Cruising can be a daunting experience, but even more so if you are taking a wheelchair or maybe your hearing is impaired. You need not worry, many liners have a fantastic array of facilities on board to make your cruise experience as easy as possible. Check out our guide for all the information you should need!
| Cruise Line | Wheelchair or scooter hire | Bring your own wheelchair/scooter? | Weight / Dimension restrictions for wheelchairs? | Disabled cabins on board | Service animals | Hoist available on board | Mobility aids available | Braille? | Facilities for Deaf/Hard of hearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azamara | No | Yes ,but Segways and other similar vehicles are not permitted on board | Maximum width of 23 inches | accessible staterooms range from 272 square feet to 381 square feet, offering a generous five-foot turning radius in sleeping areas, bathrooms and sitting areas for easy maneuverability | Service animals are permitted to accompany the person with a disability in all public areas, including dining venues, unless its presence of behaviour creates a fundamental alteration or a direct threat to safety. Due to health regulations, service animals are not permitted in pools, whirlpools or spas. If the guest chooses to disembark the ship at a port at which the service animal must remain onboard, the guest must make arrangements to ensure that the animal is cared for. A 4 feet x 4 feet relief area with cypress mulch is provided. | No hoists are available on board but you are welcome to bring your own | A portable room kit including alerts for door knocking, telephone ringing, smoke detector, alarm clock, under pillow or under mattress vibrator | Braille is in staterooms, dining and public areas where possible | alerts for door knocking
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| Carnival | No | Yes ,but Segways and other similar vehicles are not permitted on board | 21" for a Standard cabin or 21" + you must purchase a modified cabin or rent a smaller scooter. | 32" entry doorway into the cabin and bathroom. No lips into the bathroom. Roll-in showers with fold-down shower seats. A full turnaround space of approx 60" x 60" in the cabin and also the bathroom. | Yes, see our Facilities for Assitant Dogs Guide! | You can take your own hoist or hire one | Raised toilet seats, shower stools, lower furniture within the cabin. | Braille Signage is available*. Braille and Large Print format is available for the following documents: In-Cabin Directories, Cruise Ticket Contract, and Welcome Aboard Booklets. We also provide audio format for our Carnival Capers®. | In cabin alert systems are available, these kits include: bed shaker, smoke alarm, and door. Our in cabin telephones are equipped with an amplifier. |
| Costa | No | Wheelchairs can be taken for use onboard when staying in an adapted cabins. Or alternatively if staying in any other cabin grade for use when going ashore only. With the exception of Magellan, where passengers may bring their own wheelchair for use onboard, however these must be stored within their cabins. | Must not weigh more than 23kg, and depending on ship/cabin category booked the wheelchair must be collapsible. | Varies between the fleet, with the largest amount of choice and facility available on Magellan. | Yes, they are permitted. You must bring all of the required food and hygiene suppliesand also submit a certification of the dog's vaccination. | Yes, varying between the fleet. Please liaise with the cruise line for the most relevant information | Wet room, Hand rails.. | Lift, cabin number and deck plan on selected ships. | Passengers with mobility limitations, or who suffer from blindness or deafness or have other special needs, can only be accepted for travel if they are accompanied by one able bodied companion who will be responsible for general care and assistance throughout the cruise |
| Cruise & Maritime | No | Fleet are not ideally suited so wheelchairs can be taken for shore use but cannot be used on board. | Not available | Only a few disabled cabins featuring extra rails and a wet room. | Not available | Not available | Wet room, Hand rails. | Not available | Passengers with mobility limitations, or who suffer from blindness or deafness or have other special needs, can only be accepted for travel if they are accompanied by one able bodied companion who will be responsible for general care and assistance throughout the cruise |
| Crystal | No | Yes | Maximum width = 22" | Adapted staterooms offer extra-wide doors, fully wheelchair-accessible bathrooms and wheelchair-accessible closets with low-fitted hanging rods. Some suites offer limited wheelchair access to personal facilities. | Yes they are allowed as defined by ADA regulations. The guest is responsible for bringing food on-board for the animal. | Not available | Accessible restrooms, guests can be provided with the wheelchair shipboard guide for the best routes for manoeuvring around the ship, grab rails, wider doors. | Stateroom numbers, lifts | Hearing assist systems in several entertainment venues, also closed caption programming on the televisions. |
