You CAN Travel: 5 Simple Strategies for Special Needs Travelers

You CAN Travel

5 Simple Strategies for Special Needs Travelers

You CAN Travel

5 Simple Strategies for Special Needs Travelers

Want to travel the world but feel limited by where you think you can and cannot easily go?

Don’t know how to travel (or even if it’s possible) with all the equipment you need to be mobile?

Do you desire to personally experience more of the world rather than just by viewing it on television and movies, or reading about it as an armchair traveler?

Don’t want to burden friends or family by making them feel like they have to attend to your needs and/or slow down on a trip?

PART I:

Special needs can include permanent or temporary disabilities, vision or hearing impairments, dietary restrictions, and more. If you have always wanted to travel despite having special needs, you now have a world of possibilities ahead of you.

Many travelers with special needs may already realize that they can get around fairly easily within the USA thanks in part to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Title III, which states, “no individual may be discriminated against on the basis of disability with regards to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation by any person who owns, leases (or leases to), or operates a place of public accommodation”. “Public accommodations” include most places of lodging (such as inns and hotels), recreation, transportation, education, and dining, along with stores, care providers, and places of public displays, among other things.

Worldwide travel is also now available to the special needs traveler, whether you are seeking a cruise to an exotic destination, an escorted or package tour to Europe, a beach vacation, a Brazilian adventure, an African safari, an accessible van trip around New Zealand, a trip to see the pyramids in Egypt, a spiritual journey to Israel, or more.

Other countries may also offer disability acts, but they can differ widely in scope. Have these acts checked out thoroughly before making your travel choices.

In addition to the USA, other North America countries who offer programs of their own include Canada and Mexico. South and Central American countries include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. South Pacific destinations include Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. African countries include Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Asian countries include China, Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand. European countries include Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Mid-east destinations include Israel and Jordan.

Because your options to travel are vast but you have specific needs, you should always work with a trained Travel Professional such as a certified SNG Travel Advocate. These professionals have taken special training classes that focus on special needs travelers.

PART II:

Most travelers with special needs CAN travel the world, no matter what your situation or disability, although additional time to plan and paperwork/documentation may be required. You do have more options available today than you may believe.

First

Decide where and when you want to go and what you want to see. Research (or ask your travel professional to research) the destination and accommodations to find out if they are special-needs friendly and have flat surfaces, ramps, and/or elevators if needed. Some countries, cities, accommodations and sites are more accessible-friendly than others–not all countries or cites have laws, or siteshave facilities in place that require they be able to handle special needs. You will probably find obstacles that can challenge you, but you may also find that there are many more available options than you ever thought.

Traveling during shoulder season may be especially appealing to the special needs traveler because the crowding and high prices from peak season will have toned down, yet the weather is still generally nice enough to allow optimal viewing of sites. Journeying during off-season may present additional challenges that are of special concern to the traveler with special needs such as rain/snow/ice, shorter admission hours or site closures, renovations/construction delays and more.

Second

Decide how you want to arrive and/or depart to/from your destination. Driving your own vehicle or hiring a taxi or shuttle may be easiest if the distance is short. Rental vehicles with modification equipment may also be available if arranged in advance. Travel in independent or small groups may be preferred by special needs travelers for more personal attention options. For example, reserve as early as possible and (at least 48-hours in advance if not before) to find out if shuttles, vans or mini-coaches with wheelchair lifts can be booked or arranged for touring sites.

If you need to reach a long-distance destination quickly, flying is often the best way to go if there is a major airport nearby. Most airlines have special measures in place for pre-boarding travelers with special needs. They may have special instructions on packing and/or restrictions on bringing equipment onboard, such as wet cell batteries or some oxygen containers. Power chairs, wheelchairs, and walkers may be taken down the jet way and then gate checked or sometimes taken aboard so you will have access to them upon disembarkation from the aircraft.

Service attendants are usually available and ready to help with everything from assisting you to your gate and/or disassembling/re-assembling equipment. Ask your travel agent to note your reservation if you will need special assistance so that the airline is aware of it in advance, and so that you can find out about any restrictions. Allow extra time to get to and from the airport.

Certified companion/assistance animals are allowed onboard. You can also pre-book any special equipment that you may need, such as an airport shuttle equipped with a wheelchair-lift.

