Shore Excursions
One of the highlights of a Princess cruise is exploring the ports of call, but many countries have not made the sort of accommodations for passengers with disabilities which have become commonplace in North America. Therefore, access in many ports around the world may be limited.

Land tours are generally operated by local independent companies. Every effort is made by Princess and tour operators to accommodate the needs of passengers with disabilities, however, there may be times when no accessible transportation exists in a port, or when a tourist site is inaccessible to passengers with limited mobility.

Princess publishes an Adventures Ashore booklet for each cruise which includes descriptions of the shore excursions available and the level of physical activity for each tour. If passengers are non-ambulatory, we generally recommend, for their comfort and convenience, independent transportation which can accommodate wheelchairs and scooters. Princess' on board shore excursion staff will be glad to assist in making these arrangements.

Airline Service and Transfers
Special arrangements such as bulkhead seating, on board aircraft wheelchair storage and early boarding must be made directly with the individual air carrier. Therefore, it may be more advantageous for passengers with disabilities to book their air independently. We request that passengers using wheelchairs notify us at the time of booking, and we will do everything possible to provide wheelchair accessible transfer service. This information is especially vital in order that we are prepared to assist in case of an emergency.

Safety at Sea
Safety is always Princess' highest priority and it is our goal to ensure that, in the event of an emergency, all passengers are looked after. For this reason we maintain a list on the bridge of those passengers who would require assistance in the event of an emergency. Each ship has a medical assistance party whose job it is in an emergency to go to the requisite cabins and assist the passengers to their muster stations.

Service Animals
Passengers traveling with service animals should be aware that the various ports of call have different regulations with particular reference to animals being taken ashore, so it is important that passengers check with their travel agent. Passengers are also responsible for providing current health and travel documents for their service animals, as well as for feeding and hygienic needs.

Special Diets
For those passengers with particular dietary needs, Princess is pleased to offer a variety of special menus including low sodium, vegetarian, low fat, and low cholesterol. We request that passengers notify us of their dietary needs at the time of booking their cruise. Once on board passengers should make their requests directly to the Head Waiter or Maitre d'Httel.

Medical Services
A medical program is in place aboard all Princess ships which includes a staff of qualified, dedicated professionals and facilities with equipment suited to the practice of medicine in the maritime environment (see separate statement on Shipboard Medical Program).

Alaska and Canada Cruisetours
Princess' commitment to providing an accessible vacation experience extends to our land tours in Alaska and Canada. We will arrange to accommodate passengers using wheelchairs whenever possible. We have lift-equipped motorcoaches and vans, and our Midnight Sun Express rail cars have been specially designed to be wheelchair accessible to the lower level, including dining and restroom facilities and open-air viewing platforms.

Princess' wilderness lodges in Alaska have been built with ADA-approved rooms, which are equipped with TDD kits including text telephone, telephone amplifiers, visual smoke detectors and door knocker sensors. The request for a TDD kit must be made at the time of booking.

Some destinations, particularly those in the more remote areas of Alaska and the Yukon, do not have fully-accessible passenger facilities or vehicles, and space may be limited. The Canadian Rockies and Victoria tour programs offer limited availability of lift-equipped motorcoaches, depending on tour type and departure date. The Princess Access program raises the standards of cruise ship access to a new level while keeping in mind the inherent constraints and special considerations of a ship at sea.

We're proud to have the highest number of wheelchair accessible staterooms in the industry. Doorways wide enough for most chairs, rooms designed with wheelchair movement in mind, and bathrooms featuring roll-in showers and hand-held detachable shower heads are among the list of special accommodations.

Additionally, special wheelchair transportation gangway mechanisms, ramps, and elevators with Braille call buttons as well as audible arrival sounds are available aboard many or all of our ships.

We also have a supply of ADA "all in one kits" including telephone amplifiers, visual smoke detectors, door knocker sensors, text telephones and other aids for guests with hearing impairment.

If there is additional information you require, please write to us or have your travel agent give us a call. We sincerely hope to be of service to you and we look forward to welcoming you aboard.