Reserving handicap room

[jxtgreek]

has anyone noticed that you no longer have the option to select a handicap cabin when booking?   I have a cabin already purchased in November and I wanted to check the price.  When I choose the cruise there no longer was an option.  Did something change or did I miss an announcement?

[bury me at sea]

Perhaps all accessible cabins are already booked?  I really don't know in these fluid conditions.

[airdale]

I reserved a HC cabin last September (2019) and the ONLY cabin available at that time out of our port of choice was for this November (2020).  So the HC cabins must book up fast.  Plus Carnival transferred me to the department that handled the HC cabins.  THEN I had to have a bunch of HC forms filled out.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 13, 2020 by airdale
not through writing

[Saint Greg]

5 hours ago, airdale said:

I reserved a HC cabin last September (2019) and the ONLY cabin available at that time out of our port of choice was for this November (2020).  So the HC cabins must book up fast.  Plus Carnival transferred me to the department that handled the HC cabins.  THEN I had to have a bunch of HC forms filled out.

 

 

 

 

 

That’s interesting because the room I usually book is next to an accessible cabin and only once have the occupants appeared to require such a cabin. Usually it’s young, healthy looking couples or families. I’ve always wondered if they booked a room they shouldn’t have or if they just got it as a guarantee.

[five.]

On the site there is a checkbox for "Accessible Stateroom Needed" - if any are available it'll say, if they are sold out a red banner pops up. I can't remember what the red banner says, but basically no cabins available that meet that criteria. I was seeing the red banner for a month and then past 3 days, FAC's have opened up on our Alaska cruise. I was planning to upgrade in-laws from an AAC to FAC, but didn't make the call and the cabin I wanted looks to be rebooked. I wasn't ready for the long hold times. Now the FAC suite is open, but it's crazy expensive. So for now they'll stay.

 

And my experience was the same as above, had to go through a special department when dealing with these type of cabins and fill out special forms. That was why the upgrade didn't happen. I went through my PVP like usual, but she couldn't help since it was an accessible cabin. And I didn't want to deal with that phone call at 10:30 at night.

Edited March 13, 2020 by five.

[airdale]

It's a process to book one of those cabins.  The PVP told me the same thing about having to go through the HC booking department because they could not book a room.  So I did and it was a long process of downloading the forms and faxing them back in to them.  Plus working with Scootaround for my scooter and electric recliner while onboard.

Oh yeah, I tried to book my air fare through Carnival and was told, because I needed more leg room I would have to book a regular economy seat from Carnival.  THEN it was up to me to contact the airline and "see" if I could get the seat I needed AND pay any additional charges and seat changing fees.  I went through the airline direct.  Don

[airdale]

Saint Greg, I have read on a couple of threads where a cruiser was upgraded to a HC cabin.  I don't remember the reason why.  Don

[ObstructedView2]

2 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

That’s interesting because the room I usually book is next to an accessible cabin and only once have the occupants appeared to require such a cabin.

 

Usually it’s young, healthy looking couples or families. I’ve always wondered if they booked a room they shouldn’t have or if they just got it as a guarantee.

 

 

Yeah, my husband gets that a lot. 'You look good'.. He appears well, however suffering from multiple sclerosis he requires a shower bench & a raised toilet seat. Both items are provided in a handicapped stateroom onboard a cruise ship. People have no idea what others are dealing with. They only see what they want to see. If someone isn't in a wheelchair, using a cane, walking with a limp, they look good & don't appear sick, ALL IS FINE WITH THEM?? It's disheartening when I read ignorance. 

 

 

😔

[Saint Greg]

16 minutes ago, ObstructedView2 said:

 

Yeah, my husband gets that a lot. 'You look good'.. He appears well, however suffering from multiple sclerosis he requires a shower bench & a raised toilet seat. Both items are provided in a handicapped stateroom onboard a cruise ship. People have no idea what others are dealing with. They only see what they want to see. If someone isn't in a wheelchair, using a cane, walking with a limp, they look good & don't appear sick, ALL IS FINE WITH THEM?? It's disheartening when I read ignorance. 

 

 

😔

 

I was with you until you called me ignorant. If you had left that part out I would've thought you had a good post. Maybe every single one of those people had problems. Maybe some of them are perfectly fine and end up with the rooms as guarantees because nobody booked them. Maybe they were able to book a room they shouldn't have.  I don't know. I don't if it's as simple as clicking that check box to get the room or if there's more to it than that. I have never said anything to any of those people nor would I. This should be a good place to learn about things like this without being called names. But I guess you can't say (or post) anything these days without offending someone.

 

 

 

Edited March 13, 2020 by Saint Greg

[five.]

Funny story related to this theme. Once I saw a guy pull up in the first handicap spot in my store. Young guy in a mustang convertible, music blaring. He gets out and an older cadillac driver pull up and starts cussing him out about how he's a fit young man and he's a disgrace to humanity, how his generation is rude and need to respect elders. Eventually saying that the cops will be called, because he had parked in a HC spot.

 

The young man says "go ahead" and pulls up his pant legs to reveal that he was a double amputee. One of his prosthetic's had a purple heart painting and the other an American flag. The look on the old timers face was priceless. I looked at the convertible later and he clearly had PH HC tags.

 

It's true we never know what someone else has going on, no matter how fit they appear.

[Tinknock50]

14 hours ago, jxtgreek said:

has anyone noticed that you no longer have the option to select a handicap cabin when booking?   I have a cabin already purchased in November and I wanted to check the price.  When I choose the cruise there no longer was an option.  Did something change or did I miss an announcement?

I think it may have changed recently.  If you look down lower on the page it says to click on "Edit Trip Details" if you need an HC cabin. Then it works as it normally does.

[Tinknock50]

2 hours ago, airdale said:

Saint Greg, I have read on a couple of threads where a cruiser was upgraded to a HC cabin.  I don't remember the reason why.  Don

I have a lot of experience with handicap rooms because I generally travel with a handicapped  person. What I have learned is that the cruise line will restrict anyone who doesn't require a HC cabin from booking one.   I am new to Carnival , but other lines release these cabins about 30 days before a cruise to anyone because anyone who needed one did not book them.

 

I also found it very easy to book an HC cabin and never had to contact the HC department separately.  I just had to fill out a couple of  short and simple "Needs" forms AFTER I booked it. Easy peasy.  :)

 

I was upgraded to a handicap  cabin once when neither myself or fellow passenger needed one. It was a guarantee booking and assignment was made close to cruise date. No one needed it apparently and I don't expect a cruise line to cruise with any empty cabins.