Failure of Waitlisting for Accessable Cabin on Celebrity Solstice

[scaquilina]

I am currently sailing on Celebrity Solstice with my mother who is reliant on a walking aid due to hip and back mobility issues. At the time of booking our Aqua Class Balcony cabin, the travel agent advised that no accessible rooms were available. We requested to be added to the waitlist for an accessable cabin with the expectation that should one become available due to a booking cancellation that we would then be in line to be allocated to one based on our booking priority. After making the initial booking, we contacted both the travel agent and Celebrity on several occasions to check if any accessible cabins have become available and on each occasion were told that no such cabins are available to us and that we would be notified once any cabin did become available. On the day of boarding the ship in Sydney we checked onboard with guest services and was told that all accessable cabins are still all fully allocated and that should any be available we will be notified.

 

Several days later we attended the Cruise Critic social function onboard and met a lovely couple who shared with us their experience of being upgraded to an accessible Aqua Class balcony cabin without actually requiring an accessible room as they did not have any special needs as such. They admitted that they did not need nor did they expect an accessible cabin. 

 

This has infuriated my mother as clearly her special needs nor the needs of other disabled passenger were not considered when Celebrity offered special cabins to general passengers through the upgrading bidding process who do not have such needs. This is clearly discriminatory and we have already lodged complaints with the Captain Club desk as well as Guest Relations and nothing has been done about it to date. As it is highly unlikely that any special needs cabins will become available between now and the end of our cruise, we do expect at minimum a formal apology from Celebrity but none has been forthcoming.

 

Is there anyone else in this forum who has experienced this form of discrimination on Celebrity or any other cruise line?

 

Thanks.

 

Steven

[jlp20]

I have been reading these boards for quite a while. I am NOT saying it hasn't happened, but I can't recall anyone posting concerning getting waitlisted accessible cabin. I think as far as booking, in there eyes a cabin is a cabin. At this point no PROOF is required to make this type of booking. 

[GUT2407]

Crazy system.

[mlbcruiser]

We had to fill out out a form for RCCL recently for an upcoming cruise in which we booked an accessible cabin. When you book online on any number of internet agencies, and want to search for an accessible cabin, a message coms up indicating you must have need of one. Having said that, a friend we were cruising with had a GTY cabin once and was assigned to one. He was not handicapped at all and was traveling alone. Sometimes I think the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing on nearly all mainstream cruise lines. Just last week I booked a cruise that had no accessible cabins. We don't NEED one but my dh is renting a scooter so there is an issue about it fitting into the cabin we have (which is not a suite or anything) and we were assured by the line that the scooter will fit. I asked about wait listing as one of the line's agents told me IF you do that and IF one becomes available even in a higher category, you will be "price protected" and be upgraded to it without having to pay for the higher category. However, when I actually decided to book, I called again just to ask about this. I was told by another cruise line
"accessible agent" that if that happened, we would have to pay the normal price for the upgrade. Not what our orig. cabin would have cost.   I am guessing that perhaps in the situation you described, the people who were upgraded to the aqua class cabin were upgraded because they have either cruised a lot in higher priced cabins or are pretty frequent passengers and book directly with Celebrity, or are working with an agent who is one of Celebrity's  "preferred" agents, and that they were given the aqua class accessible because their orig. cabin price went way down and it was the only upgrade available. Either way, it sounds like the line messed up and certainly owes you an apology with something extra thrown in! Good luck!

[Essiesmom]

I booked an inside gty on Princess about five weeks out for a B2B Alaska cruise.  When my cabin was assigned, it was accessible.  In fact, it was huge.  Could have been a suite except it was inside.  I asked my TA if they knew I didn't need it, and she said they knew, but probably it was the only inside available for the two weeks.  EM

[mexico8]

I would be furious if I was treated that way.   Hope you pursue it right up the line and get something for their error.   Feel so sorry for you that it has diminished your enjoyment.   I too have a mobility scooter and have such a hard time to book an accessible cabin even one year ahead of time.  So frustrating.

[lenquixote66]

I need an accessible cabin . I am currently on a Wait list for an NCL cruise.I called NCL and told the person I spoke to that I have neighbors who were bragging about getting accessible cabins .They are not disabled in any way.

RCI requires the submission of a medical form. Other cruise lines require a letter from a doctor but not NCL. There are only 8 accessible cabins on the ship in question.

