Special Needs Group® Turns 17!
Special Needs Group is pleased to have reached our 17th Anniversary of Delivering an Accessible World®. We couldn’t have achieved this milestone without your continued support; all of us at SNG are truly grateful to you!
18 October 2023
Special Needs Group® / Special Needs at Sea® Earns Top Honor
2023 Travel Weekly Magellan Awards
SNG received gold for Overall – Accessibility / Inclusivity for its commitment to making travel more accessible for travelers across the globe.
Covering a broad range of industry segments, the Magellan Awards honor outstanding design, marketing and services in categories such as hospitality, travel destinations, cruise lines, online travel services, airlines and airports, travel agents and agencies, tour operators and ground transportation.
The Magellan Awards are judged and overseen by a one-of-a-kind panel of top travel professionals representing the best names and most accomplished leaders from the industry. In determining winners, entries do not compete with one another, but instead, they are judged against a standard of excellence based on the long experience of Travel Weekly. To uphold this high standard of excellence, a category may have multiple winners or may have no winners at all.
“We are incredibly proud to once again be named a gold winner of the esteemed Travel Weekly Magellan Awards and recognized for our commitment to accessibility and inclusivity,” said Andrew J. Garnett, founder, CEO and president of Special Needs Group®/Special Needs at Sea®. “This award is a reflection of our entire team’s dedication to delivering an accessible world by providing travelers with the necessary tools to discover new destinations with a piece of mind.”
07 September 2023
SNG Donates Walker to Broward County Sheriff Office’s Homeless Outreach Unit
Special Needs Group recently donated a Walker to the Broward County Seriff Office’s Homeless Outreach Unit.
The story behind the donation was covered by multiple news outlets, including Miami Living’s Online Magazine.
(Pictured: Officer Reyes of BSO’s Homeless Outreach Team, left, with Andrew Garnett, President/CEO, Special Needs Group.)
04 September 2023
20 June 2023
Celebrity Cruises is lining up its fourth iteration of its Edge class of ships with the planned arrival of Celebrity Ascent to Port Everglades in Florida this fall.
26 May 2023
SNG Remembers & Honors Those Who Sacrificed!
16 May 2023
Vancouver Cruise Season is Underway!
Special Needs Group is once again pleased to be providing service to those in need of mobility, oxygen, and oxygen sailing out of Vancouver, as well as for travelers staying pre-/ post-cruise, or on a land-based vacation. For more information and to book please call our Customer Service Team @ 800.513.4515.
08 March 2023
New BOGO Transatlantic Promotion
16 February 2023
Forbes Feature: “Why Use a Travel Agent in 2023?”
SNG’s President/CEO, Andrew Garnett recently discussed with Forbes reasons why travelers should work with a Travel Advisor in 2023.
Please click here to read article.
15 February 2023
Today marks 16 Years in business of servicing the Mature, Mobility-Challenged, and Special Needs Markets. Thank you for allowing us to continue to meet our motto of Delivering an Accessible World®. SNG provides mobility, oxygen, and other special needs equipment for those traveling, in order to provide the Ultimate Freedom – Travel.
31 January 2023
Special Needs Group Recently Featured on CTV News in Toronto, Canada
SNG’s President/CEO, Andrew Garnett was recently interviewed by Pauline Chan of Bell Media in Canada.
Andy discussed Special Needs Group’s mission of fulfilling the special needs requirements for persons who want to travel but may need mobility aides, oxygen or other equipment.
Watch the full interview here: The challenge of travelling with medical needs | CTV News
Please click the arrow in the image below to watch.
Spotlight: San Diego
October 18, 2022
With its near-perfect weather and tourist-friendly attractions, San Diego is one of America’s finest cities to visit, as well as excellent vacation spot for those requiring accessible needs. “America’s Finest City” offers an abundance of accessible shopping, dining, parks, attractions, sports, recreation, transportation, and lodging options make San Diego a desirable location for the mature, mobility-challenged, and special needs traveling market segments.
