Mobility Disabilities
Royal Caribbean's goal is to ensure that all guests, regardless of mobility challenges, experience maximum comfort both onboard and off the ship. Their cruise ships are designed with wide corridors that allow for easy 180-degree turns for wheelchairs. Most decks are accessible via automatic doors, and all public spaces feature entrances with gradual inclines for ease of access.
Wheelchair Assistance
Complimentary wheelchair assistance is available for embarkation and disembarkation only. Guests wishing to have a power wheelchair or mobility scooter available during the cruise are welcome to bring their own or rent one from the following companies, which will deliver the device directly to your stateroom:
Scootaround
Phone: 888-441-7575
Email: info@scootaround.com
Special Needs at Sea
Phone: 800-513-4515
Email: info@specialneedsgroup.com
Guests are permitted to bring and use wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and other assistive devices onboard. Please note, however, that Segways are not allowed onboard Royal Caribbean cruises for safety reasons.
Assistive Devices
Assistive devices, including mobility scooters, must be stored and recharged in your stateroom to ensure that fire doors, corridors, and elevator lobbies remain clear for emergency evacuation. When not in use, these devices should be parked in a manner that allows for safe and easy access by other guests and crew members.
To accommodate assistive devices, standard stateroom doorways are a minimum of 23 inches wide. Accessible staterooms are equipped with wider doors, measuring at least 32 inches, to accommodate larger devices. If your assistive device exceeds 32 inches in width, please contact their Access Department for assistance.
Note: Crew members are not authorized to lift assistive devices.
Available Services on Royal Caribbean Cruises
- Early boarding
- Specialized cruise transfers utilizing a bus or van with a lift or ramp
- Assistance with boarding and departure
- Pool and whirlpool lifts on each ship in the fleet
- Accessible Blackjack tables in the casino
- Accessible Guest Relations Desk
In our article on the Best Mobility Scooters for Cruise Ship Travel , we’ve carefully selected some of the top mobility scooter options designed to make your cruising experience smooth and comfortable. Whether you’re exploring the vast decks or enjoying excursions at various ports, these scooters offer enhanced convenience and independence, allowing you to fully enjoy your time on the high seas.
Additional Assistance: Airport & Pier Transportation
Airport Transportation: If requested in advance, Royal Caribbean can arrange accessible transportation for guests traveling between the airport and the pier. This service is available at no additional charge to our air/sea guests or those who have purchased cruise-only transfers. Please note that accessible transportation may be limited or unavailable in certain international locations. For more details, please consult a travel agent or contact us directly.
Extra Assistance at the Pier: Royal Caribbean offers boarding and departure assistance for guests using wheelchairs or those with mobility disabilities. To ensure timely and efficient service, we ask that you request assistance at least 30 days prior to your cruise. This will help us prioritize your assistance at embarkation. Wheelchair assistance is available from check-in at the terminal to the ship, though wait times may occur during peak periods.
While many ports offer accessible entry for wheelchairs and scooters, there may be circumstances where guests using assistive devices are unable to embark or disembark. Factors such as the steepness of the gangway, weather, tidal conditions, tendering, and the availability of shore-side facilities can impact accessibility.
For safety reasons, the Royal Caribbean staff is unable to lift guests or equipment. However, Royal Caribbean can provide assistance with manual wheelchairs, walkers, canes, and similar devices.
Shipboard Assistance: Royal Caribbean strives to offer reasonable mobility assistance for guests in accessing areas of the ship that may not be otherwise accessible.
Traveling from Ship to Shore: At certain ports, the ship may anchor offshore, and guests are transferred to shore via small boats known as tenders. While the ship may initially be scheduled to dock at a pier, docking plans can change, and tendering may become necessary. Guests using assistive devices who are unable to take a few steps will not be able to board tenders unless roll-on capability is available.