| Cunard | Yes, a $500 refundable deposit must be made on board to hire a wheelchair. | Yes must be collapsible. All wheelchairs/scooters must have either a gel or dry cell battery. | Maximum Width 51cm. Passengers in none adapted cabins 45kg total, with no component piece to weigh above 23kgs when disassembled. | Yes - wider doorways, more open space, wheel-in 'wet room' bathroom facilities, lowered furniture and grab rails as well as the facilities offered in any standard stateroom of the same grade. | Yes they are available on-board but due to regulations they are not allowed to disembark at any port of call. Cunard Line has a DEFRA licence on Southampton to Southampton cruises and Transatlantic crossings on Queen Mary 2. Do require a minimum of 3 months notice. | You can take your own or hire* Hoist are available on board Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2 for pool use. | Raised toilet seats, commodes, shower stools and bath chairs. | Underneath the stateroom number on the door, outside and inside each lift, outside public toilets, at each stairway under the deck letter for the stairway. | Ameriphone systems are available on-board. These include vibrating pillow shaker, lamp attachment, wireless doorbell, fire alarm, and text phone. Neck loops are available from reception however there is no neck loop service at reception. The systems operates in different public areas on each ship,. |
| Disney | No | Yes collapsible or motor scooters. | Must coincide with stateroom booked, if an accessible stateroom width must be under 32", if a standard stateroom must be below 25" | 32" doors , ramped bathroom, open bed frames, additional phones, bathroom hand rails, fold down shower seats, hand held shower heads, lowered towel and closets and emergency call buttons. | Yes, in accordance with Ada. | Currently a pool hoist is available on the Dream and Fantasy. | Bed board, bed rail, portable toilet, raised toilet seat, shower stool ,transfer bench and refrigerator. | Braille bingo cards, and the elevator buttons and signage around the ship also feature Braille. More in-depth information is typically provided in an alternate format, such as a recording. | Assistance listening systems in the theatres, guest assistance packs showing show scripts available, staterooms including alarm clock, bed shaker, door bell, phone alerts, smoke detector and open captioning on stateroom TVs. |
| Fred Olsen | No | Motorised wheelchairs/scooters only on Black Watch, Boudicca, Braemar and Balmoral when occupying an adapted cabin. | Chairs weighing more than 25kg can't be carried ashore other than the start/end point of the cruise, unless they can be easily dismantled. | Ramps at cabin entrance and bathroom/wet room entrance. Door widths are wider, there are grab rails in bathroom/wet room. | Yes service animals are permitted on board. | Not available on board. Guests have to hire their own. Guest would also need to arrange dismantle of equipment/collection of aid at end of cruise. | Shower stools, raised toilet seats and lower furniture. | Not available | Not available |
| Holland America | No | Yes, but not Segway's and other similar vehicles. | 23" max in a standard stateroom, unless collapsible to a width of 23" or less and weight no more than 100 lbs- without the battery. | 32" wide entry door, 32" wide bathroom door, roll-in showers with grab bars, benches/seats, and hand-held shower nozzles, as well as lowered closet and towel rods | Yes , all vaccinations must be up to date. | You can take your own hoist or hire on. | Window-Eyes® computer software in the Explorations Café, downloadable daily activities, news, and menus for guests with laptops with screen reader programs. Raised toilet seats, shower stools and lowered furniture. | With 45 days notice, large print or Braille menus. | Stateroom kits include a visual and tactile alert for someone knocking at the door, the phone ringing, or an alarm. Televisions capable of showing closed captioning. Assistive Listening Systems with portable receivers in the show lounges. Written safety information and a copy of the lifeboat drill safety speech |
| Hurtigruten | No | Yes collapsible or motor scooters welcome. | Depends on the ship and cabin door width. | Larger in size. | Yes service animals are permitted. | Not available | Shower stools | Check at time of booking if your chosen ship has braille | Advise Hutigruten ar rime of booking then arrangements for hearing assistance systems to be applied on board for you. |
