Accessible Cruising

We welcome guests with disabilities and special needs and work hard to assist them throughout their vacation. To receive appropriate assistance, be sure to submit a Special Accommodations Form no later than 40 days before US sailings, and 80 days before all other sailings.

We are able to provide sign language interpreting services on cruises that sail to and from the U.S. and Canada only. Please make a request at the time of booking but no later than 60 days prior to sailing. Please note that requests are subject to availability of interpreters. The earlier you let us know you need interpreters, the easier it is to confirm interpreters for your sailing. Services are provided on a shared basis for all hearing-impaired guests onboard.

We provide complimentary wheelchairs for getting on and off the ship. If you would like to have a wheelchair or scooter during the cruise, you are welcome to bring your own or rent one from a company that provides wheelchairs and scooter rentals for cruises.

Yes, we accept service animals on all our ships. Please see our Service Animal section for more details about our service animal policies.

We have made the voyage experience as effortless as possible for our guests with visual disabilities. Our staterooms, dining and public areas are designed to incorporate Braille wherever possible. Other accommodations include an allowance for service animals, including a 4x4 foot relief area with cypress mulch, and the option of early boarding for orientation tours. We also provide qualified readers onboard our ships to assist guests and waiters will read dining menus upon request.

We do not require that a guest with a disability travel with another person as a condition for traveling on our ships. However, guests must be self-sufficient and we recommend that guests travel with a companion to provide any required assistance. Our crew are not able to assist with personal tasks (e.g. eating, dressing, toileting or lifting).

Guests with assistive devices who are unable to take a few steps will be unable to board tenders. In order to safely board most tenders, guests must be able to take steps and use a collapsible manual wheelchair. In addition, motorized wheelchairs and mobility scooters can not be taken on tenders. Please see our Getting On and Off the Ship for more details.

We hold accessible staterooms for guests with disabilities until all non-accessible staterooms in a category are reserved. At that time, accessible staterooms are released to general inventory and may be reserved by a guest without a disability.

We have personnel with wheelchairs who provide assistance with pushing wheelchairs on and off the ship using gangways and boarding bridges. Please note our personnel are not required to lift guests. During peak times there may be a wait for assistance. Please see Getting On and Off the Ship for additional information. If you need further assistance, please contact us. 

Fit to travel can mean several things. In general, all guests must ensure that they are medically and physically fit for travel. This is stated in our Cruise Ticket Contract.

Guests on international sailings should be aware that inoculations may be required for some countries in order to be considered fit to travel. Click for more information.

Guests who are pregnant and under 24 weeks of pregnancy must have a fit to travel note from their physician. Click for more information.

Guests with a disability are not required to travel with another person as a condition for traveling on our ships. However, our personnel are not required to perform personal tasks (e.g. assisting with eating, dressing, toileting or lifting) and therefore, guest requiring assistance with these functions should consider these needs when making a booking.

If there is a question regarding the guest's fitness to travel without personal assistance, this must be discussed with our Access Department. For more information please contact us, or submit a Special Accommodations Form

We have designated Complaint Resolution Officials (CRO) at all U.S. ports of departure and all ships to help address our guests’ disability related concerns. They have been trained and are aware of applicable U.S. Department of Transportation disability rules as well as our policies and procedures regarding guests with disabilities. They will be glad to assist you.

If you are dependent on oxygen or require oxygen therapy, you must supply your own oxygen, and meet certain requirements prior to boarding the ship. Please contact us for additional information.

Guests who require dialysis are welcome onboard all Azamara voyages. However, Azamara does not have the ability to assist nor administer hemodialysis treatment. Those guests using peritoneal dialysis should have all solutions and equipment needed to perform the dialysis delivered to the vessel on the day of sailing at least two hours prior to sailing. Please contact us for more information on policies and procedures.

Yes, each Azamara vessel is equipped with a medical facility. At least one licensed physician and one nurse are generally in attendance on all Azamara^® voyages. Limited medical services and medications are available for a fee. The types of medications kept onboard are limited. The medical facility is not intended as a clinic for guests, and Azamara is not responsible for the diagnosis, treatment or services furnished by shipboard medical personnel, who are independent contractors.

We do not require proof of disability such as medical certificates or disability placards. However, we do require you to acknowledge your need for the accessible stateroom by completing a Guest Special Needs Form.

All of our ships have staterooms designed to accommodate guests with mobility disabilities and other disabilities that require the features of an accessible stateroom. Please see our Accessible Stateroom section for more details. If you need additional information, please contact us.

We do not require you to give details about your disability. However, the more information you can share with us about your needs and not your disability, the better we will be able to assist you. We do require advance notice for certain services; please see our Planning Ahead section for more details.

Yes! We have created customized shore excursions tours for our guests with disabilities. Please see the accessible shore excursions FAQ section for more information. You can also request an accessible shore excursion online.

Accessible tours are tours designed for full time wheelchair users or guests unable to negotiate motor-coach steps. They are available in certain ports based on the transportation we have been able to secure.

Please submit the completed Accessible Shore Excursions Form no later than 10 business days prior to the start of your cruise. We will advise you of availability and book the tours for you. Written confirmation will follow via email.

These tours are conducted with accessible vehicles that are lift or ramp equipped.

Due to the historical nature of the sites and venues at some ports of call as well as the uneven terrain, inclines, steps to negotiate and narrow sidewalks not all tours offer access to wheelchairs/scooters.

