alaska cruises for handicapped seniors

Accompanied by a knowledgeable Tour Director, every detail is taken care of as you explore this magnificent land. Here are some great ideas for vacations for handicapped seniors to help inspire your next vacation! All access to the quayside is by a narrow, stepped gangway. Accessible shore excursions in private, adapted vehicles can be arranged via the cruise line, but you need to send in a questionnaire in good time before cruising. A lot of cruises depart from British ports, so there's no need to fly, and there are some long voyages in winter to exotic destinations, again, with no need to board an aircraft. Dont let this discourage you from exploring this town full of amazing views. See Alaska small ship cruises The Caribbean is another popular cruise destination for senior travelers. During dinner hours, you can order meals from the dining room directly to your suite through room service. And if you're 65 or older you can travel at half fares during off-season months. Customers can arrange cruise mobility rentals 24/7 by booking online or calling 1-888-441-7575. The Alaska line is considered their crown jewel. Once your equipment has been booked, we will deliver your cruise wheelchair rental directly to your ship cabin, port, hotel or residence - whichever is most convenient for you. The hop-on, hop-off buses used by American Queen Voyages continue the leisurely paced experience, allowing passengers to go at their own pace (a near-perfect option on Mississippi River cruises for seniors). Shore excursions to historical sites and museums are common. With so much of the state untouched and untamed, it is no surprise that Alaskas trails, beaches, and waterfalls appeal to the adventurous, Seward, situated on the Kenai Peninsula south of Anchorage, is a popular tourist destination. Rugged luxury geared towards families, individuals or small groups, we cater to every skill level and tailor for flexibility! Is it possible to get off the ship in port or hear the evening show? Olsen is branching out into river cruising with one ship, Brabant, but this is unsuitable for those with mobility issues as it has no lift and no adapted cabins. Save up to 15% Drinks Packages Save up to 20% Internet Packages Save up to 40% Specialty Dining Viking takes you on an incredible journey from the mountains to the rainforest. The deck plans on the Saga website are not especially helpful if you're planning a cruise; its easier to call the cruise line. Mechanical issues caused us to leave in the middle of the night causing us to miss Icy Strait Point, our whale watching port. CMV operates a fleet of older ships from its home base, London's Tilbury, as well as other U.K. ports. Consider private journeys, which are highly personalized excursions, small group tours, or destination tours that take you straight to a citys most iconic sights and landmarks in a wheelchair-accessible van. The 3,100-passenger Azura has 25 adapted cabins, including one of the top suites on Riviera deck, while the 2,016-passenger Oceana has 17, again, across all grades. Most passengers are upward of 55 years, although you will see an occasional family traveling with younger children, making it one of the best cruise lines for seniors who want to take along the grandkids. Treat yourself to a magnificent trip aboard this ship, which has a guest-to-staff ratio of 684 to 400, guaranteeing that you are pampered to your hearts content. While any cruise line could be a great choice for seniors, here are our picks for the five best cruise lines for senior citizens. There's a planetarium onboard, with star shows three times a day. Alaska Tour & Travel uses cookies to track your trip selections and favorites. Get expert advice, insider tips and more. Celebrity ships are updated and stylish, with spacious accommodations and a variety of dining options, such as the Grand pernay Restaurant. Because it begins and ends in Vancouver BC there is no need for a stop in Victoria. So sit back, relax, and get ready to book the best Alaska cruise of your life. American Queen Voyages, formerly American Queen Steamboat Company, now includes coastal ships formerly sailing under the brand of Victory Cruise Lines. From 2018, passengers with collapsible wheelchairs or scooters will be allowed to book non-adapted cabins, while those with non-collapsible wheelchairs will only be allowed to book adapted cabins. Whether you're looking for a quick getaway, or an extended vacation, an accessible Mediterranean cruise from Rome is a great way to see some of Europe's finest cities, experience