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A large reason why luxury cruises are rising in popularity is thanks to passenger interest in the
carefully curated slow travel experiences these lines offer. Historically, luxury travel has often
conflated exclusivity with inaccessibility. For instance, Travel + Leisure notes that until 2020,
marketing for most high-end travel was racially homogenous. People of color were seldom
represented, which understandably created feelings of prejudice. Meanwhile, disabled passengers
have been known to pay up to four times more for the same upscale services. This was previously
chalked up to the fact that certain disabilities require “specialized” faculties that cost more.
Over the last few years, though, there has been a large-scale accessibility and inclusivity effort
rolled out across the travel industry. This includes the luxury cruise market. Since global travel
resumed, luxury cruises have become some of the most in-demand. In 2023, Cruise Industry
News reported that luxury cruise passengers have surpassed the one million mark. This is a
significant achievement for the more niche sector, as 2019 reports tallied only 600,000 annual
passengers. Presumably, a number of these new passengers have a disability, which begs a closer
look into how accessibility is addressed in luxury cruises.
Suites
Disabled passengers usually experience issues with mobility. This often means regular staterooms
are too cramped for essentials like wheelchairs, crutches, or even special medical equipment such
as oxygen cylinders. Rather than simply offering up a sparsely decorated room for extra space,
luxury cruises are designing more accessible lodgings. To illustrate, Explora Cruises has
mindfully designed suites for every guest. Standard rooms include perks like in-room champagne
and sweets, so you don’t have to leave your cabin more than you’d like, and intuitive hospitality
experts who can help tailor your ocean adventure. Should a passenger want something a little
more specific to their needs, there are also accessible versions of their grand penthouses and
ocean terrace suites. These include features like a roll-in shower, grab-bars, wider door frames,
lowered shelves, toilet seat risers, and hearing accessibility aids, to name a few. This means
disabled guests can enjoy all the same comforts with the safety they need.
Excursions
One of the biggest draws of luxury cruises is their on-land activities. Compared to regular cruises
that tend to focus on more tourist hotspots, luxury cruise excursions are carefully crafted to be
more immersive and intimate. In order to ensure that no guest feels left out, a number of liners
have begun offering accessible excursion plans. For instance, Azamara, which is a smaller luxury
cruise line known for its exotic destinations, uses a clear grading scheme to mark how strenuous
or relaxed an activity is. This helps guests make educated decisions based on what they feel like
doing. Tours also come with accessible vehicles and transfers, where ramps and risers are
available. In some destinations, the liner can even arrange more bespoke excursions where
mobility is better controlled. In the event that you also have a service animal, they can help you
make transfer arrangements, assuming you have all the right paperwork prepared beforehand.
On-board staff
How well the staff executes their tasks can really make or break a trip. Luxury cruises pride
themselves on having highly-trained professionals manning every aspect, from the chefs to the
personal butlers. As we previously shared, Norwegian Epic is one such cruise where the staff
helped elevate the accessible experience. At the initial embarkation, staff oversee a smooth
check-in process, where disabled passengers are allowed on first and then assisted to their rooms.
Across the ship, staff members are also happy to answer any questions and direct you to
necessities like the public lavatories. In the dining hall, where it can get rather crowded, the wait
staff also helps mind any special dietary requirements, seating preferences, and more. On other
cruise ships, you can even request staff members who can sign, write in Braille, or read out any
specific signages.
Overall, there is still a long way to go before luxury travel becomes fully accessible. However,
luxury cruise lines are taking a step in the right direction by addressing the nuanced experiences
of every passenger.
To read more about accessible cruising, please visit the rest of Access Adventure.