Handicap Suite

[hbe]

I recently booked a suite on the Epic not realizing that it was a handicap suite. We are not handicap and we're wondering if this is a problem with this. Also is there a big difference between the handicap suite and a regular suite. we booked S5 on the Epic. thanks

[TravelDiva88]

The biggest difference you will notice is that you will have a shower with no lip (zero entry) instead of a bath tub. There are also accessibility features (such as an emergency call button).

 

If you're within final payment of the cruise, don't sweat it. If you've got time, and there is another non H/C suite option that appeals to you, I'd suggest moving out of courtesy- because despite what NCL says, they WILL NOT move you if someone calls needing an accessible room.

[hpecorari]

because despite what NCL says, they WILL NOT move you if someone calls needing an accessible room.

 

Not true. They will and they have in the past if needed.

 

Harriet

[L3GWG]

Harriet, I don't believe they will. You say they have in the past. Was that you or someone you know? Or just hearsay. All you are doing is worrying the OP

 

 

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[hpecorari]

Harriet, I don't believe they will. You say they have in the past. Was that you or someone you know? Or just hearsay. All you are doing is worrying the OP

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

What?? All I'm doing is worrying the OP? The OP asked a question so I'm guessing they're looking for replies. THAT is my reply. There IS a chance that they will be asked to move. If a handicap person needs the handicap room they WILL be asked to move. I'm not trying to worry the OP but am just letting them know the facts! And the fact is that they 'might' be asked to move, if need be. That's the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

 

Not only do I know this from experience (2 years ago I was on a cruise with my niece, who at the time we booked was in a wheelchair. At the time of the cruise she no longer was. After we boarded and got to our cabin we received a phone call asking us if we'd agree to an upgrade as someone handicap NEEDED our room. So yes, they moved us as I can't for the life of me ever saying 'no, we won't move' nor can I see anyone else saying that when a handicap person needs a handicap room that a non-handicap person has.

 

And, if you don't believe my story, below is another.

 

I stand by that fact that if they NEED the handicap room for someone handicap they will move you if you are not handicap.

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1817421&page=3&highlight=handicap

 

Post 47

 

March 30th, 2013, 10:02 PM

Diller12

Cool Cruiser

 

 

I Booked HC. 10200 on the Star Because it was the only room left on deck 10. When I booked the room on line' it asked what was my disability I put nothing. 2 weeks before the cruise I received a phone call from NCL. And asked if I Needed the room, That they had a HC person that needed it. I told them no and they up me to a Mini suite 11590.

[L3GWG]

Harriet, if you are within final payment then the booking will stand. As you say NCL may well have a sudden need for a handicapped room and if that is the case would offer an upgrade. You have explained a lot more in your last post of value.

 

 

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[rvsullivan]

True enough!! You clearly stated they "asked" you to move and offered an upgrade as an incentive. They will not kick you out of a reserved room. OP if there is a lot of time before your cruise and you want to check out another room, call NCL. Chances are they will tell you to stay where you are.

[hbe]

Harriet, if you are within final payment then the booking will stand. As you say NCL may well have a sudden need for a handicapped room and if that is the case would offer an upgrade. You have explained a lot more in your last post of value.

 

 

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Final payment has passed. this was the only suite avaliable at the time of booking. I did receive a notice from NCL, after booking, about the possibility of being moved. Suites are sold out on this sailing. i have no problem in moving if i have to. i read that this suite is different than other S5 suites, does anybody know if this is true. but it was an old review. I am in room 16029 on the Epic

[rvsullivan]

Since your past final payment and there are no more suites available, NCL is not going to kick you out and give the room to someone else. Your safe, it happens on every cruise. As the ship fills up, they run out of rooms.

Go enjoy your cruise!!!:D

[ptuder]

Final payment has passed. this was the only suite avaliable at the time of booking. I did receive a notice from NCL, after booking, about the possibility of being moved. Suites are sold out on this sailing. i have no problem in moving if i have to. i read that this suite is different than other S5 suites, does anybody know if this is true. but it was an old review. I am in room 16029 on the Epic

 

Would you be willing to post a few pics of this room when you return? My parents are booked in this room and they are a bit nervous as one person from NCL read off the penthouse suite description and it comes with a tub. I assured them that they would never have a handicapped room with a tub but since they heard it from the mouth of an NCL employee they claim them to be the expert. I've tried searching to find pics of this room but haven't had luck.

 

Enjoy your cruise, we've been on the Epic twice and have another booked in April.

[hbe]

I will take some pics, but i'm not very computer savvy, so i'm not sure if i will be able to post them. i was worried if configuration of the room is different than the other S5s.