Third

Decide what your method of travel and type of accommodations will be once at your destination. Cruise ships are very popular for travelers with special needs for good reason because they answer both of these methods. Staff are educated on how to assist passengers with special needs—either through a certificate program and/or live trainings.

Accessible cabins are available in almost every category from inside locations to suites and are close to elevators for easy access, but should be requested as far in advance as possible to guarantee availability. Such cabins are priced the same as regular cabins per the category booked, and are based on availability—first-come, first-served. Verandah cabins may feature a small folding ramp to access the larger, wider balcony

Most cruise ships offer elevators to every passenger area including some elevators specifically designed for clients with mobility impairments. Chefs can handle numerous dietary requests, and special seating areas are available in most public areas. Hearing-impaired visitors can request a TDD or TTY kit that may include special auditory equipment such as vibrating or light-up devices that will allow them to know when the phone is ringing and someone is at the door. Certified assistance animals are welcomed aboard (mostly canines), allowed free-range in the cabin, are fitted with a specially-sized life jacket designed for them, and have a special areas onboard deck to allow for walks and toilet needs.

Special needs passengers are given assistance upon request, in gangways for embarkation and debarkation, and for tender operations (passengers may need to be able to walk a few steps). Distilled water can be pre-requested for breathing-assisted equipment e.g. BiPAP machines.

Companies such as Special Needs at Sea can help you arrange for equipment including wheelchairs, power scooters, walkers, lifts, ramps, portable oxygen, special mattresses and more to be ready and waiting in your cabin upon embarkation.

Accessible rooms are available at many hotels and resorts around the world–from moderate to luxury. Such rooms are usually located close to the elevators, and may offer such features as both lowered and regular peepholes in exterior doors, wide-entry exterior and interior doors, a telephone that can be reached from the bed, and expanded interior space to allow for maneuverability and storage of equipment. There may be lowered control switches, thermostat settings, safes, shelving, closet bars and hangers. Bathrooms may feature roll-in showers with hand-held shower head, fold-down bath chairs/stools, raised toilets, lowered shelving and towel bar, special sink controls, handgrip bars, an emergency pull cord near the shower and push-button emergency button near the toilet, a sink that can be maneuvered under.

For guests with visual impairments, Braille is available on elevators, doors and safety information. Requests for accessible and/or ground-floor hotel rooms should be made as far in advance as possible, and double-check just before arrival to make sure that the request is confirmed and that the hotel is aware of it. Before booking, confirm in advance specifically which special needs

features are offered in an accessible room, for example, to make sure that the room has a roll-in shower or bath chair if important.

Rail journeys on some trains can also be a possibility. Check first with the rail company you are interested in to find out specifics as this can vary widely per company and country.

Fourth

Plan what activities you want to do once settled in at your destination. Many sightseeing and tour companies offer their regular programs to include special needs travelers; even adventure tour companies may sometimes offer modified programs to allow more broad participation.

Most theme parks go out of their way to attract special needs travelers and offer regular or modified access on most rides and often have separate ride entrances which benefit all accompanying members. Features such as wheelchair lifts on modified coaches, ramps, elevators and other aspects at many museums and sites make the trip easier along the way for all. Wheelchairs with special balloon tires can be rented or borrowed to allow beach access, and are often available at high-end resorts or through rental companies.

Fifth

Review your trip plans step-by-step to avoid any surprises and decide who you can call upon if you need additional assistance or if anything should not go as expected. Your travel professional can be of special help here.

Clarify any questions or concerns you may have, and make sure that all your questions are answered in advance.

Strongly consider purchasing travel protection insurance and getting a check-up and full clearance from your physician before leaving on any major trip.

Knowing upfront and planning ahead for any challenges will help alleviate any fears and/or concerns you have and will help you relax and enjoy your great journey ahead.

What’s Next:

Ready to start planning your own vacation and need additional assistance for your special needs?

Our agency offers a complimentary strategy session, where we can discuss possible destinations, dates and preferences, and go over what we can both expect from working with each other.

There’s no charge or obligation for this session, and it will give you some good ideas to move forward.

You can request an appointment on our website, via e-mail or telephone call. We look forward to working with you to help plan a memorable vacation to address your own specific special needs.