I doubt very much that I will be able to do the cruise.

[jlp20]

On 2/8/2019 at 6:16 PM, mexico8 said:

I would be furious if I was treated that way.   Hope you pursue it right up the line and get something for their error.   Feel so sorry for you that it has diminished your enjoyment.   I too have a mobility scooter and have such a hard time to book an accessible cabin even one year ahead of time.  So frustrating.

Despite the cruise lines creating accessible cabins to adhere to ADA, there is nothing to force them to check they be required. I can almost guarantee cruise lines don't want to be involved in double checking on pax disability. 

[mexico8]

You are right.   I am rarely asked to prove that I have a disability and need the accessible cabin.    Cruise lines need to make sure that the disabled are getting the cabins they need and not people who just want extra space and are so selfish.   So many disabled are not able to take cruises because of selfish people taking the accessible cabins when they don't need them.

[GUT2407]

Cruise lines pay lip service to accomodating disabled, because they are forced to. But then that applies to almost any business in my experiences.

 

[spookwife]

On 2/9/2019 at 11:41 PM, mexico8 said:

You are right.   I am rarely asked to prove that I have a disability and need the accessible cabin.    Cruise lines need to make sure that the disabled are getting the cabins they need and not people who just want extra space and are so selfish.   So many disabled are not able to take cruises because of selfish people taking the accessible cabins when they don't need them.

but at the same time you have a decent sized contingent of disabled people screaming that they  refuse to prove they are disabled and that is discriminatory.  I wish we went to the European model where you basically have to be registered as  being disabled, with lots of paperwork to back it up( of course I wish the same for   all service animals too but that is another rant for another discussion topic)  and ADA states no proof is required.   so until that happens, abuse will happen.  all the time.

 

I use a WC for  trips to theme parks and other large scale  destinations.   I usually only note that  on my reservation, but do not specifically  book a WC accessible room as quite frankly, I don't need  the accommodations  while in the room.  sometimes I still get one. 

[Algebralovr]

I was on a cruise recently and was using a wheelchair.  I had asked about moving to an accessible room, but I was told I could waitlist for a particular cabin, but the system did not allow me to ask to waitlist to any accessible cabin in the class of service I had booked.

 

i didn’t care to downgrade to an interior cabin.  I didn’t care to pay the substantial added sum to sail in an AquaClass room.  So, I managed with a regular cabin.  I could walk enough to move the folded chair from the room into the hallway, expand it, then move around the ship in the chair.  Then reverse when going to my room.

 

Why should I have expected a free upgrade just because I traveled with a wheelchair?

[orkaren1]

My husband has a neuromuscular disease similar to ALS.  Cruising is one of the only ways he can travel at all.  He uses a power wheelchair and absolutely must have an accessible room for the extra space and the accessible bathroom.  If we were on a cruise and found out that an able bodied person had been given an accessible room after we had made the requests you made I would be taking it up the chain of command and making a pest of myself until I got resolution.  Wen we want to cruise we need to book at least a year and a half out and it really irks me to hear of an able bodied person in an accessible room.  Of course I will not hesitate to say something when I see a non-disabled person in a handicap parking space, so I can be a bulldog when it comes to accessibility issues.

 

[lenquixote66]

4 hours ago, orkaren1 said:

My husband has a neuromuscular disease similar to ALS.  Cruising is one of the only ways he can travel at all.  He uses a power wheelchair and absolutely must have an accessible room for the extra space and the accessible bathroom.  If we were on a cruise and found out that an able bodied person had been given an accessible room after we had made the requests you made I would be taking it up the chain of command and making a pest of myself until I got resolution.  Wen we want to cruise we need to book at least a year and a half out and it really irks me to hear of an able bodied person in an accessible room.  Of course I will not hesitate to say something when I see a non-disabled person in a handicap parking space, so I can be a bulldog when it comes to accessibility issues.

 

Yesterday we were at a medical facility looking for handicapped parking. We saw a guy park at a handicaped spot. He neither had a handicapped  license plate nor anything to indicate disability.When he got out of his car I recognized him as a retired police officer whom I know is not disabled.He walked too fast for me to say anything but I will the next time I see him.

