Question:
I would really like to go on a cruise, but I suffer from a disability that causes significant mobility issues. I have my better days, where I can go for a decent stretch with a walker, but more than often the wheelchair is my necessary mode of transport. Are there certain lines or itineraries that are better suited to persons with disabilities?
Answer:
For any given cruise line, the answer may vary depending on destination and the actual abilities of the cruise passenger.
The first thing to look for is an itinerary without many tender ports. Tender ports -- such as Grand Cayman, Portofino, Cabo San Lucas, Sitka, to name a few -- don't have docks, so ships can't pull alongside. Instead, passengers are ferried to shore in smaller boats (usually those that also serve as lifeboats), and in many cases these are not terribly safe for wheelchair users or others with mobility issues.
Holland America is one cruise line that does offer a wheelchair-accessible tender system.
In port, there are many sightseeing tours that use motorcoaches to transport passengers. However, most of these have fairly steep steps -- and no wheelchair lifts. The buses can often store collapsible wheelchairs, but they are just not necessarily equipped with ramps or lifts. In many cases, this is something that's beyond cruise lines' control, though some do make more of an effort to work with tour companies that can provide lifts; Crystal Cruises, for one, arranges lifts whenever possible, but they're not always available.
Princess Cruises is another; its Alaska cruise tours, for instance, feature accessible railcars and hotels, and it does use an accessible trolley for a St. Thomas tour. But such features are not offerred in every port.
I'd recommend taking a look at Cruise Critic's "Disabled Cruise Travel" message board. You can read through past threads that mention resources for various destinations for travelers with disabilities (this one is particularly useful) and ask questions of the other cruisers who have experience with the accessibility of the various ports and cruise lines. The posters often mention independent tour providers that are friendly to travelers with disabilities -- from what I've read, it's often better to arrange your own tours than rely on the cruise lines to give an accurate depiction as to how accessible the ship-sponsored tours are.
Ultimately, disabled travelers can enjoy most any cruise destination -- it just might take a little more advance planning.
Have a question -- big or small -- for the editor? Send an e-mail to 
