NCL Gem cabin 4604?

I asked this on NCL board, and got no response, so I am trying here also....

Has anyone sailed in this accessable inside or similar on sister ship?

Any comment on it?

We are thinking of booking it primarily for the huge floor space shown on the deckplan, and its midship location (opposite medical center).

I asked this on NCL board, and got no response, so I am trying here also....

Has anyone sailed in this accessable inside or similar on sister ship?

Any comment on it?

We are thinking of booking it primarily for the huge floor space shown on the deckplan, and its midship location (opposite medical center).

And are you disabled that you NEED one of the few accessible cabins on the ship? You note that it is across from the medical center..do you anticpate NEEDING the facilities of the medical center?

Otherwise, why not leave the VERY few accessible cabins on the ship available for folks who actually NEED those cabins??

Think about it: If money were not a consideration, YOU could choose ANY cabin on the ship, from the most expensive, best - served penthouse, or the least desireable inside cabin at the bottom of the ship, across from the medical center.

I, on the other hand, who NEED the accessible features (including the "huge floor space" to maneuver in my wheelchair), have VERY few cabins to choose from, none of which are anything like the penthouse, many of which have "obstructed views", or are interiors with no view, or otherwise in otherwise undesireable locations.

Yet, because it appears that this cabin has "a huge floor space", you want to make it even more difficult for somone who NEEDS accessible features to cruise?

If you're not disabled and need an accessible cabin than do the math. Disabled Cruisers have so few choices and often are denied the previledge of cruising becuase of able body people booking accessible cabins.

• On average a cuise ship has approximately 1200 cabins.
  
• The average number of HC assessible cabins is approximately 11. (0.009% of the total ship's inventory of cabins.)
  
• Leaving approximately 1190 cabins (99.991% of total ship's inventory ) available for Able Body Passengers.
  

You have so many more choices than to book a HC cabin. So do you really think it's ok to book a HC Accessible solely for your convenience because of a larger floor space ? Floor space that's needed by those of us in wheelchairs and scooters so that we can safely manuever around, in and out of the cabin.

Those of us in wheelchairs and scooters have to book well over a year in advance ( unable to take advantage of any last minute pricing or special sales throughout the year) just to try to get a HC cabin before an able body person books it's without any consideration to those who might actually need it.

BTW - Yes I'm disabled due to MS. Use a mobility scooter and need an accessible cabin when cruising.

I am hoping that the OP will read the responses and reconsider his position if he does not NEED an accessable cabin...

That stateroom is next to the medical center for good reason and is among those that is absoultey set up for people with REAL special needs.

Not just to give someone more floor space.

I am traveling with my 90 year old mother, who is a heart patient and does travel with her own wheelchair, although she can walk short distances. She is certified to have special license for our car to park in handicap spaces. On HAL, we had to trade our upgraded outside cabin to an inside on a soldout ship, because the outside cabins have very high sided bathtubs instead of shower stalls, that she could not step into.

Does this info 'qualify her' to book this cabin, and satisfy those that are questioning me?

True, we can get by in a regular cabin if necessary. Since we are only a couple of months from cruise, I would think someone that had to have this cabin would have booked it already. Should cruiselines set a date when these cabins are released (perhaps they already do?) for general sale, or should they keep them open until sailing 'just in case'?

Perhaps you should have included the bit about your mom n the original post. Sounded like you were just getting cabin because it was big, not because you needed it for your mom.

Well, like I said, we have gotten by in regular cabins, and still could, but it sure would be nice not to have to squeeze the folded wheelchair in at the end of the bed. And not to have a high sill for mom to have to step over to access bathroom.

If you need the room for your mom, go for it.

Get upset about folks who just want a bigger room for their SCUBA gear, etc.,

Well, like I said, we have gotten by in regular cabins, and still could, but it sure would be nice not to have to squeeze the folded wheelchair in at the end of the bed. And not to have a high sill for mom to have to step over to access bathroom.

If in fact you're booking this cabin to assist your mother...then yes, she (and you) are eligible for a handicap-accessible cabin. This is NOT however the impression you gave in your first post, where you said specifically that you were booking the cabin for the "huge floor space".

