Shari Tetrick says the scooter she rented for her husband, Kelly, prior to their cruise changed the entire trip. "Kelly gets around fine at home, but on a large ship and shore excursions, I knew it would be difficult. Originally, Kelly didn't want a scooter, but I wasn't going to let anything ruin this cruise."
Valerie F. felt the same about renting a wheelchair for her father. "The Explorer of the Seas is HUGE and dad wouldn't have enjoyed it as much without the wheelchair."
For Anne Barker, a timely delivery of portable oxygen "saved the day" -- and the cruise. When her personal oxygen equipment malfunctioned during a ten-day voyage, "I called my travel agent," she reports, "and my agent called Special Needs at Sea. I wasn't able to tell anyone where to deliver the oxygen rental pack, but the company's representative checked the ship's itinerary. Oxygen was waiting at the next port and I was able to continue my travels."
For the 53 million Americans with limited mobility, oxygen requirements or other form of physical limitation who want to travel, Special Needs at Sea, (http://www.specialneedsatsea.com), part of Special Needs Group, Inc., helps make travel easier and a reality. As importantly, the wheelchair, scooter, oxygen and other rental aides make travel accessible for persons with temporary needs like Gina Morris who rented a scooter when she injured her leg before her cruise, or individuals like Kelly Tetrick who only needs aides when traveling.
According to Andrew Garnett, company founder and president, even with the large number of persons with disabilities, the majority of wheelchair rentals, scooter rentals and other mobility equipment requests are from travelers without disabilities.
"My goal is to ensure that no one misses an opportunity to see the world or join a family vacation because of a physical impairment," says Garnett. "Even if travelers have their own equipment, wheelchairs and scooters can be a hassle to transport, and there's always the worry of damage or loss. We end the worry with customized, on-site delivery and pick-up."