How this adult-only cruise line integrated accessibility into its experiences

Not all disabilities are created equal. Travel varies from person to person, even when experiencing the same disability.

“‘How can I support you to have the best vacation of your life?’ That’s the energy that I want our teams to have,” Alex Zeitz, Director of Crew & Sailor Experience at Virgin Voyages, told USA TODAY.

Personalized accommodations reign supreme when it comes to a safe and enjoyable travel experience. By and large, compared with air travel, cruising can offer vacationers a more seamless experience.

USA TODAY recently participated in a Virgin Voyages press trip aboard its Resilient Lady vessel on its Adriatic Sea & Greek Gems itinerary. There, we could see the cruise line’s accommodations for travelers with disabilities firsthand.

What can disabled travelers expect?

It begins with the booking process. Guests, or sailors as Virgin calls them, can fill out a specific needs questionnaire as part of their booking process to ensure the crew can prepare accordingly.

For example, those who are visually or hearing impaired can get unique assistance at the dock with their check-in process and be escorted onto the ship. And, if they so wish, a tour of the vessel to orient themselves.

“The fully accessible cabins, and not only cabins but also our quarters – what we call our suites – allows a sailor who is a wheelchair user or a scooter user to really have full access (to the) experience,” Zeitz said. “We also have (assistive) listening devices available at various public spaces.”

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Aboard the Resilient Lady, USA TODAY was able to confirm access to those devices in the Red Room, where most entertainment performances are held.

The accessible cabins, as one might expect, boasted wider bathroom doors, handheld showerheads and lowered counters. A rare feature in older ships that Virgin includes is access to balconies via a ramp that falls over the sliding door entryway for ease of access.

For Jennie Berry, a wheelchair user and sailor aboard the Resilient Lady, the experience was largely positive.

“This is the first spa that I’ve been to, both on a ship and on land, that has pool (lifts), so I was able to go in both the small pool and the jacuzzi,” she said, noting that it was a different experience at the main ship pools.

When Berry couldn’t see the pool lifts, she messaged the crew to get one set up, but she said it took them two hours to install it, “so I sat on the side sweating.” Once she was able to use it, however, the chair got stuck with Berry in midair. “I had to jump from the chair into the pool, then I had to be carried out by other passengers.”

While the incident was a technical mishap, Berry said that the crew then messaged her every day asking what time she intended to use the pool – admittedly not the most seamless experience for those who don’t plan their relaxation by the hour.

“(Overall) it’s been very fun. I’ve made so many friends, it’s so friendly,” she said. “And especially in terms of the accessibility, I’ve been able to access pretty much everything that I’ve wanted to.”

What about shore excursions?

Sailors can book excursions prior to or during their trip, and Virgin has marked those with wheelchair access. If a sailor has other needs, there is a guest services counter open 24 hours a day to answer any particulars and ensure each sailor has the best experience.

Zeitz said Virgin is partnering with local vendors focused on accessible excursions to provide a wider range of activities whenever possible – being cognizant that in some parts of the world, especially in older cities, it might not be a smooth experience.

For Berry, she did have to miss one of the stops during the sailing because of Kotor, Montenegro’s port access. Sailors had to board a tender (smaller boat) to bridge the gap between the cruise and the actual dock.

“I’ve been on many other cruise lines before, and on (those) cruises, I’ve never found an accessible excursion through the cruise line themselves,” the travel blogger who runs Wheelie Good Life said. “However, before I came on the holiday (Virgin was) emailing me, giving me different options that could potentially be wheelchair accessible, all for the same price – normally there’s an upcharge – so that was quite good.”

The information on the cruise line’s app is pretty comprehensive, and the crew is always available to assist with disembarkation and provide guidance for specific destinations.

Are they able to accommodate strict dietary restrictions?

At The Galley – Virgin’s alternative to a buffet – sailors can find several “shops” akin to a food court where they can order at leisure or wait for a server to come to their table. There’s a variety of seating configurations to make it easier for those with mobility devices, and waiters will promptly ask about any dietary restrictions before placing an order.

If sailors do decide to pick up food for themselves, they need to be sure to ask about ingredients and/or inform the attendant about their restrictions.

Even at the most hands-off of restaurants, Test Kitchen, where it’s a preset tasting menu with ingredients only on a cardboard list on the table, chefs and crew will accommodate the specific dishes that won’t make the cut.

During our cruise, vegetarians were provided a rich vegan tart alternative to the venison dish, and those who were lactose intolerant were provided a mandarin and makrut lime sorbet in place of the blue cheese semifreddo (it sounds odd, but it was actually really good).

“We will continue to expand what we offer (and) how we offer it,” Zeitz added. “The more we look at the (accessible) travel community, the more we need to be delivering.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How Virgin Voyages navigates inclusivity, comfort for disabled sailors