Cruising with Mobility Considerations in 2025
Is cruising right for you? This is the answer I hope to help you answer in this post. According to Cruise Line International Association’s (CLIA) 2023 Global Market Report, 50% of cruisers were 50 years old or older. We will be covering cruising with mobility considerations with travel agent and business owner, Tara Hall. Tara, owner of Tara’s Travel, has been sending people on vacation since 2013. She specializes in cruising and enjoys taking multiple cruises a year herself, both for research and enjoyment. We wrote this post together and I am extremely thankful for her time and expertise!
Who is the “Ideal Cruiser”?
Tara has found that anyone can cruise. If you have a love for travel, relaxing, meeting new people, trying new foods, Tara thinks you will have an enjoyable time. She notes if you are afraid of water or have severe motion sickness (and medication does not help enough), you may want to look into other types of travel. From the 2023 Cruising Data, 37.1 million people cruised, which was a 7% increase from 2019. Americans, followed by Germans and UK/Irish citizens were the top cruisers. As mentioned above, 50% of passengers were 50+ and 15% of passengers were 70+. Many of your fellow cruising passengers will have mobility considerations. Unsure if a cruise is right for you? See my post, Mobility Considerations for Different Types of Travel, that covers pros and cons of different styles of travel, including cruising.
More Ships are at Capacity
Tara notes continued increases in cruisers. In 2025, she is seeing more ships at capacity. In terms of mobility, here is what you should consider.
- Longer waits for elevators: You will likely need to stand in one spot for several minutes until it is your turn to take the elevator. If you are able to do stairs, make sure you can hold onto railing as more people will be coming up and down the stairs.
- Navigating through crowds in high-traffic areas: Larger, newer ships have better traffic flow but if you are on an older ship, you may notice the crowds more. You will notice this at your meals, walking through the ship, at events, etc.
Are Certain Cruises Better for People with Mobility Considerations?
Tara recommends a cruise that is geared more towards older adults if you have limited mobility. There are certain cruise lines and cruise itineraries that will not have as many children and young families. Smaller boats such as those from Viking, Silversea, Azamara, Windstar, Cunard, Regent Seven Seas, Oceania, Holland America and river cruises tend to have fewer children. Also, the longer the cruise, the less likely there will be children or young families. Excursions on these ships will more likely be geared towards older adults and the cruise company will likely have made some mobility considerations.
Cruise Itineraries and Weather
As weather is unpredictable, you should be prepared to experience rough waters. You can help decrease this risk by avoiding areas known for rough water and booking when weather is most likely to be calm. If you are considering cruising and have mobility considerations, Tara recommends avoiding sailing on the Arctic Ocean, especially in the Norwegian Sea. Sailing between Norway and Iceland can be really bumpy. She also recommends avoiding a Transatlantic cruise or Antarctica cruise where you go through Drake’s Passage. It is well-known to have turbulent waters, so much so that it’s has it’s own term: the Drake Shake. For more itineraries that are likely to have rough waters, read this this article from Conde Nast. The Atlantic hurricane season is from June through November. Colorado State University’s Department of Atmospheric Science says to expect an above average 2025 season.
Tip: Rough waters can significantly challenge your balance. If you have vestibular issues that are worsened by uneven ground, a cruise may be a challenging adventure for you. You may want to work on your balance or have a discussion with your physician or physical therapist about balance and/or vestibular issues prior to booking a cruise.
Are Smaller Ships and River Cruises Always a Better Option for Limited Mobility?
Tara notes it depends on where you are. Alaskan cruises, for instance, sail on usually very calm seas so a smaller ship is nice. Larger ships hold a lot more people which can be an issue for those with mobility issues, but because it is a larger ship, you do not feel as much of the movement. Ships also do use stabilizers to help with this as well. River cruising is smooth. Tara notes that river cruising is SMOOTH!
Embarkation and Debarkation
As there are more people on board cruise ships, getting on and off the ship may be a challenge. If walking on ramps is difficult, arranging wheelchair transport with the cruise line may be worth looking into. You need to do this in advance. For each port, you will want to research mobility requirements to get to and from the ship.
