A cautionary tale------- Guarantee cabin

[bananavan]

Victoria 2, once again I thank you for your rational response.

I sincerely appreciate it.

Have a lovely holiday season.

[buchhalm]

Anyone got photos of the cabin?:halo:

[bananavan]

Anyone got photos of the cabin?:halo:

 

It appears that this is one of the least likely to be photographed cabin.

I really scoured this site and the rest of the internet and came up with some poor examples.

I found this site and if you scroll down the list of handicapped cabins and see the balcony category photos, this is the cabin.

 

https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/mobile/stateroom-details.php?ship=Queen-Elizabeth&cat=Balcony

[firsttimewithcunard]

In the hope that it might cheer you. We have previously sought a disabled cabin if one was available and have enjoyed the significant additional room, not least in the bathroom. Ours was more than adequately furnished and we felt we had suite type space at no extra cost which, on a long cruise, was a bonus.

[DDBINK1]

I had relatives in a accessible cabin on a previous cruise. They needed it because of a wheel chair. They did have a sofa in the room and a chair and the wheel chair was able to move easily around the room. The TV was adjustable to view at different angles.

If you don't get a change of cabin, make the best of it. The bed being too low, bring bed risers with you. The storage issue of not having enough hanging space can be solved by bring a collapsed garment rack with a cover. The room being larger, will have a empty corner for it. The one I have at home is actually small when collapsed and easy to slip in a suit case.

On a long voyage like that you will probably need extra drawers, bring a cardboard file cabinet or drawers, that can be brought flat in a suitcase and unfolded for clothes too. Also, when my parents had the accessible cabin the shower curtain was in two parts, that they used their every handy clothes pins to keep together in the middle to prevent splashed water out into the rest of the bathroom. The floor will probably have two drains to prevent flooding as there is only a small bump into the shower area in the bathroom. And remember those items can be given to the steward at the end of the voyage leaving room in your luggage for bring back items you purchased on the voyage.

As much trouble as you are having with the booking, I envy you going on such a long voyage. You will have a great time no matter what, don't let this keep you down.

[eroller]

The irony is that if you don’t get moved, you will resolve yourself to enjoy that cabin and make the most of it. Then at some point during your 93 day cruise Cunard will be begging you to move because they suddenly need the cabin for a mobility restricted person. Absolutely. Just bump me up to Queens Grill. No problem!

[insanemagnet]

I suppose it comes down to where you think the priority lies;

 

I think the priority should lie with a disabled/wheelchair user.

 

And you clearly think it should lie with the profits of a mega corporation such as Carnival.

So you think cruise companies should sail with empty accessible cabins because they didn't get a booking for it.

 

If your plan was implemented the result would be for them to rip out all the accessible cabins and replace them with ones they are allowed to sell.

 

Unless of course you think they are some kind of philanthropic charity.

[welove2cruise2014]

So you think cruise companies should sail with empty accessible cabins because they didn't get a booking for it.

 

If your plan was implemented the result would be for them to rip out all the accessible cabins and replace them with ones they are allowed to sell.

 

Unless of course you think they are some kind of philanthropic charity.

Of course. Because why should anyone be otherwise inconvenienced just so the cruiseline can make money?

 

If one wants a specific cabin (or more appropriately, *doesn't want* a specific cabin), perhaps one ought not to wait long enough to book until all of their desired or preferable cabins have been sold, leaving nothing but the least desirable cabins available to the "guarantee" cabin occupants.

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

[bananavan]

Of course. Because why should anyone be otherwise inconvenienced just so the cruiseline can make money?

 

If one wants a specific cabin (or more appropriately, *doesn't want* a specific cabin), perhaps one ought not to wait long enough to book until all of their desired or preferable cabins have been sold, leaving nothing but the least desirable cabins available to the "guarantee" cabin occupants.

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

 

I booked in June of 2016 for a February 2018 sailing. How much farther out do you suggest?

[bananavan]

I had relatives in a accessible cabin on a previous cruise. They needed it because of a wheel chair. They did have a sofa in the room and a chair and the wheel chair was able to move easily around the room. The TV was adjustable to view at different angles.

If you don't get a change of cabin, make the best of it. The bed being too low, bring bed risers with you. The storage issue of not having enough hanging space can be solved by bring a collapsed garment rack with a cover. The room being larger, will have a empty corner for it. The one I have at home is actually small when collapsed and easy to slip in a suit case.

