Dannewsdisability

See you on the accessible road of life; Specializing in Accessible Tourism


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Norwegian Cruise Line
Accessible Cruising

Accessibility Assistance

Important Information for Guests with Special Needs


The fun and excitement of Freestyle cruising should be able to be enjoyed by everyone. That's why we are committed to providing all of our guests the freedom of choice to cruise your way.

In order to accomplish that goal, Norwegian Cruise Line has a seasoned group of cruise professionals who are specifically trained to meet your needs.Norwegian Cruise Line's team of Access Coordinators at the Access Desk have experience in furthering Norwegian Cruise Line's mission to provide a safe and accessible cruise experience for all guests with special requirements to the extent that is feasible. The Access Desk Coordinators will discuss with you your needs and expectations for your cruising experience. You or your travel agent will be contacted so that we can try to meet your needs prior to your cruise as soon as we receive your Special Accommodation Requirements Information form available from our Access Desk. Norwegian Cruise Line has Access Officers who will be the primary go to person for all of your needs.

In order to make your cruise experience as enjoyable as possible and so that we can try to meet your specific needs, have Dannewsdisability contact us.

Special Assistance Level and Type of Assistance

Every person with a challenge or disability is different and you are the best judge of any special assistance you may require. Norwegian Cruise Line has specially trained employees to answer your questions before and during your cruise or to resolve any issue that may arise relating to travel with Norwegian Cruise Line. Norwegian Cruise Line also has a centralized internal corporate resolution staff to assist vessel personnel, available by telephone 24 hours a day. If we are doing more or less than you need, please let us know.

The fun and excitement of Freestyle cruising should be able to be enjoyed by everyone. That's why we are committed to providing all of our guests the freedom of choice to cruise your way.

Special Assistance Coordinators Before and During Your Cruise

Learn how Norwegian Cruise Line has a dedicated team of seasoned travel professionals specifically trained to assist you with your specific requirements from reserving your stateroom through your cruise.

The Access Desk

Within our Reservations Department, an exclusive team of seasoned professionals operate to help facilitate your travel. Specially trained in Norwegian Cruise Line's policies and procedures, after receiving your Special Accommodation Requirements Information form, they document your reservation with information concerning your service requests to help prepare our cruise staff for your vacation. A member of the Access Desk will speak with you about each and every aspect of your cruise from transportation to and from the vessel to shore excursions, your stateroom and any other expectation or need that you may have.

Onboard

Once you have boarded, you will be met by staff who will have all of the information that you conveyed to Norwegian Cruise Line either directly or through your travel professional. Staff will be available throughout your cruise to see to your needs. Norwegian Cruise Line has Access Officers who will be the primary go to person for all of your needs. Norwegian Cruise Line also has a centralized internal corporate resolution staff to assist the Access Officer, available by telephone 24 hours a day.

Advance Notice Needed

Whatever your special requirements are, Norwegian Cruise Line will do whatever it reasonably can to accommodate you. But we do need adequate time to prepare for your arrival. Please make every effort to contact our Access Desk well in advance of your cruise – at least 120 days for interpreters and 60 days for all other requirements – if possible. A request for an interpreter with less than 120 days’ notice may still be granted but cannot be guaranteed.

The more information that we have concerning any special requirement you may have, the more prepared we are to meet your needs during your cruise. What works well for others may not meet your requirements. You are the best judge to know what works best for you so rather than assume what you need is the norm, you'll have a much more enjoyable cruise experience if you tell us what you need. We will work with you to try to meet all your reasonable needs for your cruise, but due to the nature of travel on a passenger cruise vessel, if advance notice is not given, Norwegian Cruise Line may not be able to provide you with what you need.

In limited situations (either on board or ashore), we may find it necessary to ask you to make alternative travel arrangements, such as if a disabled guest is unable to satisfy certain specified safety and other criteria, even when provided with appropriate auxiliary aids and services. Guests who are unable to care for their basic needs (e.g. dressing, eating, and attending safety drills) MUST have a capable traveling companion. It is essential that we be notified of any special medical, physical, or other requirement you may have as soon as possible, including whether you intend to bring a scooter with you.

Pre-arranging for special assistance helps travel proceed more smoothly. Assistance is arranged for at the time of booking upon identification of your specific service request through our dedicated Access Desk which can be setup by Dannewsdisability please contact us.

Guests with Mobility Impairments

A wheelchair, scooter or walker may be the primary mobility assistance aid for getting on and off the ship for guests who cannot walk on their own. Norwegian Cruise Line has a limited supply of wheelchairs onboard. In order to accommodate our guests, Norwegian Cruise Line wheelchairs are reserved exclusively for embarkation and disembarkation situations. If you will require regular use of a wheelchair, we strongly recommend that you bring your own wheelchair with you or make rental arrangements with Special Needs at Sea. The limited supply of wheelchairs onboard are available for emergency rental arrangements and are on a first come first serve basis.

