Accessibility and Disabilities

Yankee Lady Yacht Charters takes its responsibility towards its clients’ and passengers’ safety and comfort very seriously; it is important that everyone have a great, safe experience. We are committed to upholding the requirements set forth under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005) and its associated standards and regulations.

We understand that we have a responsibility for ensuring a safe, dignified, and welcoming environment for everyone. We are committed to ensuring our organization’s compliance by incorporating accessibility legislation into our policies, procedures, training, and best practices. We will review these policies and practices annually, as organizational changes occur.

Our regulatory body, Transport Canada Marine Safety dictates how our ships were designed and constructed along with our safety requirements.

That said, passenger vessels, in general, have not been constructed to create ease of accessibility for those that have major mobility issues.

How Yankee Lady is working to enhance accessibility:

• Our gangways, at both Yankee Lady home dock locations, have been designed and built to allow easy access to passengers who require wheelchairs, walkers, baby strollers, crutches, seeing eye dogs, etc. When either ship docks away from home (usually at the request of the client), we use a portable gangway, and thus we cannot ensure the same ease of access. However, the crew will do everything possible to assist passengers to board.

• Our gangways lead through double doors onto our main deck. People with mobility issues have access to our food and beverage stations, main dining room, and an outdoor deck, as is everyone.

• Yankee Lady’s office is a street-front, ground level establishment and is easily accessible.

• On every cruise a designated staff/crew member will be assigned to assist in the special needs of disabled passengers: answer questions, assist with food and beverage service and movement about the ship; and ensure their safety.

• Our boarding announcement, made over the ship’s PA system upon leaving the dock, will request persons with disabilities to identify themselves to a crew member, if they have not been previously noted. (We preplan by inquiring of private charter organizers, if there is anyone with special needs).

• All passengers identified with disabilities will be noted in the Captain’s Log and the Cruise Director’s notes, and assigned a crew member.

• Guide dogs, service dogs and/or service animals are allowed on board; Yankee Lady will also take into account, any passengers that may be allergic to said animals.

• Our main deck has flexible floor plans and may be changed to accommodate mobility devices.

• Yankee Lady has policies and procedures in place to ensure that passengers with and without disabilities are ensured a great experience and taken care of in the event of an emergency.

• While there is no elevator on board, Yankee Lady will make every effort to provide assistance to upper and lower decks, if a safe means is available.

• The ships’ washrooms are one flight of stairs below the main deck. While we are currently not required to have a wheelchair washroom on the main level, Yankee Lady is currently working on a design and the feasibility to provide one.

Definition of “Disabled”:

Section 10 (1) of the Human Rights Code defines “disability” as follows: “because of disability” means for the reason that the person has or has had, or is believed to have or have had,

• any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or in a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,

• a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,

• a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,

• a mental disorder, or

• an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 “Disability” should be interpreted in broad terms. It includes both present and past conditions, as well as a subjective component based on perception of disability.

For more information on our policies, procedures, and training, please feel free to contact our office via phone (416-868-0000)  or email us.

Accessibility issues like a person in a wheelchair on a cruise.

Boat cruises and dinner cruises for Corporate Events, Weddings and all types of Private Parties.

Yankee Lady Yacht Charters Office
249 Queens Quay West, Unit 110
Toronto, ON
M5J 2N5
Phone: 416-868-0000
Fax: 416-868-0072

> Location of the Ships & Maps