Cruises for All
Royal Caribbean 8-Night Scandinavia and Russia
Sylvia Longmire and Cory Lee, of Curbfree with Cory Lee, took the Royal Caribbean eight-night Scandinavia and Russia cruise together, on the Serenade of the Seas. In addition to the accessible amenities people have come to expect from Royal Caribbean, the only port of call that posed a problem for individual travel—from Copenhagen, Denmark, through Scandinavia, Russia and back into Helsinki, Finland—was St. Petersburg, Russia, says Longmire. (But for Lee, it didn't seem to be as much of an issue!)
Get more details at Special Needs at Sea and Cruise Critic.
Image courtesy Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean 7-Night Western Caribbean
"For disabled passengers, bigger may really be better," writes Brittany Chrusciel on Cruise Critic. And at 5,518 passengers, Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas is indeed the world's largest. There are 46 accessible staterooms, and three pool lifts. Longmire, of Spin the Globe, likes the all-docked port stops and accessible shore excursions of the seven-night Western Caribbean cruise, out of Miami.
Get more details at Special Needs at Sea and Cruise Critic.
Image courtesy Royal Caribbean International
Holland America 7-Day Alaskan Inside Passage
Named the best cruise company in overall facilities for physically challenged passengers by Porthole Cruise magazine, Holland America has lots of accessible cruise options. And while Cruise Critic likes the Koningsdam for its high percentage of cabins for passengers with disabilities, Lee found 17 reasons to love the line's Nieuw Amsterdam ship, and the seven-day Alaskan Inside Passage departing from Vancouver, British Columbia. Note: All shore tenders are equipped with wheelchair-accessible platforms.
More details at Special Needs at Sea and Cruise Critic.
Image courtesy @halcruises via @the.wandering.siren
Disney Dream 4-Night Bahamian Cruise
Disney is known for the special attention it gives to guests with special needs and disabilities—and it's no different on a cruise. The four-night Bahamian cruise on the Disney Dream—which has been upgraded to match the accessible amenities of the Disney Fantasy—leaves Port Canaveral, Florida, and has two stops at Castaway Cay, Disney's private island, which has paved, wheelchair-friendly paths. The boat docks at the island, so there's no issue with tendering. (Longmire's first outing on the DIsney Dream, with her parents and two sons, was a "joy.")
More details at Special Needs at Sea and Cruise Critic.
Norwegian 6-Day Pacific Coastal
Norwegian's six-day Pacific Coastal, a one-way Los Angeles to Vancouver cruise aboard the Norwegian Bliss, hits plenty of highly accessible ports—LA, San Francisco and Victoria, B.C.—and was voted "Best Shore Excursions" by Cruise Critic. As Norwegian's newest ship, the Bliss has the latest in accessible offerings.
More details at Cruise Critic.
Image courtesy Norwegian Cruise Line
Royal Caribbean 7-Night Western Mediterranean Cruise
Departing from Barcelona, one of the most accessible ports in all of Europe, Royal Caribbean's seven-night Western Mediterranean cruise, aboard the Oasis of the Seas, manages to dock in six different ports across Spain, France and Italy—with no tendering at all. Like other Oasis class ships, the Oasis of the Seas boasts more than 30 accessible staterooms, as well as pool lifts. "I would highly recommend taking a few extra days to explore Barcelona with this itinerary," writes Longmire.
More details at Special Needs at Sea and Cruise Critic.
Image courtesy Royal Caribbean International