Motorized wheelchairs and scooters are allowed in our accessible staterooms provided that they are powered by gel-cell batteries and the chargers must be adaptable to 110 volts. Should you choose a stateroom that has not been designated as accessible, you will need to bring a collapsible wheelchair, or if you have a motorized wheelchair or scooter, the width must not exceed 26 inches to enter the stateroom door. All scooters and wheelchairs MUST be stored in the stateroom. Due to the safety and escape way requirements established by SOLAS regulations, they cannot be stored in the hallways, stairways, or any other public area. Beach wheelchairs can be rented for use on Norwegian Cruise Line's private island.

For additional details on the prearranged rental program, please contact Dannewsdisability for your equpiment needs.

Ship Transfers and Shore Excursions Facilities

Ship Transfers & Tenders
Guests must be aware that certain vessel transfers, such as tendering and gangways, may not be fully accessible to wheelchairs or scooters at the time that they desire or that they cannot go ashore at all. When a ship is unable to dock, guests are taken ashore on smaller boats called tenders. Some guests with limited mobility may find it difficult to embark or disembark the ship at certain times while at dock or while tendering. Note: scooters and wheelchairs and/or guests that weigh 100lbs or more are not allowed to be transferred from the ship to tender and/or from tender to shore.

Shore Excursions
Some shore excursion facilities may not be fully accessible to guests with mobility challenges. Although we endeavor to make sure that companies based in the United States provide accessible shore excursions, we cannot guarantee that all are able to provide facilities that are accessible to persons with disabilities. Moreover, shore excursions in foreign ports can present challenges to disabled guests. For detailed, up-to-date information on accessibility issues involving shore excursions, we strongly recommend that you contact Dannewsdisbility prior to travel.

Amenities and Services include:

  1. Embarkation day meeting with staff member who will see to your accessibility needs during the cruise
  2. A limited number of wheelchair accessible staterooms with grab bars in the bathrooms, raised beds, adjustable hanging rods in the closets, shower seats, extra wide doors for easy access
  3. Wheelchair rental available for use on the vessels
  4. All Norwegian Cruise Line ships have pool lifts
  5. All Norwegian Cruise Line ships have accessible restrooms in a variety of public spaces
  6. Accessible transportation to and from the vessel can be arranged in advance for all US destinations with 60 day advance notice provided to the Access Desk

The Access Desk can provide specific and up to date information on the accessibility of shore excursions prior to your cruise

For additional information, contact Dannewsdisability for prebook shore excursions

Guests who Are Deaf or Have Low Hearing

At Norwegian Cruise Line, we will attempt to provide our Deaf or Low Hearing guests with an enjoyable cruise, which means making every attempt to make the technology available to assist Deaf and Low Hearing guests during your Freestyle cruise experience. We strongly encourage Deaf or Low Hearing guests to contact the Access Desk prior to cruising so that your specific needs can be discussed prior to your cruise. Many different options are available prior to the cruise and needs vary from guest to guest.

Amenities and Services include:

  1. Embarkation day meeting with staff member who will see to your accessibility needs during the cruise
  2. The Sky, Sun and Pride of America have staterooms that are hard wired for Deaf and Low Hearing guests which includes a visual-tactile alert system to alert you if there is knocking at the door, telephone ringing, alarm ringing or smoke detection
  3. On those vessels where rooms have not been hardwired, a portable kit is available upon request in your stateroom that includes a visual-tactile alert system to alert you if there is knocking at the door, telephone ringing, alarm ringing or smoke detection.
  4. Individual and/or group emergency drills for all Deaf or Low Hearing guests upon request
  5. Pagers are available upon request on all Norwegian Cruise Line vessels to alert Deaf or Low Hearing Guests to vessel announcements and a manual for same can be provided in advance.
  6. Assistive listening devices are available on many vessels in the main theatre through the Guest Service Desk.
  7. Closed-captioned televisions are available for your state room.
  8. Closed-captioned DVD movies are available upon request prior to sailing.
  9. Sign language interpreting services may be provided for Deaf guests if that is their primary means of communication. A request for sign language interpreting should be made with the Access Desk at the time of booking through the Special requirements Information Form that can be obtained from the Access desk, but no later than 90 days prior to sailing. Requests are subject to a number of considerations, including but not limited to, the availability of interpreters and cabin space. Sign language interpreting services may be provided on cruises that depart from and/or return to the U.S. Please make every effort to contact our Access Desk well in advance of your cruise - at least 120 days for interpreters and 60 days for all other requirements – if possible. A request for an interpreter with less than 120 days’ notice may still be granted but cannot be guaranteed.
  10. TTY Phones are available onboard all ships except Norwegian Spirit that use handy phones and text messaging.
  11. The guest can request that the phone in their room be replaced with a TTY phone and this will enable them to communicate with the Guest Services Desk staff by teletype.