| MSC | No | Wheelchairs that are collapsible and dry cell battery are accepted | Maximum width = 23" | Wider doors, lowered switches and hanging rails, ramps ,fold down seat in the shower. | Yes service animals can accompany the passenger on board subject to all vaccinations are up to date. | Not available | Raised toilet seats. | Braille on cabin doors, on stairways, elevator command buttons, in corridors. | Light and voice indicators in elevators. Hearing impaired kits are available with lights and vibration devices for the cabin , personal wireless amplifiers can be used in theatres and lounges. |
| NCL | No | Motorised wheelchairs and Scooters are welcome however, they must be powered by gel-cell batteries. The wheelchair battery charger must be adaptable to 110 voltage. | Not available | Grab rails in the shower and toilet and around the cabin, lower furniture, wider doorways, shower stools. | Yes they are allowed but passengers must provide copies of the dog's current vaccination records that show all shots are up to date. Guest are responsible for bringing all food and medication. | Hoist are available on-board for use at the pool and Jacuzzi | Shower stools, bed extensions, raised toilet seats, grab bars | Each of the stateroom numbers outside the door | Staterooms with light alarms and under-pillow vibrating alarms |
| P&O | No | Yes, for part-time use the wheelchair/scooter must be collapsible. Must have a gel or dry cell battery. | Max- Width 51cm, weight 45kg total, with no component piece to weigh more then 23kgs when disassembled. | Wider doorways, more open space, wheel-in 'wet room' bathroom facilities, lowered furniture and grab rails as well as the facilities offered in any standard stateroom of the same grade. | Yes are allowed but due to regulations are not allowed to disembark at any port of call. 3 months notice required | Take own hoist or hire one Hoists are available on-board Aurora, Ventura and Azura for pool use. | Raised toilets seats, commodes, BHM and Arjo hoists, bed blocks, baths seats/benches, shower chairs/stools, bath lift, ameriphone systems. All items are limited and must be pre-booked before you travel. Not all items are available on every ship please check before you book. | On lift buttons and/or on stateroom numbers. | A limited number of ameriphone systems are available on-board. These include vibrating pillow shaker, lamp attachment, wireless doorbell, fire alarm, and text phone. Neck loops are available from reception however there is no neck loop service at reception. The systems operates in different public areas on each ship, not all of the above are available on every ship please check before you book |
| Princess | No | Yes, but must be collapsible and have either a gel or dry cell battery | Max - Width 51cm, 45kg total, with no component piece to weigh more then 23kgs when disassembled. | Wider doorways, more open space, wheel-in 'wet room' bathroom facilities, lowered furniture and grab rails as well as the facilities offered in any standard stateroom of the same grade. | Yes service animals are accepted on board. | Take own hoist but you will need to check that the hoist is compatible with the ship's electrical supply Swimming pool lift machines are available. | Raised toilets seats, commodes, hoists, baths seats/benches, shower chairs/stools. | On lift buttons and/or on stateroom numbers | Ameriphone systems are available on-board. These include vibrating pillow shaker, lamp attachment, wireless doorbell, fire alarm, and text phone. Neck loops are available from reception however there is no neck loop service at reception. |
| Regent | No | Collapsible wheelchairs, electic and also electric scooters are allowed on board. | Maximum width = 23" | Roll in shower with curtain rather than glass, ramps over the threshold bathroom and balcony. Lowered closest rods and shelves. Grab rails. Alarm pull cords. | Service animals are permitted on board. | Not available | Regent will appoint 1 member of staff to each member with a disability to make sure he/she is taken care off. Disabled restrooms, theatre access. | Braille elevators, room numbers menus and daily itinerary's. | Hearing impairments, portable room kit for door knocking alerting, phone ringing, smoke detecting , Closed caption TV in suites and TTY text phone. |
| Royal caribbean | No | Yes | - | Yes | Service animals are permitted on board. | 2 hoists per ship | roll in showers, lowered sink/dressing table, lowered wardrobe rails, lowered safes | Braille elevators, room numbers. | Large print menus and cruise compasses, braille, audio call signals, tactile sign language, orientation tours and service animals allowed to board |
| Seabourn | No | Wheelchairs that are collapsible and dry cell battery are accepted | Maximum width = 23" | Wider doors, ramps around cabin, wet room, grab bars. | Allowed on board, all required vaccinations must be taken. | Not available. | Maps of accessible routes on board available. | With 45 days notice braille menus can be organised. | Downloadable daily activities, news, and menus for guests with laptops with screen reader programs. |