Tip: If you have some concerns about this, test yourself before your cruise. Practice walking up/down ramps in your community as well as navigating curb steps. Use whatever assistive device you normally use or plan to use on your trip. If you are challenged by this, speak with your physician as short course of physical therapy may help you improve these functional activities prior to your trip!
What Assistive Devices do Cruise Ships have Onboard?
All cruise lines have wheelchairs onboard. It is important to note they are used only for emergencies and for getting clients on and off the ship. If you plan to use a wheelchair while on the ship, you will need to bring your own or rent one. Cruise lines do not offer canes or walkers. Again, this will need to be be brought with you or arranged ahead of time. See the Resources section at the end of this post for more information.
What Happens if You have if an Injury or Illness Immediately Prior to a Cruise?
When considering if you still want to go on your trip, your physician MUST clear you for travel. If your injury, illness, etc is not medically stable, you put yourself and others at risk. If the injury decreases your mobility level, you need to consider the physical requirements of your cruise. What will you still be able to do or not do? If you have to stay on the boat more than you planned, will you still be happy you went? You may need to rent or bring an assistive device with you. It may be worth looking into upgrading your room if you need more space. If you have already booked excursions, you will need to assess if you are still able to do them. Tara notes most excursions offer cancellation up to 48 hours prior so review the cancellation policies.
For this reason, Tara highly recommends travel insurance. “I highly recommend travel insurance. You just never know what can happen in life and its better to have it and not need it, then not have it and need it! If someone can’t go on a cruise last minute – for any reason, they will not receive a refund or credit if they are within the penalty phase (after final payment is made). The client does receive port fees and taxes back, but that’s minor compared to the cost of a cruise. If a client takes out travel protection and they need to cancel last minute, they will get reimbursed if it is for a covered reason (injury, illness, death in family, loss of job, etc). There is a claims process and documentation needs to be provided, of course, but this is how you protect your investment!”
Accessibility Requirements for Cruise Ships
Cruise lines that sail in US waters must be compliant with ADA requirements. See the ADA cruise ship requirements here. This means that if your cruise has at least a portion in U.S waters, public spaces will be accessible and there will be specific accessible staterooms available for you to book. This can then vary when in international waters. You will need to check with individual cruise lines to see what is available and to insure an accessible room is available for your specific dates if needed. In general, Tara says to stick with newer ships if you have mobility considerations. The public spaces are bigger, traffic flow is better and they will have been designed with mobility in mind compared to older ships.
Common Mistakes Older Adults Make on Cruises
One thing Tara sees often is older adults walking down the stairs without holding railing, while seas are choppy. This is not a great idea when cruising with mobility considerations. Something else is not having insurance! She has seen the following happen a couple of times: “Unfortunately, someone has a heart attack and has to be air lifted off the ship. That is BIG bucks!!! We’ve also seen someone taken off a ship in Mexico to be transported to the hospital, and they didn’t have a passport. What a mess!”
What can Medical Teams Do on a Cruise Ship
Cruise ships have hospital capabilities on board with doctors and a medical team. Tara’s cruising experience has found their care to be top notch! Using the medical offerings on board is another reason for good travel insurance. It will cover using the facility and its’ services. You pay out of pocket for the expense, but the medical facility provides a detailed bill to submit to insurance. Insurance will cover you should you need to be flown off the ship for medical care. Make sure you have a high enough benefit for this with the insurance plan you are looking at.
Helpful Resources
Scootaround partners with WHILL (have you read about there autonomous airport wheelchairs? See my post about my discussion with their VP of Business Development for North America). They offer manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs, scooters, rollators (4-wheeled walkers with a seat), transport chairs and knee scooters. They will deliver directly to your room on the ship and will collect it there at the end of the cruise.
Cruise Critic is a great resource for people to see everything there is about a ship, cruise, etc. Also see their article on top cruises using a wheelchair or scooter.
How to Choose the Best Wheelchair-Accessible Cruise – from Wheel the World
Most Accessible Cruise Lines for Wheelchair Users and Passengers with Limited Mobility – from The Points Guy
Read Related Posts from Have Age Will Travel
Mobility Considerations to Discuss when Traveling with Friends and Family
5 Ways to Reduce your Time Standing While Traveling
Travel Essentials for Mobility
Travel Mobility Tests: How is my Mobility for Travel?
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