Cory Lee has been on dozens of cruises, but has only been able to visit a tender port once.
On a visit to Grand Cayman during a 2024 trip with Disney Cruise Line, Lee, who uses a wheelchair, was able to board and disembark the tender – a small boat used to ferry guests between an anchored cruise ship and the shore – via a portable ramp. On other occasions, however, the tender ports weren’t accessible, as the process often involved crossing a large gap between the tender and the ship and descending stairs into the boat.
“I mean it's really frustrating just to see everyone else going ashore and having a great time on shore excursions, and then I'm kind of stuck on the ship with just minimal staff and trying to make the best of it,” Lee, an accessible travel blogger, told USA TODAY.