Any Hearing Impaired or Deaf Cruisers out there??

[CruisnMom007]

Trying to connect with other cruisers who are hearing impaired or deaf who cruise often.. your experiences onboard the ships.

 

My background:

I have been cruising for many years now and about 10 yrs ago while on a cruise, I was attacked by a virus that got into in the inner ear and has led to my hearing loss. Diagnosed with an inner ear autoimmune issue. Over the 10 yrs it has slowly declined, I am totally deaf in one ear since birth so I was always able to function just fine in life with one, and quite well! I am now 53 yrs young. I began using a hearing aide at 43 in the one ear and would upgrade to the better technology as it came along.

I LOVE LOVE to cruise. I have cruised and did just fine until recently. Since March of this year, my hearing was attacked once again, this time taking out more frequencies to where speech can be muffled even with the HA. I am fighting everything within me to not let this stop me from doing what I love, CRUISING!

I am about to board Legend for Alaska in a couple weeks, have had this planned for over a year now.

I am curious to hear from others who live with this and continue to cruise, what works and what doesn't.

I have always ordered the special equipment from special needs dept. for my stateroom if ever I am alone while hubby runs out to get something and alarm is going off or the door knocks.

 

The ship is full of background noise which makes it difficult for Hearing Impaired Cruisers.

It has been very difficult to understand conversations or hear what the waiter is asking me. This is now going to more difficult. It can be so isolating and I feel so bad always having my husband or a friend interpret everything for me. The staff look at me and don't see a near deaf person so when I ask for a repeat, it's amazing the looks one gets! Music as of recently does not sound the same, which is a new devastation to me (I love music and sing). So, the piano bar should be quite interesting this trip if I can even handle it. Oh I love the sounds of the casino, doubt I will be able to enjoy the musicals this time either :( but I am sure going to try! I am refusing to let this stop me from doing what I love and being with the people I love!

 

I recently downloaded an APP in my iPhone called "Live Captions". Hoping it will help when someone on the ship is trying to talk to me, it displays what the person is saying. Works great here at home we will see in loud settings!

 

What has helped you the best ANY suggestions..tips.. ?

[SadieN]

There are a few recent threads on the Disabled Cruise Travel board.

 

Seen 'deaf' and 'hard of hearing'. Some of the sign language threads also have lots of info.

[JaneyLynn]

I'm hearing impaired and have been for over 25 years. 70% loss in left and 45% in the right. I've only had my hearing aids for a little over a year (my ENT said they wouldn't help, I have Meniere's.. and he lied) and have cruised for over 20 years. I have two things I always do, even with the hearing aids. I always request a table for two (or however many are cruising with me). It makes for a stress free dinner. And I always let my waiter/waitress know I am hearing impaired from the "get go".

 

The Dive In movies are awful for me. I always ask for subtitles but they usually say the other guests don't like them. If the audio is good I'll stay but it's just too hard for me to try and understand what the actors are saying.

 

The Customer Service desk can be a nightmare if you get someone that speaks low. I normally have to tell them I'm impaired and that helps... sometimes. I won't go there by myself I need my BF's ears with me :cool:

 

I deal with the issues 24/7 so I just learn to accept these things as part of my day. My mindset is that I'm on vacation and it is what it is.

 

I wasn't aware of the alarm for the door.. I will have to look into that.

[Professor69]

I developed hearing loss in my mid-30's, I'm 63 now and retired. My wife and I have been cruising for over 25 years. My hearing loss is so bad that I am pretty much deaf in both ears now. I had a cochlear implant(CI) about a year ago and today I got a special hearing aid for the other ear to help make the sound bilateral. I don't mind asking for one of the crew to repeat something. I tell the room steward that I am pretty much deaf and they bend over backwards to make sure that I understand. I love cruising, so I don't let my disability get the best of me. Music is a real problem with the cochlear implant because it does not sound the same. Water sports is a problem since my CI or hearing aid can not get wet. I usually take the CI and hearing aid off and leave them in the Stateroom. My wife and I usually get a table for 2 in the Main Dining Room since I can't understand the dinner conversation. I go and have a great time! Enjoy Alaska, it is a wonderful cruise!

