I had a client contact me this week, and she said something that really made me stop and think. She asked, if, as a disabled person if she could still travel? She wanted to know if she would be able to have the same experiences as an able-bodied person or if she would miss out on too much and should just stay at home.
My answer to her was an immediate YES! You do not have to miss out on anything being disabled. If you have limited mobility, or you need oxygen, or if you are a wheelchair full time. You can still travel. Did you catch that? I will say it one more time, this time in capitals. YOU CAN STILL TRAVEL!! Please do not let this hold you back from creating the memories that you deserve! I am a very big advocate of making memories with your loved ones. Make the best use of your time as you can.
I am a disabled person, I have very limited mobility, I understand the needs, better than any online booking engine can. I can look into renting the equipment that you may need for your special holiday to make your time away run smoothly. An online booking site can’t do that. I will give you the personalized service you need. I have also taken the Special needs training classes to ensure that I give you the best care possible. I work with a rental company that rents out all the equipment that has the opportunity to use it while away. If you have chosen a cruise, they deliver the wheelchair, or scooter, or rollator (a walker with wheels and a seat for when you need to rest for a minute) right into your stateroom, so when you arrive it is there, fully charged, ready for use. When your cruise is over, you just leave the equipment in your room and they take care of picking it up for you. It does not get any easier than that!
I personally find taking a cruise one of the best vacations I can take with limited mobility. The reasons are endless. Everything on the ship is wheelchair friendly, there are ramps everywhere, so even if you can do some walking with a cane, you can get to every nook and cranny on the ship. Nothing is off-limits to you! There are many banks of elevators dispersed on all the decks of your ship, you don’t need to go far to find an elevator. When you are going to the port, even getting on the tender boat (if you have not docked) is a level area, no stairs at all. The other plus when you are on a cruise is that you are not feeling like you are limiting the rest of your group. You can enjoy a leisurely breakfast on your balcony while they are enjoying the rock climbing wall. You can take an evening Broadway show on the ship, and they can be skating on the ice skating rink. Cruises are perfect for multi-generational travel because while the teens are off enjoying themselves on the basketball court you can be playing a round of mini-golf, and the grandparents are relaxing by the pool. You can all do the activities that are important to you and meet up for dinner and talk all about what you did that day. As more and more of the baby-boomers mature, more and more people are going to need extra items for their travels. I understand those needs and will work with you to make sure you have a smooth vacation. I can and will make sure you get just what you need because I know the options available to you, and I have cruised, I have been there first hand and I know what to expect. So I can help you get a flawless vacation.
Here is a picture of us in Labadee, I was just using the cane there because, at that time, I did not know about beach wheelchairs. Now that I do know about that option, I will be using that for sure. Sand is hard to walk through.
Did you know that the standard door on a cruise ship stateroom fits a scooter and an average-sized wheelchair? If you need a bariatric wheelchair than we can get you the accessible cabins, they are no different in cost, they just have a wider entrance door and more floor space for your wheelchair.
From the rental company I work with for your needs you can rent the following items:
Transport wheelchairs (they are more narrow then your standard wheelchair – and you can not propel yourself)
Wheelchairs (you can propel yourself or have your travel partner help) Walkers (walkers do not have wheels)
Rollators (has wheels and a place to sit when you need a break) Patient Lifts
Power Reclining and lift chairs
Adjustable hospital beds
Sleeping wedges
oxygen (We need a prescription for this, so we know your needs, and make sure you have enough for the duration of your travels)
Beach wheelchair
And MORE!
Speaking of a beach wheelchair – I love that this is offered! How often have we gone to the beach, only to have to walk with my cane in the sand, because the standard wheels on my chair sink into the sand?
Walking in the sand takes a lot of muscles, and boy, do I feel it that later in the evening!
But with this beach chair.. it is perfect!
The wheels are huge, full of air, and it just glides perfectly on the beach. You can even go right into the water with this! Life-changing!
No longer do you have to sit on the edge of the beach, watching your loved ones have fun, and you are not able to join in. Or worse (for me anyway) having the family choose to skip the beach because you can’t go, and you just know that they want to go, but won’t for your sake.
Now you can go and enjoy the sights and sounds of the ocean, just like everyone else. There are two kinds, one that actually floats in the ocean, and the other is a standard wheelchair for the beach.
The cruise lines have a special check-in counter so that when you are getting your picture taken for your sea pass card, you don’t have to stand up, it is a lower check-in desk, and your chair fits perfectly up to that height. Even when you are flying, you can bring your wheelchair (or scooter) right down to your plane, then you either walk to your seat with your cane, or you if you need to transfer, they provide a smaller wheelchair – one that fits in the aisle of the plane, and you transfer to your seat. So, everything you need from starting your trip with your flight to your check-in at the cruise port to going to the ports… everything is made easy for you to travel. There is nothing holding you back! So, YES, travel, see the world, make the memories. There is nothing holding you back.
If you have dietary restrictions, we can let the cruise line know, (or whichever resort you are going to if you are doing a land-based tip). They will make special accommodations for you to ensure you get enough to eat, and it is the right food for you. We can arrange a meeting when you get on the ship the first day with the chef, then they go over the menu with you, at this time you will discuss your food needs, then you can choose what you are wanting to eat that night, and it will be specially prepared for you. Prior to leaving the dining room that night, you can choose tomorrow’s choices. This way you will be able to eat what everyone else is having, but it is made just for you with the foods you can eat.
Send me a message today to discuss which itinerary we can get you on to start making those precious memories with your loved ones.
And remember YES you can travel!!!
