Booking accessible room?

[skrapngal]

Are there specific rules to follow?

 

We are 50+ women who don't need the accessible rooms, but they are attractive to us as they are larger for the same price.

 

However, I certainly wouldn't want to deprive someone who needed an accessible room.

 

How does this work?

 

EDIT: Message heard... I was under the false impression that Princess would move you to a standard cabin if/when accessible rooms were needed. Those rooms are no longer on my preferred cabin list :D

Edited January 2, 2016 by skrapngal

[Coral]

They are reserved for those who need it.

 

If you lie and take a room, someone who needs it may not be able to cruise as a room may not be accessible to them. Think of those who need the room and it is sometimes difficult for them to find a cabin and may have to change dates to even get a cabin that will accommodate them.

 

If you want a larger room, book a mini suite or a suite.

Edited January 2, 2016 by Coral

[Casey12]

It is very uncool for those who don't need the cabin to book one. Be thankful every day that you are not in a wheelchair!

Edited January 2, 2016 by Casey12

[skrapngal]

Message heard everyone.

 

I was under the impression that they would move you to a standard room if/when someone needed the room. Since this is apparently not the case, those rooms are no longer on my preferred cabin list.

[CaribbeanIsland]

Accessible rooms are for those who need them. It is inconsiderate to book a cabin of this type when you do not need them.

 

Yes there are rules to follow and they are setup for a reason because people who don't need these cabins were being dishonest and booking them. I have a relative who needs a cabin and he often can't sail with us as there are no cabins available. Or he has to buy a much more expensive cabin as there are only a few insides and they are often all booked up.

 

Just book a larger cabin. I often wonder if people who try to book these cabins who don't need them do other dishonest actions.

[notentirelynormal]

Well, since the OP has already stated she WILL NOT do it I think everyone needs to remember that when responding to her specifically. It was a misunderstanding. She did, however, bring up a reason why people might. She stated that she thought if someone called and said they need the HC room they would simply ask the non HCed person to move.

 

In reality when you book these rooms, at least on Princess, they not only read you a disclaimer that you are handicapped they actually gently ask you questions about why you would need them. For example, do you have a scooter and how often do you use it. They are not intrusive in any way when they ask these questions. If you book on line you also agree that you really are handicapped. Remarkably, on my cruise in April there are several HC cabins still left.

Edited January 2, 2016 by notentirelynormal

[CaribbeanIsland]

Remarkably, on my cruise in April there are several HC cabins still left.

 

Those who cruise in wheel chairs should also be able to book cruises a few months out. Not everyone can book 12 months out.

[Ron the Rev]

DW is wheelchair bound and we have a terrible time booking an HC cabin. We usually have to book 18 months prior to sailing.

[moki'smommy]

As the mother of a 24 year old who can not cruise without the use of the HA stateroom, I do appreciate that OP says she will not book one as she doesn't need it.

 

Under the Princess system, if someone is booked in the cabin it will show up as sold. There is no way to indicate that the person booked there is in it by choice and can be moved.

 

We have had situations of being unable to cruise because there was no HA cabin available. Obviously that can't be helped if others who need the alterations booked first. We've also been in a situation (on Disney) where we were waitlisted for an HA cabin for over a year. We canceled our reservation 3 days before the penalty period started as the wait list never came thru. The day after the penalty started, 4 HA cabins suddenly appeared on line....meaning that some people were holding these cabins till the last day. Disney wouldn't match our original price and I wouldn't pay the current price so I didn't rebook. THAT was irritating.

 

It is possible that Princess would put someone in an HA cabin who didn't need it, but that would be someone who booked GTY and the assignment would be made at the last minute.

Edited January 2, 2016 by moki'smommy

[Mapu]

It is possible that Princess would put someone in an HA cabin who didn't need it' date=' but that would be someone who booked GTY and the assignment would be made at the last minute.[/quote']

 

Princess will also make HA cabins available close to the sailing date if they have not been booked.

[kruisey]

From the first day that cruise goes on sale.Otherwise you will be out of luck.

I think I read somewhere that if a person books one of those cabins and does not have a handicap they can get banned from that cruise line for life?.

There are more and more of us now days needing that type of cabin with the population aging.To book that cabin when there are no physical needs is a truly very selfish move indeed.

Edited January 2, 2016 by kruisey

[moki'smommy]

From the first day that cruise goes on sale.Otherwise you will be out of luck.

I think I read somewhere that if a person books one of those cabins and does not have a handicap they can get banned from that cruise line for life?.

There are more and more of us now days needing that type of cabin with the population aging.To book that cabin when there are no physical needs is a truly very selfish move indeed.

 

Princess's written policy says that if someone who doesn't need one books one, they will be removed from it. There is no mention of banned for life.

 

Because my daughter's handicap is not obvious (and she does everything possible to hide it), I did research the policy. I also carry documentation so that if questioned, I can prove her needs.

[Colo Cruiser]

From the first day that cruise goes on sale.Otherwise you will be out of luck.

