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Able bodied in disabled cabins


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Technically if the cruise is embarking from a USA port than Carnival Cruise line is in violation of the US Federal Law that went into effect on 1/1/2012 which basically states that accessible cabins cannot be made available for general booking until after the final payment period has past. That anyone booking an accessible cabin prior to the final payment period has to certified that they require the need of the features contained in the Accessible Cabin.
Technically the law states "after final payment date or last remaining cabin in a particular category" Exactly how did cruise line not follow law?

 

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Technically the law states "after final payment date or last remaining cabin in a particular category" Exactly how did cruise line not follow law?

 

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You do realize that this thread "ended" (last post) nearly two years ago. Doubt anyone will be returning to it.

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  • 2 weeks later...
I have found that the cruise lines I use only ask for verification once and then I am in their system as requiring a HC cabin. Hope this helps the concerns of meatloafan for his mom

 

Please share with us the names of cruise lines you use who verify only once.

In my recent experience with Cunard, Princess and Celebrity, I have to provide my HC info every time.

It would sure be nice not to have to resubmit every time I cruise.

From the cruise lines position, this info would be beneficial to advise me of sales, specials, promotions, etc. that have accessible cabins available. Otherwise, I have to go through a very lengthy process of locating a cruise I like and then attempting to find out what accessible cabins are yet available. Usually the end result is that there are none available and I have wasted much time and effort in my search.

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I tried to book an accessible cabin on RCL and the ship has only a few such cabins and they are taken. I was told that they do not require any documentation in order to reserve the HC cabin. I never needed one of those cabins before, but I really do no, especially since most cabins on the ship are too small to accommodate my scooter. But I will pay attention as final payment date come due.

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I tried to book an accessible cabin on RCL and the ship has only a few such cabins and they are taken. I was told that they do not require any documentation in order to reserve the HC cabin. I never needed one of those cabins before, but I really do no, especially since most cabins on the ship are too small to accommodate my scooter. But I will pay attention as final payment date come due.

I'm interested to find out why scooter users want a HC cabin?

Is it because they need the wheelchair friendly bathroom and the wider cabin door?

Or is it because you don't want to park your scooter in an area away from your cabin overnight?

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I'm interested to find out why scooter users want a HC cabin?

Is it because they need the wheelchair friendly bathroom and the wider cabin door?

Or is it because you don't want to park your scooter in an area away from your cabin overnight?

 

SOLAS regulations state that scooters cannot be parked in the hallways. Most lines do not have designated storage/charging areas for scooters away from the staterooms, and require that they be stored within the staterooms. Most persons who require a scooter have some sort of need for the safety features within the handicapped rooms and the wider doorways.

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I can reply to that first hand. We book a handicap accessible not for more room for my husbands scooter, that helps as his scooter is 23 inches wide. We book it because of no step up to the bathroom, a shower seat, walk in shower, grab rails, both for the toilet and shower. With Parkinsons, no steps and grab rail are wonderful.

 

We would love to be able to book a regular cabin, it would sure open up more opportunities to sail. As of now, we book 1 to 2 years on advance.

 

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I'm interested to find out why scooter users want a HC cabin?

Is it because they need the wheelchair friendly bathroom and the wider cabin door?

Or is it because you don't want to park your scooter in an area away from your cabin overnight?

 

Hi Bloodgem,

 

If you are a Madge who holidays in Benidorm then you don't need one but as most scooter users are disabled they will have a good reason to use an accessible room.

 

If a scooter user parked their scooter away from their room how would they get to the room?

 

It does seem from your query that you have some motive to ask these questions or is it that you are an able bodied person with a genuine thirst for knowledge?

 

I am a scooter user who needs an accessible room.

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I can reply to that first hand. We book a handicap accessible not for more room for my husbands scooter, that helps as his scooter is 23 inches wide. We book it because of no step up to the bathroom, a shower seat, walk in shower, grab rails, both for the toilet and shower. With Parkinsons, no steps and grab rail are wonderful.