[orkaren1]

My favorite is when able bodied people park in a handicap space, notice my husband in his wheelchair, and then suddenly start limping (after they were observed walking perfectly normal).  I realize not everyone who needs and accessible spot has a visible disability but it is very frustrating when people with minor disabilities take the van parking spaces and we have to use a regular space and have potential safety concerns trying to manuever a ramp and lift in a regular space.

 

[lenquixote66]

2 hours ago, orkaren1 said:

My favorite is when able bodied people park in a handicap space, notice my husband in his wheelchair, and then suddenly start limping (after they were observed walking perfectly normal).  I realize not everyone who needs and accessible spot has a visible disability but it is very frustrating when people with minor disabilities take the van parking spaces and we have to use a regular space and have potential safety concerns trying to manuever a ramp and lift in a regular space.

 

In 2017 I was on an NCL cruise. In the theater they had a section designated for disabled people . A couple was seated there with no visable disabilities. I said they should not be sitting there.The wife said that her husband forgot his cane in the cabin.

I replied that I saw them when they arrived at the port and her husband was running ,no cane present.He then began to curse me with words unbelievable. I approached an NCL employee and he said he could not force them to leave.I was thoroughly disgusted.

[GUT2407]

Nothing annoys me more than people who try to judge my disability, maybe I need to start and carry my MRIs that show the fractures, the osteophytes, the tumours, The DDD, the spondylolisthesis and all the rest that’s wrong, because some days I can get on fine, other days I need one stick, sometimes two, others a walker frame and then on the worst a wheelchair, but even on a good day I might need space to stretch my leg, (something many seats reserved for disabled provide) or can walk, appearing fine as long as it’s not too far. Or I’m struggling with balance and real don’t want to fall in public with the accompanying embarrassment of loss of control over bowels and bladder.

 

totally over being told “you look fine” or “I saw you walking fine earlier, but now you’re using a wheelchair to get an advantage”.

[johnnyc256]

On 3/15/2019 at 10:43 PM, GUT2407 said:

Nothing annoys me more than people who try to judge my disability, maybe I need to start and carry my MRIs that show the fractures, the osteophytes, the tumours, The DDD, the spondylolisthesis and all the rest that’s wrong, because some days I can get on fine, other days I need one stick, sometimes two, others a walker frame and then on the worst a wheelchair, but even on a good day I might need space to stretch my leg, (something many seats reserved for disabled provide) or can walk, appearing fine as long as it’s not too far. Or I’m struggling with balance and real don’t want to fall in public with the accompanying embarrassment of loss of control over bowels and bladder.

 

totally over being told “you look fine” or “I saw you walking fine earlier, but now you’re using a wheelchair to get an advantage”.

I went on a cruise with a severe ankle sprain. I boarded the ship in a wheelchair.  Thankfully, I was able to walk for  brief periods of time without the assistance of a cane (which I probably should have used).   The one time that I used a bathroom on the ship that was not in our stateroom, only a handicap stall was free.  The first thought that went through my mind was that I needed to wait for a non-handicap  stall. Then I realized I needed to use one!  When I finished my business and opened the stall door there was an elderly woman in a wheelchair.  I smiled at her. She gave me a dirty look, and looked at me up and down. Her mouth opened in surprise when she saw the removable cast that I was wearing. If I had worn long pants my bandage and cast would not have been obvious.   The look that I gave her was not pleasant. I wish I had told her don't be so fast to pass judgement, instead of the look that I gave her. My ankle never healed properly and still "acts" up.

Edited April 1, 2019 by johnnyc256

[Buckimion]

22 hours ago, johnnyc256 said:

She gave me a dirty look, and looked at me up and down. Her mouth opened in surprise when she saw the removable cast that I was wearing. 

I've probably told this story too many times but it never gets old...I have more trouble with other handicapped people being judgemental than I do with the general public, such as the biddy who wanted to read me the riot act as I was LEAVING a parking space until she got a REAL good look at my prosthetic leg, then still sniffed that she had it worse.

Edited April 2, 2019 by Buckimion

[Knolmom]

I require an accessible cabin. I go on the Celebrity Website every morning when I get up( starting about 9 months out) and check to see if any are available. I do a dummy booking and the second screen asks if you require an accessible cabin. If they are anyavilable , it will pop up. 

They usually turn up about 110 to 80 days out, just  the timefinal payments are due.