To safely board most tenders, guests must be able to walk a few steps and use a collapsible manual wheelchair. Motorized wheelchairs and mobility scooters are generally not allowed on tenders unless roll-on capability is available. Please inquire about roll-on capability at the Guest Relations Desk while on board, though availability is not guaranteed.
Weather, sea conditions, and other factors may also prevent tendering. The Captain and crew will always prioritize the safety of our guests and crew when making final decisions about transferring guests and their assistive devices.
If guests are unable to tender or disembark due to these conditions, no refunds or credits will be issued for missed ports. Royal Caribbean understands the disappointment, but the safety of our guests and crew remains our top priority.
Ports Requiring Tendering:
- Airlie Beach, Australia
- Ajaccio, Corsica
- Bali (Padang Bay), Indonesia
- Bar Harbor, Maine
- Bay of Islands, New Zealand
- Belize City, Belize
- Bora Bora, French Polynesia
- Buzios, Brazil
- Cabo Frio, Brazil
- Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- Cannes (Monte Carlo), France
- Champagne Bay, Vanuatu
- Corfu, Greece
- Cozumel, Mexico
- Denarau, Fiji
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Esperance, Australia
- Exmouth, Australia
- La Spezia (Florence, Pisa), Italy
- Geiranger, Norway
- George Town, Grand Cayman
- Hanoi (Halong Bay), Vietnam
- Icy Strait Point, Alaska
- Ilha Grande, Brazil
- Ilhabela, Brazil
- Ilheus, Brazil
- Isle of Pines, New Caledonia
- Jeju, Republic of Korea (South Korea)
- Kailua Kona, Hawaii
- Kotor, Montenegro
- Lahaina (Maui), Hawaii
- Lifou, Loyalty Island
- Lombok, Indonesia
- Malacca, Malaysia
- Moorea, French Polynesia
- Mykonos, Greece
- Mystery Island, Vanuatu
- Naples (Salerno), Italy
- Nha Trang, Vietnam
- Villefranche (Nice), France
- Ouvea (Wadrilla), Loyalty Island
- Phuket, Thailand
- Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
- Port Douglas, Australia
- Port Vila, Vanuatu
- Portbelo, Brazil
- Punta Del Este, Uruguay
- Rockland, Maine
- Samana, Dominican Republic
- Santorini, Greece
- Split, Croatia
- St. Peter Port, Channel Islands
- Ushuaia, Argentina
- Visby, Sweden
The Golden Technologies CarryOn Foldable Cruise Ship Approved Mobility Scooter is a lightweight, foldable mobility scooter designed for ease of travel, making it especially suitable for cruise ships and other forms of transport. Weighing only 45-50 pounds, it is one of the lightest portable scooters, ensuring easy handling for users and staff. Its compact design allows it to fold into a smaller footprint, which is ideal for storage in tight spaces such as cruise ship cabins or cars. Despite its lightweight build, the scooter maintains durability and stability, offering smooth navigation on ship decks or during excursions. Its long battery life and adjustable seat provide additional comfort and convenience for users, allowing for long-distance travel without strain.
The Buzzaround CarryOn is also easy to operate with intuitive controls, variable speed settings, and a tight turning radius, making it perfect for navigating narrow spaces like those found on cruise ships. While cruise lines often allow personal mobility devices, it’s important to check specific policies for each ship. The scooter’s small size allows it to be stored in most cabin closets or under beds, making it easy to take on excursions. Overall, the Buzzaround CarryOn is a practical, durable, and comfortable option for passengers who need mobility assistance on a cruise.
Royal Caribbean Accommodations
Choosing the right cabin is key to ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable cruise experience. Royal Caribbean offers an extensive variety of cabin options, catering to a range of preferences and needs. Whether you're seeking accessible accommodations or a cozy standard cabin, each guest can find the perfect retreat for their time at sea.
