leoandhugh

When Carnival builds a new ship like Dream with only 3 accessible balconied cabins, as an amputee who uses a scooter and needs such a cabin, I get one message from Carnival, loud and clear "Not Wanted"!!!:( And that's ok by me because Carnivore would never be my first -or second - choice.:)

With older ships, and with Carnival in particular, you have to be aware of the difference between a "modified" accessible cabin and a real, fully accessible one. On several of the older Carnival ships and even on HAL, there are so-called "modified" which still have lips up into the bathroom, unramped access to balconies, and inadequate room to turn a wheelchair around in either the cabin or the bathroom. This is an area where you should spend time, ask questions and do your homework BEFORE booking rather than finding out too late what you have to contend with. We have found it best to make sure that the special needs folks are fully aware of our needs as told to them by us, rather than have them guess or assume:)

As Doug Newman reported FLAVIA began her life as MEDIA of Cunard Lines on which we made a crossing from GB to the USA with a stop in Cornerbrook, Newfoundland for a cargo of rolls of paper for newspapers. She had a sister ship called PARTHIA:)

And even if you could squeeze your scooter through the door of a standard cabin, you will find little or no space in the cabin in which to turn the scooter and/or to store it. But the biggest problem for a wheelie or scooter user in a standard cabin is the lip or step up into the bathroom. But the size of the cabin and the furniture layout can be just as much of a problem. We travel with both a scooter and a manual wheelchair(for going ashore) and would never even consider the confines and restrictions of a standard cabin.:)

First "cruise" was not on a cruise ship but on the old Queen Mary, now permanently docked at Long Beach. It was a 5day trip from NYC to Nassau over Thanksgiving in 1954 2days down to Nassau, a day there (anchored) and 2 days back to NYC.:):)

First "cruise" was not on a cruise ship but on the old Queen Mary, now permanently docked at Long Beach. It was a 5day trip from NYC to Nassau over Thanksgiving in 1954 2days down to Nassau, a day there (anchored) and 2 days back to NYC.:):)

keep in mind that Fantasy is one of Carnival's older ships and has the fewest fully accessible cabins. Beware of those they call modified HC because they have the narrow door and a lip going in to the bathroom.:)

we have found one way to deal with the elevator problem and overcrowding is to go in the opposite direction from most of the traffic. If most people are going down to the dining room, we, with wheelchair and/or scooter, go up to the top and then come down. As for rude people, there is nothing to be gained by challenging them and their attitude; that is the way they are and nothing you say or do is going to change that and may just lead to further unpleasantness. Life is too short with enough problems to let them get under our skin:)

To the OP You thought enough to take precautions when you were in eastern Europe; you should do the same in western thieves dont know national boundaries

Hey Juan, Nice to see you back on the boards. I gather you had a rough crossing on the Jewel this spring; I had neighbors who were on X Connie 2 days ahead of you and they said they kept getting reports of rough weather behind them and the Captain on Connie kept telling them to be grateful they were not on JOTS. Leo and I are going on Serenade OTS 15days RT San Diego/Hawaii - no hotels, no air! Love those Radiance class ships; we have a good gay group going - check the thread on this board Serenade Hawaii October 5. Hugh:) :)

well a few years ago, the Commonwealth was pushing the use of Ponce, and for a while, a few cruise ships did stop there. But for some reason, it came to a screeching halt, despite the pier facilities and new hotels. Ponce has always been attractive to us, not only for the city itself, but the proximity to the mountains. Too bad it didnt seem to catch on.

May I suggest that you also post this on the Disabled CC Board where more handicapped people will be able to see it, rather than just those whose primary interest is X. This is the sort of post that could almost be made a sticky since the Bermuda cruise season is just getting going:)

When she was still Stardancer with car decks, we took a leisurely 2 week drive up the Pacific coast to Vancouver and spent a week there. Then, when Stardancer was transitioning from Alaska summer trips to Mexican winter ones, we drove the car on board and had a 6day trip to LA from Vancouver, stopping at San Francisco and Catalina.

During that voyage, we got the announced merger notice and the change of name to Viking Serenade. Soon thereafter, the ship spent several months at National ship yards here stripping out the car decks, and adding cabins and a Viking Lounge aft of the funnel. Subsequently, it was found that when operating at cruise speed, she had a marked tendency to dig her stern down, so she was again drydocked and pontoon like appendages were added to either side of the stern. They are visible today in the picture posted above.

Jim Gallup and just who are you and who is the employer you refer to?

for your information, while we take a scooter which is used on board we ALWAYS also take a wheelchair for going ashore. we have never encountered a shore excursion vehicle that would even take a scooter - foldup wheel chair yes and you do see some of those. any handicapped passenger who attempts to take a scooter ashore somewhere outside the US where it is not ADA compliant is either ignorant of conditions ashore or pushing their luck,:)