 

We would love to be able to book a regular cabin, it would sure open up more opportunities to sail. As of now, we book 1 to 2 years on advance.

 

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Thank you for answering my question. :)

My DS is confined to a wheelchair and like you we have to book 18 -24 months in advance. I seen people park their scooters overnight, by the lifts and I have seen scooter user staying in HC cabins.

Whilst I have no problems with people like your husband or others that have had strokes, for example, that need HC cabins and the bathrooms. I do get slightly irritated when I see some scooter user who appear to have the able to walk staying in HC cabins just because they don't want to park their scooters slightly away from their cabin. I have heard some scooter users say "We always get an accessible room so that the scooter does not need to be parked away from the cabin". A poster on CC even poster that was the reason for them booking a HC cabin.

I was wondering if my irritation was misplaced. I can now see, thanks to you, that sometimes it is misplaced. But I also realise that some scooter user will always book HC cabins just because they want to park their scooter in them.

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Hi Bloodgem,

 

If you are a Madge who holidays in Benidorm then you don't need one but as most scooter users are disabled they will have a good reason to use an accessible room.

 

If a scooter user parked their scooter away from their room how would they get to the room?

 

It does seem from your query that you have some motive to ask these questions or is it that you are an able bodied person with a genuine thirst for knowledge?

 

I am a scooter user who needs an accessible room.

Hi Enforcer

My motive is simple, it is to gain insight from other.

My DS is confined to a wheelchair. On some cruises, we have been on, I have overheard some scooter users admit to their friends "that they have only brought their scooters so that they can have a HC cabin. That they will only use the scooter when they are off the ship as they do not need it whilst they are on the ship".

After hearing this 2 or 3 times I started to get a slightly suspicious of scooter users. That why I asked the question.

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I need my scooter on the ship and the no threshold to the bathroom and other safety features incorporated there......there are scooters that just fit through regular cabin doors but not all hallways are wide enough to get the right angle to head straight through the door.....and it is the law that your scooter must stay in your cabin...the days of the kind steward storing it for you out of the way should be technically over....not to say it doesn't happen but the line can face a stiff fine if discovered allowing them in the halls....a scooter provides me with safety and independece....

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Hi Enforcer

My motive is simple, it is to gain insight from other.

My DS is confined to a wheelchair. On some cruises, we have been on, I have overheard some scooter users admit to their friends "that they have only brought their scooters so that they can have a HC cabin. That they will only use the scooter when they are off the ship as they do not need it whilst they are on the ship".

After hearing this 2 or 3 times I started to get a slightly suspicious of scooter users. That why I asked the question.

This is an interesting comment. I would say the exact opposite is true - but of course not for all. For those who cannot walk at all, the scooter changed their lives.

 

I do not own a scooter - however I cannot cruise without one. Many of the cruise ships today are more than 1000 ft long and some are 16 decks high. I have arthritic knees that do not allow me to walk any long distance without pain and more importantly, I have COPD.

 

Do you realize that many people rent scooters? They are not cheap. My last cruise was for 9 days and cost $260. Do you really believe people spend this money unnecessarily?

 

Occasionally, I can leave the ship - I especially have no choice if it is a tender port- without the scooter. But, it will take me three times as long to get where I need to be. I would not wish my ailments on anyone. But, the scooter is absolutely necessary for me while the other features of the HC cabin (other than the shower grip) are not.

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Do you realize that many people rent scooters? They are not cheap. My last cruise was for 9 days and cost $260. Do you really believe people spend this money unnecessarily?

Yes I know people rent scooters but the cost is unknown to me. As we mainly depart from Southampton I also know that the majority of scooters are rented from Mobility at Sea. We always hire a hoist from Mobility at Sea so have got good at spotting their company logo. For our next cruise I am paying £195 (roughly $249) for 12 nights.