Accessible Cabins: Specifically designed for guests with disabilities, these cabins provide a seamless, barrier-free cruise experience. They feature wider doors for easy wheelchair access, roll-in showers with grab bars, and lowered furniture, including sinks and beds, for added convenience. In addition, visual-tactile alert systems are available for guests with hearing impairments. These accommodations prioritize both comfort and accessibility, making them an ideal choice for those seeking a hassle-free vacation.
Standard Cabins: Renowned for their comfort and value, Royal Caribbean's standard cabins offer a variety of bed configurations, private bathrooms, and ample storage space. These cabins serve as a relaxing retreat after a day of exploration. Options range from budget-friendly interior cabins to balcony cabins with breathtaking ocean and destination views, ensuring that every traveler finds a cabin to suit their needs.
Royal Caribbean Accessible Cruises: Each ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet promises an extraordinary journey, featuring outstanding amenities and exceptional accessibility. These vessels are designed not only to provide a seamless experience for all guests but also reflect the brand’s commitment to inclusivity, with thoughtful accommodations that allow everyone to explore the world's wonders. Below are some of Royal Caribbean's most popular ships:
- Icon of the Seas
- Symphony of the Seas
- Harmony of the Seas
- Oasis of the Seas
- Quantum of the Seas
Ports Served by Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean offers a wide range of cruise ports worldwide. Below is a list of some of the most popular embarkation ports frequently used by Scootaround rental customers. If your port isn't listed, please feel free to reach out, and Royal Caribbean will be happy to confirm if it's one they serve.
- Port of Miami, Florida
- Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale), Florida
- Port Canaveral, Florida
- Port Tampa Bay, Florida
- Port of Seattle, Washington
- Port of Galveston, Texas
- Port of New Orleans, Louisiana
- Honolulu Harbor, Hawaii
- Port of Vancouver, Canada
- Port of Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
- Port of Barcelona, Spain
Royal Caribbean International's Allure of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International's Allure of the Seas recently joined its sister ship, Oasis of the Seas, at Port Everglades. At over 1,100 feet in length, 215 feet in width, and featuring 16 passenger decks, Allure is an impressively large vessel. However, its size is complemented by its accessibility, making it an ideal choice for travelers with disabilities or those requiring mobility assistance. Guests with mobility challenges, including those using scooters or wheelchairs, will find navigating the ship to be a straightforward experience.
The Allure of the Seas offers 46 specially designed accessible staterooms, which include wider doorways for both rooms and bathrooms, spacious areas with five-foot turning radii, lowered closet rods, safes, and vanities, as well as open bed frames. The accessible bathrooms are equipped with roll-in showers, grab bars, raised toilets, fold-down shower benches, hand-held showerheads, and lowered sinks. These accessible rooms are strategically located across various decks, offering guests a variety of location and category options. Notably, 33 of the 46 accessible staterooms feature balconies, with eight offering views of Central Park or the Boardwalk.
Allure of the Seas boasts 24 dining and bar venues, all of which provide wheelchair-accessible seating. The Latin-themed Boleros bar also features a lower counter, allowing wheelchair users to comfortably enjoy specialty drinks like mojitos or caipirinhas. Lounges, theaters, and other entertainment venues, including the ice rink, are all wheelchair accessible, as are the gaming tables in the Casino. The Carousel, which is custom-designed, includes a ramp to allow wheelchair users to participate in the ride. Other recreational areas such as the Miniature Golf Course, Basketball Court, Jogging Track, Video Arcade, and Youth and Teen Centers are also accessible. Additionally, as with all Royal Caribbean ships, at least one pool and one whirlpool is equipped with lifts for easier access.
For guests with disabilities, Royal Caribbean provides early boarding and personalized assistance during embarkation and disembarkation. Allure's gangways are wide enough to accommodate most wheelchairs and scooters, and the ship offers an accessible route to the tendering platform.