No, there should not be any step into the bathroom, and there will be a shower rather than a tub, with a drop-down shower seat. And there will be plenty of room for her to wheel through the door, and around inside the cabin.

Most of us in the disability community would LOVE it if cruise lines would hold these cabins until final payment is due, and then release them to the general public. Few of us expect a cruise line to hold them indefinitely. What generally happens, though, is that people who do not NEED these cabins book them "because they have huge floor space", or because they have room for their scuba gear, or whatever....and remove them from the inventory.

If you would have stated in your first post that a) you were travelling with your 90 year old disabled mother, and/or b) that you were booking this within 2 months of cruising, you would not have gotten any "grief" from us.

I am traveling with my 90 year old mother, who is a heart patient and does travel with her own wheelchair, although she can walk short distances. She is certified to have special license for our car to park in handicap spaces. On HAL, we had to trade our upgraded outside cabin to an inside on a soldout ship, because the outside cabins have very high sided bathtubs instead of shower stalls, that she could not step into.

 

Does this info 'qualify her' to book this cabin, and satisfy those that are questioning me?

 

True, we can get by in a regular cabin if necessary. Since we are only a couple of months from cruise, I would think someone that had to have this cabin would have booked it already. Should cruiselines set a date when these cabins are released (perhaps they already do?) for general sale, or should they keep them open until sailing 'just in case'?

In the future when wanting information regarding accessible cabins suggest you do the following :

• Include in post that you're traveling with your Disabled 90 year old mother
  
• Post the question on directly on the Disabled Cruise Travel Forum http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190
  

We're actually are very friendly and helpful group of cruise travelers. It's just that accessible cabins are so abused by able body people booking them that it's upsetting to say the least.

Enjoy your cruise.

I asked this on NCL board, and got no response, so I am trying here also....

Has anyone sailed in this accessable inside or similar on sister ship?

Any comment on it?

We are thinking of booking it primarily for the huge floor space shown on the deckplan, and its midship location (opposite medical center).

I find it odd that someone would say they are "booking it primarily for the huge floor space" and not mention the 90 year old mother in a wheelchair?

Those words about booking it for the huge floor space in the cabins are the ones we hear from the able bodied all the time and get us in the disabled community so upset.

I find it odd that someone would say they are "booking it primarily for the huge floor space" and not mention the 90 year old mother in a wheelchair?

 

Those words about booking it for the huge floor space in the cabins are the ones we hear from the able bodied all the time and get us in the disabled community so upset.

Maybe someone should have asked before they jumped all over him. Just saying.....why ASSUME?:rolleyes:

Maybe someone should have asked before they jumped all over him. Just saying.....why ASSUME?:rolleyes:

Actually, if you read my first response, I DID ask. Took him awhile to come up with an answer.

I asked this on NCL board, and got no response, so I am trying here also.... Has anyone sailed in this accessable inside or similar on sister ship? Any comment on it?

We are thinking of booking it primarily for the huge floor space shown on the deckplan, and its midship location (opposite medical center).

If you're not disabled and need an accessible cabin than do the math. Disabled Cruisers have so few choices and often are denied the previledge of cruising becuase of able body people booking accessible cabins.

• On average a cuise ship has approximately 1200 cabins.
  
• The average number of HC assessible cabins is approximately 11. (0.009% of the total ship's inventory of cabins.)
  
• Leaving approximately 1190 cabins (99.991% of total ship's inventory ) available for Able Body Passengers.
  

You have so many more choices than to book a HC cabin. So do you really think it's ok to book a HC Accessible solely for your convenience because of a larger floor space ? Floor space that's needed by those of us in wheelchairs and scooters so that we can safely manuever around, in and out of the cabin.

 

Those of us in wheelchairs and scooters have to book well over a year in advance ( unable to take advantage of any last minute pricing or special sales throughout the year) just to try to get a HC cabin before an able body person books it's without any consideration to those who might actually need it.

 

BTW - Yes I'm disabled due to MS. Use a mobility scooter and need an accessible cabin when cruising.

OK, I'm probably about to be flamed here, but I thought I might opine on this. I've read on these boards and others that the handicapped accessible rooms can be booked by anyone. There are 4 handicapped cabins located off the back of the ship. I feel the back of the ship is very desirable location. I guess that's why most of the cabins off the rear of the ship are higher category.

