It certainly isn’t unusual to see passengers using wheelchairs and mobility scooters onboard cruise ships, although there aren’t really any statistics showing exactly how many passengers use them.
Cruising can be a great way to explore different countries and regions if you have mobility issues.
Once you are onboard, you can sit back and relax – it is almost as if the destinations come to you!
You can then decide whether or not you want to get off and explore, or stay onboard and enjoy the facilities the ship has to offer.
Major cruise lines all have specific policies covering wheelchairs and mobility scooters, and ships have accessible cabins and facilities designed for passengers with reduced mobility.
However, taking a mobility device on a cruise requires a little more planning than simply arriving at the port with one. You will need to let the cruiseline know at the time of booking.
The size of the device, the cabin booked and the itinerary can all make a difference. Cruise lines all have their own rules and regulations regarding mobility devices.
Are Electric Wheelchairs and Mobility Scooters Allowed on Cruise Ships?
Generally, the answer is yes, but each cruiseline has their own rules regarding this.
Cruise lines including Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, P&O, Carnival and Princess all have policies specifically covering wheelchairs and mobility scooters.
There are likely to be rules regarding:
- The width and overall size of your scooter or wheelchair.
- The battery type.
- Where the device is stored.
- On some cruise lines, you must book an accessible cabin or a suite, which is more spacious and has room for the mobility device to be stored inside.
- Where it can be charged.
Passengers should always check the policy for their specific cruise line before booking or travelling.
Do You Need a Foldable or Smaller Mobility Device?
A foldable electric wheelchair or scooter can potentially be easier to travel with, particularly if staying in a standard cabin.
The important issue is whether the device can fit through the cabin door and be safely stored inside.
Most cruise lines will give you dimensions that the scooter can not exceed. Different cruise lines have different size limits, so it is essential to check with the cruiseline you are sailing with.
For example, Norwegian states that motorised wheelchairs or scooters in non-accessible cabins must fit within its specified doorway limit, as does P&O.
Princess also publishes different maximum widths for mobility devices in standard and accessible cabins.
There isn’t one universal measurement you can follow, as requirements vary between cruise lines and ships.
Where Do You Keep a Mobility Scooter or Electric Wheelchair?
Mobility scooters and wheelchairs can’t simply be parked in the corridor outside the cabin.
Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, P&O and Princess all state that mobility devices must be stored inside the passenger’s stateroom rather than left in corridors or public areas.
This is why the size of the device and the cabin is important, and cruise lines issue their own individual size measurements to suit their ships.
Passengers may also need to charge the device inside their cabin, in line with the cruise line’s battery and charging requirements.
Do You Need to Book an Accessible Cabin?
You don’t necessarily need to book an accessible cabin just because you use a mobility device. That completely depends on the cruiseline’s rules.
Some smaller devices can fit into standard cabins, but some lines state you must book a suite, which will have more room to store the mobility device.
This makes sense; there would be no room to store and charge a mobility scooter in a cheap inside cabin.
If you are going to need additional space to manoeuvre your wheelchair or scooter, you would benefit from wider doors, roll-in showers or other accessibility features – you may need an accessible cabin.
Accessible cabins are specifically designed with features such as wider doorways and additional manoeuvring space.
The number of these cabins can be limited, so passengers who genuinely require one should book as early as possible.
What’s It Like Getting Around the Cruise Ship?
Modern cruise ships can be enormous, so mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs can make cruising more manageable for passengers who struggle to walk long distances.
Lifts/elevators are available to connect the passenger decks and the public spaces onboard. The number of lifts depends on the size of the ship.
Ships are now designed with accessibility in mind.
Busy periods can create challenges for those using mobility scooters or wheelchairs.
The sheer number of people onboard mega ships can cause problems.
You might struggle to get a lift/elevator, and when one arrives, it might be crowded – particularly after theatre shows, around dinner times or when passengers are returning from port.
This is one reason I always try to use the stairs when I cruise, I would rather leave the lifts/elevators for those who really need them.
Older and smaller ships may offer a different cruising experience from newer, bigger vessels, so researching the specific ship before you book ( or using a good Travel Agent to help) is well worthwhile.
I regularly see passengers using walkers, rollators, electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters onboard cruise ships, particularly on the newer, larger ships.
The distances between public spaces, and the sheer number of decks onboard can be challenging if you can’t walk too far.
I regularly walk between 6,000 and 10,000 steps around the ship on a sea day.
As I choose to take the stairs always, my fitness tracker often shows I have taken over 50 flights of stairs. On the odd occasion, I have managed over 100 flights in a day!
Find out how long it really takes to walk from one side of a mega ship to the other here:
How Long Does It Take To Walk Across The World’s Biggest Cruise Ship?
What About Getting On and Off the Ship?
Cruise lines can provide wheelchair assistance during embarkation and disembarkation, although arrangements and advance notice requirements vary.
Royal Caribbean, for example, asks guests who need pier assistance to contact the line in advance.
Getting off the ship in a normal, docked port is often very different from getting ashore by tender.
Tender ports create additional accessibility problems, depending on the ship, sea conditions, and the passenger’s ability to transfer from the cruise ship to a smaller tender boat.
You might find that if the ship is tendering to the port, you might have to stay on board. You often need to be able to walk up or down steps on the side of the ship to get on to the smaller boat.
Many thanks to @FraserAtSea for the pictures of Norwegian Epic’s tender platforms.
The smaller boat is likely to be moving up and down on the sea, so it isn’t as if you have a stable surface to step on to.
If you do have to tender, and you have limited mobility, you might be better off booking a newer ship.
Celebrity Edge-class ships have an orange “Magic Carpet” platform that can move up and down the side of the ship.
