orchestrapal Posted March 13, 2012 #1 Share Posted March 13, 2012 After worrying about the narrow halls being blocked in case of an emergency I hope Oceania will also implement something like this. I believe they already have a rule that scooters and wheelchairs must be in cabins but it was not the case on our cruises. P&O Cruises and Cunard Line are implementing a change to the policy regarding the carriage of mobility scooters on board all ships. This will apply from the Summer 2013 programme for both brands. All wheelchairs, scooters and other aids to mobility must be stored inside passenger cabins when they are not in use. Passengers are not permitted to leave such items outside of cabins, in public walkways, stairwells or any other place where they would pose a risk to the safety of anybody on board in the case of an emergency situation. Passengers who are bringing a mobility scooter must select the correct cabin type during the booking process. Cunard Line - a wheelchair accessible cabin or selected suite accommodation. Passengers who arrive for embarkation with a mobility scooter who are not booked into a wheelchair accessible, or selected suite or mini-suite cabin, may be refused boarding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
findacruise Posted March 13, 2012 #2 Share Posted March 13, 2012 After worrying about the narrow halls being blocked in case of an emergency I hope Oceania will also implement something like this. I believe they already have a rule that scooters and wheelchairs must be in cabins but it was not the case on our cruises. P&O Cruises and Cunard Line are implementing a change to the policy regarding the carriage of mobility scooters on board all ships. This will apply from the Summer 2013 programme for both brands. All wheelchairs, scooters and other aids to mobility must be stored inside passenger cabins when they are not in use. Passengers are not permitted to leave such items outside of cabins, in public walkways, stairwells or any other place where they would pose a risk to the safety of anybody on board in the case of an emergency situation. Passengers who are bringing a mobility scooter must select the correct cabin type during the booking process. Cunard Line - a wheelchair accessible cabin or selected suite accommodation. Passengers who arrive for embarkation with a mobility scooter who are not booked into a wheelchair accessible, or selected suite or mini-suite cabin, may be refused boarding. On our 2/16 cruise there was a mobility scooter parked in our hallway the a lot of the time and often a cord often coming from inside charging it. It was difficult to get passed. On our 2/26 cruise someone even tendered in to a port and had the crew load him and then the scooter on to the tender - a very unsafe condition. The Marina's tenders are much different than the R ships and you are sitting down really deep inside with the exception of a few tall seats at the entrance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First Time 2008 Posted March 13, 2012 #3 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I want to bring my scooter too. It will come in super handy for shore excursions and greatly add to my shore mobility. May I call it a mobility scooter? Please? And store it in my cabin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted March 13, 2012 Author #4 Share Posted March 13, 2012 HA! This is actually a serious subject!:( I presume you have never had to evacuate in case of emergency! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First Time 2008 Posted March 13, 2012 #5 Share Posted March 13, 2012 No, never have. To date, the number of times that I took shore trips far exceeds the number of times I have had to evacuate. I hope it stays that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First Time 2008 Posted March 13, 2012 #6 Share Posted March 13, 2012 But on a serious note that is the topic of this thread. I agree that any large object in the hallway impeding passage during an evacuation should not be allowed there. If people want to bring in a scooter (mobility kind or my kind) that does not fit in their room, and the cruise line can accommodate such as item in the bowels of the ship, that's where the item should go. If they can't accommodate the scooter the passenger has to choose between separating from the scooter or not taking the cruise. Jeopardizing the safety of everyone else should bot be allowed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted March 14, 2012 Author #7 Share Posted March 14, 2012 But on a serious note that is the topic of this thread. I agree that any large object in the hallway impeding passage during an evacuation should not be allowed there. If people want to bring in a scooter (mobility kind or my kind) that does not fit in their room, and the cruise line can accommodate such as item in the bowels of the ship, that's where the item should go. If they can't accommodate the scooter the passenger has to choose between separating from the scooter or not taking the cruise. Jeopardizing the safety of everyone else should bot be allowed. Very well said!:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne E Posted March 14, 2012 #8 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I want to bring my scooter too. It will come in super handy for shore excursions and greatly add to my shore mobility. May I call it a mobility scooter? Please? And store it in my cabin? Not humorous :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shining Clem Posted March 14, 2012 #9 Share Posted March 14, 2012 My concern with mobility scooters left in the hallways is in the case of an emergency, not only are they blocking passage in those narrow hallways, but in cases where a ship is tossed about or tipped (as the Concordia was) they become heavy, uncontrolled missiles. On the Concordia, people reported having to walk & crawl on the (side) walls with no lighting. Someone could get pinned under one of these or seriously cut if it hit you. Endangering not only other passengers, but the occupant of the wheel chair/scooter. We've all seen the You Tubes of dining room scenes in heavy weather seas where tables, people and serving items from glasses to plates are wildly banged about. Even in specific cabins designed for wheel chairs & scooters, it would probably be a good idea to install some sort of lock down device. Probably a lot of these practices which have gotten looser, will be updated now. I'm all for people who need such aids to be able to cruise and to live as full a life as possible, but some adjustments will have to be made, especially in light of the increased size of these mega ships. This includes making more handicapped cabins available to serve people and not exclude them. Also, I'm sure the cleaning & serving staff finds them difficult to work around in the halls, especially if they are carrying a heavy tray. ********* ;) And First Time, was that YOU whizzing by on your skate board on the 7th deck of Regatta, DownUnder? ;) :rolleyes: :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandB_Toronto Posted March 14, 2012 #10 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I wonder if they will reconsider the requirement to place luggage in the hall the night before disembarking. If anything happened that night and people had to get out in the dark, it could be a serious impediment!! Mind you, what would be the alternative??