fantastic accessible shore excursions, and relax knowing your cruise ship is waiting to take you to your next destination! Why American Queen Voyages Is Great for Seniors: While some cruises can be hectic, river cruises in the U.S. are generally more leisurely affairs, with a focus on relaxing and soft sightseeing. Flightseeing and driving tours are an excellent option for travelers who have some mobility. In fact, a cruise might just be one of the best vacations you'll ever experience. Took friends on a 12 day of Alaska to show them the advantages of ocean cruising and show off Alaska. Seniors, experience an Alaska cruise in 2023. If youre lucky, you may even catch a shot of some of the spectacular wildlife calling the state home. Play games in the onboard casino at lowered tables and lowered slot machines. There are not only accessible accommodations on offer but also accessible excursions! Welcome to your Alaskan cruise. Accommodation details for the new Spirit of Discovery have not yet been released, but we do know that all 540 cabins have a private balcony and there will be wheelchair-accessibility across most grades. You can choose an all-inclusive option, you wont have to worry about money and can instead simply focus on the vacation. Accessible cabins on Black Watch have a small lip in the shower, to keep the water in, which may be challenging to a wheelchair user. Culinary experiences include a partnership with America's Test Kitchen, up to five specialty dining venues, and on three ships you'll find innovative BLEND by Chateau Ste. Extravagant Sunday brunches include Champagne and caviar. There are rails to assist with use of the toilet and fixed seats in the showers. email. The warm weather is a great appeal and many different cruise lines offer trips in the Caribbean so there's a lot of choice. The friendly Europe accessible trip planners at Sage Traveling use our expertise in European accessible travel to create custom accessible holidays for people with all types of mobility issues, including wheelchair and scooter users, cane and walker users, and senior travelers. At every port destination on your cruise itinerary, you can book shore excursions that cater to your specific interests and activity level. The Alaska Railroad provides wheelchair lifts at all stations. Here are seven great destinations where handicapped seniors will be welcome and comfortable. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Cruise Classes: 21 Things You Can Learn on Your Next Cruise, Viking Explorer Society Cruise Loyalty Program, What Lines Are Doing With Next-Gen Cruise Technology, 12 Things You Don't Need to Take on a Cruise, Sail Here, Not There: Avoiding Overtourism in Cruise Ports, 8 Reasons to Cruise on a Refurbished Ship, How to Navigate the Airport on Cruise Turnaround Day, The Pros and Cons of a Port-Intensive Cruise, Senior couple on a cruise (Photo: The Art of Pics/Shutterstock.com), The Owner's Suite's Living Room on Silver Muse (Photo: Cruise Critic), Compass Rose on Seven Seas Navigator (Photo: Cruise Critic), Tauck ms Emerald (Photo: Tauck River Cruises), American Duchess (Photo: American Queen Steamboat Company), Main Dining Room on American Constellation (Photo: American Cruise Lines). Related: On AmaWaterways, the Transformative Impact of Wellness. For added leisure, seniors will be able to unwind on the Retreat Deck, which has a private restaurant. Listed prices may have blackout dates, qualifications or restrictions. Viking River cruises include bucket-list experiences. From theme parks to national parks, Alaska to Hawaii, cruises and international destinations . California. Advantages of booking early include having the choice of cabin grades, low deposits and much more. The same applies to destinations like. Enrichment is a standout on American Cruise Lines, with a lecturer on every cruise. Contact us to find out more information on our policies and procedures regarding dialysis on board. Discover all the arctic allure and outdoor adventure of Alaska! On Alaska cruises to Glacier Bay National Park, enjoy privileged park access and talks from rangers and Huna Tlingit guides. If you need assistance getting to the boat, please contact us in advance. The staff treats passengers like royalty on this cruise line, and offers exclusive encounters. You can pack your camera and snap photos of the mountains towering over the ship. All public spaces, dining venues, bars and casinos are also easy to navigate and accessible. Depending on the ship, specialty restaurants include the French fare at Le Dame by Relais & Chateaux; Indochine and