Booking an handicap cabin if not disabled?

[pmatawan]

I was chatting with an NCL agent to find out the SF of cabins 5140,5138 on the Getaway as they look much larger then the other oceanviews.

The agent indicated that these cabins can not be booked unless you need a wheelchair.

The NCL site appears to allow me to book these cabins without any warnings about needing to be disabled.

So I come here for the truth....

[mtrancher]

If you continue all the way through booking, it has been my experience you hit a wall at the very end saying you need to verify your need for the wheelchair accessible room prior to reservation being confirmed.

 

I'll take mobility over getting a bigger room at the same price any day.

[linbobky]

You don't have to be in a wheelchair to get a handicap room. You can get one if you use a cane or any other good reason. I know this for a fact.

[MoCruiseFan]

Truth?  If you do totally disrespect disabled people by booking these cabins when you are not disabled not only is it a total jerk wad move on your part and you being a total tard, but also there is a high probability that you will be moved to whatever cabin NCL chooses to move you to when they realize that you are doing so.

[brookie848]

Besides being a slimy person, do you really want to deal with water all over the bathroom floor?

[complawyer]

sorry, but why are you making this an issue for discussion? why would you even consider booking a handicapped room if you dont need one?  remember SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT!!!!

[vswan]

One year we booked an NCL cruise very last minute and were assigned a handicap room. It was the largest room we have ever had but the room and bathroom were obviously set up for a wheelchair. Lot of wide open space. Since we didn't choose the cabin am sure if they needed it for someone we would have been moved. Just the luck of the draw with last minute booking.

[tallnthensome]

Well, this came up to me on my Encore cruise booking to Alaska for August this year. We had a family ocean view on the Bliss for my family. We really liked them for the space with kids. All they had for these family ocean view rooms on deck five again on the Encore were accessible family OV cabins. They were able to be selected and chosen  as they were the only four  cabins left in this family category. What to do? Leave them knowing we don't need wheelchair access? Book it before some other family who also does not need it  anyhow well? Would this cruise ever use these four cabins for handicapped passengers? Who knows? Needless to say a didn't book but a few days later 9700 became available. The giant family OV which I snagged. NCL doesn't do a good job of holding these rooms for those who really need them with their width but I understand they may not be needed for special needs as well and NCL wants them sold. It is really NCL's issue that this topic comes up for discussion. 

Edited January 27, 2021 by tallnthensome

[pcakes122]

I'm disabled but won't get on a soapbox about why this is wrong.  I will, however, let you know that you should be prepared to move mid-cruise if the cabin is needed for someone with a disability.  I was moved twice during cruises - once because of faulty plumbing in my cabin and another time for a balcony door that wouldn't properly close.  Since I am disabled, the Accessibility Manager onboard had to check the passenger records for anyone booked in an accessible cabin that did not have the appropriate documentation of their disability on file (not exactly sure how they do that.)  All I know is that people were bumped to move me.  The first time was a couple of nurses and I believe they had to take a downgrade.  I sent them chocolate covered strawberries (even though it wasn't my fault that NCL couldn't fix the plumbing in my cabin.)

 

So, just a heads-up that it could happen.

[sandycruzr]

I once booked an inside guarantee cabin for back to back Southern Carribean cruise on RCL. Imagine my shock when we were assigned a handicapped balcony cabin!  It was a huge upgrade from an inside but I felt very uncomfortable about using this cabin.  We went to Guest Services to let them know That we were wrongly assigned a handicapped balcony.  (My husband actually had a cast on his arm from hand surgery). The GS rep said “no you are fine enjoy your cabin”. I explained that my husband was not handicapped and we feel uncomfortable using this cabin.  She said the cabin was not

need by any passengers and if it is needed we will be moved out.  The cabin and the balcony were huge but we did get more than a few “looks” from other passengers when leaving our clearly marked handicapped cabin. One passenger came made a snarky comment about “people pretending to be handicapped “. Ugh!! Sure enough on day 6 a passenger was injured and we were moved to an inside cabin. All in all, it was not a good experience!

[MoCruiseFan]

There is a huge difference between being assigned a disabled cabin as a GTY and intentionally booking one when it is not needed. 

[sanger727]

The truth is that they may or may not let you book the cabin. But if they do, if at any point up to and including during the sailing, a legitimately handicap person books the room, you will be moved. I've also read reviews from people that while the rooms are larger, there are other features about the room that make them less desirable. 

[pcakes122]

Another thing to take into consideration is that while accessible cabins are definitely bigger than the average cabin, what's bigger about it is more open floorspace. So, you may not find the furniture that you expect when you arrive in your cabin.  For example, on Breakaway or Breakaway-plus class ships, the average balcony cabin has a bed and a "couch" (which may or may not turn into another bed depending upon the cabin capacity.)  Accessible balcony cabins do not have couches of any kind, which is why there are no accessible cabins that hold more than 2 people on those classes of ships (unless you are in the Haven.) There may just be a small side chair depending upon the size of the accessible cabin, since the idea behind less furniture is to allow more floorspace for wheelchairs to turn. 