[gwsster]

Congratulations on getting a Cochlear Implant. Grandson age 10 got his CI 9 months ago and we are blessed that he can hear. His Advanced Bionics has a processor that can get wet and he wears it to swim. It was the first time this kid heard water, that was the sound he wanted to hear the most. He took it on his first cruise in February and had a great time. Snorkeled too with the CI, just needed a swim cap as he lost the processor in the pool on his first swim trip. Boys will be boys.

 

 

I developed hearing loss in my mid-30's, I'm 63 now and retired. My wife and I have been cruising for over 25 years. My hearing loss is so bad that I am pretty much deaf in both ears now. I had a cochlear implant(CI) about a year ago and today I got a special hearing aid for the other ear to help make the sound bilateral. I don't mind asking for one of the crew to repeat something. I tell the room steward that I am pretty much deaf and they bend over backwards to make sure that I understand. I love cruising, so I don't let my disability get the best of me. Music is a real problem with the cochlear implant because it does not sound the same. Water sports is a problem since my CI or hearing aid can not get wet. I usually take the CI and hearing aid off and leave them in the Stateroom. My wife and I usually get a table for 2 in the Main Dining Room since I can't understand the dinner conversation. I go and have a great time! Enjoy Alaska, it is a wonderful cruise!

[CruizCuz]

I travel with my mother quite often, and she is hearing impaired. She wears 2 hearing aid devices, and still can't hear normal voices. Crowds are a nightmare for her as is background noise. We email the maitre'd and request a table for however many are with our group, so she doesn't have to speak with strangers. That's uncomfortable for her, as multiple conversations at the dinner table are hard to understand. We also request a table on the outskirts of the dining room, so there's minimal background noise. Try sitting at the piano bar at one of the tables against the wall. The wall muffles any other sounds and talking, and maybe you can hear the music better that way. That's what we do with mom.

[CruisnMom007]

I developed hearing loss in my mid-30's, I'm 63 now and retired. My wife and I have been cruising for over 25 years. My hearing loss is so bad that I am pretty much deaf in both ears now. I had a cochlear implant(CI) about a year ago and today I got a special hearing aid for the other ear to help make the sound bilateral. I don't mind asking for one of the crew to repeat something. I tell the room steward that I am pretty much deaf and they bend over backwards to make sure that I understand. I love cruising, so I don't let my disability get the best of me. Music is a real problem with the cochlear implant because it does not sound the same. Water sports is a problem since my CI or hearing aid can not get wet. I usually take the CI and hearing aid off and leave them in the Stateroom. My wife and I usually get a table for 2 in the Main Dining Room since I can't understand the dinner conversation. I go and have a great time! Enjoy Alaska, it is a wonderful cruise!

 

Bob thank you for our response! I guess this next half of my life, cruising will be about finding other things to enjoy. I am certainly not giving in to it! I too will eventually have the CI, I have been studying them and training my brain to remember sounds, notes etc.. in hopes to make the best of it when it happen. I will definitely let the room stewards know upfront!

Thank you for your encouragement!

[CruisnMom007]

Oh Janey the door alarm and the emergency alarm is great. Its a flashing light in the event there is an emergency cause I won't hear that announcement at night with my HA out.

I have not yet tried those drive in pool movies yet but like going to a movie theater lately has been a challenge. The hardest for me is the accents!! It was hard before this cruise is going to be even tougher with this recent loss. I am trying to learn ASL. My daughter is a special ed teacher for Autism but she learned ASL when she used to coach special olympics and she highly recommends it, so I am trying! I hear the ships have interpreters for shows if needed.

 

They first thought Meniers with me at the onset, then it was just Cochlear Hydrops. Now we know I have an autoimmune disease but in the process of identifying what one. I have MRI 's and more tests with a Rheumatologist at Cedar Sinai when I get back from the cruise. Hoping and praying for a miracle! I have only had 2 vertigo attacks in the past 2 years and they were brief. I feel for you, I have friends with Meniers.

 

Exactly, we are on vacation on a fun ship and we find our FUN! I have 38 friends & family on this cruise next week. I am anxiously excited.

 

Thank you Janey!

 

 

 

I'm hearing impaired and have been for over 25 years. 70% loss in left and 45% in the right. I've only had my hearing aids for a little over a year (my ENT said they wouldn't help, I have Meniere's.. and he lied) and have cruised for over 20 years. I have two things I always do, even with the hearing aids. I always request a table for two (or however many are cruising with me). It makes for a stress free dinner. And I always let my waiter/waitress know I am hearing impaired from the "get go".

