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Cruise tips for seniors: 12 things you have to ask for
Twelve things the cruise lines will do for you, and not one of them gets offered. You have to ask. Each one is in the cruise line's own words, with the three you have to ask for before you leave home marked.
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Cruise lines publish twelve things they will do for you if you ask: a robe that fits, a feather-free bed, large-print menus, two entrées, a better table, table service at the buffet, free continental breakfast in your cabin, a refrigerator, bathroom equipment, a hearing kit, help getting off the ship, and accessible theater seating. Three of them (the refrigerator, bathroom equipment and the hearing kit) need asking for before you sail. Checked 21 October 2026.
Print this page and tuck it in your carry-on. The three "before you sail" asks are marked in coral.
Ask these before you leave home
- #5 Somewhere cold, and somewhere safe
- #4 The bathroom: shower stool and raised toilet seat
- #3 A hearing kit for your cabin
Every line's special needs form, and its deadline: Cruise medical forms.
In your cabin and at dinner
12. A robe that actually fits
Ask on boardIf the robe in your closet won't close, ask your cabin steward. Celebrity puts two robes in every cabin and publishes a bigger size on request.
“Bathrobes are "one size" fits all (size 2XL upon request)”Celebrity · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“Bathrobes upon request”Carnival (Mardi Gras stateroom amenities; may vary by ship) · their page · checked 21 October 2026
11. A bed you can breathe in
Ask on boardIf feathers bother you, say so on day one. Carnival will take the duvet off completely.
“down feather and hypoallergenic pillows”Celebrity · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“Upon request, all duvets can be removed… made with cotton/polyester (60/40) blankets”Carnival · their page · checked 21 October 2026
10. Large print, or the menu read to you
Ask on boardAsk at Guest Services on your first day. Carnival will also walk you round the ship and help with the safety briefing. Princess offers large print and Braille but wants 60 days' notice.
“Large print format is available, upon request… and dining room menus”Carnival · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“Large-print menus and Cruise Compasses”Royal Caribbean · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“Waiters will also read dining menus upon request”Royal Caribbean and Celebrity · their page · checked 21 October 2026
9. Two main courses
Ask on boardCan't decide between two entrées in the main dining room? You don't have to pick.
“you can order as many of each as you like”Royal Caribbean guide · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“Can't decide between two entrées? … go for it!”Carnival blog (2015) · their page · checked 21 October 2026
8. The maître d'
Ask on boardTable a long walk from the door? Need a different dining time, or low-sugar meals? That's who you go and see, on embarkation day. Royal Caribbean wants dietary needs ahead of time.
“just ask the Maitre'D at any hospitality desks on embarkation day”Royal Caribbean · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“Guests may request a special table or server”Celebrity · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“Please address requests of this nature with the Maître d' directly”Carnival (low-sugar, low-fat, low-carb meals) · their page · checked 21 October 2026
7. Table service at the buffet
Ask on boardIf juggling a plate, a drink and a cane is the hard part, sit down and ask. On another line, ask anyway.
“we can provide table service in areas where self-service dining is offered, upon request”Carnival · their page · checked 21 October 2026
6. Breakfast in your cabin, without the fee
Ask on boardOn Celebrity, room service is $9.95 an order, but not if you order only from the continental breakfast section (6 to 11 a.m., every day but the day you leave). On Carnival, continental breakfast in your cabin is free from 6 to 10.
“if a guest orders from the Continental Breakfast section only, they will not be charged a $9.95 delivery fee”Celebrity · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“Free continental breakfast available from 6:00 AM - 10:00 AM”Carnival · their page · checked 21 October 2026
Room service fees and gratuities, line by line
From each line's own page, checked 21 October 2026. These change, so check with your own cruise line.
| Line | Room service charge | Free breakfast? |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | $7.95 service charge + 18% gratuity | Continental breakfast delivery listed as included; varies by ship |
| Celebrity | $9.95 per order | Continental breakfast only: no fee, 6–11 a.m. |
| Carnival | Service charge (amount not published on the page we checked) | Continental breakfast free, 6–10 a.m. |
| Norwegian | Up to $9.95 per order | $4.95 breakfast fee |
| Virgin Voyages | $10 delivery charge, waived on orders of $10+ | — |
| Princess | Free delivery with Princess Plus and Premier | — |
Daily gratuities, standard cabin: Royal Caribbean $18.50 · Princess $18 · Holland America $18 · Carnival $17 per person, per day. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity say they can be adjusted at Guest Relations any time before the morning you leave. Princess says they are not refundable after the cruise. If something went wrong, speak up on board.
The ones with a deadline, and the big three
5. Somewhere cold, and somewhere safe
Ask before you sailIf something you bring has to stay cold, don't trust the minibar. Ask for a refrigerator early: Carnival's are limited. On Princess, ask your cabin steward for a sharps container once you're on board. Check with your doctor on how yours needs to be kept.
“cabin coolers are not refrigerators”MSC · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“Refrigerator in stateroom (upon request)”Royal Caribbean · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“Portable refrigerators are available onboard in limited quantities and on a first come, first serve basis”Carnival · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“Sharps containers may be requested through the stateroom steward once on board”Princess · their page · checked 21 October 2026
4. The bathroom: shower stool and raised toilet seat
Ask before you sailA ship's shower is small, wet, and the floor moves. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity both want 30 days' notice for bathroom equipment. On Princess you can add it in the app under Preferences. The CDC found about two out of three bathroom injuries happen in or around the tub or shower (MMWR, June 2011, 2008 data).
