This was our 14th cruise but, after my wife suffered a stroke last summer, this was our first in an accessible cabin as wheelchair users, and it was just as enjoyable as all the rest. For anyone in a similar situation I would definitely recommend trying a P&O cruise, they really do try to ensure that your disability will not be a handicap to you having a good time.

We had travelled down from Yorkshire the day before so were able to have a late breakfast before a leisurely drive to the port, arriving about noon. CPS, the car parking group, really do a great job helping to unload your luggage and ensuring you have everything to hand before swapping your car keys for a credit card sized receipt to retrieve your car on your return. Once in the Ocean Terminal we were directed to the mobility "holding" area and added our name to their list. After about 20 minutes we were taken to a special mobility check in and from here we went straight onto the ship. I missed the announcement advising that cabins would not be ready until 2:00pm, as a result we were in our cabin by 12:45, and fortunately it was ready...

I knew that accessible balcony cabins were 50% wider than normal ones but had not realised how much bigger this would make them feel. The standard walk in closet/wardrobe on Grand Princess Class ships is missing and even though the bathroom is bigger than normal this still leaves an extremely spacious bedroom area. Behind the large door is a space large enough to park the wheelchair, then a 4 door wardrobe with 75% of it for full length hanging space with a shelf above and the other has about 5 or 6 narrow shelves plus the cabin safe. The rest of that wall has a counter with the tea and coffee equipment etc. with the fridge and a cupboard underneath and above it the TV. , then the kneehole for the vanity area; on the bedhead wall there are 2 four drawer units both with an open shelf under the units top. And if you can fill all these cupboards and drawers, then you are taking too many clothes on holiday. The bathroom has a drop down shower seat; there are grab rails on the 2 walls and a shower curtain round the open sides. There is very limited shelf space around the sink and no cupboards anywhere, about the only downside though, and the picture of a Ventura wheelchair cabin on the website does not really do justice to the size and quality of the bathroom. The balcony, of course, is also 50% wider and this certainly makes it feel roomier. Our cabin was on A deck but I am looking forward sometime to booking a C deck cabin which with its double depth and the extra length should feel very spacious. Read more