ships > Carnival > Special Needs

Special Needs Overview

Source: www.carnival.com/

Carnival Ships feature Accessible Elevators at each elevator bank with tactile controls within reach of guests who use wheelchairs and audible signals for guest who are blind or with low vision.

Accessible Routes are available throughout most areas of the ship and signs are posted to assist you in locating these pathways.

Index

Medical Services Onboard

Accessible Staterooms

Visual Impairments

Hearing Impairments

Dietary Needs

Service Animals

Wheelchairs and Scooters

Ship Transfers (Excursions)

Medical Services Onboard

Source: https://help.carnival.com/

The Medical Center staff is available to assist 24 hours a day. The on board medical centers are staffed and equipped to treat routine medical conditions as well as to initiate stabilization of more serious conditions. Physicians are available to render services at a customary fee. While at sea or in port, the availability of medical care may be limited.

If you need general information about accessibility before you cruise, or have an ADA complaint, please call the Guest Access team at 1-800-438-6744 ext.70025 or email access@carnival.com.

Medical Center Hours

The Medical Center has daily office hours which are listed in the 'Fun Times' newsletter. The medical staff is on call 24 hours a day for emergencies. Routine hours are subject to temporary change due to extenuating circumstances: 
Embarkation day: 8:00am-9:00am and 3:00pm-5:00pm
Sea days: 9:00am-12:00pm and 3:00pm-6:00pm
Port days: 8:00am-10:00am and 4:00pm-6:00pm

Medical Service Fees

A charge for medical services will be billed to the guest's Sail & Sign® Account and a receipt will be provided for the guest to submit to their medical insurance provider upon return for possible reimbursement.
The physicians on board are independent contractors and are entitled to render services at a customary fee which may vary from ship to ship based on the time of day. The basic fee does NOT include medication, tests or treatment. 
Note: Guests who purchased Carnival Vacation Protection™ may be eligible for reimbursement of up to $10,000 for covered medical-related expenses and up to $30,000 for necessary Emergency Medical Evacuation expenses should they become ill or injured or require medical evacuation while on their cruise vacation. The medical benefits are secondary to coverage the guest may have through their regular health insurance provider(s). Refer to https://www.carnival.com/about-carnival/vacation-protection.aspx for additional details.

Medication

Over-the-Counter medications for cold, cough, upset stomach or other minor illnesses can be purchased at the Medical Center during business hours. In addition, the shops on board may carry some of these items.

Prescription drugs and vitamins may not be readily available, either on board the ship or in the ports. 
Meclizine, motion sickness pills can be purchased at the Medical Center, Guest Services or through Room Service. The cost is $3.29 * for four pills. We do not carry motion sickness patches or wristbands. A motion sickness injection is available for a fee at the Medical Center but will only be administered to those who are actively vomiting and not as a preventative measure.

Diabetes/Medicine Storage

Staterooms on a number of ships are equipped with non-stocked mini bar units which are designed to maintain the temperature of beverages. Please do not use them to store medications that have specific temperature requirements. Should you need to store medicine that needs proper refrigeration, medi-coolers are available on board in limited quantities, and on a first come, first serve basis - please visit our Guest Services Desk once on board; a $75* refundable deposit is required. If a medi-cooler is not available, our ship’s Medical Center will arrange storage - please contact them once on board. Note: A small, personal-sized cooler no larger than 12” x 12” x 12” for the purpose of housing medications is permitted as carry-on luggage.

Medical Staffing and Equipment

In order to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for our guests, our medical centers meet or exceed the standards established by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).

Our medical centers are staffed by qualified physicians and nurses who are committed to providing the highest quality of shipboard medical care. Medical staffing is correlated to the size of the ship and varies from one physician and three nurses to as many as two physicians and five nurses.
Ship’s physicians meet or exceed the credentialing guidelines established by the cruise ship medicine section of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). In addition, doctors must demonstrate competent skill levels and hold current certification in basic and advanced cardiac life support and cardiac care, have experience in general medicine or general practice including emergency or critical care, and have one to three years clinical experience and minor surgical skills, and board or similar international certification is preferred. The doctors on board are independent contractors.