It makes a great bar and restaurant while up on the top deck, but they can move it down to make a perfectly level tender platform – which is far more accessible for those with mobility issues.
Have a look at that multi-purpose “Magic Carpet” platform here:
I would always recommend researching your cruise ports and avoiding an itinerary with tender ports if you have mobility issues.
Can You Take a Mobility Scooter or Wheelchair on Shore Excursions?
Accessibility varies enormously between destinations; at some places you can just roll down the gangplank and explore towns and cities independently, as you would at home.
In other places you might be docked in an industrial port, miles from the advertised destination (Le Havre for Paris, for example!) and you might have to get a port shuttle bus to the edge of the port before you can even think about exploring the town.
Some cruise lines offer specifically designed accessible excursions, so see what your particular line has on offer.
Vehicles capable of carrying wheelchairs or scooters may be available on certain tours, but availability varies greatly by port.
ACCESSIBLE SHORE EXCURSIONS
Royal Caribbean International
Explore in Comfort with Accessible Shore Excursions
Immerse yourself in our destinations with Accessible Shore Excursions, unique cultural excursions that accommodate scooters, wheelchairs, walkers and more. These tours were designed with you in mind.
At Royal Caribbean, we are always excited to cultivate the best experiences possible – both onboard and on land for each of our guests every time we sail.
Accessible Shore Excursions reveal the authentic culture of the ports we visit for our guests with mobility disabilities. We’re ready to provide comfortable, accessible transport and knowledgeable, local independent experts.
Going well beyond a quick drive around an island, small group tours provide in-depth holiday experiences with excellent accessibility features, such as…
1. Accessible vehicles with wheelchair lifts or ramps
2. Accessible attractions with flat or ramped entrances
3. Accessible bathrooms with wide doors for wheelchairs
4. Step-free routes that avoid steps, stairs and kerbs
5. Experienced local independent operators familiar with accessibility needs
Passengers will need to check:
- Whether the tour vehicle can accommodate their device.
- Maximum dimensions or weight if they do
- Whether you will need to transfer out of the wheelchair or scooter at any time.
- Whether the destination itself is accessible.
It is important to remember that the ship itself may be very accessible, but the ports you’re visiting might not be.
Can You Rent a Mobility Scooter for a Cruise?
Passengers who don’t own a suitable travel scooter may be able to rent mobility equipment from specialist companies that deliver equipment to cruise ships.
Some cruise lines list approved or recommended mobility equipment providers.
Norwegian and Princess, for example, do provide information about mobility equipment rental suppliers.
This could be useful for somebody who only needs assistance for walking longer distances or while travelling.
Top Scooter Hire Companies
I have never used a scooter or a wheelchair, so have no personal experience of hiring mobilitiy aids.
The top mobility hire companies who specialise in rentals for people going on cruise holiday are:
Your cruise line may recommend a particular company, depending on where you are based, so it is worth doing some research.
What about Rollators and Walkers?
You can bring rollators and walkers on cruise ships, as they are permitted by all major lines.
Because cabins may have quite narrow doors and tight hallways, you must notify the cruise line in advance and make sure your mobility aid folds flat for storage under your bed
Should You Tell the Cruise Line in Advance?
If you have specific accessibility requirements or are bringing mobility equipment of any sort onboard, you should let your cruiseline know in advance.
Cruise lines may ask passengers to fill in a form providing details of the device and their needs before sailing.
If you are booking through a travel agent, they can deal with this for you.
Norwegian, for example, advises guests to notify its Access Desk in advance about medical or physical requirements, including scooters.
I would advise you to contact the cruise line, or speak to your travel agent, rather than assuming that policies are identical across the industry.
What Would Happen if you Didn’t?
If you don’t notify the cruiseline that you will be bringing a mobility device in advance, it is likely that you won’t be able to take it onboard.
P&O are particularly strict on scooters and electric wheelchairs. They say there are no storage facilities for devices that have not been declared in advance, so this would result in you (and the scooter!) being denied boarding
You would miss your cruise, and you would be unlikely to be able to claim on your insurance if you have broken the cruiselines rules.
So, Are Foldable Electric Wheelchairs and Mobility Scooters Common on Cruises?
They’re certainly not an unusual sight on a cruise ship, and major cruise lines have procedures in place for accommodating passengers who use them.
I have regularly seen mobility scooters in use on larger ships, such as P&O’s Iona and Arvia, where distances between venues can be long, and the ship has wide corridors and doorways suitable for wheelchair and scooter users.
Smaller or foldable devices may make navigating cabins and travelling easier, but passengers don’t necessarily need to buy a specific type solely for cruising.
If your own scooter or wheelchair isn’t suitable, there is the option to hire one.
The best device will depend on the person’s mobility needs as well as the cruise line’s size and battery requirements.
The biggest things to check before booking are:
- Will the device fit in the cabin?
- Do I need to book an accessible cabin?
- How will the device be charged?
- Are there tender ports?
- Are the places they want to visit ashore accessible?
Before You Go
Find out more about cruise ship tendering here:
Cruise Ship Tendering – Hints, Tips & Everything You NEED to Know
Find out when the best time to cruise is in the article below. The answer may surprise you:
The Best Time To Cruise Isn’t When Most People Think
Book a Cruise (I’ve Launched My Own Travel Agency)
I’ve spent the last 10 years creating cruise content online and over that time I’ve learnt that having a great travel agent makes a HUGE difference.
That’s why in 2026, I launched my own agency and built a team of real cruise experts who love cruising as much as I do.
We combine great prices with personal service. Just click the button below and we’ll find you the perfect cruise. No request is too big or too small, we’re here to help.