black Watch permits 6 wheelchairs and has 4 modified cabins.
Boudicca permits 6 wheelchairs and has 4 modified cabins.
Balmoral permits 12 wheelchairs and has 9 modified cabins.

The number of wheelchairs they accept for shore use only is also restricted.

Fred Olsen will only accept motorised wheelchairs/scooters on Black Watch, Boudicca, Braemar and Balmoral when occupying an adapted cabin.

The Balmoral does welcome people in wheelchairs including electric. Any one who has tried to propel themselves in a manual wheel chair will find the carpeted corridors a strain, hence my preference for powered assistance. The adapted cabins are magnificent, the staff attentive and helpful only has one problem - the ability to get ashore. If the tides are not right, access is via a gang plank which becomes steps when too steep. A great shame. Everything else is wonderful but you need to be able to use your own legs to go ashore.