Some questions to ask when booking a cruise.

Cruising is a great vacation if you do the homework, and ask the right questions of your travel agent. Big questions that you want to make sure and ask are as follows:

That they have a disabled accessible cabin available. These cabins are larger and have the grab bars, and shower bench. Plus it offers a clear path  for a wheelchair or walker.

Does the ship dock, or do you have to take a boat to get to the port? It is important because the cruise line will not assist you onto the tender. If you will be upset if you don't get to disembark at each port, then you will need to really get an answer to this.

Are there any accessible excursions? You must realize that most of the ports you will be visiting are in developing nations and are not bound by the ADA. If you are pretty active and can get into a full size van you should be OK, otherwise you might want to go with some people who can You HAVE to have a passport. They will not let you on board if you don't have one (you may be able to get a passport card but you need something to prove your citizenship). If you show up without one they will forfeit your payment and you will be out of luck.

lift you in and fold your walker/wheelchair/or other mobility vehicle.

Is this a REALLY a kid friendly ship? You don't want to take a trip if the kids in your group won't have any fun. Again do your research. 

Bring scope patches even if you don't think you will get sea sick. You just cannot tell how you will respond on a different cruise. It will save you in the end if you have it (better safe than sorry).

Cushion your trip with a day on both ends for jet lag. Several hours of time difference can really affect you and possibly wreck your trip.

If you can take short cruises, do so. It gives you a chance to relax without costing a fortune and you can book longer cruises on the ship and get a discount.

Be prepared to roll around like Jack Sparrow. I was in the eastern Caribbean and could not roll a straight line if I tried. You are on a ship and everything moves. Just get used to it.

There is something about taking a cruise that puts you back in touch with yourself. It is a primitive experience that has you out literally in the middle of nowhere. Today's cruises are luxurious by past standards but are part of a link from our past. Every civilization had at least one person that said "I am hopping in that boat and going to see what I can find". More later.

Your New Best Friend

OK, as I have stated many times, it is good to use a professional travel agent for some things. After all like all professionals they know things that you won't. It is their job to assist you in making your trip restful and (in our circumstances) affordable. You wouldn't think of doing home dentistry (or maybe you would in which case I would mock you incessantly).

I am lucky that I have two agents that I have regularly used for years. One for the local jaunts, and destination vacations. The other I use for things that are a little more adventurous. I consider them to both to be friends. So it in this spirit that I give out another tip. Make friends with your agent, get to know them and their families. Let them into your life. This will enhance both of your abilities (yours to trust that they will do their very best in planning, and theirs to know exactly what you may need even when you don't voice it).

My travel agents are great because they can anticipate some of my needs. I really love to visit them and find out what is going on with them outside the offices. I write this because after a tough week of work I went to the mail box to get my mail and my itinerary was in there. I went in to ceremoniously open it with my wife, and after stripping away the white AAA envelope we discovered....It was gift wrapped by the brilliant Mary at AAA Mt. Vernon. It was a nice way to start off the weekend. And AAA Incorporated if you are reading this, you really should give that woman a raise as she is a great representative for your company.

More later...

Your Friendly Neighborhood Travel Agent

So you have seen all of the travel commercials and you believe that you can accessibly travel without an agent. Well you sure can. However you will not just be logging on to the travel sites and punching in your price and viola. You my dear traveler will be calling the 800 number located on the site and talking to their travel experts (just a warning, its not Shatner). Plus you will probably not be saving much if anything. The major problem is that we the disabled are a captive audience. We pay more for LOTS of things, you just have to get that through your head.

That being said, there are deals out there with discount travel agencies. I myself have been a member of AAA for their travel deals (although I hear Costco is good too). I went into my local AAA office and met with 2 very nice and extremely helpful ladies (Mary and Theresa). I explained my limitations, needs, and wants with my various vacations. I have booked Disney packages IE:resort stays and cruises, boutique hotels, and other air+hotel+transportation all while getting the AAA discount AND that doesn't count the many times I have used them for auto stuff. My opinion get a membership, but I have gone on a tangent.

Mary and Theresa have many contacts within the travel world that we (the public) do not have. They also have the luxury of being able to surf websites, talk to booking companies, and have (through their AAA purchasing power) purchased blocks of rooms and tickets that I as one person do not. They also have clients like myself who if questions should arise, they can call. They also travel extensively themselves so they may be more attune accessibility outside the United States.

Sure you CAN book a vacation without an agent. You can also fix your car and plumbing without a mechanic or plumber. Why place yourself in the position of many phone calls and emails with someone who may or may not know exactly what you need when there are trained professionals that can advocate for you so you can enjoy your vacation without being exhausted.