Once I became disabled, my first thought was to whether I'd ever be able to travel again. Some of my early attempts at traveling with a wheelchair were fun, but it was hard on my family and friends, especially when it came to managing luggage, lines, etc. I hated to put them out and the question became: "Would I be stuck at home" or "Would I have to give up on traveling altogether".

Fortunately, our daughter treated us to a cruise for our anniversary - and we were hooked! Cruising is ideal for those who are disabled, especially when it comes to mobility. I have an almost impossible time riding in a car for any length of time; and conventional vacations leave me nothing more than exhausted. A trip on the sea, however, where someone else takes care of the luggage, my riding time is limited, and if I am having a "bad" day, I can just sit - either in our stateroom or out on deck - without ruining the trip for others is perfect. On our recent trip aboard the Adventure of the Seas, I saw many others in the same "boat" as I was, so my review will address cruising for those who are mobility challenged. Rather than going through our cruise minute by minute, I'm going to outline various experiences we had, and how (or if) something can be learned through them!

Traveling: we flew Continental both ways, and it was the first time that we'd had non-stop flights. It was such a relief to know that once they took my scooter (a/k/a KK, the Krazy Kruiser) from me at the end of the jetway, it would be there when we de-planed. If you've ever waited, and waited, and waited for one to appear, only to learn that it didn't make your flight, you'll know what I mean! Unfortunately, traveling with a scooter AND a body that sets off alarms means you need to allow extra time for security. On this particular trip, it was NOT a good thing. On three different occasions, I felt that the security people got 'way too familiar and at one point, I requested that the person use a wand. Advice? Don't. If, however, you have experienced this as well, I'd urge you to contact TSA Officials, the FAA, your senator, etc. etc. While I know that we have security issues here in the US, it does not mean that the handicapped can or should be fondled to ensure their trustworthiness! Ironically, in the ensuing commotion, they never did check for my ticket and boarding pass. Hotels: We chose the Courtyard Miramar going, and used Priceline. We paid $80. It was clean, nice, and the personnel were friendly. It's also close to the Pan Am Pier. The downside? Its restaurants were pricey and it's not nearby many alternatives. In addition, there was only one elevator to be shared by one and all! Not a good thing when most patrons on a Sat. night have plans for boarding a cruise ship the next morning! We took the advice of our porter and sent our luggage down early the next morning. It didn't help that we also had KK to figure in. So, we ended up using a technique that you'll get used to...the GUTGD...or "go up to go down"! It comes in handy aboard the ship. We used their coffeeshop the morning of the cruise, thinking it was included...NOT. Coffee and juice with toast cost us $12/pp. Lesson learned! Read more