[JayinAZ]

I will take some pics, but i'm not very computer savvy, so i'm not sure if i will be able to post them. i was worried if configuration of the room is different than the other S5s.

 

Did you end up staying in 16029? Can you post some pics? I'm debating this room right now. If you can't post here, please send them to jay963@cox.net Thanks.

[kjquilts]

Did you end up staying in 16029? Can you post some pics? I'm debating this room right now. If you can't post here, please send them to jay963@cox.net Thanks.

 

 

I'm not the person you were asking but I did a google search and found photos for you .... see following link

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/112597380593025719647/NorwegianEpic#5677957892549419538

 

kj

[Casino Comp Chick]

Harriet, I don't believe they will. You say they have in the past. Was that you or someone you know? Or just hearsay. All you are doing is worrying the OP

 

 

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I broke my foot last May (Mothers day 1st Bermuda sailing) on the Breakaway and yes they moved someone out of the HC room to accommodate me as I had another BA booked in June (Fathers day sailing) . It was obviously after final payment.

Edited September 1, 2014 by iimmie

[JayinAZ]

I read the entire 13 page thread about wheelchair room 16029 and I don't want to restart that debate from 4 years ago. Here's my situation. I'm looking for a haven suite for 3 and 16029 is the only haven suite of category H5 that can hold 3 due to the different room configuration being wheelchair accessible. The next suite that can hold 3 is the 2 bedroom villa which is several thousand more and more than I'm willing to pay.

I don't want to take this room away from any disabled person but at the same time, if I book this room and a disabled person wants it at some point, I don't want to give up my reservation that I may have already paid in full or at least have a deposit on without being moved to the same or higher category room. I'm curious to know how long a disabled person is allowed to bump a non disabled person out of a room. The day before the cruise? Final payment?

Apparently the NCL live chat people aren't working today and I don't even want to think about waiting for someone on the phone so I'll see what happens tomorrow.

iimmie- I'd like to know where NCL moved the other guests to that had previously booked the room you got. That would be interesting to know, but something we'll probably never be able to find out.

 

And thank you kj for the link to the pics. In the other thread I was able to find about 10 pics of that room and a diagram so I have a god understanding of what it looks like now.

[hagelbagel]

We have a handicap room and received a letter from ncl that if needed, we will be moved. We aren't handicapped!

 

 

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[JayinAZ]

We have a handicap room and received a letter from ncl that if needed, we will be moved. We aren't handicapped!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Did it say you will be given a room in the same category!

[hagelbagel]

NO!!! I called and they said they'd put us anywhere!! Would reimburse us if needed for difference in price[emoji571]

 

 

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[hpecorari]

NO!!! I called and they said they'd put us anywhere!! Would reimburse us if needed for difference in price[emoji571]

 

 

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Well, that actually makes sense. If a person takes a HC cabin and is not HC'd and a HC person needs it, then it should be given to the HC person. There are so few HC cabins on the ships as it is. NCL can and will move the non HC person but it will depend on what is available at the time of the move.

 

Wondering......why did you choose the HC cabin in the first place? Not sure if I missed it when reading or if it wasn't there.

 

*Edit: Some, not all, but some people choose a HC room because they are a bit larger. However, if someone actually needs that HC room they may end up in a room actually smaller than a room they would have chosen when they booked a room not for HC. Problem actually is that if last moment a HC cabin is needed.....and there are only insides left.......you're in an inside with a refund from NCL.

 

Harriet

Edited September 2, 2014 by hpecorari

[hagelbagel]

The long story, in Sept 2011 we decided to go on a cruise, last minute, 3 days before sailing called, got GTY suite, pretty cheap price too, room was HUGE, loved it and so now we try to get it every time and so far, we've had it 3 times with no problem, and will have it again next May 15. And it's handicapped. But haven't been kicked out yet!!

[NorthernLite]

The long story, in Sept 2011 we decided to go on a cruise, last minute, 3 days before sailing called, got GTY suite, pretty cheap price too, room was HUGE, loved it and so now we try to get it every time and so far, we've had it 3 times with no problem, and will have it again next May 15. And it's handicapped. But haven't been kicked out yet!!

 

They let you book this before final payment without a special needs form? These rooms have cabin and bathroom doors at least 32" wide so a wheelchair user can get in side. If you get it as a GTY then more power to you! :)

[Casino Comp Chick]

I read the entire 13 page thread about wheelchair room 16029 and I don't want to restart that debate from 4 years ago. Here's my situation. I'm looking for a haven suite for 3 and 16029 is the only haven suite of category H5 that can hold 3 due to the different room configuration being wheelchair accessible. The next suite that can hold 3 is the 2 bedroom villa which is several thousand more and more than I'm willing to pay.

