Royal Caribbean Special Needs Services
Royal Caribbean's goal is to make of all their guests as comfortable as possible, both on and off the ship. Their spacious corridors accommodate 180 turns for wheelchairs. Most decks are accessible through automatic doors, and all public rooms feature entrances with gradual inclines.
Royal Caribbean provides accessible staterooms ranging from 159 square feet to 298 square feet, offering a five-foot turning radius in sleeping areas, bathrooms and sitting areas for easy maneuverability.
Royal Caribbean provides the following services for guests needing special assistance.
- Early boarding
- Cruise transfers utilizing a specialized van with lift
- Boarding and departure assistance
- Scooter access
- Hydraulic lifts for one pool and one Jacuzzi throughout the fleet
- Accessible tender system
- Accessible Blackjack tables in the casino
- Accessible Guest Relations Desk
- Deck plans that show accessible paths of travel
Accessible Stateroom Features
- Stateroom door width: 32 - 34" (vessel dependent)
- Bathroom door width: 32 - 34" (vessel dependent)
- No door sill to get into the stateroom
- Ramped bathroom thresholds
- Bathroom grab bars
- Lowered sink and vanity
- Roll-in showers
- Fold-down shower stool
- Hand-held shower heads
- Lowered closet bars
- Refrigerator in stateroom (upon request)
- Raised toilet seats (standard, 17.5"; taller raisers available)
- Accessible balconies (selected staterooms)
- Lowered safes for easy access (not including Empress of the Seas, Sovereign of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas and Monarch of the Seas, where safes are located at Guest Relations)
Visual Impairments
Royal Caribbean is determined to make the cruising experience as convenient and enjoyable as possible for guests with visual impairments. Their staterooms, dining and public areas are designed to incorporate Braille or voice recognition software wherever possible. Royal Caribbean's crew and staff are on hand to assist in every way.
Features and accommodations available to Visually Impaired Guests:
- Braille and large-print menus
- Service animals allowed onboard: a 4' x 4' wooden box with cypress mulch is provided
- Braille/tactile signage
- Braille elevator buttons/audio call signals
- Daily Cruise Compasses available in large print and Braille
- Cruise Services Directories available in Braille
- Early boarding available for orientation tours
Hearing Impairments
There's been much technology developed to assist guests with hearing impairments and at Royal Caribbean International, they've made every attempt to employ it wherever and whenever possible. They can also provide Sign Language Interpreters upon request (at least 60 days prior to sailing). There's no reason why everyone can't enjoy the Royal Caribbean cruise vacation to the fullest.
Features and accommodations available to Hearing Impaired Guests:
- A portable kit is available upon request. It includes TTY (Text Telephone)/TDD (Telecommunication Device for the Deaf), Alertmaster and a strobe alarm. The TTY in your stateroom interfaces with the TTY at the Guest Relations Desk to meet all your in stateroom needs. The Alertmaster alarm clock features under-mattress or under-pillow vibrator, while lights on the Alertmaster monitor the following: doorbell, telephone ringing, alarms and other sounds.
- Amplified telephones are available in the staterooms and public areas.
- Infrared systems are located in the Main Show Lounge and in the Royal Promenade on the Voyager-class vessels.
- Sign Language interpreters will be provided upon request to all guests who utilize American Sign Language as their primary means of communication.
- Closed-captioned televisions are available in all staterooms across the fleet (if you are sailing on Monarch of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas, or Sovereign of the Seas, please request one from the Access Desk prior to sailing)
- Most onboard videos produced by Royal Caribbean International are closed-captioned
Other Needs
Guests with medical impairments that require the use of dialysis or oxygen should have their CruiseCheap.com Cruise Specialist contact the Access Desk to discuss policies and procedures for bringing the appropriate equipment onboard.
Dialysis
Guests requiring continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis are welcome to board all Royal Caribbean International vessels. However, Royal Caribbean 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 have your CruiseCheap.com Cruise Specialist contact the Access Desk for more information on policies and procedures.
Oxygen
All types of oxygen are permitted onboard. Please have your CruiseCheap.com Cruise Specialist notify the Access Desk a to quantity, type and delivery schedule. Each vessel has a different storage policy, however, your will be able to keep some or all of your cylinders in the stateroom.
Pregnancy
Royal Caribbean will not accept guest who will have entered their third trimester of pregnancy (27th week) at the beginning or at any time during their cruise vacation. Please have your CruiseCheap.com Cruise Specialist contact the Access Desk if you have already booked your cruise and do not met this requirement.
Special Diets
Royal Caribbean can assist with a variety of special diets, including kosher, low sodium, low cholesterol, low fat, vegetarian, etc. Please put all dietary restrictions in writing and fax to the Access Desk.
Feel Right At Home All Over The World
Experiencing exciting ports of call is a part of the Royal Caribbean cruise vacation. With Royal Caribbean's shore excursion program, guests are able to choose from a wide variety of wonderful possibilities. While not every port of call may be amenable to wheelchair transportation, every effort will be made to accommodate guests where possible. Their experienced Access staff can help you select tours that will best meet your needs.
Feeling Lucky?
Join in Royal Caribbean's accessible Casino Royale for a great variety of games, including Blackjack, Electronic Slot Machines, Craps and Roulette.
Onboard Medical Services
Every Royal Caribbean ship offers limited professional medical services - for a reasonable fee - through independently contracted, licensed (international or domestic) physicians and nurses. On all Royal Caribbean ships, the medical facility is located on the "C" deck.
Traveling From Ship To Shore
Occasionally, port facilities, congestion and weather make it impossible to berth ships at a particular port of call, at which point the ship will be anchored offshore and small boats (tenders) are used to travel back and forth. Royal Caribbean will make every attempt to accommodate each guest at every port. However, at some tendered ports, guests may find some difficulty in transferring from the ship to the tender. The safety of the guests and crew is always foremost in Royal Caribbean's mind and the decision to tender any guest is made by Royal Caribbean in each case. Tender status of all ports is subject to change without notice.
Royal Caribbean has begun the installation of lifts that will make the tendering process for guest with mobility impairments smooth and stress-free.
Airport Transportation
If requested in advance, Royal Caribbean can arrange for lift equipped buses to transfer guests between the airport and the pier. This service is offered at no extra charge to air/sea guests or those who have purchased cruise-only transfers from Royal Caribbean.
Extra Assistance At The Pier
Royal Caribbean International offers boarding and departure assistance to guests with mobility impairments. Please request special assistance once you arrive at the pier or contact the Access Desk prior to your cruise.
Special Equipment
Royal Caribbean has a variety of equipment available onboard, such as shower stools, bed extensions, raised toilet seats and transfer benches. Please have one of our Cruise Experts contact the Access Desk prior to boarding if interested.
Booking A Cruise
If you do indeed require special assistance on your cruise, please do not book your cruise online. Accessible cabins are not always shown online. Please call and speak to a CruiseCheap.com Cruise Expert and we will do our best to make sure your needs are taken care of before, during and after your cruise.
