An Introduction to Cruising with Health Conditions, Disabilities & Access Needs

You deserve a vacation.

Lazy mornings, sunbathing, an endless procession of all-inclusive cocktails on their way to your spot by the pool and nothing to worry about except whether to have Maine lobster gratinée or a porcini-dusted T-bone steak for dinner tonight. 

No stress, no overthinking, no hassle. 

However, for some, this is easier said than done. 

Everyone deserves to completely switch off and unwind on vacation, but it’s an unavoidable truth that traveling with a disability or additional accessibility needs introduces a myriad of extra concerns before you’ve even stepped out your front door.

“Will I be able to find accessible accommodation?”

“Will I struggle to communicate my needs to staff?”

“Will I have to spend hours researching day trips and excursions that are suitable for me?” 

“I’m part of a group of people with additional needs – surely there’s no way we can find a trip to accommodate us all?”

We get it. It’s a lot to think about and it’s easy to find yourself so bogged down by worries and misgivings that the trip ends up not happening at all.

But what if we told you there was a simpler way? 

On a luxury cruise, you would have the freedom to globetrot at your own speed, partaking in as much (or as little!) as you like. What’s more, you’d have an array of fabulous destinations at your fingertips without ever having to worry about juggling luggage or marshalling yourself and your group through multiple unwieldy transfers. 

In fact, your dream getaway would probably look a little something like this: 

Step 1: Check in (just once!)

Step 2: Unpack (just once!)

Step 3: Have the time of your life! 

Think about it. Not only do today’s modern, high-end luxury cruise ships come outfitted with a range of comfortable facilities for cruisers of all interests and activity levels, but the highly personalized service you’ll receive on board is second to none. The passenger to crew ratios aboard ultra-luxury vessels are significantly higher than mainstream cruise ships and with nearly as many crew members as guests, you’ll never be left floundering, unsure where to go/what to do/who to ask for help. In fact, you can rest easy in the knowledge that your every need will be anticipated before you’ve even thought of it—there is truly no better way to travel for those with health conditions, disabilities or access needs.

So that’s settled. Now for the fun part.

The next step is choosing which cruise line to entrust with your trip of a lifetime. We know that accessibility needs are not ‘one size fits all’, particularly if you’re traveling as a large group. However, cruise lines are evolving all the time in the pursuit of improved accessibility, so you’re in the charmed position of being spoilt for choice. Be assured: your perfect cruise is waiting for you—and we’re here to help you find it.

Top of the podium has to be Celebrity Cruises, who have long prided themselves on their Accessible Cruise program and maintaining their commitment to ‘An Unrivaled Cruise Vacation for Each and Every Guest’.

We think that ‘Unrivaled’ sums up the experience pretty well, as you’ll receive ultra-attentive service from the minute you touch down to the moment you board your flight home. With personal assistance from airport to ship to shore and back again, you’ll be able to let go of any stress and enjoy the smoothest boarding experience possible.

Once on board, you’ll notice that every single detail has been meticulously planned and executed, from the conveniently located elevators and corridors wide enough to accommodate all manner of wheelchairs and electric scooters to the pool hoists and lowered seating in all dining, bar, lounge, casino and theatre venues.

When it comes to retiring for the night (or even for a nice afternoon nap) there are a range of spacious, accessible staterooms at your disposal, featuring automatic doors and wheelchair accessible verandas. In addition, Celebrity Cruises welcomes service dogs and offers Braille signage and menus across the fleet.

However, the jewel in the crown of Celebrity’s accessibility efforts has to be their trailblazing Accessible Shore Excursions program. The people at Celebrity Cruises believe that each and every guest deserves their dream trip and should therefore have the ability to plan excursions which are specifically tailored to their individual interests and activity level. So, whether you and your group have visions of touring Europe’s breathtaking historical architecture, taking a cooking class in the Mediterranean, or simply kicking back on the sandy beaches of the Caribbean, Celebrity’s Shore Excursions Coordinators will make it happen. They even offer private tours, taking you right to the heart of each destination at a pace which suits you, so there is absolutely no need to worry about the logistics of navigating different ports.

Don’t get us wrong, we’re sure that whichever luxury vessel you end up choosing will be the height of comfort and style, so sumptuous that you won’t want to leave.

But…you can’t deny that part of the fun is disembarking and exploring new places, ticking more destinations off your bucket list in one go than you ever thought possible.  

For many, excursions are the most important part of the trip and Celebrity Cruises isn’t the only line to offer accessible shoreside experiences. Ultra-luxury cruise stalwart Regent Seven Seas also provide carefully planned excursions which follow step-free routes and include stops at accessible toilets, whilst Explora Journeys also offer ‘Accessible Destination Experiences’ in selected ports, providing guests with the opportunity to customize their own excursions to their liking. 

