There are many different factors that go into making a cruise ship as accessible as possible for wheelchair users. First and foremost (in my opinion) is the true accessibility of staterooms, from the smallest interior cabin to the largest luxury suite. Dining rooms and other eateries should be easy to maneuver around, and there should be reserved seating in theaters. I love to see push-button access to staterooms and public restrooms, as well as automatic sliding glass doors between indoor and outdoor areas. But none of these things are any good if the ship’s crew doesn’t have the right attitude towards passengers with disabilities. Based on my extensive cruising experience as a wheelchair user, here are my favorite accessible cruise ships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I got the first hint that the brand new Celebrity Edge wasn\u2019t going to be the typical cruise ship the second I rolled on board. I felt like I had just entered the lobby of a W Hotel filled with famous and important people I hadn\u2019t seen on TV yet. Subtle dance club music was playing at a volume loud enough to energize you, but low enough where you could converse normally. There was glass and metal and sleek wood and modernity everywhere. It’s Celebrity’s newest ship, launched at the very end of 2018, and it was built with accessibility in mind. I know, because Celebrity executives and designers consulted with me on a couple of those aspects. The wheelchair accessibility on the Celebrity Edge<\/a> was superb; better than any cruise ship I\u2019ve been on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Stats:<\/strong> 25 accessible staterooms, no-threshold bathrooms and balconies, roll-in showers with fold-down benches, grab bars, lowered roll-under sinks, open bed frames, lifts at main pool and whirlpool, lowered casino tables, accessible tendering system, reserved wheelchair seating in theater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n