Guests who are Blind or Have Low Vision

At Norwegian Cruise Line, we will attempt to provide our Blind or Low Vision guests with an enjoyable cruise, which means providing personal, customized service to make your cruise fun, safe and happy.

Amenities and Services Available include:

  1. Embarkation day meeting with staff member who will see to your accessibility needs during the cruise
  2. A vessel orientation tour is available upon request
  3. Braille / tactile signage
  4. Service animals allowed onboard and must be arranged through the Access Desk prior to the cruise

Service Dogs

Norwegian Cruise Line accepts service dogs that are trained to perform a specific task. A service dog may be needed for many different conditions, which would be acceptable under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines.

Dannewsdisability travel division opinion is to contact us to help with the current most effective laws and regulations that are available on the definition of service dogs, so you can be inform of disability civil rights or contact your personal attorney for a professional legal opinion.

In accordance with the ADA, Norwegian Cruise Line does NOT accept “Emotional Support” dogs as service dogs, they CANNOT sail.  Please see the informatin/resources about serivce animals

  1. Guests must provide copies of the dog’s current vaccination records that show all shots are up-to-date (including Rabies), as well as a USDA or International Health certificate.
  2. Guests are responsible for checking with all ports of call for any special requirements they may have.
  3. Guests are responsible for bringing all food, medication and life jacket for the dog.
  4. A sand box will be provided.

All guests traveling with service animals must book at least 45 days in advance to allow sufficient time to check with each port of call and provide Norwegian Cruise Line with all required documentation.

Other Needs or Challenges

Norwegian Cruise Line welcomes guests with medical, emotional or any other challenge to Freestyle cruising. If you have a need that has not been discussed, we encourage you to contact us at the Access Desk regarding your special requirements or requests and our policies and procedures. Please contact Dannewsdisability for any help with accessible cruising.

Children with Disabilities

Children with disabilities are welcome on all Norwegian Cruise Line vessels. Please contact the Access Desk to discuss Norwegian Cruise Line's policies and procedures regarding children with disabilities and how we can assist you in making your child's cruising experience safe, fun and comfortable

Cognitive, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Guests with cognitive, intellectual and development disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease are encouraged to contact the Access Desk to discuss your cruise. Upon request, every effort will be made to meet your cruising special requirements, including:

Early boarding
Boarding and disembarkation assistance

Special Medical Dietary Requirements and Diabetes

Guests with food allergies should contact the Access Desk to discuss Norwegian Cruise Line's policies and procedures concerning special diets and your specific allergies prior to your cruise. Because the vessels are supplied all over the world, it may be easier to meet your specific food allergy requirements in some countries, but very difficult in others. We can arrange to have no sugar and low sodium meals for guests with those specific medical dietary restrictions upon request. Refrigerators are available in many staterooms for storing insulin

Dialysis

Guests requiring continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis are welcome to board all vessels. However, Norwegian Cruise Line does not have the ability to assist or administer hemo-dialysis treatments. Those guests using peritoneal dialysis should have all solutions and equipment needed to perform the dialysis delivered to the vessel on the day of sailing at least two hours prior to sailing. Please contact the Access desk prior to the cruise for more information on Norwegian Cruise Line's policies and procedures. Please see dannewsdisability information about traveling with dialysis information.

Oxygen

The ship is not equipped to provide guests with these services other than on an emergency basis in the Ship's Medical Center. For security and safety reasons, we have selected Special Needs at Sea as the only outside vendors that we will permit to deliver oxygen supplies to the ship. We believe they will meet your on board respiratory needs:

You are also welcome, however, to bring your own oxygen and/or oxygen equipment from your home. Please note that our staff and crew are not permitted to handle your oxygen and/or oxygen equipment during the embarkation and disembarkation process. Thus, you must be able to handle your supplies if you bring your own. Please contact the Access & Compliance Department prior to sailing if you will require oxygen while on your cruise. Please note that liquid oxygen is not permitted on any Norwegian Cruise Line vessel.

For the safety and security of everyone, oxygen and/or oxygen equipment deliveries will not be accepted from any other company other than Special Needs at Sea.

Dannewsdisabiltiy has a supplier contract with Special Needs at Sea contact us for your needs.

Pregnancy

Norwegian Cruise Line will not accept guests who will have entered their 24th week of pregnancy by the time their travel with Norwegian Cruise Line concludes. A statement from the expectant mother's doctor (letter head form required), stating her due date and fitness to travel must be sent to Norwegian Cruise Line's Access Desk. Norwegian Cruise Line will not be responsible or liable for any complications of pregnancy which arise or occur during the cruise.