Can a physical disability offer an advantage when cruising?

[Itchy&Scratchy]

Ok, I may have given the wrong impression and chosen the wrong words when starting this thread. All I wanted to know if there was Special Assistance on cruises in the same way there are offered by airlines. I cannot stand in line for too long and I can't walk a long way to get to my cabin because of my polio. For the above reasons I have a disabled car.

I'm not there to get special favours, just some assistance to facilitate my moving about.

I apologise if you misunderstood my original intention.

Have a nice day!

in this case, you should check out Disabled Travel board for more pointers on traveling with disabilities. Your disability will not help you with any discounts, though.

We traveled with my dad last year on his first cruise. He could barely move due to severe mobility issues. We got a non-accessible cabin for him, since he was well enough not to use the wheelchair, but he was in constant pain and couldn't walk more than 30-50 yards, and very slowly at that. No discounts or anything, but he did enjoy the cruise a lot.

 

Do try to get a cabin close to the elevators. My mom and dad both appreciated having a cabin right next to them. It was very close to MDR as well - which was very helpful, because by the evening dad got a lot worse (physical pain) and could barely sit through dinner, let alone walk the length of the ship back to the cabin.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

I apologize for my unintended choice of words and for making you feel saddened.

my interpretation was that she/he was saddened by the response to your post. Not by your post. I sure hope so.

[JMorris271]

I can't believe this OP is on the up and up. People with a handicap don't think that way. I believe this is just an angry individual with a beef about handicaps that do receive help to mitigate their disabilities by some cruise ships.

Another case of someone's not thought out comments making it harder for others. I understand you are sorry for your initial comment but the damage was already done.

Shame on you

Edited June 25, 2018 by JMorris271

[geoherb]

When my then 85-year-old mother-in-law joined us on a Carnival cruise, we were told we could not book her an accessible cabin since she did not require a wheelchair/scooter. We were able to request a shower chair for her and a toilet seat booster through Carnival. She also got a wheelchair for embarkation and disembarkation.

[mkcurran]

A lot of what kind of accommodations will be available depends on the ship. Some ships have ambulatory accessible cabins--no really big enough for a chair or scooter but will still have the grab bars and a shower seat.

When I traveled with my parents dad had a walker. We got nothing special getting onto the ship. We could have waited for wheelchair assistance. But he walked and we pushed Mom up in his chair, as mom was recovering from an illness that had her hospitalized until just before the cruise.

They got pulled into a dinning room for a special muster drill. The big benefit of traveling with them came at the end of the cruise. We kept getting pulled from lines to go straight to the front, because of Dad's walker. We literally got off the ship and was out and cleared customs in like 15 minutes from the time we headed down to debark.

[Elaine5715]

I can't believe this OP is on the up and up. People with a handicap don't think that way. I believe this is just an angry individual with a beef about handicaps that do receive help to mitigate their disabilities by some cruise ships.

Another case of someone's not thought out comments making it harder for others. I understand you are sorry for your initial comment but the damage was already done.

Shame on you

I agree. Darn Freudian slips of the fingers or as Maya Angelou said "When someone tells you who they are the first time, believe them".

[sparks1093]

I agree. Darn Freudian slips of the fingers or as Maya Angelou said "When someone tells you who they are the first time, believe them".

 

I'm still trying to figure out why it's so bad that someone with a disability wants to get the best deal that they can? What if OP had said:

 

My question is: how can I use my veteran status to get a better deal, better cabin etc."

 

or

 

My question is: how can I use my senior citizen status to get a better deal, better cabin etc."

 

or

 

My question is: how can I use my EMT employment to get a better deal, better cabin etc."

 

It's not like the OP said "I'm going to fake a disability, help me do that" (in which case I could understand the vitriol).

[Got2Cruise]

I'm still trying to figure out why it's so bad that someone with a disability wants to get the best deal that they can? What if OP had said:

 

 

 

My question is: how can I use my veteran status to get a better deal, better cabin etc."

 

 

 

or

 

 

 

My question is: how can I use my senior citizen status to get a better deal, better cabin etc."