 

Also, bathroom configurations are totally different. In addition to having no shower door, there are no cabinets for storage (the space under the sink is left open so that a wheelchair can slide under it.)  There is usually just 1 or 2 very small shelves, so anyone in an accessible cabin should definitely bring an over the door storage thingy to hold your toiletries.

[SpainAlien]

There are a very limited number of handicap adapted cabins available on any ship. I certainly would not book one just to get more space when by doing so I would be potentially denying a disabled person the opportunity to cruise.

 

Upshot, you may be able to book it but please don't unless you are actually disabled

 

[david_sobe]

You can book them but if handicap rooms are sold out and a handicap person needs the room, you will be bumped.  Its the chance you take.  IMHO, I cannot understand any reason someone who is not disabled would book a handicap room.

I remember reading a cruise review where this handicapped guy was so disabled and needed an extra large wheel chair that could not fit through the door.  The door had to be removed each time he entered.  The cabin above him had a wider door.  When NCL asked the people in the other cabin to switch, they refused.  I just don't understand how anyone could be so cruel.

[tallnthensome]

3 hours ago, david_sobe said:

You can book them but if handicap rooms are sold out and a handicap person needs the room, you will be bumped.  Its the chance you take.  IMHO, I cannot understand any reason someone who is not disabled would book a handicap room.

I can for the reason i mentioned above. When a family wants an ocean view and all they have left available are accessible cabins in that category. If that family can’t fit in an inside cabin but also can’t afford the thousands of dollars more for a balcony. I wouldn’t do it personally but I could see others doing it no matter how shallow. 

[florida eagle]

18 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

Truth?  If you do totally disrespect disabled people by booking these cabins when you are not disabled not only is it a total jerk wad move on your part and you being a total tard, but also there is a high probability that you will be moved to whatever cabin NCL chooses to move you to when they realize that you are doing so.

There seems to be a lot of people living high off the hog not worrying about what you said. I saw a lady do that on a cruise some years ago. She had a cane and when she went on the secret deck of a Carnival ship, she was almost doing cartwheels. People playing the system in all ways seem to live good with much less resources then those who play by the rules.

[casofilia]

@pmatawan

 

Please do NOT do it.

[pmatawan]

16 minutes ago, casofilia said:

@pmatawan

 

Please do NOT do it.

I did not book a handicap cabin. I don't think that these cabins should show as available to book unless the traveler indicates that as accessible cabin is required.

[mtrancher]

10 hours ago, pmatawan said:

I did not book a handicap cabin. I don't think that these cabins should show as available to book unless the traveler indicates that as accessible cabin is required.

Really? It's NCL's fault? If a cabin indicates it's a handicap accessible cabin you can't figure out that you don't qualify? You think NCL shouldn't show it available, just because you might not qualify to book it? If you aren't that smart, maybe you shouldn't be booking at all! You might be the 1st person I think might require the assistance of a travel agent, just to help you navigate the booking process. Quit blaming others for your hope of scoring a bigger space!

[MoCruiseFan]

Not to harp on the dreaded smoking issue, but booking a disabled cabin when you don't need one with the rational of "I'll book the cabin and just move if a disabled person needs it" is akin to the rational of a few jerk smokers who say "I'll only smoke in the non-smoking area until someone says something and asks me to stop".  Would you steal someone's car and justify it by saying you will bring it back if they ask for it?  


NOTE: Please notice that I said "a FEW" in the smoking analogy.  It is the jerks in any group that give the rest a bad name.

[MoCruiseFan]

3 hours ago, mtrancher said:

Really? It's NCL's fault? If a cabin indicates it's a handicap accessible cabin you can't figure out that you don't qualify? You think NCL shouldn't show it available, just because you might not qualify to book it? If you aren't that smart, maybe you shouldn't be booking at all! You might be the 1st person I think might require the assistance of a travel agent, just to help you navigate the booking process. Quit blaming others for your hope of scoring a bigger space!

Sadly these days it is common practice to justify one's poor behavior based on irrelevant actions of others.

[ziggyuk]

14 hours ago, pmatawan said:

I did not book a handicap cabin. I don't think that these cabins should show as available to book unless the traveler indicates that as accessible cabin is required.

 

100% agree, there are too many selfish people, those cabins should only be bookable by a PCC or travel agents who follow set rules.
If you are disabled you can't risk booking a standard room in the hope someone will be bumped, people who need these rooms have so much trouble booking & have to book really early as they often go so quickly.

[Two Wheels Only]

10 hours ago, mtrancher said:

Really? It's NCL's fault? If a cabin indicates it's a handicap accessible cabin you can't figure out that you don't qualify? You think NCL shouldn't show it available, just because you might not qualify to book it? If you aren't that smart, maybe you shouldn't be booking at all! You might be the 1st person I think might require the assistance of a travel agent, just to help you navigate the booking process. Quit blaming others for your hope of scoring a bigger space!

 

I believe that the OP is suggesting that wheelchair accessible staterooms should only show up as an option if the person booking checks the ♿ box. The way that it is now, anyone (even if by accident) can select one even if not needed.

[milolii]

50 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

I believe that the OP is suggesting that wheelchair accessible staterooms should only show up as an option if the person booking checks the ♿ box. The way that it is now, anyone (even if by accident) can select one even if not needed.

I agree.