Can I travel with mobility aids or equipment?

Accessibility

Last updated: 27/05/2025

Please note: if you have accessibility needs, we kindly ask that you fill out the On-Board Needs Questionnaire via My P&O Cruises as soon as possible after booking your holiday, and no later than two weeks before departure. This ensures we have enough time to accommodate your needs and follow up with any questions where necessary. 

Declaring your mobility aid

If you need to bring a manual wheelchair, powered mobility device or mobility aid on board with you, it’s essential that you let us know at the time of booking or as soon as the need is known. 

If you declare that you’re bringing a mobility device after you’ve booked, this will only be possible subject to availability. This is because, depending on the size of your mobility device, you might need a different or fully accessible cabin. Also, if you use a manual wheelchair or powered mobility device either full-time or part-time, we’re required to provide evacuation chair assistance if there’s an emergency. 

If you need a mobility device or any equipment on board, we urge you to bring your own. Before your holiday starts, you must tell us the dimensions of your equipment when it’s folded or in its smallest state. 

Please note: if you don’t declare your mobility device before your holiday, you won’t be able to take it on board as there are no storage facilities available for denied devices. If you’re unable to manage on board, we’ll discuss your onward travel with you, but it could result in you being disembarked from your cruise.

For more details and requirements, please see our ‘Mobility aids and equipment’ page.

Hiring mobility aids

Unfortunately, we don’t have mobility aids for hire on board. However, if you need to hire a mobility aid, we recommend Mobility at Sea:  https://www.mobilityatsea.co.uk/

Mobility at Sea provides several different items for hire, including those tailored to specific mobility requirements or sizes. You can call them on 0800 328 1699 or go to the Mobility at Sea website.

All items are subject to availability and must be ordered and paid for in advance. 

Please note the following points: 

• Mobility at Sea can only provide equipment on Southampton-to-Southampton sailings.

• We don’t have a recommended supplier in other countries.

• You can hire equipment independently and bring it on board, as long as it meets our size and safety requirements. 

• If you hire equipment independently, such as a wheelchair or mobility scooter, you mustn’t leave it unattended under any circumstance within the terminal area or on board; P&O Cruises takes no responsibility for unattended items.

• You can, of course, bring your own mobility aids but please see below for more detail about sizes and storage.

Before you book your holiday

If you need to use a manual wheelchair or mobility device inside your cabin at any time, you must occupy a fully accessible cabin or suitable Suite or Mini-suite. This is to ensure there’s enough space to safely store the device in your cabin. 

If you’re travelling with a powered mobility device, you must be booked into a fully accessible cabin or selected Suite or Mini-suite, regardless of whether you need to use the device inside your cabin or not.

As non-accessible cabin doors can be narrow, you might have to fold and carry your mobility device inside the cabin for storage. Our crew are unable to help you with this, so please ensure that you or your companion can manage it.

You’ll find more detail in clauses 18-24 in our booking conditions.

To check what you need to do before you book your holiday, go to our ‘Mobility aids and equipment’ page.

Scroll down to the ‘Manual wheelchairs’ section and open ‘Before you book’.

There’s also more information in our article ‘How to book an accessible cabin’.

Does my mobility device need to be a certain size?

Yes, because of the cabin measurements and limited space in certain areas of our ships. For more information on specific sizing, please have a look at our ‘Mobility aids and equipment’ page.

Storing mobility devices

All mobility devices must be stored inside your cabin when they’re not in use. They must not be left outside your cabin

Charging powered mobility devices

All scooters and electric wheelchairs can be charged in your cabin when they’re not in use. Please ensure you only charge your devices when occupying your cabin, and they must not be left unattended while charging.

It’s important that you contact the manufacturer or supplier of your device prior to embarkation to ensure the equipment is safe to charge at 60Hz and that the voltage is compatible.

For more information on charging your powered mobility device, please see our ‘Mobility aids and equipment’ page.

Other mobility equipment

If you’d like to bring any other mobility equipment, you need to inform us via the On-Board Needs Questionnaire on My P&O Cruises. However, please be aware that, due to the nature of a cruise holiday experience, we may not be able to accommodate all requests.

If you use mobility equipment, we strongly suggest that you register for one-to-one assistance in the unlikely event of an emergency. This can be done at the time of booking through our Customer Contact Centre or your travel agent. If you’ve already booked your P&O Cruises holiday and would like to register, please call our Customer Contact Centre or your travel agent as soon as possible.

More about mobility aids and equipment

For more detail, please see our ‘Mobility aids and equipment’ page.

Still need help?

Still have questions? Our friendly Customer Contact Centre is always happy to help! Contact us today on 0344 338 8003.

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