Size Matters – Carnival Scooter Policy

    Although scooters provide increased mobility for many people, some have become problematic on cruises. Granted it’s not the mobility devices themselves that are an problem, but a huge issue arises when folks store their scooters in the hallways outside their stateroom doors. Not only does this raise a safety issue in case of a fire or other ship emergency, but it often makes the hallway impassable to folks in wheelchairs and other mobility devices.

    So why do passengers store their scooters in the hallways? It’s simply a matter of size – most standard scooters will not fit through regular cabin doorways. They will only fit into accessible cabins, which have wider doorways.

    Carnival Scooter Policy

    Most cruise lines have rules about scooter storage, and they do not allow passengers to store them in hallways. But in reality, this issue is often overlooked once folks have boarded. Carnival Cruise Lines, on the other hand, has scooter guidelines that require scooter measurement before boarding; and they strictly prohibit scooter storage in hallways. And if your scooter doesn’t pass muster, you could be denied boarding. Here’s a breakdown of the Carnival scooter policy.

    • All scooters must be stored in staterooms
    • Mobility devices can never be left unattended.
    • Guests with more than one scooter must book a fully accessible stateroom
    • Guests with scooters wider than 21 inches must book an accessible stateroom or rent a smaller scooter.
    • Scooters will be measured at check-in. Scooters that do not fit in the guest’s reserved stateroom will not be allowed on board.
    • Should a guest not be able to make alternate arrangements for a smaller rental scooter, boarding will be denied and no compensation will be provided.

    All guests that will be traveling with a wheelchair or a scooter must fill out a mobility form that includes the dimensions of their mobility device. https://www.carnival.com/~/media/CCLUS/Images/pdf/mobility-questionnaire.pdf

    Carnival recommends that guests that have scooters larger than the required size, rent a smaller model from Scootaround (their preferred vendor). Scootaround can deliver the rental scooter directly to the ship.

    So plan ahead if you travel with a larger scooter and will be sailing on Carnival. I’m also thinking that the other cruise lines will soon follow suit, as “hallway scooters” are a problem on all cruises. Although the storage of scooters in hallways is prohibited on all major cruise lines, the Carnival scooter policy is the strictest at the moment.

    Don’t be left at the dock. Plan ahead to avoid disappointment.