Holidaying in a cruise ship is something that I had never really given any serious thought to. I know of diehard fans of cruise ships but, as someone who likes to get out and about, the thought of spending weeks cooped up on a ship has never really appealed. I have also always persisted in the knowledge that boats and wheelchairs don't mix.
However a friend of mine (who is also a wheelchair user) is dead keen on a Caribbean cruise. He has taken holidays with Accessible Travel and Leisure, who organise travel for a disabled holidaymakers, and is on their mailing list. He got an e-mail from them inviting him to look around "Independence of the Seas", a cruise ship that is part of Royal Caribbean International's fleet. He invited me along too, and me being me didn’t need much persuading...
So the day came and I set off for Southampton docks on the train (starting at 5:40 in the morning so or I could get there in time!). The docks were about 10 minutes from the train station so we just powerchaired it there from Southampton Central. When we arrived we had to surrender our passports (to ensure that we had to come back to collect them and therefore didn't steal our selves away on the ship!), and then we met with the rest of the group and representatives of the companies involved.
We were then taken for a three-hour tour around the ship. I think we began with the full-sized casino, which could have easily been in Las Vegas. Right from the off I was amazed. We moved on to the karaoke bar, ice rink, theatre and live music lounge, passing at least two nightclubs along the way. We then passed through the high street where there was a hairdressers, clothes and jewellery stores, a pub and places to eat. At some point I completely forgot that I was on a ship.
Then we moved on to the all-important cabins. Rooms are the be all and end all for me as if I cannot see myself being comfortable within the cabin and therefore I am set to spend weeks struggling to do basic stuff like get out of bed and move around the bathroom, forget it. In fact 36 of the cabins were adapted for wheelchair users Including one junior suite. All the cabins were roomy enough, with spacious ensuite bathrooms which were well-adapted with handrails, lowered sinks and roll-in showers.
We then took a look at the two swimming pools which were both accessible by hoist (not my favourite choice, but they do the job!), a full-sized gym (which was actually about times bigger than the gym I go to it in my city centre) and a health spa. We then toured the all you can eat restaurant which can best be compared to my local Taybarn's restaurant, and to finish off with we ate in one of the ship's speciality restaurants which was superb!
This is where we ate, which was unnervingly like Titanic...
Accessible Travel and Leisure are able to organise any little "extras" that you may need as a disabled person, such as bed raisers, shower chairs and transformers for powerchair chargers. They are also able to advise on which excursions are wheelchair friendly. All parts of the ship are wheelchair accessible (even the podium in the karaoke bar was ramped and there are accessible blackjack tables in the casino!). Royal Caribbean also has equipment available to hire onboard such as shower chairs, bed raisers and raised toilet seats.
Unfortunately for me, cruises are ludicrously expensive especially when you consider that I have to pay for a carer as well. Although it is worth considering that accommodation, flights and transfers, food, access to the fitness centre and onboard activities/entertainment are included in the price (excursions and meals in speciality restaurants are excluded).
It was great to look and it is always good to know what your options are, just in case I win the lottery on Saturday...
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