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Shelley helped me to the sofa in the cabin, and we called the Front Desk and asked to speak with the top person, and explained the situation to her. She quickly came to confirm what we said, and to explain the possibilities. While the ship is wheelchair accessible, the cabins, for the most part, are not. Only six cabins have doorways wide enough for a wheelchair. All of these cabins were booked. It was unlikely that any would be empty. We told her that unless we had such a cabin we would have to leave, because I was unable at that time to do without the wheelchair, which would only fit in the cabin if it was folded. (Although I was able to walk very short distances within a room, and stand long enough to take a very short shower, expecting that we would be on excursions at least three days, I didn’t want to take a chance that I would be too tired to walk even short distances.) She said that she would do everything she could to get us a cabin, but it would take a little time. Shelley and I were left alone and discussed the possibility of leaving the ship and just going home ASAP. We figured the travel insurance would cover the costs, and since we had nothing planned for the time we expected to be away, we would just stay home and relax while my foot healed. We were so exhausted that it was quickly becoming an attractive alternative. We figured we’d have to make a decision soon, and were 30 seconds away from doing so, when the General Manager returned with a woman.

She explained that the woman and her mother were in one of the six cabins, and she was there to see if her mother would be able to get around in our cabin before deciding if she would switch cabins with us. She decided to do so, and left to arrange the switch. The GM told us that she was able to convince the woman to consider the possibility because the woman and her mother were known to her from previous cruises. The GM also added a small, but reasonable monetary bonus to both parties for the inconvenience. We were taken to the other cabin to check it out. The doorway was fine, the room was large enough for the wheelchair to move about, and the tub was removed, and instead there was a tub-sized walk-in shower with a seat that folded down from the wall. While the location of the cabin wasn’t great, all in all, it permitted us to go on the cruise and we accepted it.

Once we were unpacked and calmed down, we realized that our first priority was to speak with the staff dealing with excursions. All three of the excursions we had signed up for were through the cruise line, so we knew they would help us deal with the individual tour companies. Without any delay, we went to check that we would be able to do what we had planned. Two of the three were either not wheelchair accessible or appropriate. (Shelley would have to push me up hills or on unpaved ground, something neither of us wanted.) They helped us go through the alternatives for those two days, and we found two, which were less interesting than our original choices, but, at least, got us off the ship, and seeing some of Alaska. As for the third excursion, the most important to us, since it was to Mendenhall Glacier and a boat ride where we’d see whales, it was questionable. They had to check to see if the wheelchair, with me in it, could get on the boat. Since that was four days in the future, we decided to be optimistic.
For two days we enjoyed ourselves on the ship. (We were told that there was one of those nasty infections going around on the ship, and we were frequently reminded to be careful, wash our hands before and after doing anything--there were hand cleaner dispensers all over the ship--and to avoid contact with others if you felt ill. Those who were infected were restricted to their cabins for three days.) There was entertainment at night in the theater which we enjoyed; we saw “Star Trek” for the third time, and spent time outside on the deck looking at the scenery. Reading and checking our netbook rounded out the days.

Oh, and of course, eating. We had had a choice of eating in the fancy restaurant, where you sit a table, served by a waiter and busboy, and have several choices for each course; you also have to dress appropriately, which for non-formal nights meant neat slacks and polo shirts; our wardrobe consisted mainly of jeans and tee shirts. From our previous cruise we had learned that eating on the Lido deck was more to our taste. No dress code, no specific time and many more choices of food. It was all fresh and delicious and you could speak directly with the person behind the counter to get exactly what you wanted. Yes, it was like a cafeteria, but with busboys helping you. On our previous cruise they had trays so that you just took food and put it on your tray, collecting a whole meal’s worth. However, because of the infection, they spread plastic wrap to prevent anyone from touching or even breathing on the food except for the servers wearing gloves. They didn’t have trays because they didn’t have enough of them to be able to wash them after each use. It was a little inconvenient, but the spread of the infection was limited, and was stopped a couple of days before the end of the cruise. We did have breakfast in our cabin once, before leaving on an excursion, but generally, we preferred the choices at the Lido. Also, on most days, we would go the outside portion of the Lido deck after eating and take pictures.

On the second day of the cruise we went through Glacier Bay. Shelley got up very early to see the glaciers up close and personal. I was too tired to get up so early, and I knew he’d take plenty of pictures for me. I realized that I’d be missing something special, but the healing of a broken bone, a very stressful time, as well as manipulating the wheel chair, even with Shelley pushing it almost all the time, was exhausting, and I needed all the rest I could get. I preferred to rest that day, and be ready for the excursion on the next day. When you ask if we enjoyed our trip, I have to say that we made the best of it, given all the circumstances, and tried not to think about what we were missing or burdened with.

