Best Cruise Lines for Accessibility

Ratings are based on our survey of 18,850 CR members and reflect their most recent ocean cruises over the last 36 months.

Here are some of the important factors to consider if you’re planning a cruise and you or someone in your group has accessibility needs.

ADA-compliant cabins come in several categories. Some are designed to allow a full-sized wheelchair, scooter, or other mobility device to roll through the doorway and to maneuver on one or both sides of the bed and in the bathroom. Another type, known as an “ambulatory accessible cabin,” has grab bars and other features designed to help passengers who rely on walkers or canes maintain their balance. Still other cabins have safety features like emergency call alarms or—for people who are hearing or visually impaired—beds that will vibrate to alert passengers in the event of an emergency. Contact the cruise line (see the list of their online accessibility resources below) or ask your travel agent to get a complete understanding of what the line offers.

Other cabin features can greatly enhance the experience of travelers with disabilities and their companions, says Gilbreath. The features she and her son Cory look for include cabin doors that open automatically with the swipe of a keycard, low-set beds and bathroom sinks, roll-in showers with seating, and seamless door thresholds between hallway and cabin and between cabin and balconies. You can contact the cruise line directly to learn more about accessible cabins, or work with an experienced travel agent (more on that below) who can book you into a stateroom that fits your needs. 

Van Horn says that cruise lines typically offer accessible rooms in each cabin class. Rates for accessible rooms are the same as non-accessible cabins in the same category or class level, says Van Horn.

Cruise lines are not required to offer accessible onshore excursions, or even to deliver passengers to accessible port facilities when visiting locations outside the U.S, says Van Horn. 

In fact, while most large ships dock at large port facilities where all passengers can use a gangway ramp to exit directly onto shore, that’s not always the case. When a ship is unable to dock at the port, it may anchor offshore and shuttle passengers to land on small tender boats—which can make it hard or even impossible for passengers with disabilities to get ashore safely. Even if a tender is accessible, says Gilbreath, there could be inaccessible stairways or other obstacles on the dock. “While every one else is enjoying tours in a new destination, you may be staying onboard.”

To avoid that, ask detailed questions before booking the excursion—and keep in mind that the answers can vary by ship and port of call. Holland America, for example, says all but two of its ships offer a safe transfer system for passengers who use wheelchairs. If you’ve already booked, check your itinerary (or call the line directly) and look for “tender” or “tender port” next to each destination. 

While many cruise lines have staff trained to work with passengers with disabilities, we found several that have programs tailored for groups of travelers with specific accessibility needs.

Aboard Disney cruises, for example, the Oceaneer Club and Disney Oceaneer Lab are drop-off programs that can accommodate children ages 3 to 10 with accessibility needs, including activities for tweens and teens.  

Carnival, Celebrity, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean all partner with the non-profit Autism on the Seas to offer sailings for families of adults and children with autism, Asperger syndrome, Down syndrome, Tourette syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other cognitive, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. The organization’s trained staff assist throughout the voyages and will also schedule daily “respite” free-time periods for caregivers. Don’t see your cruise line listed? You can ask Autism on the Seas staff to assist on another sailing. 

For hearing-impaired adults and children, the group Deaf Vacations offers a list of what it dubs Deaf Super Voyages, which sail specifically for hearing-impaired cruising. Expect American Sign Language interpreters for group activities and excursions, entertainment, and shows for the hearing impaired. 

Consider using a travel agent or advisor who specializes in accessible travel. Can you go it alone when booking a cruise for someone with accessibility needs? Sure. But getting the help of a travel agent who specializes in accessible travel can make planning faster and easier and ensure nothing is overlooked. 

Such travel agents typically start by asking detailed questions about the traveler’s adaptations—what sort of mobility device they use, for example, and how they transfer between mobility device and bed. Based on the info they gather, agents will recommend cruises that can both accommodate traveler needs and satisfy their wanderlust—as well as make recommendations on cabins and excursions.

Perhaps most importantly, a travel agent can step in and help when something unexpected happens. “We’ve got your back in case anything is canceled or delayed, or any other problems arise,” says Santillo, the travel agent who focuses on accessible travel.

As for fees, some travel agents draw commissions from cruise lines and other tour operators and don’t charge you directly at all. (Santillo works this way.) Others might charge a flat per-trip fee to book your cruise, flights, and hotels; handle equipment rentals; and manage your travel details as your trip unfolds. Don’t hesitate to shop around by asking multiple agents for their fee schedules, sample itineraries, and how much experience they have with accessible travel.

Agencies that specialize in booking cruises for travelers with disabilities include Adventures By Jamie (Santillo’s firm) , Easy Access Travel, Sage Traveling, and Wheelchair Escapes.

Book at least six to 12 months in advance. Because relatively few cabins on any given ship are accessible, reserving your spot at least six months (and ideally a year or more) before departure gives you the best chance of securing a stateroom that will fit your needs and of booking accessible excursions before they fill up. 

Fill out the special-needs form as soon as possible. Most cruise lines provide a form or website where passengers can detail special needs before setting sail, and some have separate versions for people with accessibility requirements. This is the best way for passengers to request assistance getting on and off the boat, book sign language interpreters for shows and presentations, or reserve a small, in-room refrigerator to store medication. Requests are more likely to be fulfilled if you make them early. Submit them as soon as you book, says Santillo, or at least 30 to 60 days before departure. Then check back a couple of weeks before to make sure the message got through. You can also always phone the cruise line after booking to submit these details, says Santillo.  

Reserve equipment rentals or special services. If you need a wheelchair, scooter, walker, oxygen tank, or other medical equipment, you can rent it in advance and have it waiting at your port of departure. Your cruise line or travel agent may recommend or book it through a preferred provider, but two major providers are Scootaround Inc. and Special Needs at Sea. 

The latter also offers concierge service at cruise ports that are not visited by the major cruise lines, including help with a ride to a doctor while onshore or a re-supply of food for a service dog. 

Sign up for onshore excursions. You’ll typically need to book the cruise line’s own onshore excursions yourself, even if you work with a travel agent, says Santillo. Don’t delay, she says: The most desirable excursions, and particularly accessible ones, fill up quickly. So as soon as your cruise is booked, download the cruise line’s app or log into its website using your booking number and choose your excursions. 

If a travel agent booked your trip, they can also recommend accessible excursions with third-party companies that operate independently of the cruise line, says Santillo. Just note: Ships typically won’t wait if third-party excursions return late to the ship, so make sure your guide leaves ample time to get back.

To start researching, learn about accessible features and excursion options, examine ship maps and cabin layouts, and—once you’ve chosen a cruise—fill out special needs forms and questionnaires, check the links below and contact the cruise lines (or a specialized travel agent) with questions. 

• Carnival
• Celebrity 
• Disney
• Holland America
• Norwegian
• Oceania
• Royal Caribbean 
• Princess Cruises (and this this PDF for more information) 
• Viking

If you feel a cruise line is not doing enough to ensure that its ships, services, or activities are accessible to all passengers—as they must under the ADA—start by asking them to accommodate you. Cruise lines will typically work hard to help resolve issues you face while sailing, says Van Horn of the Open Doors Organization. She says some have onboard “complaint resolution officers,” who should be your first stop; if not, try guest services while onboard and customer service after your cruise is over. 

If you still feel the cruise line’s policies or actions have discriminated on the basis of disability, report your experience as a civil rights violation to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division website. Be sure to keep records of conversations or instances when the alleged discrimination occurred and submit them with your complaint.

If that doesn’t elicit a satisfactory outcome, Van Horn says you also have a private right to sue a cruise line under the ADA.