Written by Chillie Falls, May 11, 2022
One of the most difficult areas for a solo mobility challenged traveler is embarkation on a cruise ship. Some ports, and some cruise ships just do not understand that many disabled guests can not accomplish what is being forced on them. And at times, can be very dangerous to the health and safety of those guests.
This is a report on the procedures of the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal in Seattle, Royal Caribbean and Quantum of the Seas.
I was met at the curb where I disembarked a cab from the nearby Crowne Plaza Hotel by a lovely lady named Hannah.
Immediately, I requested wheelchair service and was told, “I have two in front of you, so if you don’t mind, let me get you a seat while you wait. This is going to take a few minutes. In the meantime, we will take care of your luggage.” With that, she helped me over to a bench, got a porter who took my luggage and walker, and I waited for 30 minutes or so, until a wheelchair with a chair pusher was available. Hannah checked on me every 5 minutes to make sure I didn’t need anything and to provide updates on the wheelchair.
When the chair came, I was expedited through the security procedures. My chair guy took everything that had to go through the scanning machines and a TSA agent took me through, did the pad down search, and I retrieved my belongings. From the curb outside, until we were on our way to check in, no more than 10 minutes had passed.
Check in was almost as effortless and in another five minutes, I was checked in, registered, health and covid test documents checked, boarding pass scanned and handed off to ship personnel to board the Quantum of the Seas. This very surprising feat was accomplished even though this was the first cruise in over two years sailing at capacity for the ship and port.
There was no question as to where I needed to go. I was taken directly to my cabin to pick up my rented scooter from Scootaround, allowing me to access the ship, get some lunch, and begin exploring a new ship, even though the staterooms technically were not yet open to the public.
Clearly, the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal in Seattle, Royal Caribbean and Quantum of the Seas did everything right and it was a nearly perfect embarkation.