 

The Dive In movies are awful for me. I always ask for subtitles but they usually say the other guests don't like them. If the audio is good I'll stay but it's just too hard for me to try and understand what the actors are saying.

 

The Customer Service desk can be a nightmare if you get someone that speaks low. I normally have to tell them I'm impaired and that helps... sometimes. I won't go there by myself I need my BF's ears with me :cool:

 

I deal with the issues 24/7 so I just learn to accept these things as part of my day. My mindset is that I'm on vacation and it is what it is.

 

I wasn't aware of the alarm for the door.. I will have to look into that.

[landonsnanny]

Am 61,have declining hearing. My husband often,has to repeat what someone has said to me...they often think I am ignoring them. This is hard...so glad to hear encouragement.

 

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[cfr70]

I started cruising back in 2001 when I was still just hearing impaired and took a cruise every year from '01 to '05 when total deafness took over.

I didn't cruise for years until 2014 when I agreed (with much hesitance) to do a short 4 day cruise with a long time hearing friend and enjoyed being back on a ship again so much that I couldn't wait to book more cruises.

I shared a cabin with the friend, so I didn't need the "hearing" room kit, but all Carnival staff I encountered was nothing but friendly, accommodating and made me feel welcomed everywhere I went on the ship.

I'm sure as a fellow hearing impaired/Deaf person, you know what i'm talking about when interacting with others that are initially unaware of your disability. It's usually a grab bag how they'll react to it. Many can be visibly uncomfortable in your presence, but I experienced absolutely none of that with Carnival which greatly helped to ease my fears and get me wanting to cruise again!

My friend can't come on my upcoming cruise so i'm going solo. Of course it makes me a bit nervous, but since becoming deaf, in a twisted and bizarre way it's made me more free in the sense that I no longer care what others think as much as I used to when I was hearing. I really can't explain it but it's lifted a lot of fears I used to have.

I've always been an introvert and an "observer" of life rather than a participant so i'm always happy to sit in the sidelines and watch the activity and world go by, so being solo on the ship won't bother me at all.

I'll be happy with a drink, a lounge chair and enjoy the ocean...I also love the casino, and watching the shows too....even though I can't hear the singing, I can still see the dancing! :)

For this cruise I did order the deaf room kit and will have a TTY to connect to Guest Services so I can order room service. Never used them before so will share the details on that when I return.

I don't have any tips to share, but want to thank you for providing one for me...I never heard of "Live Captions" and will check that out. Seems that would really come in handy for me!!

I have a NCL cruise also booked and read they provide personal pagers to Deaf passengers to read ship announcements as they air...I hope Carnival implements this as well at some point because it's a really neat feature that i'm looking forward to on that cruise.

Please come back after your cruise and share a trip report!! :)

[cfr70]

I'm hearing impaired and have been for over 25 years. 70% loss in left and 45% in the right. I've only had my hearing aids for a little over a year (my ENT said they wouldn't help, I have Meniere's.. and he lied) and have cruised for over 20 years. I have two things I always do, even with the hearing aids. I always request a table for two (or however many are cruising with me). It makes for a stress free dinner. And I always let my waiter/waitress know I am hearing impaired from the "get go".

 

The Dive In movies are awful for me. I always ask for subtitles but they usually say the other guests don't like them. If the audio is good I'll stay but it's just too hard for me to try and understand what the actors are saying.

 

The Customer Service desk can be a nightmare if you get someone that speaks low. I normally have to tell them I'm impaired and that helps... sometimes. I won't go there by myself I need my BF's ears with me :cool:

I deal with the issues 24/7 so I just learn to accept these things as part of my day. My mindset is that I'm on vacation and it is what it is.

 

I wasn't aware of the alarm for the door.. I will have to look into that.

 

I learned this the hard way through trial and error.....write write write!! It levels the playing field when you just communicate everything at Guest Services through writing.

I keep the written sentences short and to the point and ask the same from the other person and very rarely have issues. :)

[GranysT]

OP, do you use and read sign language?My oldest daughter has been deaf, since birth. Her husband is also deaf. They are grown adults, but I still call them the kids.

