Handicap Cabins

[irishjim]

Having quite a number of cruises under my belt with HAL,I was wondering why when I book an ocean view cabin on the Main deck {midships} we are allways offered a Handicap Cabin and I tell them my DW and I do not require these cabins,its not as though we leave things till the last minute.We book at least 12 to 15 months ahead of time so we can chose the cabin we want.Iam sure that there a people who need these cabins more,so why do the keep doing this.:confused:

[gregdude]

Are you booking a guarantee? If so my guess is that they hold the handicapped cabins until the end then release them to guarantees if they have not been reserved. This is exactly what happened to me last year. This time around I booked a specific cabin number.

[irishjim]

Are you booking a guarantee? If so my guess is that they hold the handicapped cabins until the end then release them to guarantees if they have not been reserved. This is exactly what happened to me last year. This time around I booked a specific cabin number.

No we have never booked a guarantee,we end up getting the cabin we want in the end, but it is so annoying that I have to go through this hassel

just like fixed dining allways wait listed so far out, it defies logic,still does not stop me cruising.

[gregdude]

Are you dealing directly with HAL or using a TA? If you make your reservation online with HAL all of this, in my experience, can be avoided. You are given a number of available cabins to chose from and a deck plan to reference. The dinning option is more problematic, but when I made my reservation in August for a cruise this March all dinning options were open. I wanted "As You Like" dinning because I love the flexibility of eating when I want to eat, particularly on a port intensive cruise.

[irishjim]

Are you dealing directly with HAL or using a TA? If you make your reservation online with HAL all of this, in my experience, can be avoided. You are given a number of available cabins to chose from and a deck plan to reference. The dinning option is more problematic, but when I made my reservation in August for a cruise this March all dinning options were open. I wanted "As You Like" dinning because I love the flexibility of eating when I want to eat, particularly on a port intensive cruise.

I have never booked with HAL.Have used my TA,Imay have to do this from now on to get my selections.

Thanks for the replys.

Jim.:D:D:D

[Mary Ellen]

I have never booked with HAL.Have used my TA,Imay have to do this from now on to get my selections.

I would get a new TA - ASAP. Any TA that offers HA cabins to able-bodied passengers won't get our business. For us, I just tell my TA what cabin I want then he says if it is available, and if not, what is.

[Spendogirl]

In dealing with being assigned a handicap cabin by booking a gty.. I was fully unware these were in the pool... I was told by HAL you have to state to your travel agent you DON'T want one.. :eek:

 

Is it me, or does it make more sense that the majority of passengers would never on their life think to do this??:confused:

 

Glad to hear your cabin worked out for you :D

[Zappa Fan]

Is it me, or does it make more sense that the majority of passengers would never on their life think to do this??:confused:

 

Agreed.... I won't even use a handicap bathroom stall.... even if the line is 10 women deep. I've gotten vocal about others who use one..... even if there are no wheelchairs to be seen in the ladies room.... drives me CRAZY. (Don't get me started about parking spaces without proper tags!)

 

People just don't THINK. :mad:

[Spendogirl]

OMG.. Zappa Fan...

 

I really feel you understand our frustration about being assigned this handicap room, I really do have a fear of what people are going to think when they see two able bodied mid 40 year olds walking in and out of that cabin...

 

I am exactly like you.. my sister is disabled and I understand everything she goes through.. I hate seeing people take parking spots, using the washroom, booking the room when they don't need the facilities...:mad:

 

There is one handicap cabin in the SS category and we got it :eek: I'll know next time when I book to clearly state we are NOT disabled... craziness I say..

[xxoocruiser]

Having quite a number of cruises under my belt with HAL,I was wondering why when I book an ocean view cabin on the Main deck {midships} we are allways offered a Handicap Cabin and I tell them my DW and I do not require these cabins,its not as though we leave things till the last minute.We book at least 12 to 15 months ahead of time so we can chose the cabin we want.Iam sure that there a people who need these cabins more,so why do the keep doing this.:confused:

 

As a person who is Disabled and requires a HC cabin, I thank you for refusing the cabin. Beleive it or not many TA's intentially offer HC cabins to abled body passengers because of the extra space, without giving any thought to the fact they are taking a cabin away from someone who really needs. That's why most Disabled Cruisers have to book a 1 -1/2 years in advance and can't take advantage any any last minute offers. Even at that ,we hae slim pickings of cabins.