On a long voyage like that you will probably need extra drawers, bring a cardboard file cabinet or drawers, that can be brought flat in a suitcase and unfolded for clothes too. Also, when my parents had the accessible cabin the shower curtain was in two parts, that they used their every handy clothes pins to keep together in the middle to prevent splashed water out into the rest of the bathroom. The floor will probably have two drains to prevent flooding as there is only a small bump into the shower area in the bathroom. And remember those items can be given to the steward at the end of the voyage leaving room in your luggage for bring back items you purchased on the voyage.

As much trouble as you are having with the booking, I envy you going on such a long voyage. You will have a great time no matter what, don't let this keep you down.

 

Whereas I really appreciate the input, we paid quite handsomely for a cabin which should have what we need. I should not have to bring stuff with me.

I do not work for HGTV and am not doing a cabin renovation.

We are flying first class to San Francisco. We get two checked bags and one and a half carryon. If I were to bring all of that, I would have nothing to hang up. My luggage would be full of boxes and hanging wardrobe racks.

[bananavan]

The irony is that if you don’t get moved, you will resolve yourself to enjoy that cabin and make the most of it. Then at some point during your 93 day cruise Cunard will be begging you to move because they suddenly need the cabin for a mobility restricted person. Absolutely. Just bump me up to Queens Grill. No problem!

 

I love it. :D

You understand. :cool: We will only be moved if it is best for someone else.

We are working on the resolving to deal with it.

I simply hope that the point has been made that despite the fact that there are less than 2% accessible cabins, be careful because as a guarantee you might get one. And apparently if you check the box "willing to be upgraded" you also might end up in one as others have been.

[roscoe39]

I love it. :D

You understand. :cool: We will only be moved if it is best for someone else.

We are working on the resolving to deal with it.

I simply hope that the point has been made that despite the fact that there are less than 2% accessible cabins, be careful because as a guarantee you might get one. And apparently if you check the box "willing to be upgraded" you also might end up in one as others have been.

 

Ive been reading this thread with amusement....the best staterooms I've ever had on the Qm2 and the QV were upgrades to the mobility suites, one an oceanview and the other a princess grills suite. The bathroom is fantastic compared to the normal size bathrooms and the amount of space to move around in is unimaginable compared to the other staterooms onboard. There is plenty of furniture in them and Im sure if you feel you are lacking a chair your steward/butler will organise to help fill it for you.

 

Seriously, I would be dropping to my knees and thanking my lucky stars to be upgraded to one.

 

I hope once on board you will realise that you have been worried about nothing.

[insanemagnet]

I booked in June of 2016 for a February 2018 sailing. How much farther out do you suggest?

Whatever timescale is necessary to avoid booking a guarantee cabin.

 

You mentioned it was a 2% chance of getting an accessible cabin but both the maths and the logic is incorrect.

 

You have said there are just 13 cabins in the class you booked, one of which is accessible. So with a random selection the odds on getting it are 1/13 (8%).

 

However your own viewpoint shows that an accessible cabin is the last choice for anyone who doesn't need one. Therefore those people would book a normal cabin if they had a choice, so reducing the pool and driving up the odds for you.

 

So realistically booking that grade of cabin where there are so few, your odds were not 2% but at least 50% if not 100%.

 

Your only hope of avoiding it was if Cunard upgraded or sold an upgrade to someone in a standard cabin. However you would have to hope that Cunard would not sell that free cabin again - it would be easier (so more profitable) to sell a normal cabin than an accessible cabin.

 

As before, if you don't want the cabin nobody else does, don't book guarantee.

[ToadOfToadHall]

Unless of course you think they are some kind of philanthropic charity.

 

Whilst I don't for one minute think that Carnival/Cunard are some kind of philanthropic charity, I equally do not, unlike you clearly, have any sympathy or feel sorry for a multi-national company, just because they may lose a few hundred dollars out of their multi-million dollar turnover.

 

My heart bleeds for Cunard.

[insanemagnet]

Whilst I don't for one minute think that Carnival/Cunard are some kind of philanthropic charity, I equally do not, unlike you clearly, have any sympathy or feel sorry for a multi-national company, just because they may lose a few hundred dollars out of their multi-million dollar turnover.