 

The kids went on a Royal Caribbean cruise with us.

They told RC they needed an interpreter for the cruise. RC provided them with 2 people. They took turns helping the kids.

They reserved a small area in the main lounge for us alone, and 1 of them interpreted the shows each night.

They asked if we needed them at dinner, but since we were at the same table, we said we could help them order. But, the interpreters sat at a table close by, just in case.

1 of the interpreters went on excursions, and helped the kids a lot.

They never intruded, but always showed up if we said we needed them.

The kids had a wonderful cruise, and it didn't cost us a dime.

 

I don't know if Carnival does anything like this, but it sure wouldn't hurt to ask.

That is, if you understand sign language.

[CruisnMom007]

I started cruising back in 2001 when I was still just hearing impaired and took a cruise every year from '01 to '05 when total deafness took over.

I didn't cruise for years until 2014 when I agreed (with much hesitance) to do a short 4 day cruise with a long time hearing friend and enjoyed being back on a ship again so much that I couldn't wait to book more cruises.

I shared a cabin with the friend, so I didn't need the "hearing" room kit, but all Carnival staff I encountered was nothing but friendly, accommodating and made me feel welcomed everywhere I went on the ship.

I'm sure as a fellow hearing impaired/Deaf person, you know what i'm talking about when interacting with others that are initially unaware of your disability. It's usually a grab bag how they'll react to it. Many can be visibly uncomfortable in your presence, but I experienced absolutely none of that with Carnival which greatly helped to ease my fears and get me wanting to cruise again!

My friend can't come on my upcoming cruise so i'm going solo. Of course it makes me a bit nervous, but since becoming deaf, in a twisted and bizarre way it's made me more free in the sense that I no longer care what others think as much as I used to when I was hearing. I really can't explain it but it's lifted a lot of fears I used to have.

I've always been an introvert and an "observer" of life rather than a participant so i'm always happy to sit in the sidelines and watch the activity and world go by, so being solo on the ship won't bother me at all.

I'll be happy with a drink, a lounge chair and enjoy the ocean...I also love the casino, and watching the shows too....even though I can't hear the singing, I can still see the dancing! :)

For this cruise I did order the deaf room kit and will have a TTY to connect to Guest Services so I can order room service. Never used them before so will share the details on that when I return.

I don't have any tips to share, but want to thank you for providing one for me...I never heard of "Live Captions" and will check that out. Seems that would really come in handy for me!!

I have a NCL cruise also booked and read they provide personal pagers to Deaf passengers to read ship announcements as they air...I hope Carnival implements this as well at some point because it's a really neat feature that i'm looking forward to on that cruise.

Please come back after your cruise and share a trip report!! :)

 

I think its wonderful that you are venturing out on your own this next cruise! I LOVE that NCL has that personal pager!! I should write to CCL special needs dept about implementing that! With the speech being so distorted at this point, it should would be extremely helpful! Your post has been encouraging! Like I had said, I have been cruising all these years since the HL started and did just fine, this recent drop has now changed things. I do love people watching, relaxing and you are right, we can see the shows! I am going to make the best of this one and I for sure will post a report! Makes me feel better knowing I am not alone. Our daughter and her husband now have a family, and Grandson just turn 1 last month.... I want to share cruising with him in the future!

[A&Jfamily]

I don't suffer from this but I can only imagine the challenge. So please take what I say as only intended to help. I have seen deaf or hearing impaired people wearing a small pin indicating their disability. I feel that letting people know up front is the best method. So as long as the person you are talking to reads English, you can just point to the pin.

 

Also, a smart phone would be an excellent tool. You can simply use a notes function to get your response back in writing to read.

 

Good luck!

 

 

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[Doggielover68]

Dive in movies have captions. The shows have interpreters available if you know ASL. Bringing a notepad with you will be helpful for communicating with crew members such as at guest services. A table for 2 at dinner will eliminate awkward conversation problems.

