Cruise info required from Southampton (or UK) for disabled passanger

swinster

Hey all,

My mother-in-law suffered a stroke last year but we have managed to persuade her that she might enjoy a cruise. We are cruise newbies although I have a friend that has really enjoyed several cruises with his family. We think that this type of holiday might allow for her to enjoy time away in relative comfort and give us enough access to make movement relatively straightforward and to provide her with entertainment.

Due to her disability, we are looking to sail direct from the UK (probably Southampton - we are based in Swansea) and would like to go somewhere warm, so this leads to the near med or Canary Islands. We hope to go sometime in September or October and there will be 4 of us (probably 2 cabins) to share the caring.

We have looked at the Royal Caribbean (Independence of the Seas) but have noted that not "everything" is included. They would expect a tip per person/per day, and I'm not sure but it seems that some of the eateries and drinks (alcoholic) are also extra. Does anyone have an idea what this might amount to?

I did see what seemed to be some reasonable deals on the Royal Caribbean web site but we have been away for a few days and now those deals have gone!

Can anyone recommend either a cruise that meets the requirement above or give us an indication of what the "additional hidden" expenses might amount to (its not that I don't necessarily want to pay for these extras, I just want to be aware of them before I go)? Also, can someone direct us to a decent agent to book through?

Many thanks

Chris

P2TKL

swinster wrote: »

Hey all,

My mother-in-law suffered a stroke last year but we have managed to persuade her that she might enjoy a cruise. We are cruise newbies although I have a friend that has really enjoyed several cruises with his family. We think that this type of holiday might allow for her to enjoy time away in relative comfort and give us enough access to make movement relatively straightforward and to provide her with entertainment.

Due to her disability, we are looking to sail direct from the UK (probably Southampton - we are based in Swansea) and would like to go somewhere warm, so this leads to the near med or Canary Islands. We hope to go sometime in September or October and there will be 4 of us (probably 2 cabins) to share the caring.

We have looked at the Royal Caribbean (Independence of the Seas) but have noted that not "everything" is included. They would expect a tip per person/per day, and I'm not sure but it seems that some of the eateries and drinks (alcoholic) are also extra. Does anyone have an idea what this might amount to?

I did see what seemed to be some reasonable deals on the Royal Caribbean web site but we have been away for a few days and now those deals have gone!

Can anyone recommend either a cruise that meets the requirement above or give us an indication of what the "additional hidden" expenses might amount to (its not that I don't necessarily want to pay for these extras, I just want to be aware of them before I go)? Also, can someone direct us to a decent agent to book through?

Many thanks

Chris

I have been on 9 cruises to date and tried many different cruise lines. There are none that I would not recommend. You need to look at the size of the ship you think you may prefer...some take 3000 passengers whilst others take half that amount. I have done Med cruises from Southampton and Dover....all are well organised. Tips are often paid up front when you buy the cruise but you can easily take these off when you board the ship by going to the Pursers desk. You would then tip on the last evening...mainly your cabin steward and waiter and anyone else who you think deserves it. All food is included in the price unless you want to dine in a specialist restaurant when there is a supplement to pay....I have never used any of these as the food is generally excellent. Alcoholic drinks are extra payment but tea coffee juice etc is included. I have been with Royal Caribbean Cunard Carnival P & O and Fred Olsen...I would recommend them all...there are many good travel agents too...I never stick with the same one but go for the best deal...look at cruise.co.uk or iglu cruise or bolsover cruises...thats just for starters...feel free to pm me with any other questions....but I'm off on the QM2 on Monday....once you've tried it you'll be hooked !!! HTH

Mands

swinster wrote: »

Hey all,

My mother-in-law suffered a stroke last year but we have managed to persuade her that she might enjoy a cruise. We are cruise newbies although I have a friend that has really enjoyed several cruises with his family. We think that this type of holiday might allow for her to enjoy time away in relative comfort and give us enough access to make movement relatively straightforward and to provide her with entertainment.

Due to her disability, we are looking to sail direct from the UK (probably Southampton - we are based in Swansea) and would like to go somewhere warm, so this leads to the near med or Canary Islands. We hope to go sometime in September or October and there will be 4 of us (probably 2 cabins) to share the caring.

We have looked at the Royal Caribbean (Independence of the Seas) but have noted that not "everything" is included. They would expect a tip per person/per day, and I'm not sure but it seems that some of the eateries and drinks (alcoholic) are also extra. Does anyone have an idea what this might amount to?

I did see what seemed to be some reasonable deals on the Royal Caribbean web site but we have been away for a few days and now those deals have gone!

Can anyone recommend either a cruise that meets the requirement above or give us an indication of what the "additional hidden" expenses might amount to (its not that I don't necessarily want to pay for these extras, I just want to be aware of them before I go)? Also, can someone direct us to a decent agent to book through?

Many thanks

Chris

Hi Chris,

Sorry to hear you've all being going through such difficult times.

Some answers to the specific questions that you asked:

Royal Caribbean suggested gratuities are about $11.50 (say £7.50) per person per day. You'd need to pay for any drinks in the bar, plus a separate 15% tip, but unless you want a particularly special dining experience you would be able to eat in the main dining rooms with no extra charge.

To touch on some issues that you haven't mentioned:

If you sail from Southampton to the Med or the Canaries then you'll cross the Bay of Biscay. It can be calm; it can be troublesome. That aside it means that the first and last two days of your cruise will be sea days. If it is good weather that might suit your needs, as you could potter around the ship and get to know it, but some people dislike sea days.

