| Accessible
Cabins
An important consideration for those planning
sea travel is the accessibility of your cabin. Though you
will not likely be spending a great deal of time inside your
room, it is still important to have a comfortable haven after
a long day. Use the following basic points to help you make
a choice before you book your cruise.
Do your doorway
and all room entrances accommodate mobility devices?
You need to verify with your travel planner or cruise ship
authority that your mobility vehicle will fit through all
required doorways and entranceways on the ship. The best way
to do this is by supplying these people with the correct dimensions
of your mobility vehicle (e.g. a standard scooter is approximately
24 inches wide -- that means that doorways can be no smaller
than 2 feet).
Are there doorsills
or lips leading to other rooms or outside decks?
Ask about doorway lips and other runners that are installed
in public areas. If the lip is particularly high, you may
need assistance when navigating with your mobility vehicle.
Does the bathroom
provide accessibility features like grab bars or shower seats?
Can they be made available?
Accessible bathrooms include features such as wider doors,
hand rails, wheel-in showers with fold down seats, water controls
and showerheads installed at heights that you can reach from
your seat. They will also include sinks and mirrors at wheelchair
height, along with raised lavatory seats. Ask about not only
your cabin bathroom's accessibility features, but also those
found in the general public restrooms. If you are on another
deck and need to use the facilities, it may be a long trip
back down to your cabin.
Are light switches,
telephones, televisions and other devices accessible at lower
levels?
A true accessible cabin will have the switches, cords and
other handles installed at a reasonable height for those seated
in wheelchairs. If you are not guaranteed these helpful features,
then ask for the existing measurements so you can be prepared.
Does your cabin
offer a distress alarm?
Depending on level of mobility, situations may arrive where
you need to ask for assistance. If the rooms do not have appropriate
buttons, then you may consider requesting a pager-type device
for this purpose.
At the very least, your cabin should be
able to accommodate your mobility vehicle. If your vehicle
is your main source or transportation, your cruise will be
much more enjoyable if you can move about your room in relative
ease.
Click
Here to read an article on Shore Excursions!
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