{"id":842,"date":"2017-10-19T16:31:05","date_gmt":"2017-10-19T20:31:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/?p=842"},"modified":"2020-01-12T18:13:09","modified_gmt":"2020-01-12T23:13:09","slug":"wheelchair-accessible-alaska-cruise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/2017\/10\/19\/wheelchair-accessible-alaska-cruise\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Finding the Perfect Wheelchair Accessible Alaska Cruise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Many wheelchair users already know that cruising is one of the best ways to see the world. It is arguably also the easiest way to visit The Last Frontier in America, also known as Alaska. Having cruised to Alaska in 2016<\/a>, this is easily one of my favorite destinations in the entire world. Considering the volume of Alaska cruises I book for my accessible travel agency<\/a> clients, it’s a popular itinerary for wheelchair users as well! The scenery is jaw-dropping, and the people are so friendly and welcoming. However, there are a few things to take into consideration when picking the right cruise ship itinerary for an Alaska visit. Here are some tips for finding a great wheelchair accessible Alaska cruise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Departure\/Arrival Ports. <\/strong>One of the first things you want to decide on is where you want to depart for your Alaska cruise. You will also need to decide if you want your cruise to be round-trip or one-way. The majority of Alaska cruises depart from either Seattle, Washington or Vancouver, British Columbia. These are typically seven night itineraries. There are also a few one-way itineraries that depart from San Francisco and Long Beach, California, and these are either 10-night, 12-night, or 14-night itineraries. The one-way itineraries often arrive in either Seward or Whittier, both of which have connections to Anchorage and often side excursions by train to visit places like Denali National Park. It is often more expensive to fly into the departure port and fly out of the arrival port, so keep this in mind when budgeting. I usually recommend to my clients that they arrive at the departure port at least one day prior to the cruise sailing date. Both Vancouver and Seattle offer several great options for wheelchair accessible hotel rooms that I can arrange for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Itinerary.<\/strong> Many Alaska cruise itineraries are similar from cruise line to cruise line with only minor variations. They usually involve three or four ports of call and cruising through one of the many glacier viewing areas where the sea is like glass. Typical ports of call include Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, Victoria, Icy Strait Point, and Sitka. What is crucial for wheelchair travelers to know and understand is that some ports of call in Alaska itineraries are tender only, and many others are either “dock or anchor” (D\/A). A tender port means that the cruise ship anchors offshore, and passengers must be brought to shore on smaller boats called tenders. While some travelers who use collapsible wheelchairs and can negotiate a few steps can use tenders, tender boats are generally off-limits to electric scooter and power wheelchair users with very few exceptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n