It may not be possible to walk on water, but I can most certainly roll across it! 

I recently enjoyed the most pleasurable experience of my life, sailing through the Caribbean on a Carnival cruise ship.  Surprisingly the trip was not greatly complicated by my wheels.  I went through the same procedures, in the same time-frame, as anyone else who booked the trip by providing my travel agent with just one simple medical form.  My attendant was also given a discount upon request. 

Then the experience began.  Not all Air Canada employees that I came into contact with were experienced in getting my wheelchair prepared for flight.  However I was pleased with their willingness to assist me in all lifts necessary to transfer me from the airport to the plane and back again.  Upon arriving in Florida I was pleasantly surprised that every city bus I spotted was wheelchair accessible.  I found out that the accessible industry is much larger there because the demand is higher in Florida.  My delight didn’t cease.  I boarded the ship with ease and was further amazed by the accessibility built into the ship.  There accessibility is based on the Americans with Disabilities Act, which means that locations designated as such, are not just technically accessible but are easy to navigate.  My accessible room was equipped with a wider door as well as a roll in shower and grab bars in the bathroom.  Ramps and elevators on the ship meant that I could access ten of the eleven decks.  Hosts and hostesses in the dining room were mindful of my special needs and made it especially easy for me to enjoy meals. 

As an added bonus, manual wheelchairs were available to explore ports that were not exactly accessible.  The ship security staff were experienced in assisting passengers with special needs in getting off the ship in these locations.  Four men lifted me in my borrowed chair down a flight of stairs, onto a smaller ship, so that I could enjoy the shores of Grand Cayman Island.  Though my activities onshore were somewhat restricted, the denial of my participation in them was based on a lack of ADA approval for the excursion and I appreciated that I was not put in harms way nor frustrated by unforeseen obstacles. 

The land restrictions were not as bothersome as you might think because there was an abundance of amusement provided on the ship.  All the shows had accessible seating and I was welcomed to adapt any activities on the ship that were not entirely suitable.  In having my chair onboard, the only problem I was not mindful of at first was that the electricity available on the ship was at a slightly lower voltage than on land.  I had to be careful to charge my wheelchair more frequently than usual after the battery died on a pier of Costa Maya Mexico.  Not that staying there would have been a horrible fate but I really wanted to get back and enjoy my five star, four course dinner that was included in my adventure.  The bottom line is that it was an amazing experience and I would recommend it to anyone with physical limitations simply because the few obstacles I came across were relatively minor and did not impede upon my enjoyment of my holiday.  Until next time, keep on rolling in the city and try rolling on the water if you get a chance.