There are 25 cabins that have have balconies off the back of the Gem. As I said, four of them are handicapped accessible. That's a much higher percentage than the rest of the ship.

I would certainly choose another cabin off the back of the ship first, but if I'm booking a cruise, and those four cabins are the last four available off the back of the ship, I'm booking one of them without hesitation. If anyone who is disabled needs that particular cabin, NCL can and does upgrade the folks who've reserved that needed room. It's a win-win as far as I can tell.

If the OP feels he or she needs a cabin with more room directly across from medical center, why shouldn't they book it?

Let the flaming begin...

"How dare you book a cabin, just to get an upgrade?"

I didn't, I booked the cabin I wanted, in the location I desired

"Aren't you just abusing the system to get a better cabin?"

No, I just booked the cabin I wanted. As I said, if another aft cabin was available I'd book that first.

"Could you have used the outmoded terms handicapped and disabled any more in your post, you insensitive jerk?"

I am not politically correct. I am educated. I have a four-year college degree. I do not believe that words can be harmful unless the user intends it. I mean no disrespect, I just refuse to use replacement words like "differently abled" or "Handi-capable." That's me. Sorry.

Back to the OP. Yes, a small mention of your situation would have helped. And, to increase the chance of a valid response, the subject might have been something like "Tell me about Handicap Cabin on 4th Deck Jewel", or something like that.

People come here every day or so and post something asking about an otherwise normal cabin and want to know if anybody has been in cabin xxxx and how is it. That gets really old, and often comes up with minimal response.

You had a good question, though you might have asked about shower, step up, room for wheelchair etc so people could help you. There are lots of very helpful people here.

OK, I'm probably about to be flamed here, but I thought I might opine on this. I've read on these boards and others that the handicapped accessible rooms can be booked by anyone. There are 4 handicapped cabins located off the back of the ship. I feel the back of the ship is very desirable location. I guess that's why most of the cabins off the rear of the ship are higher category.

 

There are 25 cabins that have have balconies off the back of the Gem. As I said, four of them are handicapped accessible. That's a much higher percentage than the rest of the ship.

 

I would certainly choose another cabin off the back of the ship first, but if I'm booking a cruise, and those four cabins are the last four available off the back of the ship, I'm booking one of them without hesitation. If anyone who is disabled needs that particular cabin, NCL can and does upgrade the folks who've reserved that needed room. It's a win-win as far as I can tell.

 

If the OP feels he or she needs a cabin with more room directly across from medical center, why shouldn't they book it?

 

Let the flaming begin...

"How dare you book a cabin, just to get an upgrade?"

I didn't, I booked the cabin I wanted, in the location I desired

"Aren't you just abusing the system to get a better cabin?"

No, I just booked the cabin I wanted. As I said, if another aft cabin was available I'd book that first.

"Could you have used the outmoded terms handicapped and disabled any more in your post, you insensitive jerk?"

I am not politically correct. I am educated. I have a four-year college degree. I do not believe that words can be harmful unless the user intends it. I mean no disrespect, I just refuse to use replacement words like "differently abled" or "Handi-capable." That's me. Sorry.

Sorry, but this just isn't the case (the bolded part). Once a cabin is out of inventory, it is out of inventory. Numerous disabled cruisers, on numerous lines, have found this out the hard way. There is generally no "flag" in the system to indicate that you (a) don't need the room's accessibility features or (b) are willing to be moved. It would be nice if they did that, but a wide range of anecdotes indicates that they don't.

If anyone who is disabled needs that particular cabin, NCL can and does upgrade the folks who've reserved that needed room. It's a win-win as far as I can tell.

This statement is simply NOT TRUE. I am in a wheelchair fulltime. I wish I could just call NCL and move a able bodied person out of a handicapped cabins. Then I probablywould be able to cruise more often than I do. I have tried to do this and it is simply not true. I am told sorry not available. When I ask if the people booked in the HC cabin are disabled I am told there is no way of knowing and am told they assume they are since they are booked in a disabled room. Many times able bodied people book HC cabins for the extra space or an extended balcony.

So sorry but its not a win-win for the disabled person. :eek:

I just sailed Gem for third time. 4562 Cabin.