Seishin, serving Asian-inspired cuisine; or La Terrazza, honoring the Italian heritage of the family-owned cruise line. You can customize your Alaskan experience by taking interesting excursions like the flightseeing safari in Anchorage. We also offer extra assistance for those who want to reach areas of the ship that are not easily accessible. DH and I are hoping to go on our first Alaska cruise next May 2024. Weekend getaways and great cruise specials. This breathtaking American state is as spectacular as you would imagine, with wildlife and natural attractions unlike anywhere else in the world. Our fax number is ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE If you wish to accommodate a service dog, arrangements can be made in advance with our Access Department. They can help you rent wheelchairs and scooters to get on and off the ship, as well as provide accessible accommodations if you let them know your needs ahead of time. Spouses/dependents do not qualify for Alaska cruise discounts for military and . The Denali Husky Homestead tour, which takes guests to a working sled dog kennel, requires light walking and standing. Lowest pricing is based on our 3rd party pricing supplier and valid as of 4th March 2023. European River Cruise The European river cruise is a leisurely way to see the back waterways of Europe. Travelers with physical limitations, but who do not rely on a wheelchair or scooter, have many options. Being late in the season, there was only half the capacity of guests. THE 25 BEST Cruises for the Disabled to Alaska (with Prices) on Cruise Critic Cruises for the Disabled to Alaska We found you 192 cruise s Filter Sort: Popularity Cruisers' Choice Norwegian. Enjoy the perks of traveling on a cruise ship for guests with disabilities. See monumental natural landscapes and diverse ports of call on an Alaskan cruise which include visits to Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, and Victoria. Teletypewriters (TTY), portable room kits with a visual-tactile alert system for door knocking, telephone ringing, alarm clocks, and smoke detectors are all available onboard. The Oceania Regatta ship, which is the cruise lines flagship, is famed for its trips to Alaska. Accessible staterooms are held for travelers with disabilities until all other non-accessible staterooms in that category are fully booked. The boats cannot accommodate motorized wheelchairs or scooters. Scooters up to 56cm wide will only be allowed in cabins suitable for non-collapsible wheelchairs and scooters, while larger scooters will only be allowed in fully adapted cabins. Alaska Railroad Corporation. Renting a wheelchair for your cruise couldn't be easier. See the original Klondike Trail of 1898 worn into the rocks, a permanent tribute to the thousands of souls who passed this way in search of fortune. The lovely ship feature accessible staterooms and can accommodate passengers with vision and hearing impairments as well as mobility concerns. The line does warn, however, that its wheelchair accessible cabins are adapted from the original specification, rather than purpose-built, so depending on your needs, ask very specific questions when you book. There may be local culinary experiences like a lobster bake while on American Cruise Lines coastal New England cruise, or a Cajun cooking demonstration on Mississippi River cruises. Celebritys luxury cruise ships sail to over 300 destinations and 79 countries on all seven continents of the world. Everything is carefully thought out, right down to highlighting which excursions are best for those who are less mobile. Anchorage, AK 99503 The gorgeous state capitol is home to just under 33,000 and had only 134 violent crimes in 2013. These hour-long flights work well for travelers with limited mobility, although they do require two or three steps up into a small plane. For hard-of-hearing passengers, visual alarms can be requested in cabins, while most entertainment areas have hearing loop systems installed. 907.373.3494 Premium 10-Day Tours 10 Day Grand Discovery Not only will you get to see everything Alaska has to offer, but youll also enjoy all the onboard pampering. 1-808-690-9990. Program? These cruises are only available on Holland Americas mid-sized ships, which are the ideal size for getting close to Alaskas natural beauty. > Alaska. Your underneath the Spinnaker Lounge which goes on until 11PM and the maintainable work goes in until 12.30 AM, but thats not the, We lucked out with this cruise. The Constellation Class cruises New England, Hudson River, Puget Sound and Alaska. In addition, average cruise prices are updated nightly. Queen Mary 2, meanwhile, has 15 ocean-view single-occupancy cabins. To ensure that your cruise experience is perfect from beginning to end, youll get help with transportation from the airport to the pier, during boarding, and when departing the ship for cruise excursions. We recommend submitting an SRI upon booking or a . 