In Haines, we had to settle for a tour of the town and surrounding area in a vintage car, driven by a very nice and chatty young woman whose regular job is secretary of the K-12 school in the town. We rode with four other tourists in a 1938 Packard. (Shelley will send a website link with all the photos as soon as he can.) Because she has lived there with her husband and children for a while, she was able to show us places off the beaten track, and tell us things only a resident would know. Although it lasted only about an hour, it was very satisfying. Shelley and I were able to get into a gift shop, where we were able to buy a few inexpensive items. Then back to the ship.

Here’s where we encountered problems, both coming and going. The ramp from the ship was from deck 6 to the pier, and was extremely steep. One of the crew would take me down and up. Going down, I was faced backwards so that I wouldn’t fall out of the chair. In both cases, it seemed that the smallest of the crew was selected, or next in line, whichever, he was most unfortunate to have to control the descent, or push me up the steep incline. Going down, one of the larger crew members had to help slow us down, otherwise, the skinny crewman would have gone under the wheelchair. I quickly learned to be weary of going on and off the ship.

Since the next day was the special excursion that we so much desired to go on, we went back to the excursion desk to find out if they had heard from the tour company and the feasibility of getting me, in the wheelchair, on the boat. They hadn’t heard, but said they would continue to try to contact the company. Late that evening, after one of the shows, we tried again to find out our status. The excursion desk was closed, so we asked at the front desk. A very nice lady checked all messages at the front desk and at the excursion desk, but couldn’t find any info for us. Since we would have to get up at 6:30A for the 8:30A trip and we hadn’t been notified that we could go, we told the lady at the front desk that we would have to cancel, and she said she would take care of it.

So, on Thursday, we slept, with plans for taking it easy and getting ready for Friday’s excursion. At 8:15A we were awakened by a phone call from the excursion staff, wondering why we were not ready to leave with the rest of the group. We told them simply, but politely, why we were still in bed. Needless to say, that was one of the most depressing days of our trip: so near and yet so far. The excursion crew had been so helpful before, we couldn’t understand why they never got back to us with the good news that we could go on this trip. It made no sense, and all day we tried to find some sense in all of it, but we failed.

On Friday we went to Saxman Native Village where we saw a film about the tribes in the area, went to wooden building where we saw native dancing and looked at huge totems that the tribe had built, as well as the building where they were constructed. Shelley and I were taken by van by one of the tour guides, and then by an open bus to the village itself. It started to drizzle and then to rain lightly while we were there. We did stop in the nice gift shop with the normal tourist items and some lovely handmade items. Then we were returned to the town of Ketchikan, where the ship was docked. By this time, the rain was more annoying, and not especially pleasant when not dressed for it, and either in a wheelchair, or pushing it. The town is a nice tourist trap with all kinds of goods from crappy to exquisite. We stopped in three shops and bought a few items before the weather got me down. We weren’t quite sure exactly what time we had to be back on the ship, and I started getting nervous about the slipperiness of the sidewalks and streets, and just wanted to get back to my warm room and dry clothes. Going up the wet ramp was even more fun this time.

We had just one more day aboard the ship, cruising. Shelley and I packed everything, doing it efficiently, so that we’d only have to open two suitcases in the hotel. We had already made sure, via email and phone communications, that the hotel had rented a wheelchair for me, and that it would be available from the time I arrived until I got in the cab to go to the airport. We were as ready as we could be. Our suitcases were outside our door the night before, as required; showered, we had only our basic requirements and clothes for the morning, which could be put in a bag which I could carry. I was nervous about going down the ramp, finding our luggage, and how Shelley and I would get me in the wheelchair with the luggage to a cab, and how we would find one. Would it be just like the airport at Anchorage? I was also concerned about the hotel, even though the people there had assured me that a wheelchair would be no problem (Where had I heard that before?)

We got up the next day in time to have a good breakfast, since we didn’t know when we’d next be able to eat. We had to check at the front desk as to where we had to go to disembark, and when they would take back my wheelchair. We found out that everyone in wheelchairs or who needed assistance were to meet in one location so that stewards could make sure we got off the ship okay. The only problem was that there were few stewards available for the service. (And, again, they seemed to be the smallest on the ship.) Finally, a steward came forth to escort us. And, there was not one long, steep ramp, but a ramp split in two parts which were at right angles, which was far more comfortable. Amazingly, we found our luggage quickly and got it on a cart, while the steward still pushed my chair. And, finally, there were signs designating different directions to go for cabs, buses, cars, etc., so it was easy to locate a cab whose driver loaded our luggage, while the steward took the wheelchair after I was seated in the cab.
We told the driver which hotel we wanted to go to, and gave the address. It took less than half an hour to get to the hotel, which was on a main street with shops and restaurants and trees, and was busy. It was also very hilly. When we pulled into the hotel driveway, there was someone there, asking if our name was Liss, and when we said yes, immediately brought out a wheelchair, and wheeled me into the lobby. We had finally arrived in Vancouver, and hoped that our luck had turned. END OF CHAPTER TWO (to be continued)

Labels: Alaska, Holland American Line, vacation, Veendam