For a fun afternoon outing with a mobility scooter rental in San Diego, Seaport Village on San Diego’s Embarcadero is one of the city’s most enjoyable mobility accessible vacation destinations. The beautiful waterfront area combines shopping, dining, museums, parks and other entertainment experiences. With a wheelchair or scooter rental in San Diego, visitors can take a stroll, interact with street performers, listen to live musical entertainment, shop for souvenirs, and enjoy good food from the 70 shops, galleries, restaurants, and eateries at Seaport Village.
Located nearby are mobility accessible attractions including the USS Midway Museum and the Maritime Museum. The unique USS Midway Museum is the only Aircraft Carrier Museum west of the Mississippi. Aboard the longest-serving Navy aircraft of the 20th century, sightseers with a mobility equipment rental in San Diego will experience a floating city at sea. Approximately 60 percent of the museum’s exhibits are wheelchair accessible. For any guest using a wheelchair rental in San Diego, the museum provides elevator access from Navy Pier onto the ship, from the hangar deck down to the second deck, and access up to the flight deck.
The Maritime Museum has the reputation of having one of the world’s finest collections of historic ships, including the world’s oldest active ship, Star of India. Docked nearby is the 1898 steam ferry Berkeley; the H.M.S. Surprise, a replica of an 18th century Royal Navy frigate; and several other ships. The Berkeley’s main deck and upper deck are wheelchair accessible and the H.M.S. Surprise’s main deck is accessible; however, here are five steps leading up to the Star of India and the other ships on display are not wheelchair accessible either. The museum does waive admission for individuals using a wheelchair rental in San Diego, CA; companions need to pay regular admission prices.
For one of the best ways to see mobility accessible vacation locales in San Diego, travelers can enjoy the Old Town Trolley Tour. With a mobility equipment rental through Special Needs Group in San Diego, the guest has the capability to board one of the trolleys and experience – “Transportainment” – a combination of transportation and entertainment. The two-hour tour includes Old Town State Historic Park, Balboa Park, The Whaley House, Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy, Seaport Village, and much more. The visitor can stay on the trolley or get on and off, and explore on one’s own. The trolleys have frequent pickups at all stops. A couple of the trolleys are equipped with a lift and fully accessible. Those travelers requiring mobility assistance throughout San Diego’s Old Town Trolley Tour need to call in advance to ensure that the lift trolley/bus is available.
For more information about Accessible San Diego, travelers should also visit www.accessandiego.org for a comprehensive guide on accessible hotels, tours, lift transportation, mobility accessible vacation spots, and more.
The Port of San Diego offers year-round sailings to Mexico, the Panama Canal, and Hawaii which typically range from three to fifteen nights. Major cruise lines sailing out of San Diego include, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.
Special Needs Group is pleased to service San Diego for land-based vacations and cruises sailing out of Port of San Diego for those in need of mobility equipment, oxygen and special needs equipment. To book, and for more information please call our exceptional Customer Service Team at 1-800-513-4515 Monday-Friday from 9AM-6PM EST.
Special Needs Group®/Special Needs at Sea® (SNG) adds to its Ultra-Light Equipment Line
July 12, 2022
Special Needs Group®/Special Needs at Sea® (SNG), a medical equipment and supply company, and the leading global provider of wheelchair, scooter, oxygen and other special needs equipment rentals, has added to their Ultra-Light Equipment Line – the World’s Lightest, with the addition of the Ultra-Light Folding Scooter and Ultra-Light Power Wheelchair.
Recommended by the world’s major cruise lines for superior service and value, SNG also delivers to hotels, resorts, and convention centers. SNG has always prided itself in being a leader in the industry and being on the cutting-edge in offering transcendent services, and equipment. The announcement of the World’s Lightest Folding Scooter and Power Wheelchair are additions to SNG’s new line of ultralightweight equipment, joining the Ultra-Light Standard and XL Wheelchairs.
The Ultra-Light Folding Scooter supports an individual with a weight capacity of up to 250 lbs., and weighs only 37 lbs. The unit folds within seconds and travels approximately 7.5 miles on a fully charged battery with a maximum speed of 5 mph. The World’s Lightest Folding Scooter features: foam-filled tires for a smooth ride, electromagnetic brakes, rear-wheel – differential – driving system, 120W brushless motor, throttle control level to operate the scooter forward and in reverse, a conveniently located charger port under the controller, horn button, key switch, and speed adjustment dial. The FAA-approved folding scooter simply folds into a car for easy transportability. The Ultra-Light Folding Scooter is presently available for those cruising on round-trip sailings or on land-based vacations in the Fort Lauderdale and Miami area, along with Port Canaveral, Galveston, Seattle, and Vancouver, Canada.