Shipboard medical facilities are set up to provide reasonable emergency medical care for guests and crew. In cases of extreme emergency where more comprehensive facilities are required, patients are referred to shoreside facilities. In addition to standard lifesaving equipment such as defibrillators and external pacemakers, our medical centers carry some of the latest in medical technology including thrombolytic therapy, electrocardiograph machines, lab equipment, pulse oximetry and x-ray machines on many of our ships.

Oxygen

Guest using Oxygen and other breathing apparatus are responsible for traveling with their own supply of Oxygen and medications. Guest need to bring enough Oxygen to last the duration of the cruise, oxygen supply onboard the vessels are limited for emergency use only.

* Prices subject to change

Accessible Staterooms

Accessible staterooms are reserved for guests that have a mobility disability or disability that requires the use of the accessible features that are provided in the stateroom. Passengers are required to acknowledge the need for the accessible stateroom by completing a Special Requirements Form. This form will be sent to you once the reservation has been secured and you have notified Carnival Cruise Lines that you or the person you are securing the stateroom for, requires the stateroom.

Stateroom Types

Modified Cabins: these cabins are designed for guests who may utilize a wheelchair or similar assistance device (e.g. for distance) (and include features such as grab bars and shower seats in the bathrooms).

Accessible Cabins: these cabins are designed for guest with highly limited or no mobility who utilize wheelchairs or other similar assistive devices (and include features such as turning space; accessible routes throughout the cabin; and accessible bathrooms).

Standard cabins: these cabins have an approximately 22 entry doorway an 8 lip into the cabin bathroom, a 4 lip into the shower stall, and 7 lip to the balcony (if applicable).

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Wheelchairs and Scooters

Personal Scooters

Passenger scooters must be stored and batteries recharged in your stateroom. Due to safety considerations, wheelchairs and scooters cannot be stored in the corridors. Furthermore, the Guest Services office cannot store personal scooters, nor be used to recharge batteries. Your personal scooter should be able to fit in a standard stateroom with a 21" entry doorway. If your scooter is larger than 21", you must purchase a modified stateroom or rent a smaller scooter. Segways and other similar vehicles are not permitted on board our vessels.c restrooms are located throughout our ships.

Onboard Wheelchairs

Onboard Wheelchairs are limited for emergency use only. If you require the use of a wheelchair while onboard, you must bring your own, or rent one.

Rental Companies online:

http://carevacations.com/

http://www.specialneedsatsea.com/

Carnival will provide Wheelchair assistance for embarkation and debarkation Guests arriving at the designated port of departure should contact a Carnival Embarkation Host /Hostess once they arrive. Debarkation procedures will be printed in the Carnival Capers onboard.

Tender Ports

At certain ports of call, small boats known as "tenders" are used to transport passengers from the ship to shore. Certain tenders may not be accessible to individuals using wheelchairs or mobility scooters, or the status of the tendering process at a particular port under certain weather, sea, swell, current and/or tide conditions may prove difficult for a safe transfer to take place. In each case, it will be the decision of the ship officials to determine, based on their evaluation of safety issues for our guests and crew, whether or not a guest using a wheelchair may board a tender. In order to safely board tenders, guests must be able to take steps and use a collapsible, fold up wheelchair; motorized wheelchairs and mobility scooters cannot be taken on tenders.

Ports using tenders

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Special Transfers

For transportation from the airport to the pier, Wheelchair Lift Transfers are available for guests with limited or no mobility. Carnival must have your request for lift transfer service at least one week prior to sailing. Standard transfer charges apply. Please advise a Guest Access Services Representative if you require this service.

For wheelchair assistance at the airport terminals, please contact the air carrier directly.

Ship transfer / Shore tour options

At certain ports of call, small boats known as tenders are used to transport passengers from the ship to shore. Whenever possible, Carnival will attempt to permit guests using wheelchairs to proceed. However, certain of these tenders may not be accessible to individuals using wheelchairs, or the status of the tendering process at a particular port or under certain weather conditions may provide difficult for a safe transfer to take place. In each case, it will be the decision of the ship officials to determine, based on their evaluation of safety issues for our guests and crew, whether or not a guest using a wheelchair may board a tender. To obtain information about ports of call which require tendering, please contact Guest Access Services.

Ports using tenders

Carnival will make every effort to work with you to help you identify shore excursions to meet your needs. Information on shore options is available by calling the Guest Access Services Department or online

Source: http://www.carnival.com/legal/guests-special-requirements

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