 

"That they have only brought their scooters so that they can have a HC cabin. That they will only use the scooter when they are off the ship as they do not need it whilst they are on the ship". Was based on a comment that myself and my non-wheelchair confined DS overheard on embarkation day.

We were Independence of the Seas in May 2018. My parents and my wheelchair confined DS were in Schooner and me and my other son were on the Promenade get snacks for the family. As we were waiting to be served a lady, on a scooter, was chatting to to her friends near to use. The friend made a comment about the scooter. I'm unsure what the comment was as the friend was more softly spoken than the scooter user. The scooter user quite clearly said. "I've only brought it so I can have a HC cabin. I will only use the scooter when i'm off the ship as I do not need it whilst I'm on the ship". The scooter had no company logo on it indicting if it was a rented scooter, we checked as we walked pass it, so I don't know if the lady owned the scooter or had borrowed it from someone.

 

Like you I have always assumed that people who hired scooter actually needed them, as we would not hire a hoist if we could lift my DS. But as more people seem to be using scooters, that have no renting company logo's on, added to the overheard comment perhaps you can appreciate my suspicion.

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I'm interested to find out why scooter users want a HC cabin?

Is it because they need the wheelchair friendly bathroom and the wider cabin door?

Or is it because you don't want to park your scooter in an area away from your cabin overnight?

Thank you to everyone who has answered my question :D

 

I think it is so easy for 1 or 2 bad scooter users, if i'm allowed to use that term, to start tinting a person's view.

I also know that selfish behaviour is not just restricted to scooter user. That able bodied people and wheelchair users are just as bad. Yes I have nearly been hit by someone driving a powered wheelchair too fast.

 

I never knew about SOLAS regulation "stating that scooters cannot be parked in the hallways." I have only seen scooters parked in hallways during the day and at night I have seen the same scooters on charge in public areas, normally near the lift.

 

A big heartfelt thank you :hearteyes: for not judging me too harshly for asking a question that can be considered a risk topic.

I know if I had posted the question on the RCI forum I would have been blasted for daring to question scooter users. The last thread posted on the RCI forum about scooter users got removed due to the amount of abuse that was hurled at anyone who posted anything negative about scooter users. One poster only commented that they thought "new scooter users or users that only use scooters on cruises should take a small driving test" went down like a lead balloon.

 

Again a big thank you. :*

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I booked our first NCL cruise a couple of weeks ago, on the Breakaway, for 3 people. When I was looking at rates I clicked on their cheapest rate (the "sail away") for a family ocean view. It was giving me some cabin options - I think it was like 4 or 6 cabins available for my rate. When I looked at the deck plan I noticed they were larger than the regular cabins, and that's when I realized they were all HC cabins. DD does have a disability but she does not need a HC cabin. They did not offer any other type of cabin, I think it was because we needed an OV family cabin and they do not seem to have many of those.

 

I ended up choosing a regular ov family room at the higher rate - it worked out fine since we then got the pick 2 offer so it was kind of a wash. Still I felt uncomfortable that NCL put me in that position. I don't want to take a HC room from someone who really needs it, but they were not giving me any other choices if I wanted to book the lowest rate cabin for 3 ppl.

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Like you I have always assumed that people who hired scooter actually needed them, as we would not hire a hoist if we could lift my DS. But as more people seem to be using scooters, that have no renting company logo's on, added to the overheard comment perhaps you can appreciate my suspicion.

I do! And, I'm sorry if my comment gave the impression I did not believe you- because I did, but I felt that person must be the exception rather than the rule. But, another question might be 'why would someone have a scooter if they did not need it'? They are expensive. Of course, I guess someone could bring someone else's? But that seems like a lot of trouble to go through just to get a bigger cabin.

 

Since there are so few HC cabins in the first place, I absolutely think the cruise lines should insist on documentation from a physician that confirms the need for the HC cabin - with no exceptions. I also think they should enforce their own regulation that if there are no more HC cabins, those occupied by someone who has not produced such documentation should be required to move.