Some cruise ships are large, or rather long, which can mean a lengthy walk back to your cabin. For some folks that's a helpful way to burn off some of the richer meals but for people with limited mobility can be troublesome. Whichever ship you choose it would be worth spending time with the deck plans to understand where cabins are in relation to lifts and stairs. Inde is over 1100 feet long; there are mobility-friendly cabins but they can sell out quickly.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/ships/ship/decks/deck/home.do?shipCode=ID

Best of luck finding something that suits,
Mands

swinster

P2TKL wrote: »

I have been on 9 cruises to date and tried many different cruise lines. There are none that I would not recommend.

Did you mean to say this? You said later on that you would recommend ALL your crusise and you seem to be enamoured with them?

In any case, many thanks for your input both. I will check out the agent sites you have suggested. As far a distance on the deck is concerned, the majority of the movement will be completed in a wheelchair, so more work for us rather than the mother in law, however this is something we don't mind.

Chris

P2TKL

swinster wrote: »

Did you mean to say this? You said later on that you would recommend ALL your crusise and you seem to be enamoured with them?

In any case, many thanks for your input both. I will check out the agent sites you have suggested. As far a distance on the deck is concerned, the majority of the movement will be completed in a wheelchair, so more work for us rather than the mother in law, however this is something we don't mind.

Chris

Sorry that was badly worded.....and to reconfirm...I would recommend all of them...happy cruise hunting !

loobs40

You may want to consider whether you want to do excursions off the boat at each port you visit. Check whether the cruise docks at the port or whether you need a tender (often the lifeboats) to reach the shore. If its a tender then that would be more difficult if not impossible with a wheelchair. Check with the cruise line .

Although is technically possible to not spend anything over and above tips, cruises are money making machines, and as you do not use real money to pay for anything, you use your room card, it is very easy to spend, spend, spend! Think Casino, Spa services, wine at dinner, other drinks, bingo, excursions, retail shopping (always lots of enticing shops on board, selling clothes, perfumes, jewellery, etc)


Don't get me wrong. I love cruises. Three cruises this year alone for me and hubby.


You should also visit the cruise critic forums. That's the best and most comprehensive cruise forum around .

Bob_the_Saver

Mands wrote: »

Hi Chris,

Sorry to hear you've all being going through such difficult times.

Some answers to the specific questions that you asked:

Royal Caribbean suggested gratuities are about $11.50 (say £7.50) per person per day. You'd need to pay for any drinks in the bar, plus a separate 15% tip, but unless you want a particularly special dining experience you would be able to eat in the main dining rooms with no extra charge.

To touch on some issues that you haven't mentioned:

If you sail from Southampton to the Med or the Canaries then you'll cross the Bay of Biscay. It can be calm; it can be troublesome. That aside it means that the first and last two days of your cruise will be sea days. If it is good weather that might suit your needs, as you could potter around the ship and get to know it, but some people dislike sea days.

Some cruise ships are large, or rather long, which can mean a lengthy walk back to your cabin. For some folks that's a helpful way to burn off some of the richer meals but for people with limited mobility can be troublesome. Whichever ship you choose it would be worth spending time with the deck plans to understand where cabins are in relation to lifts and stairs. Inde is over 1100 feet long; there are mobility-friendly cabins but they can sell out quickly.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/ships/ship/decks/deck/home.do?shipCode=ID

Best of luck finding something that suits,
Mands

I Never tip anyone. Imagine if Ryanair 'suggested' this, that would keep the Daily Wail and these pages full for months. If it's not included it's optional.

Mands

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

I Never tip anyone. Imagine if Ryanair 'suggested' this, that would keep the Daily Wail and these pages full for months. If it's not included it's optional.

Absolutely, if it isn't included then it is optional.

Of course the business model (US vs european) is different: one is built so that salary+tips=minimumwage vs salary=minimumwage. But at the end of the day there is absolutely no requirement to tip at all.

Mands

Bob_the_Saver

Mands wrote: »

Absolutely, if it isn't included then it is optional.

Of course the business model (US vs european) is different: one is built so that salary+tips=minimumwage vs salary=minimumwage. But at the end of the day there is absolutely no requirement to tip at all.

Mands

That's OK then because I don't - ever.

swinster

I don't like the idea of tipping carte blanche, however, I still often tip - not very money saving I know, but if you have every worked in the public service industry you are thankful - especially if you see the same people time and again (thanks be that I don't work in this sector anymore!). If I have to pay upfront, I will certainly take P2TKL's advice and get my money back from the Purser, if only to tip whom I want, when I want. It would add another £105 pp based on the prices outline above for a 14 night cruise.

It would appear that the accessible rooms aboard the RCI ships are all pretty much all gone for September and October (from the royalcaribbean.co.uk site). I am now trawling the Crusie.co.uk site but I think I will need to contact them direct for more info about accessible room on other lines.

WRT what is included and what isn't, the only cruise lines that I can see so far that is truly ALL inclusive is Regent, which although looks wonderful, is a little out of out price range.

It seems that the approximate price for a cruse from the YK to the med for an inside cabin works out to be around the £1000 pp. Most lines appear to be the in the same ballpark.

Loobs40 - thanks for your advice. I would love us to disembark are some of the port on ofer - most of which I haven't visited (examples are Barcelona, Venice, Rome, Pisa, Corfu ..... different ports for different cruse itineraries), however, we are very aware that we are there is this instance to support my mother in law so will have to go with what is accessable. Do these port stop off's count as "excursions" - i.e. are they again extra?

swinster

The other thing to consider of course are parking fees. I see some cruses include these in the price.