Cruising successfully with autism

Embarking on a cruise holiday can be surprisingly complex and stressful for those with autism.

This can be for a variety of reasons. There's the fear of being somewhere new to being thrown out of a usual routine, to crippling rushes of overwhelm that emerge when there are loud noises and the need to mingle with crowds.

Many of these challenging scenarios and all of the autistic triggers that they bring in their wake are present however you decide to holiday. In some ways, cruise is no exception. At any one time, a cruise ship is likely to be catering for well over 1,000 passengers and much happens on board as a vessel works its way through a given itinerary.

However, in recent years, the cruise industry has been increasingly acknowledged for its admirable efforts to be accessible including catering for autism and other non-visible disabilities.

Consequently, many regular travellers who are autistic themselves or who have autistic individuals in their party agree that cruising is now their preferred mode of travel.

While the majority of cruise providers are recognising the accessibility needs associated with autism, key cruise lines to consider are Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line. Here you will find tailored access options and staff who understand autism as well as the provision of respite sessions and specialised activities.

If you are new to considering cruise in tandem with autism, Autism on the Seas is an excellent online resource.

Whether passengers are young or adults, cruise holds great promise for autistic travellers. There are many ways that this is achieved. Here are some of the options available...

1. Skip multiple hotels: A cruise ship accommodates you throughout your holiday

With the exception of optional shore tours, the main reason why a cruise may strongly appeal to a traveller with autism is thanks to all main amenities required during a holiday – accommodation, catering, entertainment – all residing within a singular environment; that is the cruise ship itself.

Booking a cruise foregoes the need to have suitable hotels across multiple locations. This means you won’t have to worry about how accessible each catering or entertainment venue will be throughout your holiday. All you need to do is unpack once and then enjoy. Your accommodation and all of your things come along undisturbed for the whole journey.

Additionally, the layout of a cruise ship can be quickly learned with no need to worry about acquiring accessibility-friendly transport or getting delayed while going between activities.

Much like the shell on a snail’s back, your ship accommodates you for the full journey and will remain a consistent factor throughout. For those who like to know where things are and how to get around, a cruise ship is ideal.

2. Avoid unprepared anxiety: Use a social story to know what’s ahead

Many people with autism prefer the feeling of knowing what is ahead. This often includes where they will go, what will be there when they arrive and what to expect during interactions. It is the unexpected in novel environments that tends to unnerve and trigger anxiety in an autistic individual.

It is usually possible to reduce the unknown by planning ahead combined with thorough research of a ship and its facilities. This can be done using cruise brochures, online research and speaking with your travel agent or the accessibility team of your chosen provider.

Simply knowing some key facts about the ship, what a booked cabin will look like as well as what the main facilities onboard are can answer most of the pre-trip questions someone with autism would prefer answered before the cruise gets underway.

Some cruise lines are already addressing this concern with the additional aim of taking away a lot of the work that goes into trying to understand what will happen on a cruise.

For autism, a social story is a guide that describes an environment and various social interactions, skills or concepts that might be encountered within it.

Of particular note is the Cruising Social Story provided by Royal Caribbean. This resource helps families with autism prepare for an upcoming cruise while simultaneously reducing pre-trip research. Admirably, this guide can be used for any cruise line and is completely free.

3. Avoid queuing stress and overload: Book priority boarding and early cabin access

When many people wish to board a vehicle or vessel at once, standing in a queue and waiting becomes inevitable. This may sound simple enough but, to someone with autism, this can quickly become a stressful situation.

There are many causes for this arising. Not knowing the reason for the delay or not knowing how long it will continue adds unpredictability to a scenario that also provides little distraction from the problem at hand.

Additionally, many people with autism find crowds difficult to deal with and a lengthy queue in a cruise terminal often proves noisy and disruptive. Autistic children are prone to becoming upset, having what are known as ‘meltdowns’ in these scenarios. This is not only testing for them and their guardians but often for others in close proximity.

While autistic adults may display little outward distress, the stalling effect of a queue can heighten already existent nerves about going on a cruise, resulting in rising anxiety as the wait endlessly stretches on.

These difficulties can be mostly avoided by requesting priority boarding and early cabin access. While this may incur an extra fee, these options are available with the majority of cruise lines with many passengers finding that the relief that comes from minimising unnecessary stress usually far exceeds the cost paid.

4. Choose a ‘quiet muster’: Make a compulsory safety procedure more bearable

While cruise ships aim to be as autism-friendly as possible, there is one procedure every passenger must participate in despite accessibility needs. This is the muster drill, and you will encounter this important session – along with fellow passengers – within the first 24 hours of your cruise.

A muster will briefly involve loud noise, for it is the means by which the crew instruct passengers on what to do if there is an emergency on board. The ship’s alarm will be sounded so that you can familiarise yourself with what it sounds like. You will also learn where you should report to on the ship should you hear it again. This is usually out on the open decks by the lifeboats.

While loud noise and autism don’t mix well, cruise lines do appreciate the difficulty that a muster poses. However, passengers cannot miss this crucial appointment as it is a mandatory requirement as per the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea. Naturally it is extremely important to know how to recognise there is a problem on the ship and what to do in those circumstances.