“request additional amenities (like shower stools and raised toilet seats) for any stateroom”Princess · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“Raised toilet seat · Commode chair · Shower stool · Transfer bench (30 days' notice; "reasonable efforts")”Royal Caribbean · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“68.3% of bathroom injuries in or around the tub or shower”CDC, MMWR vol. 60 no. 22 · their page · checked 21 October 2026
3. A hearing kit for your cabin
Ask before you sailA kit that tells you about a knock at the door, the phone, your alarm and the smoke detector. Carnival, Celebrity, Norwegian and MSC list one too. Most want 30 to 60 days' notice.
“All-In-One-Kit… a TTY Telephone… an under-pillow shaker and a light-flashing signal”Princess · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“portable room kit… upon request… door knocking, telephone ringing”Royal Caribbean · their page · checked 21 October 2026
2. Help getting off the ship, and at tender ports
Ask on boardWheelchair help on and off is free on Royal Caribbean. On Carnival, go to the meeting spot in your Debarkation Flyer, because they don't come to your cabin. The ship's wheelchairs aren't lent out for the week: rent your own before you go. At a tender port, ask whether the tender can roll on. The captain makes the final call.
“complimentary wheelchair assistance for embarkation and disembarkation only”Royal Caribbean · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“Curbside or cabin assistance is not available”Carnival · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“our limited supply of shipboard wheelchairs are for emergency use only”Carnival · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“Inquire about tender roll-on capability at Guest Relations Desk while on board”Royal Caribbean · their page · checked 21 October 2026
1. The show: a seat you can sit in, and sound you can hear
Ask on boardOn the Regal Princess I couldn't sit in those deep, soft theater seats, so I watched my comedy in the Vista Lounge all week. What I should have done is ask. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, Holland America and Virgin all list listening systems in their theaters too. Get there early, and ask at the door.
“accessible seating options are available… Simply ask any staff member in the entertainment venue”Princess · their page · checked 21 October 2026
“A Fun Squad representative will be available at the entrance(s) to assist you with seating”Carnival · their page · checked 21 October 2026
Questions I get asked
What can seniors ask for on a cruise that the cruise line won't offer?
Twelve things the lines publish but rarely offer: a larger robe, a feather-free bed, large-print menus, two entrées, a better table from the maître d', table service at the buffet, free continental breakfast in your cabin, a refrigerator, bathroom equipment, a hearing kit, wheelchair help getting off, and accessible theater seating.
Which cruise requests have to be made before you sail?
Bathroom equipment such as a shower stool or raised toilet seat (Royal Caribbean and Celebrity want 30 days' notice), a hearing kit (usually 30 to 60 days), and a refrigerator, which is limited on some lines. Princess wants 60 days' notice for large print and Braille.
Is room service free on a cruise?
It depends on the line. Celebrity charges $9.95 an order but not for continental breakfast only. Carnival's continental breakfast is free from 6 to 10. Royal Caribbean charges $7.95 plus an 18% gratuity. Check with your own cruise line, because these change.
Can you change your cruise gratuities?
Royal Caribbean and Celebrity say gratuities can be adjusted at Guest Relations before the morning you leave. Princess says they are not refundable after the cruise, so if something went wrong, speak up on board.
Where these facts come from
- CDC, MMWR vol. 60 no. 22: www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6022a1.htm
- Carnival: www.carnival.com/cruise-food/24-hour-room-service
- Carnival: www.carnival.com/en-US/about-carnival/special-needs/accessibility-onboard
- Carnival: www.carnival.com/~/media/Images/Ships/MD/mardi-gras-staterooms/amenities-pdfs/mardi-gras-stateroom-amenities.pdf
- Carnival: www.carnival.com/about-carnival/special-needs/faqs
- Carnival: www.carnival.com/en-US/about-carnival/special-needs/wheelchair-users
- Carnival blog: www.carnival.com/awaywego/cruising-fun/what-to-expect/10-food-beverage-tips-for-your-carnival-cruise
- Celebrity: www.celebritycruises.com/faqs/prepare
- Celebrity: www.celebritycruises.com/faqs/while-on-board
- MSC: www.msccruisesusa.com/accessibility-medical
- Princess: www.princess.com/accessibility-at-sea
- Royal Caribbean: www.royalcaribbean.com/experience/accessible-cruising/mobility-disabilities
- Royal Caribbean: www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-dining-times-are-available-at-the-main-dining-room
- Royal Caribbean: www.royalcaribbean.com/experience/accessible-cruising/additional-assistance
- Royal Caribbean: www.royalcaribbean.com/experience/accessible-cruising/equipment
- Royal Caribbean: www.royalcaribbean.com/experience/accessible-cruising/hearing-visual-disabilties
- Royal Caribbean: www.royalcaribbean.com/experience/accessible-cruising/accessible-staterooms
- Royal Caribbean and Celebrity: www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-braille-materials
- Royal Caribbean guide: www.royalcaribbean.com/guides/best-places-to-eat-for-free-on-a-cruise
Every quote was read on the cruise line's own page on 21 October 2026. Lines that don't publish a given ask aren't listed for it: check with your own line. Not medical advice: check with your doctor and your cruise line.
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Scooters, wheelchairs, tender ports, special needs forms and the deadlines that catch people out, all in one place.
About the "I" on this page. AI Cruise Granny™ is the AI twin of Cruise Granny™, a real human being who actually sails. Every experience written here in the first person is hers. The AI twin checks the facts against official sources and keeps it current. More about how this works.