Disabled Athlete Christens RCI’s Newest Vessel

Jean Driscoll, Godmother of
Mariner of the Seas
Photo by Charles Pannell

On November 14, 2003, wheelchair athlete and disability advocate Jean Driscoll cracked a bottle of champagne and officially named the Mariner of the Seas, the newest addition to the Royal Caribbean International (RCI) fleet. As the Godmother of this Voyager class ship, Jean is a visible symbol of RCI’s commitment to access.

Says RCI Executive Vice President, Adam Goldstein, “We put a lot of thought into choosing our Godmothers. The selection of Jean Driscoll is the reflection of our multi-year commitment to access.”

As a disability advocate and professional athlete, Jean has had a very full professional life. She wheeled to victory an unprecedented eight times in the Boston Marathon. She also medaled in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympic Games and was selected by Sports Illustrated as one of the top 25 female athletes of the 20th century.

She is currently the spokesperson for ASPIRE, a US-based adaptive sports program; and she also works with Wheels for the World, a organization that restores donated wheelchairs for people in third-world countries.

Although Jean has never cruised before, she is anxious to give it a try after seeing the access on the Mariner of the Seas. “The most exciting thing about Royal Caribbean is their emphasis on accessibility,” says Jean. “I appreciate my independence as much as anybody, and because this ship is so accessible I don’t have to ask for help.”

Mariner of the Seas features 26 wheelchair-accessible staterooms with roll-in showers. Also included on the ship are standard Voyager class access amenities, such as automatic doors, pool-lifts and excellent access to all public areas. Says Jean, “I think Royal Caribbean has gone above and beyond what most companies would even consider.”

The Mariner of the Seas sails alternate week-long Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral, Florida. Ports of call include Nassau, St. Thomas, Philipsburg, Labadee, Ocho Rios, George Town and Cozumel.

For more information about the Mariner of the Seas, call (800) 327-6700 or visit www.royalcaribbean.com. Don’t forget to request their Accessible Seas brochure. Specific access-related questions should be directed to your travel agent or to the RCI Access Desk at (800) 722-5472 ext. 34492.

Consult the Spring 2004 issue of Emerging Horizons for detailed access information on the Mariner of the Seas. This issue also includes updated resources and information about accessible shore options in RCI’s Eastern and Western Caribbean ports.