Wheelchair accessible cruise ships compared

First of all, remember that wheelchairs come in all shapes and sizes and you need to ask the cruise line, or your agent, to check the specific measurements of your wheelchair against the cabin access and bathroom on your chosen ship.

The Princess Cruise was the first to employ a full-time Access Compliance Manager whose job is dedicated to monitoring and expanding onboard accessibility. 31 wheelchair-accessible staterooms: six insides, four outsides, 16 balcony cabins, four mini-suites and one suite. There’s also a special wheelchair-transportation gangway mechanisms and special services for passengers with hearing impairments as well as Braille lift buttons.

Royal Caribbean has Braille numbers on the cabin doors and on public restrooms and elevators. They also have pool lifts and wonderful cabin doors that open automatically, either with a key from the outside or a push-button from the inside.

Crystal Cruises arranges for tour buses to accommodate wheel chairs.

Holland America offers a DVD detailing its accessibility options and offers a great service - 28 accessible cabins on Zuiderdam, Westerdam, Noordam and Oosterdam, ranging from four insides, five outsides, 13 balcony cabins and six deluxe balcony cabins. You can also request additional in-room equipment, such as elevated toilet seats, hand-held showers and TTY/TDD equipment.