I think I read somewhere that if a person books one of those cabins and does not have a handicap they can get banned from that cruise line for life?.

There are more and more of us now days needing that type of cabin with the population aging.To book that cabin when there are no physical needs is a truly very selfish move indeed.

 

 

Not true.

[notentirelynormal]

Those who cruise in wheel chairs should also be able to book cruises a few months out. Not everyone can book 12 months out.

 

I guess that is my point about having several HC cabins available at only 3 months out.

[PurpleHays]

We are in accessible mini for our next cruise. DH and I don't need it, but FIL is 88 and has some mobility issues. The biggest reason we requested an accessible mini was because the regular ones have bath tubs. FIL cannot get into one and needs a walk-in shower.

 

FIL also resists help with his mobility. Walks everywhere, even if he could benefit from a chair. Stubborn old man. Can't go far at a stretch, but is going to do it under his own power.

[cr8tiv1]

We are in accessible mini for our next cruise. DH and I don't need it, but FIL is 88 and has some mobility issues. The biggest reason we requested an accessible mini was because the regular ones have bath tubs. FIL cannot get into one and needs a walk-in shower.

 

FIL also resists help with his mobility. Walks everywhere, even if he could benefit from a chair. Stubborn old man. Can't go far at a stretch, but is going to do it under his own power.

 

Go FIL !!!! I'm so glad that his mobility issues aren't keeping all of you land bound. He's not stubborn, just independent and determined. Hope he has many more years of cruising ahead of him.

[TracieABD]

We are in accessible mini for our next cruise. DH and I don't need it, but FIL is 88 and has some mobility issues. The biggest reason we requested an accessible mini was because the regular ones have bath tubs. FIL cannot get into one and needs a walk-in shower.

 

FIL also resists help with his mobility. Walks everywhere, even if he could benefit from a chair. Stubborn old man. Can't go far at a stretch, but is going to do it under his own power.

 

And he is exactly the person who needs an accessable room...

 

My mom was getting to the point that we had to have suites or a balcony room. Mini suites were coming off the table because of the deep bathtub.

[riclop]

Are there specific rules to follow?

 

We are 50+ women who don't need the accessible rooms, but they are attractive to us as they are larger for the same price.

 

However, I certainly wouldn't want to deprive someone who needed an accessible room.

 

How does this work?

 

EDIT: Message heard... I was under the false impression that Princess would move you to a standard cabin if/when accessible rooms were needed. Those rooms are no longer on my preferred cabin list :D

 

You have to call them and you may not get i because you don't need one.

[DonnasMom&Dad]

Not true.

 

Which part???? :confused:

 

Cato :)

[GUT2407]

I guess the part they highlighted in red, about being banned for life!!!!!

[Colo Cruiser]

Which part???? :confused:

 

Cato :)

 

 

The part in red!!!!

[us2]

I need a handicap room to accommodate my mobility scooter. Therefore, we usually make reservations months or sometimes a year in advance. I read some comments on CC about too many people who did not need them reserving them anyway. When I tried to make my reservations recently, all accessible cabins on the Princess site said that they were sold. I asked my travel agent to check and sure enough several were available.

 

A few weeks ago, my TA got paperwork from Princess requesting information on my need. For example, what are the dimensions of my scooter, what kind of battery does it use. Also, do I need the scooter all of the time. I thought that the questions were fair and important. I don't know if all passengers in accessible cabins had to fill out the same paperwork, but to be fair to the passengers, I hope so,.

[geoherb]

We were assigned an accessible cabin on the CB's Baja Deck last year about four days before the start of our back-to-back short cruises. The extra space in the bathroom was especially nice, but I preferred the Caribe Deck balcony cabin we had on the second cruise.

[moki'smommy]

We were assigned an accessible cabin on the CB's Baja Deck last year about four days before the start of our back-to-back short cruises. The extra space in the bathroom was especially nice, but I preferred the Caribe Deck balcony cabin we had on the second cruise.

 

But as you noted, this was a last minute assignment when no one who needed the room had booked it. That's great for you and for Princess. In fact, many years ago we got "upgraded" to an HA cabin...in the old days before we needed one. Little did I know.......

 

The problem occurs when someone who doesn't need such a room requests it and then other people who do need it can't cruise.

[GUT2407]

I need a handicap room to accommodate my mobility scooter. Therefore, we usually make reservations months or sometimes a year in advance. I read some comments on CC about too many people who did not need them reserving them anyway. When I tried to make my reservations recently, all accessible cabins on the Princess site said that they were sold. I asked my travel agent to check and sure enough several were available.

 

A few weeks ago, my TA got paperwork from Princess requesting information on my need. For example, what are the dimensions of my scooter, what kind of battery does it use. Also, do I need the scooter all of the time. I thought that the questions were fair and important. I don't know if all passengers in accessible cabins had to fill out the same paperwork, but to be fair to the passengers, I hope so,.

 

 

Gee I hope that becomes the Norm but given the restrictions placed by the American ADA act, not sure it will.