 

 

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[cfr70]

I forgot to add a tip for you...I cannot confirm it as i've never used it and haven't received feedback from anyone here confirming it actually being available on any ships. Even my PVP has never heard of it....but room service ordering through the Interactive TV is on listed on Carnival's website as being an available service, so please make note to check this out...and if it's there please come back and confirm!! My sailing isn't till December, and it's going to be the first thing I check for when entering my cabin. I'm dying to get a definitive answer on this mysterious TV room service ordering. Here's copied from Carnival's website, the Legend is mentioned below:

 

"Our Interactive TV system, on the following ships, allows guests to purchase ‘On Demand’ movies and order room service; in addition, guests can review the status of their Sail & Sign Account: Carnival Breeze, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Dream, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Glory, Carnival Legend, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Magic, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Pride, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Splendor, Carnival Triumph, Carnival Valor, Carnival Victory and Carnival Vista."

[sfs2001]

My husband has been hearing impaired since basically birth.....they are not sure if he was born with hearing loss or if it due to ear infections as a child. In any case he's 34 now and got a cochlear implant on the one side 5 years ago (where he had 0% hearing) and has about 40% hearing in his other ear and wears a hearing aid.

For the most part it doesn't really affect him Day to day....sometimes he doesn't catch things people are saying but I just help him...especially if they are not looking at him while talking. He reads lips but no sign language.

Just wanted to give some encouragement and tell you it's great that you will be going on another cruise. Sometimes it's more challenging for my hubby because he can't wear his aids when swimming so I have to be right there for him to feel comfortable in the water.....like if we are snorkeling, so he knows when they are talking to him...or if the excersion is done and we have to get out of the water.

However he's pretty amazing and he doesn't truly believe he has a disability....he just lives his life and does anything he wants to do! In fact unless people ask I forget he has hearing loss as well.....anyway have a great trip 😀

[crewsweeper]

I'm kinda in the Professor's boat...Deaf in both ears since early early 30s, but still working at 67. No coclears just two powerful hearing aids. DW helps out a lot at dinner and events. Back ground noise does interfere with conversations. And I usually avoid large snorkeling excursions. On cruises though, NOT hearing the Lido thumping or the children screaming can be a quiet blessing. If any of that noise ever bothered me, it'd be so loud it would be piercing everyone's eardrums.

 

Need to see if that app "Live Captions" has an Android version.sounds interesting and DW would welcome it.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[wizard-of-roz]

On the boards, here at Cruise Critic, under "Special Interest Cruising" - "Disabled Cruising" you will find a thread that's been going on since 2005. It's about "Cruising With a Service Dog, Everything You Ever Wanted To Know!"

On this thread are folks who have Hearing Dogs and take them cruising with them. I don't know if you're interested but if anyone who is reading this is interested; these dogs alert you to sounds in your environment. They tell you when someone's at the door, if the phone rings, if someone is calling your name. They do tasks for you such as; opening/closing doors and drawers, turning lights on and off. They pick things up for you and they can even help you dress. Now, they can't tell you what people are saying but they sure can make new friends and influence people for you.

CCI [Canine Companions for Independence, in Santa Rosa, CA - 1.800.572.BARK (2275)] has a Hearing Dog for you, and they don't cost you a dime. They're paid for by generous donors. You just have to go for an interview, submit some paperwork, go for a two week Team Training course and you too can graduate with your own doggie genius. They use Labs and Lab/Golden Retriever crosses. I know, because I've had a CCI dog since 2002. I'm on my second one and can't imagine my life without my amazing dog partner in it ♥

Your dog can go wherever you go; airplanes, hotels, trains, boats, in apartments that say "no pets allowed" and on your cruise ship with you. They can even go to work and school with you.

[CruisnMom007]

On the boards, here at Cruise Critic, under "Special Interest Cruising" - "Disabled Cruising" you will find a thread that's been going on since 2005. It's about "Cruising With a Service Dog, Everything You Ever Wanted To Know!"

 

On this thread are folks who have Hearing Dogs and take them cruising with them. I don't know if you're interested but if anyone who is reading this is interested; these dogs alert you to sounds in your environment. They tell you when someone's at the door, if the phone rings, if someone is calling your name. They do tasks for you such as; opening/closing doors and drawers, turning lights on and off. They pick things up for you and they can even help you dress. Now, they can't tell you what people are saying but they sure can make new friends and influence people for you.

