{"id":2209,"date":"2019-01-28T14:24:22","date_gmt":"2019-01-28T19:24:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/?p=2209"},"modified":"2019-03-15T21:37:08","modified_gmt":"2019-03-16T01:37:08","slug":"cruise-port-of-call-wheelchair-accessibility-review-fort-de-france-martinique","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/2019\/01\/28\/cruise-port-of-call-wheelchair-accessibility-review-fort-de-france-martinique\/","title":{"rendered":"Cruise Port of Call Wheelchair Accessibility Review: Fort de France, Martinique"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Martinique is a Caribbean island that is an overseas territory of France, located to the north of Trinidad and Tobago. The island is dominated by Mt Pelee, which erected in 1902 and completely destroyed the city of St. Pierre. In the south of Martinique, there are many beautiful beaches with a large bevy of tourists. In the North you can find a lush rain forests and black sand beaches. Fort de France Is the largest city and capital of Martinique. The city is a cross between New Orleans and a town on the French Riviera, and narrow streets crisscross the evergreen hills that surround this bayside town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cruise ships<\/a> that call on Fort de France dock at the Pointe Simon pier. Once you disembark, you will roll along a long dock and bridge that will take you to a small marketplace. There are smaller individual vendors under tents, and there is a larger craft market with several marked accessible ramps to enter. If you have booked a tour, you will meet your cruise line tour representative or tour guide at the end of the bridge on the outside of the security checkpoint and before you enter the craft market. The local currency in Martinique is the euro, and unlike other Caribbean islands, US dollars are not accepted in shops or by small vendors. However, many restaurants and hotels take credit cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I was pleasantly surprised that the city center of Fort de France was decently wheelchair accessible. The main road that runs along the coastline has a very wide sidewalk with curb drops. If you wish to go into the historic city center, you will need to go through the parking lot right behind the craft market and cross the street at the stoplight. You should stick to the roads that are pedestrian only areas. However, the sidewalks do have curb cuts in the busier areas and are in good condition. If you veer off onto side streets, you may run into some issues with the condition of the sidewalks. Traffic is busy, so rolling in the street may not be a safe option. There is a large air-conditioned and modern shopping mall in the center of this historic area if you need a break from the heat or a place to buy some non-souvenir essentials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you would like to see some of the sights in Martinique outside of Fort de France, you will need to hire an accessible tour company. The only business I was able to find with an accessible van is Martinique Access’ile<\/a>. with them I was able to go into the rain forests and tour a beautiful botanical garden near the top of a mountain. We also saw much of the island, Including a lovely historic church that I was able to enter, and stopped for a wonderful snack break at a lovely caf\u00e9. The rates are quite reasonable. However, if you just wish to have a relaxing day shopping for souvenirs and strolling through Fort de France, this is one of the better options in the Caribbean for accessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you interested in booking a wheelchair accessible cruise that calls on Martinique? Contact me at <\/em>Spin the Globe\/Travel<\/a> and we’ll get started!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Martinique is a Caribbean island that is an overseas territory of France, located to the north of Trinidad and Tobago. The island is dominated by Mt Pelee, which erected in 1902 and completely destroyed the … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2212,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[33,4357,9],"tags":[3757,3768,3767,3620],"yst_prominent_words":[322,1455,349,3764,3763,3308,1265,2753,3762,3615,3431,3760,3761,3758,771,3292,3759,3765,1277,534],"class_list":["post-2209","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cruises","category-ports-of-call","category-reviews","tag-crown-princess","tag-fort-de-france","tag-martinique","tag-port-of-call","latest_post"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/CB577A83-1A0E-4B83-ACF8-092CF84F3512.jpeg?fit=3902%2C2927&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8IhCJ-zD","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2287,"url":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/2019\/02\/04\/tips-for-going-on-a-wheelchair-accessible-caribbean-cruise\/","url_meta":{"origin":2209,"position":0},"title":"Tips for Going on a Wheelchair Accessible Caribbean Cruise","author":"Sylvia Longmire","date":"February 4, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Temperatures are hitting record lows in northern latitudes right now, so it's no surprise that this is the busiest time of year for cruise bookings. One of the most popular destinations for cruising is the Caribbean, and I always say that taking a cruise is the easiest way for wheelchair\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Caribbean"","block_context":{"text":"Caribbean","link":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/category\/caribbean\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/BE04814C-05BB-4FB5-A9B8-31AC44C9AF6C.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/BE04814C-05BB-4FB5-A9B8-31AC44C9AF6C.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/BE04814C-05BB-4FB5-A9B8-31AC44C9AF6C.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/BE04814C-05BB-4FB5-A9B8-31AC44C9AF6C.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/BE04814C-05BB-4FB5-A9B8-31AC44C9AF6C.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1196,"url":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/2018\/02\/05\/best-cruises-disabled-wheelchair-users\/","url_meta":{"origin":2209,"position":1},"title":"Best Cruises for Wheelchair Users and the Disabled","author":"Sylvia Longmire","date":"February 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Going on a cruise is easily the best way for wheelchair users to see the world! Cruise ships are becoming more accessible every year, and ports of call are increasingly aware of the need to cater to disabled visitors who both use wheelchairs and have money to invest in their\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cruises"","block_context":{"text":"Cruises","link":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/category\/cruises\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/4E78C278-C604-454A-9AE7-8386630C5645.