 

In any case, I hope you are able to secure the needed HC cabin for you and your family for any up-coming cruises!

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I need my scooter on the ship and the no threshold to the bathroom and other safety features incorporated there......there are scooters that just fit through regular cabin doors but not all hallways are wide enough to get the right angle to head straight through the door.....and it is the law that your scooter must stay in your cabin...the days of the kind steward storing it for you out of the way should be technically over....not to say it doesn't happen but the line can face a stiff fine if discovered allowing them in the halls....a scooter provides me with safety and independece....

 

Exactly my reasons.

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Since there are so few HC cabins in the first place, I absolutely think the cruise lines should insist on documentation from a physician that confirms the need for the HC cabin - with no exceptions. I also think they should enforce their own regulation that if there are no more HC cabins, those occupied by someone who has not produced such documentation should be required to move.

 

Documentation from a physician to rent a room on a cruise ship seems rather excessive, not to mention expensive to get and process. They do require the special needs form filled out, or they reserve the right to move the passenger.

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Completely agree that requiring documentation from a physician that I require a HC accessible cabin is excessive and burdensome. It's hard enough to secure one of these cabins - and as has already been stated, we already have to fill out paperwork with the cruise line that we meet the requirements for these cabins.

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I can reply to that first hand. We book a handicap accessible not for more room for my husbands scooter, that helps as his scooter is 23 inches wide. We book it because of no step up to the bathroom, a shower seat, walk in shower, grab rails, both for the toilet and shower. With Parkinsons, no steps and grab rail are wonderful.

 

We would love to be able to book a regular cabin, it would sure open up more opportunities to sail. As of now, we book 1 to 2 years on advance.

 

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I have Parkinson's and find it very difficult to book an Accessible cabin .In my opinion it should be mandatory to produce medical evidence of a disability when booking .

I have been on 6 cruise lines and only one required that .

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According to the ADA, cruise lines cannot ask what your disability is, only the reason why you need an accessible cabin, such as using a walker, scooter, wheelchair, crutches or if you need an accessible bathroom.

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According to the ADA, cruise lines cannot ask what your disability is, only the reason why you need an accessible cabin, such as using a walker, scooter, wheelchair, crutches or if you need an accessible bathroom.

As long as an MD signs the paperwork already required it is irrelevant what the disability is - just that in the doctor's opinion a HC cabin is necessary.

 

As previously stated, I need a HC cabin and I do not agree that it is burdensome to visit my doctor to secure the proper documentation.

 

I believe if this was mandatory there would be more cabins available to those who need them.

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Documentation from a physician to rent a room on a cruise ship seems rather excessive, not to mention expensive to get and process. They do require the special needs form filled out, or they reserve the right to move the passenger.

Does anyone know if a pax has been removed from a HC cabin?

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Does anyone know if a pax has been removed from a HC cabin?

At present, I think not.

 

I am not sure if the requirements are universal for all cruise lines. Three years ago I booked an accessible cabin on the Carnival Sunshine. I was required to fill out documentation. I don't remember exactly what was on it, but it did not ask what my disability was.

 

This year we were on RCCL Anthem of the Seas and there were no accessible cabins at the time we booked ( 9 months out). I was told they were all gone. No attempt to find one was offered to me. Nine nights of coping with the scooter in front of the bathroom and maneuvering around it was not pleasant. I would not have booked the cruise at all except it was a birthday cruise for my grandson.

 

I have just booked next year's cruise for September, 2019 on the Norwegian Jade and I was able to secure an inside accessible cabin. I was not asked if I needed it. I was not told I had to fill out any forms.

 

I recall reading that the Cruise lines do not release any HC cabins to the public until after final payment is due. Once a HC cabin is released to the public, once booked it is not rescinded.

 

IMHO, the bigger problem is there are nowhere near enough accessible cabins! For example, on RCCL Anthem there are almost 2100 cabins and only 34 are accessible and I don't know if any of them hold more than 2 people.

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