| Seadream | No | Collapsible and electric wheelchairs accepted. | Maximum width = 31" | Only 1 wheelchair accessible cabin on board. Stateroom has a bath with hand rail, ramps, grab bars, raised toilet seat. | Allowed on board. | Not available | Accessible show seating. Shower stool, transfer bench . | Elevators, tactile and audible alerts, in public areas and for emergency procedures. | A familiarization tour on arrival.TTY phone in stateroom, flashing light door buzzer available, flashing smoke detector available. |
| Silversea | No | Collapsible wheelchair accepted. | Maximum width = 23" | Wider doorways, larger cabin, wheel in shower | Not available | Not available | Not available | Braille is available on cabin numbers and in elevators. | TTY system available upon request. |
| Star Clipper | No | Not available | Not available | Not available | Not available | Not applicable | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Thomson | No | Collapsible wheelchairs and electric chairs accepted | Maximum width = 23" | Wet room, seat in shower, lowered sink, lower cupboards and draws. | Passenger must put a letter in writing to Thomson cruises to advise they wish to attend with a service animal. | Not available | Shower seats | Not available | On-board assistance with emergency drills, |
| Voyages of Antiquity | No | Collapsible wheelchair | Maximum width = 26" | 2 wheelchair adapted cabins available | Trained service animals can be taken on-board with prior notice | Not available | Not available | Not available | The T- Coil system is used on board. |
| Windstar | No | Yes own wheelchair | Maximum width = 23" | Not available | Service animals must have all required immunizations and paperwork. | Not available | Not available | Braille stateroom directories and menus. | Not available |
Although Azamara, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean are grouped together here, they're still individual brands who cater for disabled people on board their ships. They have some similar facilities, but due to fleet size and other aspects they are also slightly different.
There isn't any wheelchair or scooter hire available on any of the 3 brands, however they do all allow passengers to take their own, as long as the wheelchairs are no wider than 23". (Segways and other similar vehicles aren't permitted on board).
The disabled cabins on board boast a 32" door width and the cabins also have no doorsill. All 3 brands have the following cabin facilities; ramped bathroom, bathroom grab bars, lowered sink and vanity, roll-in shower, fold-down shower bench, hand held shower, lowered wardrobe rod and accessible balcony on adapted balcony cabins.
Image Left: An example of an adapted bathroom on board Azamara
All 3 brands allow service animals on board in all public area including dining unless the behaviour of the animal presents a threat to safety. However, for health and safety reasons the service animals are not allowed in the pools, whirlpools or spas.
Hydraulic lifts are available for one pool and one whirlpool on every ship for both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, but Azamara do not have hoists on board, though they are available to hire when requested at time of booking.
Image Left: A pool with good access on board Celebrity Silhouette
Azamara have incorporated Braille in every stateroom, dining areas and public areas for those who use it. On Celebrity and Royal Caribbean the elevator buttons are also in Braille. Both their daily guides can be produced in large print and Braille too.
For deaf or hard of hearing guests Azamara, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean all have the following facilities on board; a portable room kit which includes alerts for door knocking, telephone ringing, smoke detector, alarm clock, under pillow/mattress vibrator, an optional TTY (Text Telephone) – this is linked to Guest Relations so they can fulfil any needs. Sign Language interpreting services are available using American Sign Language. These can be used for main production shows, port and shopping presentations and other major activities. Closed captions televisions are available, however only some programmes are captioned; all safety videos are captioned.
Please note that the cruise line will need to be informed of what you need at time of booking so they can arrange it all, so terms and conditions do apply.
Image Left: An optional TTY (Text Telephone) is linked to Guest Relations
The above information is to be used as a guide only. Please check with individual cruiselines or your cruise consultant before booking a cruise. Each cruiseline reserves the right to change their policy at any time without notice for which Cruise.co.uk cannot be held responsible. The information is compiled and calculated by Cruise.co.uk - this information is not to be reproduced without prior permission.
