Can I request a wheel chair accessible ocean view balcony?

[Toddcan]

I think it's rude and against common courtesy, even if it's allowed, to ask for a h/c room if you aren't h/c. People like us need it.

 

Absolutely! If you need the cabin, it's yours for the renting.

 

However, what the OP has said - and in further posts in this thread - they only want the cabin IF there are no request for it from the disabled cruisers. Otherwise - it would sail empty, right?

 

I see nothing wrong with asking close to the sail away date - and understand that if someone with a disability books a cruise 3 days before sail away - they will be bumped out of the cabin.

[ryano]

I dont think some people that are commenting are reading her whole post!

 

The cruise she is going on is PAST final payment date which opens this cabin up to ANYONE! Its better to put a able bodied passenger in it than let it sail empty and RCI will do just that!

 

"People like us" know we have to book these cabins months in advance so thats what we do :)

 

There must have been a cancellation and the cabin opened up. NOTHING wrong with the able bodied booking this cabin

[cello56]

But shouldn't the passenger who needs a HC cabin have the chance to wait and get a great last minute deal just like everyone else? If the OP grabs up this HC cabin right after final payment, that takes a last minute cruise off the table for anyone who needed a HC in order to cruise. It's not like this is the only cabin left, and OP either takes it or he can't go on that sailing. This is a deliberate attempt to take a larger cabin for a cheaper rate. I think that these cabins should be reserved for those who need them until a week or two before sailing OR when the last cabin in that category sells out. As in the last non suite balcony or last oceanview or last inside.

[foxgoodrich]

I think you misunderstand. It's not about "waiting in line" or those that appear able bodied etc....No one is checking ID's. The issue was that an "able bodied" person asked on the post, if they can request a bigger handicap room, simply because they wanted it. Other post after it, said and implied things like ramps, and stalls, are also fair game. When a "choice" is available, such as no line, or no chance of interfering with a handicap person's help aids such as a ramp or stall or table, than you should not use it. Okay, so if you have the choice of a dirty stall or a clean one, should you choose to use the dirty one just in case a severely claustrophobic germophobe with a legitimate mental health diagnosis right out of the DSM-5 comes into the bathroom?

 

When the cruise line releases the cabin to a "able bodied" person to fill the ship, than it is ok, because the "ship" did it. However, when an "able bodied" person, request a handicap room and does not need it, than it's not right. I believe that the cruise line knows exactly what its supply and demand situation is in terms of accessible cabins. They won't assign a HC accessible cabin to a non-disabled person if supply does not exceed demand. The cruise line makes it clear that the cabin can be changed if a last minute need arises anyway. In the OP's case, it's well past final payment. The OP is in the period in which the cruise line will assign the cabin to somebody anyway. What's the difference if she requests it or they assign it? Since supply exceeds demand on this cruise, it's not needed for a person with a disability, and the cruise line has the right to sell the cabin. Why does OP not have the right to ask for it? She has been honest in making her request and is not attempting to falsify a disability.

 

This is not a discussion about whether someone "looks" ok, or whether they need extra space for taking care of a kid (note, I used stalls often for kids, w/o the need for a handicap stall to accomplish it). You made comments about people who should not use HC stalls. I won't judge people who choose the HC stall because I know there may be a reason. (And I think it's strange that you refused to use the HC stall with young children even though the fold down diapering table is often in there. That's a safety issue to me.)

 

However, if you are in line for a bathroom, and you see someone in distress, wouldn't you let them go before you? I would. If a disabled person was behind you, would you tell them to go use the opened up stall, while you wait for the next one? Individuals with disabilities have fought long and hard for equality and equal access. They have not asked to be patronized, treated preferentially, or taken care of by others. Who is in distress? Do you assume all people with disabilities are 'in distress?' Please don't assume individuals with disabilities need your help to take care of their own needs. The answer to your question is NO, I would not TELL the person anything. If there is a line, I would trust that the individual with the disability was capable of self advocacy and not insult, patronize, or try to take care of that person. How could I possibly know the urgency of that person's need to use the bathroom and how it compared to my own urgency or that of others in line? I would ASK the person if they needed to go ahead of me, and if that person ASKED to go ahead of me, or asked me for some kind of assistance, then I would deal with those requests courteously.

 

Sometimes, they need to "wait" in line for one available stall, while everyone else is waiting for "four" available stalls. It's not always what it seems. You would have a much better chance to take care of your needs faster than they would. Huh? The wait would actually be for 1 person to clear the HC stall once they got to the front of the line. And the line will move faster if all stalls are used. Actually it's exactly what it seems - a line is a line.