 

 

 

or

 

 

 

My question is: how can I use my EMT employment to get a better deal, better cabin etc."

 

 

 

It's not like the OP said "I'm going to fake a disability, help me do that" (in which case I could understand the vitriol).

 

 

 

If you or someone you love is affected by a disability, you know that advantage and disability would never be used in the same sentence. Quite the contrary.

[sparks1093]

If you or someone you love is affected by a disability, you know that advantage and disability would never be used in the same sentence. Quite the contrary.

 

If I were disabled I would want to take advantage of anything that I could to make my life easier and if my loved one were disabled I would want them to get every advantage they could, also. Maybe what people are objecting to is the thought that the OP might be trying to get unfair advantage.

[Got2Cruise]

If I were disabled I would want to take advantage of anything that I could to make my life easier and if my loved one were disabled I would want them to get every advantage they could, also. Maybe what people are objecting to is the thought that the OP might be trying to get unfair

That is not the context the OP wrote.

[bUU]

If I were disabled I would want to take advantage of anything that I could to make my life easier

I wouldn't. I would want to leverage accommodations for my disability - nothing more. My spouse and I are both hearing impaired. We expect our employers to purchase special phones for us, not give us extra days off or anything else that isn't directly related to accommodating our actual disability.

 

 

 

This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

[sail7seas]

If you have a genuine disability, you may be able to get priority boarding...usually just behind those in suites...

I believe you need to use some kind of mobility device, in order to get that.

 

 

 

The priority boarding you refernece is for people in wheelchairs

 

. OP ssid he is not in a wheelchair, didn't he?

[elles5]

I fear that you have been branded and no matter how much you apologize you will always be seen as the disabled person trying to put one over. Personally I think every disabled person should get whatever they can get because of their disability, as long as it is a bona fide disability.

If English is not your first language I accept that your choice of words was an error and that you didn't mean to imply that you were out for anything you could get. I have been disabled for some years now and I had my first cruise last month courtesy of a much loved relative who left me money so I could fulfill a lifelong ambition. I don't feel that I am entitled to anything more than anyone else. There are certain things I couldn't do on the cruise, use a tender for example, or go on any excursions that involved walking. I knew this before I booked but the lure of the sea made me decide to go and enjoy every minute of the things I could do. Most of us don't want to be known as the disabled person, we want to be thought of as someone they met and either liked or disliked. The OP certainly gave me a few angry moments, and sad because I don't want to be defined by my disability and it appeared that someone was actually using it to gain an advantage of some kind.

[sparks1093]

I wouldn't. I would want to leverage accommodations for my disability - nothing more. My spouse and I are both hearing impaired. We expect our employers to purchase special phones for us, not give us extra days off or anything else that isn't directly related to accommodating our actual disability.

 

 

 

This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

 

You use "leverage", others use "advantage". "I would want to take advantage of accommodations for my disability". (And if you had a doctor's appointment related to your hearing loss would you not take advantage of using paid sick time for the appointment if your employer's rules allowed it?)

Edited June 26, 2018 by sparks1093

[sparks1093]

The priority boarding you refernece is for people in wheelchairs

 

. OP ssid he is not in a wheelchair, didn't he?

 

No he's not, but because he uses a cane he may be offered wheelchair assistance in the terminal just like DW was when she was using a cane.

[sparks1093]

If English is not your first language I accept that your choice of words was an error and that you didn't mean to imply that you were out for anything you could get. I have been disabled for some years now and I had my first cruise last month courtesy of a much loved relative who left me money so I could fulfill a lifelong ambition. I don't feel that I am entitled to anything more than anyone else. There are certain things I couldn't do on the cruise, use a tender for example, or go on any excursions that involved walking. I knew this before I booked but the lure of the sea made me decide to go and enjoy every minute of the things I could do. Most of us don't want to be known as the disabled person, we want to be thought of as someone they met and either liked or disliked. The OP certainly gave me a few angry moments, and sad because I don't want to be defined by my disability and it appeared that someone was actually using it to gain an advantage of some kind.

