What to do in Tortola and San Juan for someone with limited mobility?

[Sorcerer's Dad]

Seeking some ideas for shore activities.

We'll be going on Dec cruise to Tortola and San Juan. My wife has limited mobility, can't walk a long distance, and is really slow on stairs. This is our third cruise. We used a scooter on the first cruise and a Fold-and-Go wheelchair on the second cruise. The Fold-and-Go folds up and will fit into a standard trunk - it's a bit bigger and heavier than a standard wheelchair (approx 50 lbs with both batteries in).

Our problem is that most of the tours arranged through Disney say 'no electric wheelchairs or scooters'. Some say no wheelchairs at all. Ours can be pushed easily. We'd like to get out from just seeing the shopping areas like we experienced in Cozumel and Grand Cayman.

I think we've got something to do in San Juan, but - assuming Tortola is still on the schedule in December - have no plans there.

Thank you

 

[bumbershoot]

San Juan is tough because the streets and even sidewalks are cobblestones and uneven pavement.

 

[daedelus]

Agreed - my daughter was in a wheelchair from a dance injury to her knee when we were in San Juan 2 years ago. We managed to do a lot of Old San Juan, but boy, those hills and streets! The good news is that there are a ton of taxis everywhere and they will gladly help you with a wheelchair.

Cheers!

 

[Sorcerer's Dad]

Thank you for the info on the streets in San Juan. We'll do our best to get around. The wheelchair is powered and is fairly heavy duty. Sounds like it may be a rough ride, though.

 

[DanielleStar]

I am disabled and I use a mobility scooter. I have visited San Juan (not through a cruise): I found the city to be pretty accessible and easy to get around (with the exception of some cobblestone streets), however I had an able bodied companion who was able to help life my scooter over bumps. We did use taxis and my scooter fit in the taxi trunks when it was collapsed.

I am not sure if you are aware of this but DCL is now offering accessible shore excursions and they do have one in San Juan. Type in DCL shore excursions/Accessible Travel Solutions.

 

[Sorcerer's Dad]

I am disabled and I use a mobility scooter. I have visited San Juan (not through a cruise): I found the city to be pretty accessible and easy to get around (with the exception of some cobblestone streets), however I had an able bodied companion who was able to help life my scooter over bumps. We did use taxis and my scooter fit in the taxi trunks when it was collapsed.

I am not sure if you are aware of this but DCL is now offering accessible shore excursions and they do have one in San Juan. Type in DCL shore excursions/Accessible Travel Solutions.

Thanks - we have signed up for the Adult tour in San Juan, which does indicate it is an accessible offering. We went from three-wheeled scooter to the Fold-and-Go wheelchair after having some tipping incidents in the scooter. We first saw a chair like what we have now being used by a passenger on a previous Disney Cruise. My wife has never been to San Juan and I haven't been there since helping in recovery operations after hurricane Hugo.

I'm still doing research on possible things to do in Tortola, other than going through the same stores common to all the ports.