I don't want to take this room away from any disabled person but at the same time, if I book this room and a disabled person wants it at some point, I don't want to give up my reservation that I may have already paid in full or at least have a deposit on without being moved to the same or higher category room. I'm curious to know how long a disabled person is allowed to bump a non disabled person out of a room. The day before the cruise? Final payment?

Apparently the NCL live chat people aren't working today and I don't even want to think about waiting for someone on the phone so I'll see what happens tomorrow.

iimmie- I'd like to know where NCL moved the other guests to that had previously booked the room you got. That would be interesting to know, but something we'll probably never be able to find out.

 

And thank you kj for the link to the pics. In the other thread I was able to find about 10 pics of that room and a diagram so I have a god understanding of what it looks like now.

 

They were moved up, they gave them my original room which was a BA category, I was downgraded as the HC room was a BD category.

[dwnsktraveler]

The problem is - once the handicapped cabins are booked - I can't book a cruise. I call my NCL "cruise expert" and ask about a specific itinerary, and he comes back to me with "All handicapped cabins on that cruise are booked"

End of story - their system, while designed to aid those with disabilities, doesn't work "in practice"

While I'm sure none of you (The OP in particular because of what has been said) intentionally chose a handicapped cabin if you didn't need one. It has and does happen. Especially when someone who doesn't like a small cabin finds out that the handicapped cabins are "up to twice the size of a regular cabin" at the same price. so someone that just loves lots of space calls and asks for that particular cabin. No I am unable to cruise because my wife's mobility device won't fit in a standard cabin (or through the door, or over the lip, etc.)

The cruise line's dilemma is that they won't risk the possibility of an unsold cabin, so they sell them to whoever asks. And not always at the last minute. Unfortunately it's a problem with no realistic solution. I can't just reserve any category and then show up and demand to be moved - I can't show up on the dock and get into a "my handicap is worse than yours" fight with another traveler - all I can do is call my NCL adviser and ask if something (sometimes ANYTHING) is available, and being told "no" just stay home and not cruise.

Honestly we would give ANYTHING to not NEED the extra space/wider doorway/shower instead of tub/etc. Her handicap also prevents her from many tender ports - almost ALL of the interesting shore excursions (at least those run by the cruise lines - we have had a couple excellent private Mayan ruin tours that accommodated her scooter when the cruise-line told us "no wheelchairs" but she misses much more than she would like.

 

Sorry for the "rant" when my original thought was to answer the OP's question (and any one else that was wondering) which is the "basic" difference between a handicapped cabin and a regular one is - wider doorway (possibly automatic door so someone else doesn't have to open the door for you) an easier entry to the lavatory (read no "lip") and more room - because you need to be able to turn a wheelchair/scooter around in the open space between the bed and door - counter heights arranged to fit a wheelchair - sometimes it means a roll in shower, but sometimes it means a special seat in the tub to allow easier access - and the typical support bars strategically placed to assist in "normal functions"

From our own experience, those are the things I remember, or that stood out.

 

Hope that helps

D

[judipa]

Harriet, I don't believe they will. You say they have in the past. Was that you or someone you know? Or just hearsay. All you are doing is worrying the OP

 

 

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I have been asked to move in the past. I had booked an accessible suite on purpose for the sit down shower but someone needed it more than i did and i was asked if i would give it up. The accessible desk in Miami worked very hard to find a substitute cabin for us that we could have for our B2B cruise - so yes they do.

[rvsullivan]

I have been asked to move in the past. I had booked an accessible suite on purpose for the sit down shower but someone needed it more than i did and i was asked if i would give it up. The accessible desk in Miami worked very hard to find a substitute cabin for us that we could have for our B2B cruise - so yes they do.

 

I'm trying to sort this out. You say you needed a handicap cabin because of the sit down shower. This means you were "entitled" to a handicap cabin. Now NCL calls you and says someone has a "bigger" handicap than you and will you move?? This seems rather strange. No company, including NCL, can ask you to explain/justify your handicap. If you volunteered, then a different situation.

My question is this, what does NCL routinely ask for from someone booking a handicap cabin? Has anyone ever had to send them some sort of proof of handicap before booking? According to some, NCL has contacted individuals in the past to ask if they would be willing to move, I wonder how they determined who to contact and how they knew you were not handicapped?

We were in a handicap cabin on our very first NCL cruise. We did not ask for it, did not know it was a handicap cabin until we boarded and were never asked before, during or after our cruise if we were handicapped. How would they know?