For guests who cannot walk on their own, a wheelchair, scooter or walker may be the primary mobility assistance aid for getting on and off the ship. 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. The limited supply of wheelchairs onboard are available for emergency rental arrangements and are on a first come first serve basis.
Wheelchair accessible staterooms are available on all our ships. We recommend you book well in advance as possible as availability is limited. Accessible staterooms offer wider door frames, roll in showers, shower benches, high-rise toilets and handrails in shower and toilet area.
Motorised 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 motorised 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.
Guests who require the regular use of a wheelchair/scooter or other mobility device are encouraged to bring their own or rent from our preferred vendor, Scootaround, if they are sailing from a U.S. port.
Please visit Scootaround’s website or call 1-888-441-7575. Scootaround’s team of trained professionals can review the different rental options available based on your accommodations and find the one that best suits your needs. As a preferred vendor, they have unique access to deliver your equipment on board Norwegian cruise ships.
Scootaround provides a wide range of cruise mobility rentals and accessibility solutions, including scooters, wheelchairs, powerchairs, and oxygen concentrators.
Amenities and Services include:
- 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
- Wheelchair rental available for use on the vessels
- All Norwegian Cruise Line ships have pool lifts
- All Norwegian Cruise Line ships have accessible restrooms in a variety of public spaces
- Accessible transportation to and from the vessel can be arranged in advance for all US destinations with 15 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
Assistance On & Off Ship
Guests requesting wheelchair assistance on and off the ship during embarkation / disembarkation, must be able to enter and exit the terminal without assistance.
Assistance onto the ship at embarkation
Norwegian Cruise Line crew cannot exit the terminal, therefore guests cannot be picked up at the drop-off area/curb. Guests must enter the terminal before they can be provided wheelchair assistance. Guests are taken to the check-in area and then up the ramp to board the ship, but cannot be taken all the way to their stateroom.
Assistance off the ship at disembarkation
Announcements will be made onboard to advise guests to meet at a specific location, where they will wait for crew members with wheelchairs, to arrive and assist them to the security/check-out area. Guests are dropped off at the check-out area. Guests will need to make their own way out of the terminal to the curb.
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. Guests may need to utilise steps or a stair case to access the tender and to re-board the ship. Some guests with limited mobility may find it difficult to embark or disembark the ship at certain times whilst at dock or whilst tendering.
Note: We are unable to provide assistance from the ship to tender and/or from tender to shore for guests with scooters and/or wheelchairs that weigh a combined 100 lbs. Guests tendering to Great Stirrup Cay may be exempt from this. Mobility devices must be able to fold in order to be accommodated onboard the tender.
Papeete, Fiji does not have ADA lifts or Medi-vans that can accommodate guests that are full-time wheelchair users, to and from the airport in addition to Shore Excursion transportation. If you are a full-time wheelchair user, please fill out the Accessibility & Medical questionnaire and be as detailed as possible so we can try to accommodate your needs.
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 recommend that you contact our Shore Excursion team experts at 0333 2412319 or visit our website.