[Spendogirl]

Even at that ,we hae slim pickings of cabins.

And this is exactly why we are so upset about being given this cabin.. I cannot believe not one single passenger needed it..

 

Our TA has no idea why we were assigned it, HAL has no idea why we were assigned it.. from my understanding you have to prove to HAL you are disabled and give up your third child to get one of them...

[mindydaile]

Deleted - confused OP with later poster.

[Zappa Fan]

OMG.. Zappa Fan...

 

I really feel you understand our frustration about being assigned this handicap room, I really do have a fear of what people are going to think when they see two able bodied mid 40 year olds walking in and out of that cabin...

 

I am exactly like you.. my sister is disabled and I understand everything she goes through.. I hate seeing people take parking spots, using the washroom, booking the room when they don't need the facilities...:mad:

 

There is one handicap cabin in the SS category and we got it :eek: I'll know next time when I book to clearly state we are NOT disabled... craziness I say..

 

Shelley- honey..... think of this as a lesson learned for booking your NEXT cruise.

 

Personally, I would NEVER be as presumptuous as to think twice about a 40-something (which describes myself!!!;)) walking out of a handicap cabin. One never knows what type of disability others have.

 

To hell with what others "think". Consider this a learning experience. If you're able to assist someone in a wheelchair or someone having difficulty walking, so be it! :) Karma, baby!

 

Have a delightful cruise, sweetie!

[whiterose]

I am disabled and I truly appreciate the good people who do not want to take a "handicap" cabin or parking space that they do not need. HOWEVER, public restrooms are a different matter. If nobody in a wheelchair is in line, then please go ahead and use the "handicap" stall. The line will go faster and after all you're only going to be in there for a couple of minutes so you will not be taking anything away from someone in a wheelchair. It does not make sense to let it stay empty and unused.

[Oceanwench]

And this is exactly why we are so upset about being given this cabin.. I cannot believe not one single passenger needed it..

 

Our TA has no idea why we were assigned it, HAL has no idea why we were assigned it.. from my understanding you have to prove to HAL you are disabled and give up your third child to get one of them...

 

 

There are 28 HC cabins on a Vista. Sometimes they are not all booked. It happens.

HAL releases these cabins at some point - maybe after final payments are made, maybe a month out from sailing.

Rather than let that cabin remain empty, HAL assigns it to someone who had booked a guarantee.

You are very close to your sailing date. That is why HAL included that cabin in the inventory and assigned you to it.

 

There is no "special" marking on the HC cabins, so no one will "See you walking out of it" and speculate. Have no worries. Your cabin, from the outside, will look no different from the other cabins around you.

 

You may want to talk to your TA, but I cannot believe HAL would accept a "book me a guarantee - and I'll take any cabin BUT not a HC cabin."

My understanding is that when you book a guarantee, you get ANY cabin in your category or higher.

 

Would you have been upset to get a HC cabin if it had been an SC, SB or SA?

 

Btw, you do not have to prove to HAL you are HC to get a HC cabin. They do require you send a form to let them know any special needs you have, but you do not have to prove anything.

 

Again, if your TA has no idea why you were assigned to a HC cabin, tell him/her to check with HAL ... the simple explanation is that you booked an SY guarantee and HAL fulfilled its promise by assigning you to an SS that was available. "Available" includes ANY cabin not booked.

[Oceanwench]

I am disabled and I truly appreciate the good people who do not want to take a "handicap" cabin or parking space that they do not need. HOWEVER, public restrooms are a different matter. If nobody in a wheelchair is in line, then please go ahead and use the "handicap" stall. The line will go faster and after all you're only going to be in there for a couple of minutes so you will not be taking anything away from someone in a wheelchair. It does not make sense to let it stay empty and unused.

 

DH, who is in a wheelchair, says the same thing about restrooms. Makes no sense to leave a HC stall vacant when there is a line!

[trophy_23]

My girlfriend and I who are mid 20's booked a gty VH on thr Eurodam last fall for the 2wk repo Canada/New England and go figure most likely the youngest couple on thebship got VC5180. It was a shower only which I did end up really loving, but I figured they would use the for people with mobiliTy issues or trouble stepping over the tub? Either way we had no choice with the gty and were very happy. I imagine a computer does the assignments or maybe they would have taken age etc into account?