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. What to Expect on a Cruise: Boarding a Cruise Ship, Windstar Yachts vs. Windstar Sailing Ships. And no one wants to miss the traditional tea in the Queens Room, or the fish and chips in the Golden Lion Pub. Why HAL Is Great for Seniors: THolland Americas shore excursion program, EXC In-Depth Voyages, appeals to well-traveled individuals looking for more comprehensive information about a destination, the local culture and customs. Passengers can make arrangements ahead of time with the Access & Compliance Department to secure wheelchairs, scooters and other amenities to support any disability issues. Learn More >, Alaska Tour & Travel Many cruise ships are specifically designed to accommodate cruises for seniors with disabilities. Braille signage is included in elevators and public areas throughout, while Celebrity Today, our daily newsletter, is available in Braille and large font. As with most European river cruises, beer and wine are included with dinner, as are bottled water and specialty coffees onboard. Related: What It's Like Sailing the Great Lakes With Viking. You must provide 72 hours advance notice if you are traveling with a group of 10 or more passengers with disability. Regent Seven Seas Cruises' five all-suite ships travel to more than 450 destinations around the globe and boast the world's most inclusive cruise experience. Enjoy exclusive senior savings and rates when you book a vacation with Carnival Cruise Line! Disney thinks of everything on this fun-for-everyone cruise. http://www.seward.com Look under Top Questions and read thru some of the 2012 trip reports to get some ideas for an itinerary. Because a lot of the passengers are elderly, the crew are used to dealing with passengers with different abilities and are kind and sympathetic. You can travel 30 miles on the Natural History Bus Tour, 62 miles on the Tundra Wilderness. A Cruise will meet the needs of everyone in your group, a family member with a disability, seniors, active adults, teenagers, children and toddlers. Raised toilet seats and extra mattresses can be requested at the time of booking. . Norwegian also has specific employees that assist seniors and other travelers who require special assistance. In general, the cruise lines will only allow the military discount to be applied to the cabin which contains the member of the military or to just the military member themselves. Passengers who are heavily reliant on the use of a wheelchair or mobility scooter may be severely restricted in embarking and disembarking at ports of call because Adonia doesn't have a low-level ramped gangway. If you require the regular use of a wheelchair during the cruise, you would need to bring your own or rent one from a service provider. Call our local Hawaii specialists for any questions about our island tours and activities. Seeing Alaska by rail is a real treat for seniors with mobility issues or not. On Balmoral, the pool on deck 11 has a shallow 'end', as it were, making it easier for a person with mobility issues to be lowered gently into the water. Our accessible staterooms have carefully considered features, such as wider doors with removed door sills, which make for convenient wheelchair and power scooter access. Ever lasting forests as far as the eye can see. By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics, Choosing a Cruise Ship Room: What to Expect. About TravelnessContact usBrand AssetsRecent Posts, HotelsFlightsTours & ActivitiesTours in EuropeDigital SecurityDepositphotos, Alaskas capital, Juneau, is the sole state capital that is inaccessible by roads. Regatta offers an onboard day spa, lounges, cocktail bars, a casino, and suites with your own private balcony to enjoy the ocean air for a more intimate experience. Summer cruises to Alaska are great for a memory-making multigenerational vacation when the kids are out of school and parents can use up their vacation days. Celebrity welcomes service dogs aboard for seniors with disabilities. Silversea has even been named the best cruise line for senior citizens, and the service is sure to leave you speechless. 1. Enable Accessibility; Log in; 1-866-234-7350 1-855-577-9489 1-877-288-3037 1-877-288-3037 1-877-474-2969;