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/4E78C278-C604-454A-9AE7-8386630C5645.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/4E78C278-C604-454A-9AE7-8386630C5645.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/4E78C278-C604-454A-9AE7-8386630C5645.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/4E78C278-C604-454A-9AE7-8386630C5645.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2404,"url":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/2019\/03\/05\/cruise-port-of-call-wheelchair-accessibility-review-roatan-honduras\/","url_meta":{"origin":2209,"position":2},"title":"Cruise Port of Call Wheelchair Accessibility Review: Roat\u00e1n, Honduras","author":"Sylvia Longmire","date":"March 5, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I have been to almost two dozen ports of call in the Caribbean on cruises, and I have to say that Roat\u00e1n is absolutely one of my favorites. The wheelchair accessibility is poor, but there are so many beautiful things to see, and the people are absolutely wonderful. Roat\u00e1n itself\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Caribbean"","block_context":{"text":"Caribbean","link":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/category\/caribbean\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/39015BEB-2527-4E77-A0D8-E29A177A7D91.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/39015BEB-2527-4E77-A0D8-E29A177A7D91.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/39015BEB-2527-4E77-A0D8-E29A177A7D91.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/39015BEB-2527-4E77-A0D8-E29A177A7D91.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/39015BEB-2527-4E77-A0D8-E29A177A7D91.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2224,"url":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/2019\/01\/28\/cruise-port-of-call-wheelchair-accessibility-review-st-thomas-us-virgin-islands\/","url_meta":{"origin":2209,"position":3},"title":"Cruise Port of Call Wheelchair Accessibility Review: St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands","author":"Sylvia Longmire","date":"January 28, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"St. Thomas is the gateway island of the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. It's known for its beaches and snorkeling spots. The territorial capital of Charlotte Amalie, founded by the Danish in the 1600s, is a very busy cruise ship port. Historic buildings include a 1679 watchtower called Blackbeard's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cruises"","block_context":{"text":"Cruises","link":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/category\/cruises\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/683576C2-BA4E-439B-A436-8C283C5B98D7.jpeg?fit=1200%2C659&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/683576C2-BA4E-439B-A436-8C283C5B98D7.jpeg?fit=1200%2C659&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/683576C2-BA4E-439B-A436-8C283C5B98D7.jpeg?fit=1200%2C659&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/683576C2-BA4E-439B-A436-8C283C5B98D7.jpeg?fit=1200%2C659&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/683576C2-BA4E-439B-A436-8C283C5B98D7.jpeg?fit=1200%2C659&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2245,"url":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/2019\/01\/28\/cruise-port-of-call-wheelchair-accessibility-review-nassau-bahamas\/","url_meta":{"origin":2209,"position":4},"title":"Cruise Port of Call Wheelchair Accessibility Review: Nassau, Bahamas","author":"Sylvia Longmire","date":"January 28, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas. It lies on the island of New Providence, with neighboring Paradise Island accessible via Nassau Harbor bridges. A popular cruise ship stop, the city has a hilly landscape and is known for beaches, as well as its offshore coral reefs that are popular\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Caribbean"","block_context":{"text":"Caribbean","link":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/category\/caribbean\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/IMG_4333.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/IMG_4333.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/IMG_4333.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/IMG_4333.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/IMG_4333.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4076,"url":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/2020\/01\/01\/a-guide-to-wheelchair-access-and-assistance-at-florida-cruise-ports\/","url_meta":{"origin":2209,"position":5},"title":"A Guide to Wheelchair Access and Assistance at Florida Cruise Ports","author":"Sylvia Longmire","date":"January 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"If you\u2019re planning on cruising to the Caribbean, chances are good that you\u2019ll be departing from one of Florida\u2019s major cruise ports. Hopefully you\u2019ve selected a fully accessible itinerary and used an accessible travel agent to help you book an accessible cabin. If so, then all you have to do\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cruises"","block_context":{"text":"Cruises","link":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/category\/cruises\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/40-70f609bf62c30.jpg?fit=768%2C484&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/40-70f609bf62c30.jpg?fit=768%2C484&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/40-70f609bf62c30.jpg?fit=768%2C484&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/40-70f609bf62c30.jpg?fit=768%2C484&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2209","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2209"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2209\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2209"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2209"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2209"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=2209"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}