Along with World’s Lightest Folding Scooter, SNG has added the Ultra-Light Power Wheelchair to its fleet of ultra-light equipment. The World’s Lightest Power Wheelchair weighs an incomparable 33 lbs. Akin to the Ultra-Light Folding Scooter, the power wheelchair folds in seconds as one piece, and has a weight capacity of 243 lbs. The lithium-ion battery allows for an amazing 13 miles on a full charge and has a maximum speed of 4 mph. Features of the unit include electromagnetic brakes, padded flip-back armrests, 1” inch seat and back cushions for comfort, and anti-tippers for safety. Furthermore, the unit’s controller can be positioned for either right-hand or left-hand use and adjusted for the user’s position angle. Presently the Ultra-Light Power Wheelchair is available for those sailing round-trip out of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale and Miami as well as for those vacationing in South Florida.
“As a full-fledged medical equipment and supply company with a global reach, we are always looking for innovative products for use at home or while vacationing,” stated Andrew J. Garnett, founder, CEO, and president of Special Needs Group®/Special Needs at Sea®. “We are extremely excited about the additions to our new line of ultra-light mobility equipment, joining the Standard and XL wheelchairs.”
In addition to the ultra-light equipment being offered to travelers cruising round-trip or on land-based vacations in certain locales, SNG’s fleet of ultra-light equipment is available for purchase on SNG’s online shop, www.shopspecialneedsgroup.com to ship anywhere in the U.S. Please call for Canadian sales.
Over time, the ultra-light line of wheelchairs, folding scooters and folding power wheelchairs will be available at additional destinations.
For more information, please contact Special Needs Group at 800.513.4515 or email info@specialneedsgroup.com.
July 7, 2022
South Florida Summer Cruise Season Heats Up!
Each of the south Florida cruise ports, Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale and PortMiami, are busy with most of the voyages sailing to the Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean. In addition to the Caribbean, cruises from the two ports are traveling to the Bahamas, Bimini, Dominica, Riviera Maya, Grand Cayman, and Key West. SNG is pleased to meet the needs of guests requiring rentals of mobility equipment, oxygen, and special needs equipment for their summer cruises out of south Florida.
For the summer season, Fort Lauderdale is home to Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Allure of the Seas, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Infinity, and for a short period the Caribbean Princess prior to its move north, which then will offer one-way sailings from Quebec City to/from New York before its return to Port Everglades in mid-October.
PortMiami is the more active of the two ports with five different cruise lines sailing out of Miami, and a total nine cruise ships with various voyages for the season. RCCL and Carnival Cruise Line each have three vessels cruising with Royal’s Explorer of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, and Symphony of the Seas joining the Carnival Conquest, Carnival Horizon, and Carnival Sunrise. In addition, MSC Seashore, Disney Dream, and Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady will sail for the summer out of the Magic City.
For those wishing to view the accessibility of the vessels sailing out of Port Everglades and PortMiami, please check out our Cruise Accessible section on our website. Click here to view.
As a reminder, SNG’s new line of Ultra-Light equipment is available for guests sailing out of Fort Lauderdale and Miami, as well as for pre-/post-cruise hotel stays. The newest additions to the line – the World’s Lightest Folding Scooter and Folding Power Chair – are now available. The new additions join the Standard and XL Ultra-Light Wheelchairs in our fleet of the Ultra-Light equipment line. SNG is pleased to now be the “Home of the Ultra-Light Equipment Line – the World’s Lightest” and proud to continue to meet our mission statement of Delivering an Accessible World®. Click here to view.
For more information regarding our Ultra-Light line equipment, oxygen, and special needs equipment rentals, as well as pricing, please call our exceptional Customer Service Team at 800.513.4515 Monday-Friday from 9AM-6PM EST Monday-Friday.
March 10, 2022
Springtime in Accessible D.C. – SNG Services the Nation’s Capital
Springtime is the perfect time to visit Washington, D.C. The Nation’s capital is a wonderful vacation destination rich in American history and unique during the Spring season for its renown National Cherry Blossom Festival.