[IRL_Joanie]

Shelley- honey..... think of this as a lesson learned for booking your NEXT cruise.

 

Personally, I would NEVER be as presumptuous as to think twice about a 40-something (which describes myself!!!;)) walking out of a handicap cabin. One never knows what type of disability others have.

 

To hell with what others "think". Consider this a learning experience. If you're able to assist someone in a wheelchair or someone having difficulty walking, so be it! :) Karma, baby!

 

Have a delightful cruise, sweetie!

 

 

Zappa Fan, I am on the same cruise with Shelley and am handicapped. BUT as I told her, I did not ask for a HC stateroom. I am sure that IF it had been requested by someone else, they'd have given it to them.

 

Shelley did not receive her stateroom number until this past Thursday, so appears to me that no one felt the need for it.

 

I will not let her feel guilt over it!! If I have to sit on her to make her forget!!:D

 

Joanie

[Zappa Fan]

Zappa Fan, I am on the same cruise with Shelley and am handicapped. BUT as I told her, I did not ask for a HC stateroom. I am sure that IF it had been requested by someone else, they'd have given it to them.

 

Shelley did not receive her stateroom number until this past Thursday, so appears to me that no one felt the need for it.

 

I will not let her feel guilt over it!! If I have to sit on her to make her forget!!:D

 

Joanie

 

Oh, Joanie.... I hope that you didn't think (for a moment!!) that I was being critical. :) My husband is a cancer victim, dad was a paralyzed stroke victim, maw legally blind from macular degeneration... I'm ALL about "helping others", as you guys sound!

*******************************

RE: Restrooms.... more than twenty years ago, I was "urged" (by someone) to use the handicap stall. When I came out, there was a sweet old lady in a wheelchair waiting. I never got over the "guilt". :o

 

To me, it doesn't matter if a wheelchair is in view.... nobody knows when someone will wheel in.... possibly with a bad bladder or bowels as a result of paralysis.... I'll NEVER use one again.

[IRL_Joanie]

Oh, Joanie.... I hope that you didn't think (for a moment!!) that I was being critical. :)

 

Zappa Fan, that thought was NEVER in my mind!! I saw that you were trying to reassure Shelley and jumped in alongside you!! I have your back on this subject!!:)

 

Joanie

[momatibm]

Oh, Joanie.... I hope that you didn't think (for a moment!!) that I was being critical. :) My husband is a cancer victim, dad was a paralyzed stroke victim, maw legally blind from macular degeneration... I'm ALL about "helping others", as you guys sound!

*******************************

RE: Restrooms.... more than twenty years ago, I was "urged" (by someone) to use the handicap stall. When I came out, there was a sweet old lady in a wheelchair waiting. I never got over the "guilt". :o

 

To me, it doesn't matter if a wheelchair is in view.... nobody knows when someone will wheel in.... possibly with a bad bladder or bowels as a result of paralysis.... I'll NEVER use one again.

 

sometimes it makes no difference if the only accomodations are 'handicapped' -- the 'code red noro - will hit everyone -- and need a FACIILITY -=- so ....it happens. I personally will try to hit my stateroom but there are times....

[croozer]

I booked a guaranteed outside on the Veendam in November, as I usually do, and, as usual, don't get my cabin assignment until the last minute. My assignment came through nine days before sailing and it was a wheelchair accessible cabin. I was distraught for a couple of days, worrying that I'd denied someone the use of the cabin. I was going to call the cruise line and ask to be changed, but a number of people dissuaded me. Everyone said that if they'd needed the cabin, they would have assigned it to a handicapped person. And even up to the point of boarding I would not have minded (would actually have preferred) changing cabins. However, I did think that maybe someone had booked the HC cabin way in advance and then couldn't go on the cruise and released the cabin. So I just relaxed and enjoyed it. I *was* a bit disappointed that I couldn't soak in a bathtub, one of the perks of an outside cabin, but I did enjoy the extra room.

[PegIra]

For our HAL cruise on the Zuiderdam in April, we have an accessible room. We had to send in the form as to what accomodations we need, but did not have to prove anything. For our last cruise on the Disney Magic, we were given a form for our doctor to fill out as to the need for the room. Since we have the need, it wasn't any problem to get the doctor to fill out the form.

 

Peg