Disable passengers with hoists not allowed on SAGA cruises
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Date of visit: September 2026
Overall Rating
Bad
My physically disabled wife and I recently tried to book a cruise with SAGA. She cannot transfer without a hoist and uses a powered, personalised wheelchair. Unfortunately, we encountered many barriers and refusal which ultimately prevented us from booking. As disabled passengers will know accessible cabins are scarce, often requiring booking at least 18 months ahead. Hoist users also need enough space beside the disabled person’s bed to operate the equipment safely and provide personal care. I first contacted SAGA by telephone on 17th September 2026. I asked which ships had cabins with enough space around the disabled person’s bed for safe wheelchair/hoist operation (as per ADA recommendations); whether their free nationwide chauffeur service include wheelchair accessible vehicles; and whether staff could help take my wife’s 35 kg Oxford Advance portable hoist from the terminal to the cabin. The Customer Services Adviser took notes of my questions and promised to return my call after speaking with the Accessibility Team. On 19th September 2026 SAGA returned my call. The same customer Services adviser explained that SAGA could NOT accept a booking where we were intending bringing our own hoist. No information had been gathered about the hoist and/or my wife’s specific needs. The Adviser could not say why the Accessibility Team had refused the booking. She could not advise about cabin configuration and apologised she could not help further. I complained by email on 19th September 2026 to SAGA Customer Relations. On 24th September 2026 SAGA replied and said “our current safety requirements do not permit guests to use hoists on board our ships. This is due to the potential risks associated with carrying out a hoist transfer on a vessel that can move unexpectedly whilst at sea”. They also advised “we are unable to reconfigure the cabin layout to facilitate the use of a hoist.” It is not transparent on the SAGA website that they have such an unhelpful policy towards disabled customers. Under maritime transport regulations governing passenger rights (including UK/EU Regulation 1177/2010), disabled passengers and persons with reduced mobility have a legal right to transport necessary mobility equipment on board at no extra cost. That should include hoists as mobility equipment and may only refuse a booking under strict safety or structural exceptions. They did not ask for details of the hoist and did not give details of the exceptions they were claiming. The spirit, never mind the letter of these regulations are, apparently, being ignored by SAGA. Missing out on the cruise with SAGA is disappointing. SAGA not clearly stating in advance that they will not allow disabled passengers to use an essential piece of mobility equipment such as a hoist on board is, in my opinion, disgraceful. They sell the dream: “Love your first SAGA cruise, or we will give you your money back”. We could not even book that first cruise. This is another example of cruise lines being discriminatory, in my opinion, to disabled passengers using hoists (see my other similar post about Cunard cruises). Disabled passengers need access to holidays the same as everyone else. Using a hoist in a cabin is essential and, in my opinion, a reasonable request – is it not?