The Cherry Blossom Festival runs typically between March 15th and April 18th with peak dates being predicted between March 22 through March 25th this year. The most popular places to view the cherry blossom trees are near the Jefferson Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. These monuments surround the Tidal Basin Loop Trail which is a perfect location for photos each Spring of the cherry blossoms.
Along with the sites above, D.C. is filled with a plethora of historical and cultural museums, monuments, and locations. The Smithsonian National Museum of National History, U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and National Mall are all must-sees on a visit to the Nation’s capital. A truly memorable and fascinating self-guided tour is that of the FBI Headquarters. The FBI Experience features interactive multimedia exhibits, content, and artifacts. The visit is truly worthwhile look into the FBI’s internal operations, history, laboratory resources, investigative divisions along with its role in national security and law enforcement.
Presently, due to the pandemic, the FBI building is presently closed to the public. However, most of the museums, monuments, and sites have reopened with a limited schedule.
The Nation’s Capital prides itself in being an accessible city. While all of D.C.’s attractions and historical institutions are welcome to guests with accessible needs, it’s suggested to reach out prior to visiting the respective site regarding its specific accessibility features.
Special Needs Group is pleased to service you by providing hotel pick-up and delivery at the start and close of your vacation for mobility scooters / equipment, oxygen needs, and special needs equipment while visiting Washington, D.C. For more information, please call 1-800-513-4515.
May 17, 2021
Special Needs Group is pleased to be servicing St. Martin/Sint Maarten for Hotel/Resort stays. In addition, we are assisting those sailing on the Celebrity Millennium. Mobility equipment – Standard and Heavy-Duty Manual Wheelchairs and Scooters – as well as Stationary Standard Oxygen Concentrators will be available for rental(s). Please see Mobility Scooters here and Wheelchairs here.
Please call 800.513.4515 or email: info@specialneedsgroup.com for more information and to book for your upcoming land-based vacation, pre-/post-cruise on or sailing out of St. Martin/Sint Maarten. The small, idyllic island located between the Netherlands on the south-side (known for duty-free shopping) and France on the north-side (famous for its amazing cuisine).
In addition, we will be providing similar services to those sailing out of Nassau, Bahamas.
Further, Folding Scooters are available for those sailing out of Seattle on American Cruise Line and mobility equipment (Scooters and Wheelchairs) are available for River Cruises out of Portland, Oregon.
January 5, 2021
SNG is pleased to have recently released our demonstrational COVID-19 protocol video.
We have always used Hospital Grade Disinfectant. We ensure that both our guests and staff have been safe from any form of possible containment or pathogen.
March 16, 2020
Due to the current COVID-19 situation and the increasing restrictions on travel, Special Needs Group’s corporate offices will be cutting our operating hours effective March 17, 2020 to the following:
Monday – Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST.
Saturday and Sunday – Closed
Please be assured that we will still maintain our 24-hour emergency on-call service. Regardless as to call center operating hours, and deliveries for customers will be completed as per normal business in areas where a quarantine is not in effect.
We will keep you informed as any additional updates become available. Also, please look for updates on our Social Media pages.
We are ready to assist for any current requests and look forward to Delivering an Accessible World® for you.
Thank you for your business and support!
Andrew Garnett, CATA
President/CEO
March 12, 2020
At Special Needs Group we are sensitive to the ramifications caused by the global situation and uncertainty surrounding the possible spread of COVID-19. We remain committed to Delivering an Accessible World® and understand your concerns as the world comes to grips with this phenomenon.
Accordingly, we have temporarily adjusted our cancellation policy. If you choose not to travel on your prearranged booking, we are honoring the standard cruise line policy of holding a credit for future use.
In addition, I want to reassure you that Special Needs Group has always used Hospital Grade Disinfectant to ensure that both our customers and staff have been safe from any for of possible containment or pathogen. This procedure happens each and every time equipment comes back from a rental and will continue what we do regardless of any condition.
This situation is fluid so rest assured that we will communicate any future policy changes should they become necessary.
We are here to support you. Feel free to reach out if we can be of assistance.
Andrew Garnett, CATA
President/CEO