Vacation Spots: Thumbs up or Thumbs down? - Brief Article - Letter to the Editor

Accent on Living, Winter, 2000

Celebrity Cruise Lines & Bermuda

We have just returned from our fourth cruise on Celebrity Cruise Lines. We have been on the Zenith once and the Horizon three times. These beautiful ships are completely accessible and have four staterooms with wheelchair access. The beds are standard twin size and open underneath if a lift is needed. Bermuda was especially wonderful thanks to Roderick Simons who has a wheelchair van taxi service. For information, about his service, call 441-236-1456 or e-mail: RESIMONS@ibl.bm. This trip is two thumbs up!

Maureen Strasser

New Jersey

USVI

When we visited St. Thomas, USVI in 1996, the tram located a few hundred feet from where the cruise ships dock was not accessible (Sp. 2000, pg. 44 ). There are over 30 steps leading to the tram from the sidewalk. According to a recent letter from the Governor of St. Thomas, the upper station is now wheelchair accessible. But, the wheelchair user would have to take a taxi to the upper station and then back to the lower level.

Darryl Sigel

Pennsylvania

Holiday Inn & The Blockade Runner Wrightsville Beach, NC

Wrightsville Beach is an island off the coast of Wilmington, NC connected to the mainland by two bridges, It is not over-developed and not too "touristy." There are lots of accessible restaurants. We made reservations at two hotels. The Holiday Inn Sunspree had a choice of three accessible rooms. Two were harborside view. One had a roll-in shower, another had a whirlpool tub. All had sinks you could roll your chair under, rooms that were of adequate size and peepholes at eye level. One room had a king-sized bed and the others had double eds. There was level access to the public beach but the pools were not accessible.

The Blockade Runner had tiny bathrooms and there were no cutouts under the sinks. There were no roll-in showers and if one wanted to use the commode, you would have to wheel into the narrow bathroom, stand, make a 180' turn and sit down. It might be usable by someone with arthritis or who had a stroke and could stand, but not by a wheelchair user.

Maureen Strasser

New Jersey