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Traveling by sea
nowadays for the disabled traveler is not as
hard as it used to because there are an
increasing number of ferries which have
incorporated special facilities for the disabled
person and where there is a choice of routes or
companies providing such services, it is always
recommended to check out which one provides the
best facilities. Disabled person traveling by
sea will that things are much more easier
nowadays. A person with disability on cruise
can enjoy the trip just as much as a normal
person in all the modern ships that offer
cruising vacations. Please keep in mind that not
all vessels in a fleet will have the same
facilities. Although information can be obtained
to find out whether or not a ferry or hovercraft
offer special facilities, it is still useful and
vital to inform the company in advance that
someone is disabled.
When booking a trip
for a disabled passenger, ensure the company
knows the nature of the disability and the sort
of help required during the journey. Cruises can
be especially appealing to older and disabled
people since most shipping lines offering
cruises are used to carrying disabled
passengers. Disabled passengers on cruises are
given special treatment by the management of the
shipping lines. Before going on such trips, please
keep in mind that a cruise may not be suitable
for someone who cannot walk at all and is
unaccompanied. Shore excursions may not be
possible especially if tendering is involved and
passengers have to board launches. Most of the
time coaches on shore excursions are unlikely to
have any special facility for a disabled person.
Disabled traveler are not encouraged to travel
during bad weather because it can caused
unnecessary stress especially for someone who is
not too steady on their feet or a wheelchair
user.
When making
reservation for a disabled person on a
wheelchair, there are a few things to consider
before actually confirming the trip. Knowing the
width of lift floors and whether they offer
access to all parts of the ship is essential.
Another thing to check out is the width of the
cabin, toilet and bathrooms doors and whether
the doors open outwards and if not, whether they
block the plumbing and also whether any existing
steps at the doorways can be ramped temporarily.
It is definitely
helpful if the cabins have an extra basin in the
room to save trips to the bathroom and also
whether the cabin is located near the lifts.
Always find out whether a wheelchair user is
excluded from any part of the ship due to
stairs, narrow doorways or other obstacles. Too
much restrictions is definitely not good for the
disabled passenger to fully enjoyed the stay on
the ship. If excursions ashore require a launch
to be used, always find out whether help would
be available if the stairs down to the launch
cannot be used. Find out whether the gangplank
used by passengers is too steep for a wheelchair
user and whether the one used by the crew is any
lower and if it is lower, find out whether it
could be used by the disabled passenger instead.
Other information required are what special arrangements are
needed at the start and finish of the cruise,
the types of special diets available, whether
there are any restrictions on the type of
wheelchair used and the availability of laundry
and launderette facilities. With modern
facilities catering for disabled person,
cruising no longer caused headaches for disabled
travelers.
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