 

My heart bleeds for Cunard.

I don't feel sorry for Cunard, but I do understand their primary objective is to deliver profits to deliver returns for their investors.

 

Unless there is a profitable reason to sail with empty cabins, why on earth would they do it.

[ToadOfToadHall]

Is there only a problem (for both Cunard and those booking who do (or indeed do not) require a disabled cabin) when it's a world cruise ?

 

So, normally, cruises are 1 to 2 weeks, so there is a very good chance that Cunard will be able to sell that cabin quite easily to someone that needs it.

 

But on a World cruise, it's much less likely I would say that someone who's disabled would actually book it (mainly because of the price of said very long cruise. Also, I would guess that maybe if you are a wheelchair user, the idea of being away from home for such a long time is not that appealing).

 

Since there's likely to be less demand for a disabled cabin on a World cruise than a series of normal length cruises, if you book a guarantee on a World cruise you are much more likely to end up in a disabled cabin when you don't need/want one.

 

And that is what Banavan has discovered ?

[bananavan]

Is there only a problem (for both Cunard and those booking who do (or indeed do not) require a disabled cabin) when it's a world cruise ?

 

So, normally, cruises are 1 to 2 weeks, so there is a very good chance that Cunard will be able to sell that cabin quite easily to someone that needs it.

 

But on a World cruise, it's much less likely I would say that someone who's disabled would actually book it (mainly because of the price of said very long cruise. Also, I would guess that maybe if you are a wheelchair user, the idea of being away from home for such a long time is not that appealing).

 

Since there's likely to be less demand for a disabled cabin on a World cruise than a series of normal length cruises, if you book a guarantee on a World cruise you are much more likely to end up in a disabled cabin when you don't need/want one.

 

And that is what Banavan has discovered ?

 

TOTH,

There are actually a few people, whose posts I have read, who are handicapped and chose a World Cruise because they wished to have the non handicapped partner experience this kind of trip.

There are also recently disabled people who have the funds needed for such a long trip.

As others have pointed out, if you do not wish to spend 20 months anticipating what kind of cabin you will get, book a specific cabin because you never know what you will get if you chose Guarantee.

As to my math, the Club balcony cabins have 39 cabins with one handicapped. If someone who is in A-2 needed it, they would have been given it. So 1 cabin out of 39 works out to a 2.5% possibility .

There will be people who need this cabin if only for a segment. They are out of luck. I got it first.

Roscoe, thank you for weighing in. I truly respect your words. I know that you have such great knowledge, especially when it comes to the long cruises

Thanks to all who have given their opinions on the subject.

[ToadOfToadHall]

TOTH,

There are actually a few people, whose posts I have read, who are handicapped and chose a World Cruise because they wished to have the non handicapped partner experience this kind of trip.

There are also recently disabled people who have the funds needed for such a long trip.

 

Well, I'm not disabled, so those words of mine are only thinking from my point of view, as opposed to theirs, so that point of view may well not be correct.

[DDBINK1]

Whereas I really appreciate the input, we paid quite handsomely for a cabin which should have what we need. I should not have to bring stuff with me.

I do not work for HGTV and am not doing a cabin renovation.

We are flying first class to San Francisco. We get two checked bags and one and a half carryon. If I were to bring all of that, I would have nothing to hang up. My luggage would be full of boxes and hanging wardrobe racks.

 

I always use the shipping services for luggage that go directly to the ship for larger cases. For travel to the ships I usually just use a carry on size. Saves time and bother dragging around cases. For 93 days you are going to need lots of storage. My suggestions were just that, you don't have to take them literally. I want you to have a great time on your trip. Also, they can remove that ramp in and out of the balcony if you ask. It will give you more room. Have a great trip and hope all works well with what ever cabin you end up in.

[bananavan]

Well, I'm not disabled, so those words of mine are only thinking from my point of view, as opposed to theirs, so that point of view may well not be correct.

TOTH:

Someone posted something similar to you on another board and got pounced on for the comment. All sorts of hair went flying. I will say that I would have been in the same thought camp as you.

I would think that the medical concerns and the need to see one's medical provider would not be conducive to such a long journey.

As I have stated earlier, I would never have thought that this cabin would have been available, but it is and I will have to get on with it. :)