Which cabins are suitable for a full-time wheelchair user or a mobility scooter user?
Please see the following spreadsheet which displays accessible cabins, partially accessible cabins and ambulant accessible cabins - accessible cabin sheet.
For safety reasons, guests wishing to bring a powered mobility device (this includes all types of mobility scooters, powered wheelchairs and powered add-ons for manual wheelchairs) must be booked into a fully accessible cabin, partially accessible cabin on Arcadia only or selected Suite/Mini Suite. Full-time wheelchair users must occupy an accessible cabin. This is to ensure there is sufficient space for the powered mobility device to be stored safely while in the cabin, as well as ensuring the safety all guests and crew on board while the mobility scooter is in use around the ship. This is also a safety measure to ensure if there was a failure with the device a safety crew could access the cabin to manage the situation. To ensure accessibility on-board, the maximum length of a mobility scooter is 120cm.
Anyone bringing a wheelchair or mobility scooter on-board must be registered for an evacuation chair in the event of an emergency as a mandatory requirement. Mobility devices must be declared at the time of booking and the "Your on-board needs" questionnaire must be completed via My P&O Cruises as soon as possible after booking and no later than two weeks before they sail, otherwise the guest may be denied boarding.
Ensure you check the following descriptions of each cabin type to ensure this meets the guest’s requirements:
Accessible cabins
- These cabins are suitable for a mobility device to be used and stored.
- All of our accessible cabins feature wide doorways into the cabin and bathroom, as well as sufficient floor space for mobility device manoeuvrability.
- All accessible Balcony cabins feature ramped access to the balcony.
- The bathroom in all accessible cabins is a wet room style shower room, with a flush threshold into the cabin and grab rails for shower and toilet, as well as a pull down shower chair.
- Arcadia's accessible Deluxe Balcony cabins have a 60cm gap between end of the bed and bulkhead, meaning that a full-time wheelchair user may struggle to reach the balcony.
Partially accessible cabins (Arcadia, Arvia and Iona only)
Arcadia
- These cabins feature a wider doorway into the cabin and bathroom, plus a wet room style shower with fold down shower seat.
- While these cabins can accommodate a powered mobility device, there isn't sufficient space to use a mobility device within the cabin.
- Opening the door from within the cabin will require assistance from an able-bodied companion. These cabins are not suitable for guests who are full-time wheelchair users for this reason.
Arvia and Iona
- These cabins have the same accessible features as all other fully accessible cabins: wider doorway, adapted bathroom with grab rails and flush threshold (no steps for shower).
- The limited floor space and storage makes not suitable for powered mobility devices. This is also for health and safety reasons as a safety crew would not have enough space to access the cabin and manage a safety incident
- These cabins can accommodate a manual folding wheelchair but are not appropriate for use in the cabin because the turning circle needs to be considered as the available floor space is limited.
For further information, please see "What's the difference between an accessible cabin and a partially accessible cabin?"
Ambulant accessible cabins (Arvia only)
- These are standard cabins that have accessible elements and are suitable for guests who do not require the use of a mobility device in the cabin.
- Accessible features include grab rails within the bathroom, a pull-down seat in the shower with a maximum load of 150kg.
- However, these cabins have raised thresholds to the balcony and bathroom as well as standard cabin door widths.
Suitable for a powered mobility device - these cabins are therefore not appropriate for a full time wheelchair user.
- Guests wishing to bring a powered mobility device (this includes all types of mobility scooter, powered wheelchairs and powered add-ons for manual wheelchair) must be booked into a fully accessible cabin, partially accessible cabin on Arcadia only or selected Suite/Mini-Suite. This is to ensure there's sufficient space for the powered mobility device to be stored safely while in the cabin, as well as ensuring the safety all guests and crew on board while the powered mobility device is in use around the ship. This is also a safety measure to ensure if there was a failure with the device a safety crew could access the cabin to manage the situation.
- Mobility devices must be declared at the time of booking by the completion and submission of the "Your on-board needs" questionnaire prior to sailing.
- Powered mobility devices must be less than 120cm in length and be gel, dry cell, sealed lead acid or lithium-Ion battery operated.
- The mobility device will need to be stored safely inside the guest's cabin away from the cabin door.
- Manual collapsible wheelchairs are not included within the definition of the term " powered mobility device", but if the guest wishes to travel in a standard cabin, their wheelchair must be easily collapsible in one piece. When collapsed, the wheelchair must not exceed 50cm in width or weigh more than 23 kgs.
Charging your powered mobility device
- All scooters and electric wheelchairs can be charged in the guest’s cabin when not in use.
- Guest must be occupying the cabin whilst a device is charging and it must not be left charging in the room.
- The standard electric supply in the United Kingdom is 50Hz (cycle) and 240V. It is 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 affected.
- Safety instructions are available in guests cabins.
Additional Information
- You must ensure to ask every guest “In the unlikely event of an emergency, would anyone on the booking need assistance?”. If they would require assistance, please add the relevant level of support to Polar Online using the "package list" option. If a guest is bringing a mobility scooter or wheelchair on board, you must add evacuation chair assistance for them. However, it’s not possible to add this resource to existing bookings. If this step is missed or needs to be added post-booking, please complete the Partnership Helpdesk Webform and we'll come back to you as soon as possible. For bookings sailing within the next six months, you should call the Partnership Helpdesk for urgent support.
- If the guest has mobility or accessibility requirements, they must complete their "Your on-board needs" questionnaire via My Cruise as soon as possible after booking and no later than two weeks before they sail. You can send them a reminder to do this by following this process guide.
- We have a range of how-to-guides on Shine Rewards Club. Please click here for Cunard and here for P&O Cruises.