With the busy holiday travel season underway, it is a popular time for families to gather together to share the spirit of the season. When some family members need mobility assistance, however, there are extra challenges to ensure they can travel safely and efficiently, including documenting their assistive scooters.
Passengers on Carnival Cruise Line need to be aware that they must fill in the Mobility Questionnaire, which includes detailing their scooter’s dimensions and noting any other accessibility requirements they may have.
This issue was recently addressed by the cruise line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, in response to guest concerns about whether or not the form must be printed.
“I’ve been with Carnival since 2000. Mom and I take scooters with us. In the last 8 yrs I’ve never had an issue until now. I don’t have a printer or desk computer. I usually just call and let them know it’s the right size, that they come apart, that we don’t need help etc.,” the guest explained.
The commenter goes on to explain that they have now been told the form must be sent in and cannot be confirmed verbally with a phone call.
“I don’t want to spend money buying a printer,” they said. “With limited mobility getting to the library, waiting for a computer to open up and paying to print something that should be done on my phone, possibly in the app, or by call is just not a good thing.”
With so many businesses now having gone digital and paperless, it does seem unusual that Carnival Cruise Line would require a printed form.
Other travelers who use scooters were quick to chime in, however, noting that the form is a .pdf file that can be filled out on a phone, saved, and emailed back to the cruise line’s Guest Access team – no printing needed.
“I forgot we did this,” apologized Heald. “So I see the wonderful [commenter] has given you some great advice which I hope you can use.”
The original poster does express further frustration as “a technically challenged elderly person” unfamiliar with how to edit the .pdf or return it as needed. Other guests have offered assistance to help walk the poster through how to manage the document so it can be used for multiple sailings with ease.
Some commenters do wonder, however, how the original poster would print luggage tags and boarding passes if they don’t have a printer and don’t want to use the public library.
Of course, luggage tags are not necessary if travelers carry all their bags on to the ship themselves, and boarding passes can be shown to check-in personnel via the Carnival Hub app, no printing required.
It would, of course, be a good addition to the app if Carnival Cruise Line were to add the Mobility Questionnaire to its features, making it even easier for travelers to present all proper documentation in one convenient place.
Why Do Scooters Need to Be Documented?
Carnival Cruise Line has been cracking down on mobility scooters over the past year to ensure that all travelers abide by onboard requirements and policies for the assistive vehicles.
Specifically, the size requirements for scooters and where they can be stored are the most pertinent issues. All scooters must fit safely within staterooms, and oversized mobility scooters or motorized wheelchairs cannot be permitted onboard.
The exact dimensions of a scooter that can be accommodated depend on the type of stateroom a guest has booked. In a standard stateroom, the scooter must fit through the 22″ doorway, while fully accessible staterooms can accommodate scooters up to 32″ wide.
“Scooters that do not fit in the stateroom will not be allowed on board,” the cruise line’s policy reads. “Should a guest be unable to make alternate arrangements to rent a smaller scooter or travel without it, he/she will be denied boarding and no compensation will be provided.”
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Furthermore, foldable or collapsible scooters are necessary so they can be stored in the stateroom. No scooters or wheelchairs may be stored in corridors or public areas except for short-term, temporary storage if a guest is attending an event – such as parking a scooter outside the theater to enjoy a production show.
By requiring travelers booked in accessible staterooms or traveling with mobility devices to fill out the questionnaire, Carnival Cruise Line is working to ensure that everyone is aware of the policies and there can be no misunderstandings before or during a cruise so everyone can enjoy their getaway safely and comfortably.
