Cruise Ideas

Those who are wheelchair bound often find it extremely difficult to navigate themselves on cruise ships. They need wider doorways, ramps, wheel-in showers as well as furniture that is accessible to handicapped passenger. The good news is that many of the new cruise ships are more accessible for those with handicaps.

On many of the newer ships, it is common to find at least twenty or more staterooms that are wheelchair accessible. They have all the attributes a disabled passenger might need such as handrails, lower sinks and closets that are accessible as well. It wasn’t until the year 2005 when a lawsuit was filed against the Norwegian Cruise Line and was seen in the Supreme Court of the United States that foreign flag ships were required to comply. The ruling from that case entails that any cruise lines that have passengers going to or from any port in the U.S. must provide certain features for disabled passengers.

Though the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in the year 1990, it didn’t include ships that flew foreign flags. That changed in 2005 with the new Supreme Court’s ruling. The court did not specify that cruise lines had to make any major changes in the structure in order to comply.

Many of the older cruise ships have been upgraded in their interiors merely because the demand for handicapped friendly cruise ships has increased in recent years. It is said that traveling on a cruise ship is the preferred mode of travel for many with disabilities as many of the ships have become especially disabled user friendly.

It is a convenient way to explore the wonders that the world has to offer if you are confined to a wheelchair or have other limited mobility. These ships have such added features as elevators, boarding platforms and providing wheel chair accessible water fountains.

Filed under: Cruise Liners