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Access Office and ASL Intrepters

RyanR1982

By RyanR1982,
in Princess Cruises

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RyanR1982

RyanR1982

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Patti

Thanks for the info..... We want to make sure we both get to have a great holiday..... I felt by the email I got from Princess was a bit harsh and saying that they would only book one if there was other deaf people.... I can copy it if you like to see and help me understand it....

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chengkp75

chengkp75

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While it is nice to see that Princess has provided this service in the past, please note that under the Supreme Court ruling of Specter v. NCL, this is part of the ADA that foreign flag cruise ships do not have to comply with, as this is an "internal operation or policy" of the ship. The Supreme Court required Congress to pass an amendment to the ADA specifically requiring foreign flag ships to meet all aspects of the ADA before they would consider that the ships had to meet them. Congress has yet to act.

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sassyredhat

sassyredhat

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Patti

Thanks for the info..... We want to make sure we both get to have a great holiday..... I felt by the email I got from Princess was a bit harsh and saying that they would only book one if there was other deaf people.... I can copy it if you like to see and help me understand it....

 

Welcome. Our cruise was in 2012, so I don't know if things have changed. There may have been other deaf onboard that I was unaware of.

 

I know that in 2014, NCL had ASL interpreters for our group of 4 who were deaf, and 2 other young people that we didn't know.

 

I can understand PCL wanting a larger group. Interpreters are expensive.

 

Patti

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moki'smommy

moki'smommy

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It may not help, but I can tell you what another cruise line does. They have certain cruises listed as a team of interpreters will be present. On all other dates, they will attempt to put a team of interpreters on board if available, but can make no guarantees in advance. They work with one outside company to supply the interpreters and will only use those who have experience with the line. The interpreters will do as much or as little with the deaf cruisers as the cruisers wish--be seated with them at dinner, attend all show, excursions, etc. Or allow the cruisers as much space as they wish.

 

That's why they work as a team. Even with a single individual needing an interpreter, the hours are more than a single interpreter can work.

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sassyredhat

sassyredhat

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Thanks for easing my mind patti

 

Just want this trip to be the best for us both...

 

You're welcome. :)

 

Even of they don't have interpreters, if the ship knows there are HI on board, it will be listed, especially for the room steward.

 

Also, they will provide TDD's and special alarm clocks and doorbell flashers.

 

Patti

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  • 4 months later...
jpcello

jpcello

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Never heard of a cruise line charging for interpreters. Unless you're already booked with Princess, check with Royal Caribbean. I've had friends who have cruised on Royal with interpreters and friends who have worked as interpreters on Royal.

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sassyredhat

sassyredhat

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Just got told to have Intrepters there is an added cost.... Is that true?

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

We have never had to pay for interpreters on Princess or Norwegian. Haven't tried on other lines.

 

Our deaf son and DIL usually use a deaf travel agency to book cruises. Those agencies provide the interpreters at no cost.

 

Patti

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Loonbeam

Loonbeam

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Per a contact at Princess, who needs to remain anon or basically be canned.

 

"It depends. If there are a significant number of hearing impaired individuals who register as such, they will usually assign interpreters. However, there are less interpreters under contract with Princess than there are ships, plus the logistics of getting teams in place, etc. Sailings with more hearing impaired individuals in more active areas (like Alaska now) are more likely to have them, but there will be no guarantees. There may also be ASL fluent staff who will not serve as full interpreters but will be able to assist in areas like guest services if needed."

 

As far as a charge...

 

"I've never seen it, but I have heard that if there are no contracted teams available and someone really insists, they can offer to try to locate additional interpreters and the passenger may be asked to cover a small part of the cost, especially if they are the only ones on board"

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moki'smommy

moki'smommy

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As far as a charge...

 

"I've never seen it, but I have heard that if there are no contracted teams available and someone really insists, they can offer to try to locate additional interpreters and the passenger may be asked to cover a small part of the cost, especially if they are the only ones on board"

 

Repeating a rumor does not make it accurate. Unless you are able to cite a reliable source, there is no reason to consider this as Princess policy.

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Loonbeam

Loonbeam

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Which is why I said that. I trust the source, having worked with them over 2 years, BUT take it as reliably as you want.

 

No Princess corp employee is going to allow themselves to be quoted on here except in an official release.

 

Repeating a rumor does not make it accurate. Unless you are able to cite a reliable source' date=' there is no reason to consider this as Princess policy.[/quote']
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moki'smommy

moki'smommy

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Which is why I said that. I trust the source, having worked with them over 2 years, BUT take it as reliably as you want.

 

No Princess corp employee is going to allow themselves to be quoted on here except in an official release.

 

I was thinking in terms of a written source....but the "I've never seen it but I've heard" makes it rather questionable. A multi-billion dollar company is more likely to absorb the cost of non-mandatory compliance with ADA requirements rather than to open itself to the bad press it would get from requiring a passenger to make some sort of co-pay to receive those services.

 

I KNOW that Princess paid more for our transfers on our most recent cruise than we paid--we paid the standard cost for transfers. A princess employee decided that a member of our party could not be safely transported on their standard vehicles, so provided a private, accessible vehicle for us. That's certainly less than the cost of an interpreter...but I suppose they could have informed us that they don't have HA accessible vehicles, refunded our money, and told us to make our own arrangements. That probably would have been illegal though since we were departing from a US port. But, from Princess's standpoint, it now gets me saying that they took good care of us as opposed to that they didn't comply with the ADA requirements or couldn't handle our needs. And they have 2 future bookings from us....with likely more to come.

Edited by moki'smommy
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  • 4 weeks later...
moki'smommy

moki'smommy

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I'm learning that the access office can be a bit odd. My daughter is mobility impaired. Since we booked Princess transfers and have some needs in the room, I did the access form (as required). I got back the e-mail that they had received the form, but notifying me that "The ADA does not apply in Japan" (DUH) and "accessible transportation will be rare if available at all."

 

Ummm....maybe they'd better figure that out in advance. The people at Houston had no problem coming up with a solution that worked.

 

Bottom line--she will make the transportation work regardless of what Princess supplies, but some things are a lot more reasonable than others.

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