Due to the limited number of seats available in these specialized vehicles and the limited number of tour options available for guests unable to negotiate steps, we give preference on these tours to those guests in need of an accessible vehicle and their companion.

To assist guests in choosing their Azamara Shore Excursions, all tours have been graded according to the level of activity they entail. Please refer to the symbol(s), which is located at the bottom of each excursions title and appear within each excursion description. The symbol(s) represents Mild/Moderate/Strenuous. You may also find symbol(s) which refer to excursions recommended for our guests with limited mobility.

For guests with special needs, please complete the Accessible Shore Excursions Form. For any additional questions, please visit our Contact Us page. 

To assist guests in choosing their shore excursions, all tours have been graded according to the level of activity they entail. Please refer to the symbol(s), which is located at the bottom of each tour title and appear within each tour description. The symbol(s) represents Mild/Moderate/Strenuous. Guests will also find wheelchair symbols which highlight accessible shore excursions for guests with wheelchairs. 

Please complete the Accessible Shore Excursions Form. To better assist you please be sure to fully complete the form. Once the information is received we will be able to provide you with the applicable list of tour available for your sailing. 

All accessible vehicles have rules of compliance that vary by country. Guests in need of an accessible vehicle to participate on a tour must submit the Accessible Shore Excursions Form.

Most tour vehicles are able to accommodate a standard size manual collapsible wheelchair as long as the guest can negotiate the motor coach steps. Guests traveling with a scooter or other type of wheelchair must first check with Accessible Shore Excursions by completing the Accessible Shore Excursions Form. To better assist you please be sure to fully complete the form.

Accessible transportation (bus or van with a ramp or lift) is available at U.S. ports for tours that are wheelchair accessible. Accessible transportation is available upon request and on a first come basis.

Not all tours operating outside of the United States offer accessible transportation. Unfortunately, most of the motor coaches and/ or transportation used for shore excursions is not equipped with ramps and/ or lifts; therefore, for those ports that don’t have accessible motor coaches, we suggest to book Private Tours accessible shore excursions via Private Accessible Vehicle (with ramp or lift) Private Accessible excursions are customized to your liking and include an additional cost.

In those destinations outside of the United States where the tour operators do not have vehicles outfitted with lifts or ramps, private transportation is sourced to provide transportation to our full time wheelchair user guests wishing to participate in Azamara Shore Excursions. This private transportation is upon request, subject to availability, and carries an additional cost. The type transportation (lift/ramp, van/sedan) sourced varies per tour operator and destination.

We suggest for you to submit your request no earlier than 90 days and no later than 21 days prior to the start of your cruise vacation.

Not all boats used on our tours will provide ramp access. In some tours, guests will need to negotiate several steps to access the vessels. 

In order to safely board most tenders, guests must be able to take steps and use a collapsible manual wheelchair. In addition, motorized wheelchairs and mobility scooters cannot be taken on tenders, unless roll-on capability is available. Inquire about tender roll-on capability at Guest Relations Desk while on board. Please note roll-on capability is not guaranteed.  Weather, sea conditions, and other factors may preclude tendering. Safety of our guests and crew is our primary consideration, and the Captain and his staff will make the final decision regarding transferring guests and their assistive devices based on safety reasons. For more information regarding tendering policy, please visit our Contact Us page for assistance.

Level I shore excursion is geared toward guests who are able to walk short distances, can negotiate motor coach steps, and travel with a standard manual collapsible wheelchair, walker, rollator, or a folding cane. 

Guests traveling with a collapsible scooter, and wishing to participate in Level I tours, should submit their collapsible scooter information and dimensions within the Accessible Shore Excursions Form so we can confirm if the collapsible scooter can be accommodated. It is strongly recommended guests travel with a companion to assist with the loading/unloading of the wheelchair/scooter.

NOTE: Please be advised that motorized scooters/wheelchairs may or may not be accommodated depending upon their size and weight.

This level is for those guests that are unable to walk short distances, cannot negotiate motor-coach steps and who travel with a wheelchair/scooter.

Note: Bear in mind that Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations and guidelines do not apply outside of the United States. Therefore, you may experience some differences with transportation, venue access, etc. Some ports may not offer accessible excursions. However, you may inquire about private arrangements via an accessible vehicle. These arrangements come at an additional cost.

Guests traveling with a service animal should contact Accessible Shore Excursions to review guidelines and arrange special accommodations on tours.

Guests taking an oxygen cylinder or concentrator while on tour should provide in advance the dimensions of the device (length x width x height) to accessible shore excursions. Please include this information in the Accessible Shore Excursions Form. This information will ensure special accommodations are in place.

All guests must ensure they are medically and physically fit for travel. While some inoculations may be recommended, certain countries may also require them as a condition of entry. We advise that you check with your healthcare professional, or a certified Travel Medicine Specialist endorsed by the WHO for specific guidance on your travel health needs, depending on the countries you’ll be visiting.

We understand that unforeseen circumstances, such as falling ill, can be disruptive to your travel plans. We highly recommend that all our guests purchase travel insurance to safeguard against unexpected situations.

Guests are free to choose any insurance provider, but we recommend our direct partnership with Allianz.

Azamara Trip Protection by Allianz can help protect your vacation investment and give you peace of mind. Click here to learn more about coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, medical expenses, and other unforeseen events that may occur before or during your cruise.