RCI Debuts Fourth Barrier-Free Vessel

Pool Lift on RCI's Adventure of the Seas
Photo by Charles Pannell

Royal Caribbean International (RCI) makes access headlines once again with the December 2002 debut of the Navigator of the Seas. This barrier-free cruise ship will join RCI's three other Voyager-class ships in a four way tie for the title of the world's largest cruise ship.

Each of the Voyager class ships ship has 26 accessible staterooms, including 16 outside staterooms, nine inside staterooms and one stateroom which overlooks the Royal Promenade. All accessible staterooms have roll-in showers, fold-down shower benches, roll-under sinks, wide doorways and plenty of maneuvering room. Ten of the outside staterooms also have balconies with ramped thresholds.

The pathway access on all RCI Voyager class ships is excellent. All decks are accessible by elevator or stair-lift, and the ships are pleasantly devoid of those two to three inch coamings (door sills) that are standard on many old cruise ships. In place of those obstacles, you'll find threshold ramps, automatic doors and level access. Thanks to this barrier-free design, all the public areas are nicely accessible. You'll even find a lift-equipped pool and an accessible nine hole golf course on board.

The Navigator of the Seas will sail the Eastern and Western Caribbean from Miami. According to RCI Access Coordinator, Charles Newton, the Eastern Caribbean itinerary which calls on Nassau, Labadee, St. Thomas and San Juan is RCI's most accessible Caribbean route. Travel agency owner Connie George heartily agrees and adds, "The most popular port on this itinerary is Labadee, RCI's private Haitian island. RCI has nine beach wheelchairs there and I have wheelchair-users who keep cruising back to Labadee because of the great beach access."

For more information about access on the new Navigator of the Seas, or details about special prices on selected sailings of the Navigator of the Seas or the Voyager of the Seas, contact Connie George at (888)532-0989 or connie@cgta.com or visit www.cgta.com. Space is limited for Connie's special group sailings and the reservation deadline is November 13, 2002. And don't forget to ask Connie for a copy of RCI's Accessible Seas brochure.

Connie George is a Philadelphia based travel agency owner, and Emerging Horizons' resident expert on accessible cruising. Look for her informative article, "To Net, Or Not To Net" in the upcoming Winter 2003 issue of Emerging Horizons.