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Which of your ships have accessible facilities?

All of our ships are wheelchair accessible and offer accessible cabins.

What facilities can I expect in an accessible cabin?

• All accessible cabins offer wider doorways into the cabin and bathroom, as well as sufficient floor space to manoeuver when using a mobility device.
• The bathroom is a wet room style shower room with a flush threshold into the cabin, grab rails for shower and toilet and a pull-down shower chair. 
• All accessible Balcony cabins feature ramped access to the balcony.
• All mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs can be charged in the cabin when not in use. The standard electric supply in the United Kingdom is 50Hz (cycle) and 240V. It's therefore important that guests contact the manufacturer or supplier to ensure that the equipment is safe to use at 50Hz and the voltage is compatible. This is to ensure the equipment is not damaged or its performance is affected.

What is a mobility device?

Mobility devices are manual wheelchairs, electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

Manual wheelchair

• Manual wheelchairs are wheeled chairs that are powered using the person’s hands.

Electric wheelchair

• Electric wheelchairs are operated using a joystick mounted on the armrest, requiring less upper body mobility to control.

Mobility scooter

• A three or four wheeled battery-powered chair with a central delta tiller (handlebars), also referred to as a power-operated vehicle/scooter or electric scooter.

What is a mobility aid?

Walking frames (providing width is within 50cm), walking sticks, rollators are examples of smaller mobility aids.

Do I need to notify P&O Cruises that I'm bringing a mobility device on board?

Yes, mobility devices must be declared at the time of booking.

Which cabins have a handrail in the shower?

All cabins have a handrail in the shower.

What do I need to know when using my mobility device in public areas?

• When using a mobility scooter on-board it's of the utmost importance for the safety of all guests that they’re driven at a safe speed.
• Raised door thresholds are present throughout the ship which need to be negotiated with care and guest may find the layout of the ship narrower than they're used to. 
• When in public areas, guests must ensure their mobility scooter is clear of any exits or fire doors.
• The ship’s crew will be on hand in these areas to offer guidance on where guests can safely leave their scooter.
• Guests should pay careful attention when backing in and out of lifts, as they are often in close proximity to the staircase which may be narrow and difficult to negotiate.

How do I know if I require an accessible cabin or a standard cabin?

You may find "Which cabins are suitable for a full-time wheelchair user or a mobility scooter user?" useful.

Can I travel without a carer or companion?

• A cruise ship is quite different to guest’s familiar home environment. Each port is different and the ship has to use different gangways and change disembarkation arrangements to suit the circumstances on the day - these changes can be made at very short notice.
• Guests must travel with a companion / personal assistant who is responsible for providing any assistance that they would normally require at home.
• Our ship’s crew are unable to provide long term or sustained assistance to any guests. This includes all activities of daily living for example; washing toileting, eating, dressing and movement around the ship which we are unable to provide, except for arm and wheelchair assistance in getting to the public toilet facilities on board and on gangways in ports of call.
• If the guest has dementia, they’ll be required to bring a travel companion to ensure their safety whilst on board. 
• If guests travel alone and it becomes clear that it is unsafe to do so, or their travelling companion is unable to safely provide the personal care they need, the guest will be required to discuss the situation with a member of the shipboard management, which may result in them being asked to disembark the ship at their own expense.
• If the guest is blind, we strongly recommend that they travel with a sighted companion as crew can’t provide ongoing communication and assistance to navigate the ship. If they wish to travel alone then an assessment will be completed to ensure they can safely manage on-board.  

Does my electric mobility device need to be PAT tested before embarkation?

No. If for any reason a mobility scooter needs to be tested, the Electrical team will contact the guest once on board to carry out a PAT test and they’ll be informed of the result afterwards.

Where can I leave my mobility device when I'm not using it?

• When not in use, mobility devices must be left inside the cabin - they are not to be left anywhere on the ship outside entertainment, dining or other public venues unless instructed by crew. This is because their presence will impede a safe evacuation in an emergency situation and these areas are designated to be kept clear as per the ship's safety certification.
• Guests who leave scooters parked in these areas will be asked to remove them.

Can I take my mobility device on a tender?

If a guest intends to take their mobility device on a tender, no component piece is to weigh more than 20 kg when disassembled. Please note that the guest or their travelling companion is responsible for assembling and disassembling the wheelchair/ mobility scooter. The crew will endeavour to assist where practical and safe to do so, providing that no individual part weighs more than 20kg/40lb.

How do I book an accessible shore experience?

We have a range of accessible shore experiences available on My P&O Cruises which can be identified by the use of "Accessible" in the title. For guests who are not full-time mobility device users, we also offer low-activity shore experiences which are called "Leisurely".

How can I learn more about accessibility ashore?

P&O Cruises has a webpage dedicated to accessibility on shore. This page includes information on: 

• How to book accessible shore experiences
• Accessibility in ports
• Accessibility getting ashore

You can access this page via the weblink: https://www.pocruises.com/accessibility/ashore/accessible-shore-excursions

Do you cater for children with disabilities in the children's clubs?

• We encourage all children to use our fantastic children's facilities, however we don't provide one-on-one support or care. If the child needs this, a parent or carer needs to be present at all times.
• If a child has a disability and would like to take part in our activity programme, the guests must provide a full account of the child’s needs when registering them, as well as speaking with our Youth team to arrange a chat with our Youth Manager when on board. We can then do our best to make sure they have a fun and safe holiday.