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAG Posted March 14, 2012 #11 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I wonder if they will reconsider the requirement to place luggage in the hall the night before disembarking. If anything happened that night and people had to get out in the dark, it could be a serious impediment!! Mind you, what would be the alternative??? On Oceania, your luggage outside your room is gone before you know it. They do an excellent job of moving the luggage and continue to make sweeps of the hallways for the stragglers. I don't think this would be a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no fuss travel Posted March 14, 2012 #12 Share Posted March 14, 2012 On Oceania, your luggage outside your room is gone before you know it. They do an excellent job of moving the luggage and continue to make sweeps of the hallways for the stragglers. I don't think this would be a problem. Except in Rio. Our luggage was still sitting outside our stateroom when we went for breakfast. Mind you this was our second morning in Rio and they may have made a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted March 14, 2012 #13 Share Posted March 14, 2012 The scooters should at least be anchored to something with a cord or rope so they do not become dangerous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted March 14, 2012 Author #14 Share Posted March 14, 2012 The scooters should at least be anchored to something with a cord or rope so they do not become dangerous. They would still take up the space in the narrow hallways and can easily be tripped over in normal conditions. Just bad news if they're not kept in the cabins.:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted March 14, 2012 #15 Share Posted March 14, 2012 They would still take up the space in the narrow hallways and can easily be tripped over in normal conditions. Just bad news if they're not kept in the cabins.:( This reminds me of my mother dickering with Cunard for a cabin with a trunk alcove We didn't travel with steamer trunks, but she wanted the extra space :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjflowers Posted March 15, 2012 #16 Share Posted March 15, 2012 This reminds me of my mother dickering with Cunard for a cabin with a trunk alcoveWe didn't travel with steamer trunks, but she wanted the extra space :p I wonder, do people still travel with steamer trunks? At one time it was the only way to go. When my grandmother traveled Trans Atlantic in the 30's and 40's (just a little before my time) this is all she would use;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbwex Posted March 15, 2012 #17 Share Posted March 15, 2012 The thought that large items should not block the passageways is a valid point. I can also understand the difficulties of anyone using one -- the doors are lot light, are trying to close, and you would be trying to back up into the cabin. Then once inside, space would be so restricted as to make it almost impassable. Neither solution is a good one, unfortunately. Of course, the other issue is, in case of an emergency, the person with the restricted mobility would have a much longer exercise in trying to get out of their cabin and off the ship! If these devices don't have locking brakes that stop them from rolling away on their own (which I presume they do) then they should be chocked in some way. While I am usually one that takes the extra steps and precautions in the name of safety, I wouldn't worry about a Costa Concordia type problem as much as normal or rougher than normal seas. Perhaps the answer is that the cabin stewards could put these chairs someplace out of the passageway and then bring them to the passenger when needed. No answer seems to be right for everyone, and I am not minimizing the risk to other passengers along that passageway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ORV Posted March 15, 2012 #18 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Perhaps the answer is that the cabin stewards could put these chairs someplace out of the passageway and then bring them to the passenger when needed. It seems that the cabin stewards on most of the lines I've been on are pretty maxed out on their workload. Perhaps extra employees to handle these duties, but who would pay, the cruiseline, or the people that are using this service? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted March 15, 2012 Author #19 Share Posted March 15, 2012 It seems that the cabin stewards on most of the lines I've been on are pretty maxed out on their workload. Perhaps extra employees to handle these duties, but who would pay, the cruiseline, or the people that are using this service? I believe the only way one could expect this service is to book a butlered cabin. The cabin stewards certainly would not have time to do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TERRIER1 Posted March 15, 2012 #20 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Do the handicap cabins have extra space for walkers and motorized chairs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted March 15, 2012 #21 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Do the handicap cabins have extra space for walkers and motorized chairs? They are certainly larger than other similarly rated cabins: ......................, but it hasn't been a requirement that mobility scooters be housed inside the room up until now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior Citizen Posted March 16, 2012 #22 Share Posted March 16, 2012 They are certainly larger than other similarly rated cabins:......................, but it hasn't been a requirement that mobility scooters be housed inside the room up until now. Is it a new requirement? I saw the inside of a handicap ocean view cabin on the Marina and it was huge. There was a large open space where a scooter or two could be parked. The bathroom looked like a big room with no shower curtain, no tub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted March 16, 2012 #23 Share Posted March 16, 2012 On our Marina cruise last year people that had a H/C cabin on deck 7 still left the folding wheelchair in the hall & another with a B4 left their rollator in front of the door ( mind you it did not intrude into the hall space The hall is a bit wider than on the R-ships & the doors to the cabin are set back from the walls BUT I wonder why they could not fit them in the cabin :confused: the cabin looked very roomy It is bad enough that the service carts are in the hall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted March 16, 2012 #24 Share Posted March 16, 2012 It is bad enough that the service carts are in the hall Not to hijack this thread, but it is a funny thing about those carts. I cruised a great deal as a young man, and NEVER, EVER saw one of those carts on a cruise ship until about 1982. Not even on the really cheap cruises that I took with friends in college. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted March 16, 2012 Author #25 Share Posted March 16, 2012 In all the years with Oceania and before that on Renaissance we never had so many wheel chairs and scooters until last May when they seem to have multiplied exponentially. These were two cruises that originated in the US and that may have had something to do with it. The time has really come for O to either limit the number of these on the R ships or to make sure they are not parked in the narrow hallways.:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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