What cruise ships can offer for autism are ways to make the muster drill more bearable. Firstly, you may be able to request a ‘quiet muster’. This enables an autistic individual and someone travelling with them to meet at a separate muster station. This will be situated away from the majority of other passengers, thereby reducing crowding and noise.

If a quiet muster is not possible, someone with autism will likely prefer to stand near the front of an assembled group of passengers. Arriving early can help secure a suitable spot.

Some cruise lines will allow those with autism to participate within their cabin provided the instructive emergency video is watched on the television while the main muster is underway. In these instances, it is usually an autistic child who is permitted to stay in the cabin while accompanied by one adult.

In either situation, you are highly likely to know the day and time of the muster drill in advance and it can be helpful to have ear protection ready for that allocated slot.

It travelling with an autistic child, it can also be helpful to be positioned by a window. This can help to minimise anxiety while allowing sight of what’s going on elsewhere on the ship. Having some sensory calming items, such as squeeze balls or play dough, can prove invaluable.

Finally, many autistic children and teenagers thrive on the concept of rules. Therefore, coming up with some rules for the muster can make their participation much more satisfying as they ‘tick off’ what needs to be done when the ship’s alarm sounds.

5. Fun with autism: Enjoy tailored entertainment and respite sessions

While passengers with autism are welcome to enjoy any of a ship’s communal spaces and events on board, utilising autism-friendly activities and respite sessions can make your overall cruise significantly more pleasant.

Royal Caribbean are particularly renowned for providing high-quality entertainment that has been tailored to autism and other developmental disabilities. These include sensory-friendly, low volume films in which guests are free to walk around and talk throughout the showing.

Meanwhile, on the television, autistic viewers can now enjoy exclusive content from The Autism Channel® while on board a Royal Caribbean cruise. This is a television service that provides information and resources geared towards improving the lives of people with autism. Royal Caribbean proudly set the standard, having been the first to offer complimentary access to The Autism Channel® aboard their fleet.

For younger cruisers, Royal Caribbean offer children’s activities that are flexible with regard to age groups and toilet training. The cruise line also have a dedicated toy-lending service as well as offering specialised respite sessions for those caring for an autistic individual.

6. Harness the best of the restaurants: Quieter seating and meeting dietary needs

To fully enjoy the delights of a cruise ship’s restaurants, aim to explore all of the different ways that they can cater to your requirements. Don’t be afraid to ask - the staff are happy to assist.

A ship’s restaurants are often one of the most enjoyable elements on board. Eating on the ship should be enjoyable and something to look forward to after a day of exploration. From beautiful settings and immaculate table presentation to sumptuous food and attentive service, going for a meal is often as much of a highlight as your ship’s destination for the day.

If a quieter or dimmer dining area appeals, it can help to ask a restaurant where they would recommend sitting and reserve your table in advance.

If numerous waiters attending at your table could lead to overwhelm or certain types, colours or textures of food need to be avoided, be sure to let the restaurant manager know ahead of ordering.

It is common for those on the autistic spectrum to be sensitive to certain ingredients. These can include casein in milk, gluten and highly processed foods, all of which can cause allergic reactions and the feeling of being rundown.

If any of this rings true, it is an excellent idea to tick the ‘dietary requirements’ box on your pre-cruise forms. This will allow you to clarify with the kitchen what needs to be excluded from your meals as well as your preferences for when it comes to alternatives.

By ticking the ‘dietary requirements’ box, you will likely be invited to a dietary meeting early on in your cruise. This will give you access to the Head Chef and their catering team, where you will be able to go through things more thoroughly.

Be mindful however, thanks to how many people have dietary intolerances, that these meetings often draw in many passengers at once. If a crowd may cause anxiety, ensure to mention this on your pre-cruise forms or by speaking to the cruise line’s special needs team.

To be more certain of what you will be eating and to introduce an element of planning to onboard dining, you can also request your menus in advance. Some lines can send menus through before a cruise begins while others will deliver menus to your cabin or at your table at the prior meal.

7. Special interests

A characteristic of autism that can be happily allowed to bloom on board a cruise ship is the tendency towards special interests.

It is common for autistic individuals to take a deep interest in given subjects. The autistic mind loves to absorb information, answer questions and go well beyond layman knowledge. If you want expert insight on a topic, you’ll get everything you need if you talk to someone with autism.

To get to know a topic well provides both interest and comfort as well as being enjoyable. Who doesn’t like to learn new things and be curious?

For young children with autism, focusing on aspects of the ship and its day-to-day functioning can help them settle into a cruise. A special interest can help counteract hesitancy about travelling or anxiety caused by crowds or the movement of the ship.

A ship and how it operates is a complex dynamic. From how a vessel is designed, how it powers through the water and manoeuvres in tight spaces, how supplies are seamlessly topped up throughout a long voyage and what’s involved in being a captain, there is an abundance to investigate.

During a cruise, a person with autism can indulge in all of this information and even participate in activities such as a visit to the bridge or a behind the scenes tour. It’s not well known but these are often the most interesting appointments on a ship so harness what’s on offer where you can.