Airports and/or Train Stations
Wheelchair assistance that is requested for airports or train stations must be done directly through the airline or rail station. Seabourn is not able to arrange for wheelchair assistance at airports or train stations. Please note that for Holland America transfers, guests who require lift transportation are encouraged to submit a Special Requirements Information form (SRI) at the time of booking or no later than 45 days prior to sailing to ensure an accessible vehicle accommodation. Airport pick-up and drop-off locations are designated by the local airport and may require guests to walk with their luggage from motorcoach drop off to their airline terminal; most motorcoach drop off locations do not have carts or porter assistance.
Embarkation/Disembarkation Procedures
Guests who require wheelchair assistance for embarkation and disembarkation are encouraged to submit a Special Requirements Information form (SRI) at the time of booking or no later than 45 days prior to sailing. Advance notice enables our team to better prepare for the number of guests requiring assistance, helping to ensure a smoother and more efficient embarkation experience.
Embarkation assistance is provided from the designated guest arrival location within the terminal. Depending on demand, there may be a wait for assistance through the security screening process and to a secondary seating waiting area, where the ship team will assists from the seating area to the top of the ship’s embarkation gangway. Please note that the handoff from terminal staff to the ship team is required by CBP regulations and is not optional. Once onboard, guests are responsible for traveling independently from the gangway to their stateroom or other onboard locations, as the wheelchair must be returned to the terminal to assist additional embarking guests.
Please note that guests arriving during peak check-in hours, typically between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., may experience longer wait times for wheelchair assistance.
Seabourn wheelchairs are intended solely for embarkation and disembarkation assistance and are not available for use onboard or in ports of call. For information regarding mobility equipment rentals for use during the voyage and in ports of call, please refer to Can I Use My Personal Mobility Equipment On Board?
Disembarkation assistance will be available from a designated location onboard the ship, along the gangway, through the security screening process, and into the terminal facility. Once guests have been assisted to the terminal, the wheelchair must be returned to the ship so it may be used to assist other disembarking guests.
Please note that our team members are not permitted to assist with luggage collection within the terminal. Local porters are available in the terminal to provide luggage assistance as needed.
We recommend that guests requiring wheelchair assistance notify us in advance to help ensure appropriate accommodations are available throughout the embarkation and disembarkation process.
Land Tours and/or Shore Excursions
Because facilities in ports around the world vary significantly, wheelchair accommodations may not be available for some land tours and/or shore excursions. Furthermore, many transportation vehicles around the world do not have wheelchair lifts. Thus, it may be necessary for Seabourn to make alternate transportation arrangements such as a sedan vehicle. This requires that a guest who uses a wheelchair be able to transfer from his/her wheelchair to the front or back seat of a sedan. Additionally, when lift equipped vehicles are available, many do not have the facilities for the safe transport of mobility scooters in the passenger compartment. Therefore if you are using a mobility scooter you may be asked to disembark your scooter and enter the coach by the front steps and ride safely in a regular coach seat, transfer to a provided boarding chair and take the lift onto the coach and transfer to a regular coach seat, or ride the lift on your scooter and then transfer to a regular coach seat. In some cases, it may be possible for your scooter to be stowed in the luggage compartment for use in the ports of call. If your scooter must be stored in the luggage compartment of a motorcoach it may be necessary for someone traveling in your party to load the scooter into the luggage compartment; the policy as to whether or not the coach drivers are able or allowed to provide assistance is that of the Tour Operator and not Seabourn. The ability to provide assistance may depend on certain factors such as the weight or dimensions of the scooter. If you are unable to transfer from your mobility scooter and alternative arrangements are required, please advise Seabourn at the time of booking or as far in advance of your sailing as possible. Please be assured this is for your safety.
Due to the limited number of lift-equipped vehicles in foreign locations, guests may incur additional costs for transportation related to airport transfers, shore excursions, and tour/hotel packages. Please note, lift equipped transportation within the United States may be arranged without additional costs. For information on alternative transportation arrangements and associated costs please contact our Guest Accessibility Department. Please advise Seabourn as far in advance as possible of any special needs for transfers. This will help to ensure availability of the appropriate vehicle(s) and for Seabourn to provide an estimate of additional associated costs.
Guests should be aware that certain third party shore excursion facilities may not be fully accessible to guests with disabilities. Although we endeavor to make sure these companies comply with legal requirements, we cannot guarantee that all are able to provide facilities that are accessible to individuals with disabilities. For detailed information on accessibility of shore excursions, we strongly recommend contacting our Shore Excursions Department prior to embarkation at 1-800-984-3225 (or locally at 206-626-9187) or visiting the Shore Excursions Office on board.
