Cruise News

Carnival Issues Warning to Cruise Guests Using Mobility Scooters

Carnival Cruise Line has contacted guests booked in certain staterooms sailing aboard Carnival Jubilee about its policy for accessibility scooters. This follows the same letter sent to guests on two other Excel class ships, Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration.

A large cruise ship, the Carnival Jubilee, is docked at a bustling port. — Carnival Jubilee

It reminds guests that their stateroom is not compatible with all types of scooters and that the scooter must collapse for safe storage, or they won’t be able to board.

Guests Asked to Contact Carnival

It has reached out to guests sailing June 15 through December 28, 2024. “If you or another guest in your stateroom will be traveling with a scooter, it must collapse for safe storage in a designated area inside the stateroom,” wrote Colleen Oliverio, VP of Guest Services, in a letter to booked guests on Carnival Jubilee.

A wheelchair and scooter accessible ramp leading to the entrance of the Carnival Jubilee. A sign indicating accessibility for guests using scooters is positioned near the bottom of the ramp.

Guests with non-collapsible scooters must contact the Guest Access team at 1.800.438.6744, ext. 70025. The cruise line has outlined several options. Guests may change ship and/or sailing date to secure an alternative stateroom, or they can request a full refund.

It says guests who arrive for check-in with non-collapsible scooters and fail to inform the cruise line may be denied boarding. Scooters must be able to be folded and stored in a way that enables a safe exit from the stateroom. They are not allowed to be stored in corridors or public areas.

Guests can also rent a smaller scooter suited to their stateroom category. However, guests with multiple scooters booked together must book and pay for a fully accessible stateroom with wider doorways.

A red mobility scooter is parked indoors in front of a wall-mounted sign that reads,

Carnival Cruise Line says scooters may be sized at check-in to see if they fit comfortably in the booked stateroom.

The cruise line’s Guests with Disabilities page provides all requirements for personal mobility devices, such as wheelchairs and scooters. The page also includes a link to the line’s preferred partner for scooter rental services.

This is not the first time a mobility story has made the headlines this month. Earlier this month, a guest was denied boarding a P&O cruise ship for not doing the proper paperwork.