Cruising for the Wheelchair bound/Special Needs
Cruising is, in many ways, an excellent option for the wheelchair-bound because it takes people to a variety of destinations without the worry of transferring baggage and checking into and out of a succession of hotels.

Modern medical facilities mean passengers can rest assured that professional help is at hand for ongoing health problems or any emergencies arise. And - rather more enjoyably - futuristic health treatments, now available on so many ships, enable passengers of all fitness levels to enjoy relaxing and beneficial treatments like massage, Reiki and thalassotherapy.

Making life easy
Most cruise ships also have large and accessible public rooms, therefore passengers with mobility problems can enjoy their full share of entertainment - usually from a pre-allocated, prime position with a great view of the stage.

Dining rooms on many ships now have meals geared to specific dietary requirements - low sodium, low fat, low sugar, etc - on every menu and will accommodate passengers on even more restricted diets provided they get advance notice.

And since cruise ships traditionally offer a high level of service, there are always plenty of stewards and waiters on hand to lend assistance to passengers who need a lift up or down steps.

On top of all that, fresh sea air, sunshine and good food leaves everybody who has taken a cruise feeling relaxed and renewed.

Adapting to the disabled
The cruise industry is increasingly adapting its ships to cater for the needs of disabled cruise passengers, with specially designed cabins and toilets, panic buttons, facilities for guide dogs and aids for the hard of hearing.

But amenities do vary widely from ship to ship, so its vital to do your homework well before you book.

What you should look for:
Ships with cabins specially adapted for the whellchair bound. These should have doorways at least 30 inches wide with no raised thresholds, room to manoeuvre a wheelchair inside and adapted bathrooms with panic buttons in case of accident. They should also have pull-down clothes rails, easy-to-operate sliding doors and mirrors, drawers, sinks, telephones, TVs, hairdryers and safes all reachable from a sitting position.

Be aware that most ships only have a handful of adapted cabins and they fill quickly, so do plan your cruise well ahead. To find out which ships can accommodate those whose mobility is limited, check out a good guide book like the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising; this gives a ship-by-ship review and shows which vessels have the right facilities.

Some lines will do their best to accommodate wheelchairs by replacing bathroom doors with curtains, laying down ramps and rearranging furniture but they will need plenty of notice.

Check that:

* corridors are wide enough to negotiate, bearing in mind that housekeeping carts will take up space during cabin cleaning.

* lift doors are wide enough to get in and out of easily - and that lift buttons are at a reachable height.

* tenders (small boats to take passengers ashore) can handle wheelchairs, and that collapsible wheelchairs are available when needed.

* the ship has plenty of ramps and they are not too steep

* suitable transport is available for airport to ship transfers

If you are hard of hearing, check:

* whether the ship has cabins suited to your needs - for example, some vessels have adapted cabins with flashing lights to signal an emergency.

* whether there are volume-enhancing headsets available in cinemas and lounges

* whether telephones have a volume control

* that you have plenty of batteries for your hearing aid, because replacements may be hard to get.

If you have sight problems:

* check whether you can take a guide dog on board

* check what facilities are available for partially or non-sighted passengers in an emergency.

Booking your cabin
Book the biggest and best cabin you can afford for maximum manoeuvrability.

* Book a cabin close to an elevator.

* Opt for a ship with good quality, around-the-clock room service, as you may not feel like dressing for dinner every night of your cruise.

* Take your own wheelchair with you as ships only carry a limited number. Motorised wheelchairs are best for getting about without straining your arms.

* If you are taking a flycruise, advise the airline of your needs well in advance, and double-check arrangements with both airline and cruise line.

* Choose a cabin in the centre of the ship, as there is less sea motion midships.

Other tips
Book second seating for dinner - youll have more time to get ready and wont feel pressured to clear the dining room after the meal.

Above all, always take a travelling companion with you. Ships crew will help out as much as they can but the presence of a person who understands your specific needs will make the cruise experience much more comfortable - and a lot more fun!