 

The word advantage has many meanings and unfortunately many of them seem to carry a negative connotation. I take advantage of any law that I can that works in my favor, such as taking proper deductions on my tax return. If I took improper deductions then I would be taking unfair advantage. Basically what it boils down to is making sure that one gets what one is entitled to get based on their circumstances- taking advantage of what is available.

[bUU]

You focused on a trivial aspect of what I wrote and ignored the actual point. Let's try again:

 

I wouldn't. I would want to leverage accommodations for my disability - nothing more.

 

Being disabled doesn't make me poor. It makes me hard of hearing. Accommodations for my disability relate to hearing not money.

 

This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

[sparks1093]

You focused on a trivial aspect of what I wrote and ignored the actual point. Let's try again:

 

I wouldn't. I would want to leverage accommodations for my disability - nothing more.

 

This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

 

Nope, I got your point, you missed mine. You just used a different word. To me "I would want to leverage accommodations for my disability - nothing more" is the same as "I would want to take advantage of accommodations for my disability - nothing more". In both instances you are ensuring that you are getting what you are entitled to receive.

 

In any event people are bullying a disabled person over what amounts to at worse a poor choice of words.

[bUU]

Nope, I got your point, you missed mine. You just used a different word. To me "I would want to leverage accommodations for my disability - nothing more" is the same as "I would want to take advantage of accommodations for my disability - nothing more". In both instances you are ensuring that you are getting what you are entitled to receive.

No you actually did miss my point, now twice. Even if someone was willing to give me more consideration than just that which mitigate my disability, I would capitalize on only that which is offered that mitigates my disability.

 

 

This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

[sparks1093]

No you actually did miss my point, now twice. Even if someone was willing to give me more consideration than just that which mitigate my disability, I would capitalize on only that which is offered that mitigates my disability.

 

 

This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

 

Ah, so you won't take advantage of all you are entitled to, but you will take advantage of some of what you are entitled to (and that you would take less has no real bearing on the issue at hand).

[TrqoisWtrs]

Very rarely do you see a golf cart/trolley taking people to the end of the pier.

 

Just wanted to add, a lot of times on these long piers, there are pedicabs available (little carts pulled by a bicycle); usually the cost is only a tip. :)

[Elaine5715]

If I were disabled I would want to take advantage of anything that I could to make my life easier and if my loved one were disabled I would want them to get every advantage they could, also. Maybe what people are objecting to is the thought that the OP might be trying to get unfair advantage.

People don't like to be manipulated. When "newcomers" join the community, they (and more often than not, relatives) seem to be willing to trade away our hard-fought battles of inclusion for freebies, discounts and special treatment. When such amenities aren't offered, folks are accused of being mean, "hope no one you know is ever....",. If the amenities are offered in pity, the newcomers don't care. The request for advantages or discounts based on a disability brings forth the constant reminders of stories of scams, fake ******** stories, fraud service animals, priority boarding etc. More importantly, suggesting such discounts or freebies should be extended continues to reinforce the myth that disability means poor and people don't see someone with significant disabilities as a productive contributor (or even having a job). We want to get away from associating disability from a handout, like the myth that the word "handicap" came from beggars not reinforce it.

[bUU]

Ah, so you won't take advantage of all you are entitled to, but you will take advantage of some of what you are entitled to (and that you would take less has no real bearing on the issue at hand).

It actually does but I accept the fact that you are now so invested in your rhetoric that you won't acknowledge that.

 

This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

[K32682]

I can't believe this OP is on the up and up. People with a handicap don't think that way. I believe this is just an angry individual with a beef about handicaps that do receive help to mitigate their disabilities by some cruise ships.

Another case of someone's not thought out comments making it harder for others. I understand you are sorry for your initial comment but the damage was already done.

Shame on you

Not all people, disabled or otherwise, "think" in a certain way. I didn't find the OP's question unreasonable or particularly offensive. It is no different than had he asked whether there was a senior's discount for being over 65.

 

If condescension, self-righteousness and rushing to judgement ever become Olympic sports there's a medal contending team in this thread alone. :rolleyes:

[sparks1093]

It actually does but I accept the fact that you are now so invested in your rhetoric that you won't acknowledge that.

 

This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

 

If you say so.