Throughout the ship, Allure ensures inclusivity for guests with a variety of physical challenges, including hearing, vision, and respiratory impairments. Like all ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet, Allure is designed with accessibility in mind for visually impaired guests. Menus, daily activity schedules, and ship directories are available in Braille and large print, and Braille signage can be found throughout the ship, including on stateroom doors and in elevator areas. Additionally, Braille deck numbers are located on staircases to assist with navigation.
For guests who are deaf or hard of hearing, Allure offers advanced technology in both public spaces and accessible staterooms. Features include portable kits with visual and tactile alert systems for door knocking, telephone ringing, alarm clocks, and smoke detectors; amplified telephones; and assistive listening systems in the Opal Theater and Studio B. The ship is also fully equipped to accommodate guests traveling with oxygen. Guests are asked to inform Royal Caribbean in advance of the type and quantity of oxygen needed, as well as the delivery method.
In summary, Allure of the Seas is a highly accessible cruise option, providing a range of amenities and services that ensure a comfortable and inclusive experience for all guests.
Can I take my own mobility scooter on a cruise ship?
You are permitted to bring your personal scooter, but it must be stored in your cabin. It cannot be left in the hallway, as doing so would obstruct safe passage for others. This requirement is in accordance with both Coast Guard safety regulations and the cruise line's policies.
What is handicap accessible on Royal Caribbean?
Accessible staterooms vary in size from 159 to 298 square feet and feature a five-foot turning radius in sleeping areas, bathrooms, and sitting areas for easy movement. These rooms are reserved for individuals with disabilities until all other non-accessible staterooms in the same category are fully booked.
How do I request disability on Royal Caribbean?
To ensure the best accessible cruise experience, please submit the Guest Special Needs Form at the time of booking, or no later than 30 days before sailing. For sign language interpreting requests, these must be submitted at least 60 days prior to departure.
Is Royal Caribbean wheelchair friendly?
They offer complimentary wheelchairs to assist with boarding and disembarking the ship. If you wish to use a wheelchair or scooter throughout the cruise, you are welcome to bring your own or rent one from a provider that specializes in wheelchair and scooter rentals.
In Conclusion
Royal Caribbean strives to provide maximum comfort and accessibility for all guests, including those with mobility disabilities, both onboard and ashore. Ships are designed with wide corridors, automatic doors, and public spaces with gradual inclines to facilitate wheelchair access.
Wheelchair Assistance
Complimentary wheelchair assistance is available for embarkation and disembarkation. Guests can bring their own mobility devices or rent them through companies like Scootaround and Special Needs at Sea, who deliver directly to staterooms. Segways are not permitted onboard for safety reasons. Mobility devices must be stored in staterooms when not in use to ensure safe passage for all guests.
Accessible Staterooms
Accessible cabins feature wider doorways, roll-in showers, grab bars, and lowered furniture for convenience. Some cabins also include visual and tactile alert systems for guests with hearing impairments. Staterooms accommodate a range of mobility devices, and assistance is available if needed.
Additional Services
Royal Caribbean offers early boarding, specialized transportation with lifts or ramps, accessible pool and whirlpool lifts, and accessible blackjack tables. Accessible transportation between the airport and pier can be arranged upon request, although availability may vary depending on location. At certain ports requiring tendering, mobility devices may not be permitted on small boats unless roll-on capability is available.
Ship Accessibility
Ships such as Allure of the Seas are specifically designed for accessibility, with features like wide gangways, accessible dining venues, and wheelchair-friendly recreational spaces. These ships also provide assistive technology for guests with hearing or vision impairments, as well as accommodations for those traveling with oxygen.
Port Accessibility
While most ports are accessible, some locations require tendering, which may not accommodate motorized wheelchairs or scooters. Royal Caribbean prioritizes safety and cannot offer refunds or credits if guests are unable to disembark due to these conditions.
In conclusion, Royal Caribbean’s commitment to inclusivity ensures that guests with mobility challenges can enjoy a seamless cruise experience, with accessible staterooms, specialized services, and ships designed to meet diverse needs.