 

CCI [Canine Companions for Independence, in Santa Rosa, CA - 1.800.572.BARK (2275)] has a Hearing Dog for you, and they don't cost you a dime. They're paid for by generous donors. You just have to go for an interview, submit some paperwork, go for a two week Team Training course and you too can graduate with your own doggie genius. They use Labs and Lab/Golden Retriever crosses. I know, because I've had a CCI dog since 2002. I'm on my second one and can't imagine my life without my amazing dog partner in it ♥

 

Your dog can go wherever you go; airplanes, hotels, trains, boats, in apartments that say "no pets allowed" and on your cruise ship with you. They can even go to work and school with you.

 

THAT IS SO AWESOME!!! I call my husband my hearing ear dog! LOL

[wizard-of-roz]

THAT IS SO AWESOME!!! I call my husband my hearing ear dog! LOL

 

I, too, was very lucky to have an amazingly, loving and giving husband who went so far as to even go to work with me to help me keep my job.......Then, suddenly and unexpectedly, he passed away. I am so thankful for all that he did for me and I miss him every second of every day........I am so grateful that I had my HD Brenda and now have my HD Horton who gives me the courage to face each day with grace and to be unafraid.

Treasure every moment you share with your Hearing Dog Husband, you're a very lucky girl!!!!

[Taters]

I am 100% deaf with bilateral cochlear implants. I was born with great ears and suffered a sudden and total hearing loss out of the blue in September, 2012, at the age of 49. No one saw it coming and I was deaf in an instant. There is no explanation for the hearing loss. From hero to zero.

 

But I'm ok! I was plunged head first into lip reading and got my 1st CI after three months, the second one 4 months later. I've cruised with natural and with bionic hearing (which is very inferior to natural hearing - I struggle!) and these are my observations:

 

Request the door knocker flashy thingy. I do not wear my processors when I shower, nap or am in the process of getting dressed. *NOTE* The staff is not always aware of what the door knocker flashy thing is and some don't use it. I always talk to the room steward on the first day and make sure they are aware of what it is for. I learned to do this the hard way, by scaring a room steward with my naked, freshly showered bod when he didn't get an answer after knocking on the door. Tell the room service folks to use it when you place your order. These folks do not get the proper training.

 

We used to love being seated at large tables in the MDR. I love to meet people and chatter, but that was then. In the "now", we ask for a table for 4. One square table or a booth is perfect and I can keep up with most of the conversation.

 

Waterwear is available for my MedEl cochlear implants. These are relatively new in the US, so I've swum both ways, hearing and not hearing. I like to hear in the hot tub so that I can talk with others, but if I am in the pool I go in deaf. There is a measure of comfort in not being attached to my CIs sometimes.

 

I go to the shows and try to sit up front where my lip reading skills, sorry as they are, can help me understand more of what is being said. I love the comedy shows on Carnival, but be careful if you sit up front. You WILL get picked on! Sometimes this has not worked out very well for me and I have been a bit embarrassed, simply because I didn't understand what I'd just heard and the comedian was waiting for my to reply. Now I just tell them I'm deaf and they look at me funny and move on to someone else.

 

Announcements? Just ask someone what is being said. The cruise lines have utterly failed in this department.

 

I don't watch much TV, as I find the captions lagging. My husband recently hooked up a loop system in our den for me so that I can enjoy TV again, and honestly, I do NOT understand why the cruise lines do not loop their show rooms. It is the easiest thing and not an expensive project. And the loop system is SO amazing! To have the audio streamed directly into my head is fabulous! Another fail on the cruise lines.

 

I love cruising and have 2 more booked. Just go, have fun, don't be afraid to ask people to yell at you :D and you'll do well.

[BoDidly]

Truly you folk's are an inspiration to those that really can't understand what it's like to have hearing loss. Just a short story from me inspired by all of you. :D

At the age of ten , Mastoiditis set in leaving me with twenty operations with doctors trying to correct this . However it never was diagnosed properly or corrected until my late thirties ..

You can't use hearing aids ,that's what I was told. Finally in my early forties I could now be fitted for a hearing aid. Never heard a bumble bee or plane until that moment, you just don't know what direction they're coming from. A plane goes by , me I'm looking at the ground :D.

 

Life was great for a few years until the volume from that aid killed the hairs in the ear that produced sound. So here we are today.

Tinnitus set in with the loss of hearing in the right ear and and a half of eardrum left in the left. .

