Topic: Scooters at sea: It's a question of ship-mobility...

According to the group Special Needs at Sea, in another 5 years, nearly 25% of the population in Europe will be over the age of 65.

With this in mind, they are trying to encourage cruiselines increase their consideration of those who use a mobility scooter, and those who are disabled.

This 'Silver Segment' has the time and resources to travel, and tend to have special needs relating to hearing loss, diminished vision, limited mobility, breathing problems and other consequences of aging," the group said.

Cruise ships are getting bigger - so more passengers are requiring wheelchairs, mobility scooters, walkers and other mobility aides in order to get around.

Andrew Garnett, founder and chief executive officers, said: "Our goal at Special Needs Group is to remove all barriers to travel and to ensure that no one misses an opportunity to see the world or participate in a family vacation because of a physical impairment."

As an over 65 myself, I appreciate the idea that I would be able to continue cruising if I should suffer a disability and like the idea of being able to use a mobility scooter. I am also sure that scooters could cause problems if too many were on board. Perhaps the numbers could be limited, or would that be considered discriminatory?

If 25% of Europeans will be 65+ in 5 years and say 25% will be children, that doesn't leave a lot of workers to produce the revenue to pay all the state pensions, so perhaps I won't be able to afford cruising.

As my wife is disabled (note not unable) I am intrigued as to where the Cruise companies expect scooters to be parked. Have any of you tried to negotiate a wheelchair down passageways? Just trying to get past the service carts can be almost impossible!
Equally why are cabin doors so narrow?
Answers please.

I have a mobility scooter which I would like to take onboard a cruise ship. I am lucky in that I could probably manage on the ship most of the time, however I would need the scooter for shore trips
upandaway

There are people using scooters on ships already and they are a menace. They travel faster than people walk and are silent so can't be heard when appraching from behind. Requests to slow down are ignored or result in rude demands to get out of their way. They can also be a nuisance trying to force their way into lifts.

QUOTE:

There are people using scooters on ships already and they are a menace. They travel faster than people walk and are silent so can't be heard when appraching from behind. Requests to slow down are ignored or result in rude demands to get out of their way. They can also be a nuisance trying to force their way into lifts.

Thats pretty harsh ! putting everybody into the same category, there are many disabled people out there with manners and consideration, please don't generalise and put them all in the same boat! One day it could be you!

I was on the same boat, Arcadia to the Canaries in autumn 2008. My own son is disabled and enjoys his cruising but not at the risk to other cruisers.

QUOTE:

There are people using scooters on ships already and they are a menace. They travel faster than people walk and are silent so can't be heard when appraching from behind. Requests to slow down are ignored or result in rude demands to get out of their way. They can also be a nuisance trying to force their way into lifts.

Please do not lump all scooter users as the same! Although not yet 60, my husband has had to start using a mobility scooter for any distances. If it weren't for the (limited) cruise lines that allow them, we would have had to forgo our favourite forms of holidaying. He is able to manage onboard, but it is impossible to go ashore without it. We found that NCL were most helpful when we took it onboard last year, although it did limit the space in our room, where we had to keep it, considerably. My husband was extremely courteous to other guests, when travelling the corridors, and the lifts were, on the whole, very accesible. We also found other guests on this cruise very accepting, and we will certainly cruise with it again.

QUOTE:

I have a mobility scooter which I would like to take onboard a cruise ship. I am lucky in that I could probably manage on the ship most of the time, however I would need the scooter for shore trips
upandaway

We were disappointed to find few cruise lines that will allow scooters onboard. We travelled with RCL last year and all travel to and from the ship went really smoothly. The one drawback was that, although it was only required for onshore excurtions, we had to keep the scooter in our room. I would advise booking one of the largest staterooms to allow for this.

QUOTE:

There are people using scooters on ships already and they are a menace. They travel faster than people walk and are silent so can't be heard when appraching from behind. Requests to slow down are ignored or result in rude demands to get out of their way. They can also be a nuisance trying to force their way into lifts.

I know this will cause an uproar but I agree with the above. Mobility scooters are a complete nuisance on cruise ships. I don't care if it is "politically incorrect" but someone has to call a halt to the "we are entitled to go anywhere" brigade. For this reason I will not go on any cruise that starts in the UK as they are all inundated with mobility scooters. Cruise ships are not suited to these dreadful machines which unfortunately are often operated by totally selfish people.
I shall now retire to put my steel helmet on!