Who goes there?
Cruise lines who offer cruises suitable for the disabled include:

Crystal Cruises: spacious Crystal Harmony and Crystal Symphony were designed to be accessible for the physically challenged. They are renowned for their special facilities, which include ramp access to most decks and public areas, elevators which can accommodate standard wheelchairs, selected staterooms offering extra wide doors with accessible bathrooms and wheel-in closets. For the hearing impaired the Hollywood Theatres are equipped with a StarsSound Infrared Hearing System; and selected TV programmes offer closed-captioned programming.

Disney Cruise Line offers a thorough selection of facilities for guests with disabilities on all itineraries and across both ships: Disney Wonder and Disney Magic. A number of wheelchair accessible staterooms are available in most stateroom categories as well as a well equipped on-board medical centre.

MSC can accommodate a limited number of disabled passengers on most of their ships. The fully converted cabins have been adapted for those people confined to a wheelchair, however passengers must provide their own standard-size collapsible wheelchair and should be accompanied by an able bodied travelling companion.

Island Cruises have three cabins for disabled passengers on their ship, Island Escape, which offer additional space with fixtures and fittings adapted accordingly and an extra wide door of 34.5 inches. Newly refurbished, the cabins come complete with a dedicated steward on call 24 hours a day!

All four of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines ships each have a limited number of cabins specially adapted for disabled passengers; however passengers with a severe disability must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion.   All public rooms and decks are accessible by wheelchair.   Ports of call where tenders are used to go ashore may not be accessible to wheelchairs or severely disabled passengers.

Norwegian Coastal Voyages New and Mid Generation vessels of the coastal fleet have special disabled cabins. The ships also have lifts to all decks and the new generation ships have special ramps as part of the gang- plank. The coastal voyage comes highly recommended from our disabled passengers.

Norwegian Cruise Line has a number of facilities throughout its fleet for disabled passengers including for the wheelchair bound, wider entrance doors to staterooms, lower lip at door level for easy access, sink height of 37.2 inches, two collapsable armrests, grab bars in bathrooms, and easy access to elevators. For hearing impaired passengers the ships include visual smoke detectors, vibrating clock and bed, phone alert and amplification, door knock alert, plus decoders on the TV for dialogue change to captions.

All five of P&Os ships have cabins which are accessible for a standard size non-motorised wheelchair. Additionally, Aurora and Oriana have some cabins specially designed for non-ambulant passengers; facilities include wider doorways and ample grab rails.

Regent formally Radisson Seven Seas Cruises recognises the challenges faced by those passengers with special needs. The Seven Seas Navigator has four balconied suites specifically designed for wheelchair access, whilst the Seven Seas Mariner has 6 wheelchair acesable cabins. The latest ship the all-suite and all-balcony Seven Seas Voyager, has four wheelchair accessible suites. All public areas on these three ships are accessible by wheelchair, serviced by ramps and lifts.

Royal Caribbean International provides specially configured staterooms, wide corridors, functional bathroom facilities and special devices to aid the hearing and visually impaired. Any special conditions requiring medical treatment or attention must be reported to reservations in writing at the time of booking. Royal Caribbean International can also accommodate most special diets and oxygen therapy (liquid oxygen, compressed gas oxygen or oxygen concentrator), continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis only.

Onboard Star Cruises SuperStar Gemini and Virgo we have 4 cabins specially equipped with wider doorways and larger bathrooms with grab bars and a folding shower seat. (Photo shots available). All public areas are accessible by wheelchair (these are available on request from reception for embarkation and disembarkation).

Princess Cruises with its 15 ship fleet all offer a limited number of wheelchair accessable cabins.

Siversea with its six star luxury has between 2 and 4 cabins per ship suitable for wheelchair bound passengers.

Oceania Cruises with all 4 ships have a limited number of suitable cabins and probably the best cuisine afloat.