Did I tell you I learned to read lips at a young age ? :cool: Yes I did , self taught. Don't really know how that happen ,but people do ask me quite often if I wanted a kiss ? :o.

 

 

For those feeling sorry for myself and others that have posted here ,you can give us a donation , by taking a cruise and enjoying life in it's fullest .

[kmp70]

I am hearing impaired, but was adopted, also on a plane at 1 day old , so not sure if it was the plane ride, or infections I had as a child. My bones in my ears are essentially gone now.

My hearing didn't become an issue till later middle school when my grades became bad.

So, several surgeries later, mastoid, tympanoplasty , reconstruction, skin grafts... I had my first set of in the ear aids at 14.

 

Analog way back when but now use digital aids. Have been traveling since I was 9 and cruising since 1999. I'm 46 now.

I almost got a hearing dog once. I'm married now with an 8 yr old.

I travel alone and cruise alone often with no worries, I'm not afraid to let people know I'm Hearing impaired,

Although most people don't notice cause my hair is long, the silent disability they call it.

 

I love to cruise and won't let a disability hold me back, life is too short. My 8 yr old and I are going on a Cruise in 2 weeks. He will help if I need it.

 

I also don't wear them in pool, or sleeping but read lips and know some sign language. I sleep like a baby too!! And if my son is screaming to loud, I just turn down my volume! Haha. He doesn't appreciate that !

 

I used to be shy and introvert but I force myself to be around people and open up often sitting at big tables , love to people watch and just being on the ocean grateful to be alive and that someone loved me enough to give me up even though they couldn't keep me as their own.

 

So I say cruise on and live life the best you can, good people will be understanding and help if needed!

 

All the best....

 

 

 

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[sassyredhat]

Trying to connect with other cruisers who are hearing impaired or deaf who cruise often.. your experiences onboard the ships.

 

My background:

I have been cruising for many years now and about 10 yrs ago while on a cruise, I was attacked by a virus that got into in the inner ear and has led to my hearing loss. Diagnosed with an inner ear autoimmune issue. Over the 10 yrs it has slowly declined, I am totally deaf in one ear since birth so I was always able to function just fine in life with one, and quite well! I am now 53 yrs young. I began using a hearing aide at 43 in the one ear and would upgrade to the better technology as it came along.

I LOVE LOVE to cruise. I have cruised and did just fine until recently. Since March of this year, my hearing was attacked once again, this time taking out more frequencies to where speech can be muffled even with the HA. I am fighting everything within me to not let this stop me from doing what I love, CRUISING!

I am about to board Legend for Alaska in a couple weeks, have had this planned for over a year now.

I am curious to hear from others who live with this and continue to cruise, what works and what doesn't.

I have always ordered the special equipment from special needs dept. for my stateroom if ever I am alone while hubby runs out to get something and alarm is going off or the door knocks.

 

The ship is full of background noise which makes it difficult for Hearing Impaired Cruisers.

It has been very difficult to understand conversations or hear what the waiter is asking me. This is now going to more difficult. It can be so isolating and I feel so bad always having my husband or a friend interpret everything for me. The staff look at me and don't see a near deaf person so when I ask for a repeat, it's amazing the looks one gets! Music as of recently does not sound the same, which is a new devastation to me (I love music and sing). So, the piano bar should be quite interesting this trip if I can even handle it. Oh I love the sounds of the casino, doubt I will be able to enjoy the musicals this time either :( but I am sure going to try! I am refusing to let this stop me from doing what I love and being with the people I love!

 

I recently downloaded an APP in my iPhone called "Live Captions". Hoping it will help when someone on the ship is trying to talk to me, it displays what the person is saying. Works great here at home we will see in loud settings!

What has helped you the best ANY suggestions..tips.. ?

 

I didn't read through all the replies. Am I correct that even though you lost hearing, you are able to speak?

Do you know sign language ?

 

I'm asking because my deaf son and deaf DIL are seasoned cruisers. All the cruise lines they have used have provider interpreters for them. Their stateroom is equipped with flashing lights and a TDD.

We are sailing again to Hawaii on the Splendor Oct. 13, 2018. The interpreters have been assigned.

 

My DS and DIL do not lip read and rely solely on sign language, so this may not be applicable to you.

 

Patti