We would always recommend booking excursions with the cruise lines themselves – via the friendly team at Panache Cruises – rather than turning to a third party. This way, you and your group will be guaranteed an attentive experience and the same exceptionally high service that you’ll have come to expect on board.

So that’s the ashore experience taken all taken care of. However, given that the name of the game is ‘cruise’, you’re likely wondering what the onboard experience will look like. Let us take you through it. 

But first—a fun fact.

Did you know that on average, humans spend one-third of their lives asleep? Wild, right?

With that in mind, making sure you pick the right stateroom is crucial. If you’re spending one-third (or more) of your ultra-luxury voyage in there, it can’t be anything less than the ultimate relaxing retreat. 

No pressure. 

No, really, we mean it. There’ll be no stress at your end when it comes to organizing accommodation. These days, most ocean cruise ships boast a number of accessible staterooms, featuring wider, power-assisted doors, more open space to manoeuvre a wheelchair, transfer shower configurations, raised toilet seats, grab bars, and pull cord alarms. Remember: facilities do vary from ship to ship, so if you or a member of your group require something specific, it’s always best to double check before booking.

As cruise lines learn more about catering to people with different needs, you’ll often find that the newer ships offer a more extensive range of accessibility features. Notably, contemporary cruise line Explora Journeys features not one, not two, but ten accessible suites on each of their vessels, including both Grand Penthouse Suites and Ocean Terrace Suites. Six of these connect to other suites on board, making Explora the ideal option if traveling with a companion, a family member, a friend, caregiver or nurse. Other fantastic options include Cunard – whose newest ship, Queen Anne features 33 accessible staterooms and suites – and Crystal Cruises who offer accessible configurations of both their popular Aquamarine Ocean View Suite and Aquamarine Veranda Suite. 

All of this of course begs the question: where will I be spending the other two-thirds of my time?

The beauty of a luxury cruise lies in the fact that the entire vessel is designed to be a home-away-from-home, and all the little moments are vacations in and of themselves. Fine dining, sun-drenched pool decks, thrilling evening entertainment…it wouldn’t be the trip of a lifetime if you weren’t able to enjoy all the sumptuous amenities the ship has to offer. 

Good news! You can. 

From wide corridors, flat surfaces and conveniently placed elevators to pool hoists, lowered tables in the casinos and accessible seating in theatres and dining venues, you can forget sitting on the sidelines—the whole ship is your oyster. 

But which ship? If you’re feeling overwhelmed with choice, Explora Journeys is an excellent place to start, as every single common area and doorway in their fleet meets ADA accessibility standards. Cunard and Silversea are also great options, boasting cutting-edge accessibility features across all facilities, including theatres, casinos, and pools.

As we said above, accessibility needs are never ‘one size fits all’ and another thing worth touching upon is the measures cruise lines take for those with visual or hearing impairments. Crystal Cruises and Seabourn both offer suite kits with visual and tactile alerts for telephone rings, door knocks, and smoke alarms. Furthermore, on a Seabourn ship, show lounges also offer assistive listening systems and there is Braille across the ship. With advance notice, Braille menus can also be provided.

Now, the discerning among you may have noticed that this has all been very ocean cruising-oriented so far, the reason being that the larger a ship, the easier it is to accommodate different accessibility needs. 

“But I’m interested in a river cruise – is that feasible?” 

Don’t worry, we hear you. 

Accessible river cruising is not a completely alien concept, but the logistics involved do tend to be more complicated, given the more compact vessels. However, if this really is something you’d like to explore, there are a few options.

Whilst not offering staterooms that are specifically designed to be wheelchair accessible, Uniworld’s bathrooms are all equipped with grab bars and most ships come with an elevator to serve passenger decks and innovative chair lift leading to the sundeck. Collapsible wheelchairs can be used on board and there is a ‘gentle walk’ shore excursion program offered in select locations.

Alternatively, Scenic’s state-of-the-art ‘Space Ships’ do offer ‘limited mobility suites’, which are always situated near the reception desk. These suites feature a wider, wheelchair accessible door, a bathtub with grab handles and a wheel-in shower. The line provides a range of excursions, most of which are designed with accessibility in mind.

What were we saying?

Oh yes. You deserve a vacation. No stress, no overthinking, no hassle.

With a plethora of disability-friendly options now available, these aren’t just empty words, but a dream we can turn into a reality. The best part? You don’t need to worry about a thing. Just sit back, relax, and let your dream trip come to you.

If you want to know more about group cruising, click here.