 

Bottom line - IF you don't need it, don't ask for it, don't use it, don't block it, leave it open, give it up, if you see someone needs it, and remember, those that need did not ask for their situation!

 

Oh my! We definitely have different perspectives that won't be settled here.

 

Frankly, I do not get the problem here. The OP has been honest. She is asking Royal if she can have the HC cabin because she likes the size of it. She is not attempting to convince them that she should get this cabin because she has a disability, nor is she offering up any kind of dummied up proof of disability. She even feels kind of bad about asking for it, since she has no real reason to need it other than personal preference, and she's concerned that a person with a disability might need it. (Obviously she has a conscience and she's feeling bad or she wouldn't have posted her dilemma here.) So apparently she has ethics and morals as well! I respect her! I value people like the OP! She is a person I would enjoy knowing.

 

From the RC side, if they assign the cabin to her, it will be with the caveat that she can be moved if they have the opportunity to sell it to a person with a disability who needs the accessible cabin. So the reality is, she may or may not end up with it. And the bottom line is, they have the right to sell the cabin to able bodied persons if there are no customers with disabilities who need it. There's really no harm and no foul here. The only person who might lose in the end is the OP - she might be reassigned to a smaller cabin in a less-preferred location if RC needs the accessible cabin between now and the cruise.

 

So my position is this: I acknowledge Royal Caribbean's right to sell all their cabins and maximize income. I respect the OP's honesty, and because I totally value that trait in people, I sincerely hope she gets what she wants on this cruise. She's not out to screw over people with disabilities, she's a person with enough ethics to tell the truth. For that, I think we should applaud.

Judy

Edited July 3, 2014 by foxgoodrich

[grab007]

My wife cannot walk and is in a WC. We have been cruising since the 80s and have seen great progress made in cruise lines accomodating disabled passengers. With such a great demand for these facilities, we have to book well over a year in advance. We don't have the luxury of waiting for the 'great deals' that are available as you get closer the cruise date.

 

What we would like to see is a HC stand by list for disabled passengers. Make it available to CA members or just past disabled cruisers who can go on short notice. If any HC rooms are available 30 days prior, RCI could start calling or email to see if any of them would like a cheap cruise on short notice. If no one takes it , fine. Then offer it out as an upgrade. But It would be a neat way to offer disabled passengers a 'great deal' that they wouldn't ordinarily be able to get.

[suebart112]

She is not attempting to convince them that she should get this cabin because she has a disability, nor is she offering up any kind of dummied up proof of disability.

 

 

That is true however she did ask if she would be upgraded if they had to give her cabin away. I dont understand her logic in this. She doesnt "deserve" the HC cabin.

[setsail]

"Accessible staterooms are held for people with disabilities until all other non-accessible staterooms in that category are reserved. Upon reserving an accessible stateroom, we require our guests acknowledge the need for the accessible stateroom by completing a Guest Special Needs Form.

 

If a guest is booked in an accessible stateroom and they do not have a mobility disability or other disability that requires the use of the features that are provided in the accessible stateroom, they may be moved at any time to another non-accessible stateroom in order to accommodate a guest with a disability.

"

[kevinsgirl88]

If your not in a wheelchair or using a walker then you don't need a h/c room

 

Sent from my MB886 using Forums mobile app

[foxgoodrich]

That is true however she did ask if she would be upgraded if they had to give her cabin away. I dont understand her logic in this. She doesnt "deserve" the HC cabin.

 

Upgrades have happened before and have been reported here on CC. People have been moved in the past if the cruise line needs that particular cabin (HC accessible, quad cabin with less than 4 in it, triple with 2 in it, etc.) Several have reported being upgraded after the involuntary move. It just depends on what's available on the ship at the time of the move - it might be a lateral move or it might be an upgrade.

Judy

[gerif]

If your not in a wheelchair or using a walker then you don't need a h/c room

 

Sent from my MB886 using Forums mobile app

 

How about a cane? If you walk with a cane, doesn't that count as much as a walker? Seriously, there may be any number of reasons why a person would need a h/c room and it's not for you to judge.

 

Regarding public restrooms, I agree that if a h/c person needs to use one, they should be the next one in line for the h/c stall, but it shouldn't sit idly otherwise. The women's restrooms in my office building have three regular and one h/c stall. I've been in that building for over 35 years and have only ONCE seen a h/c person use that stall. Does that mean that that stall should go unused all that time?