Here we go again. AB booking HC cabins.

[uppitycats]

Thank you, sybilla, for your support. I hope your sister (and you?) has a lovely cruise!

[Umbarger]

Here we go again. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=21379951#post21379951

 

NCL said they could have the HC cabin since they are over 55? That's a new one. :eek:

[PureVida]

So there is still hope then for my grandfather? I had to book him in a standard room. He has one leg and cant use the small showers. I tried to book a h/a room but there was none left and this was almost 6 months out.So i know they go fast. They also have no 3 berth h.a rooms either or is this just on the Carnival Glory? So i had to book and extra room for a grandchild and put one of my family members in (so i couldnt use the 3 person fare either) As i am paying for 13 family members tickets. It really kinda upset me. But as i am used to people being ignorant and accept it as a fact of life.I moved on.I hate to think my grandfather will have to shower in the sink or something. Maybe in the spa area? Does anyone know if it is big enough and private enough for him to have a shower chair in there?

Thank you all and keep up the noise

[etoile]

The Carnival Glory DOES have multi-person HC cabins. 7228 has two twins and a sofabed, 1001 has two twins, a sofabed, and an upper berth (1002 is the same). Painfully few, I know - just 3 - but they are there if you can get them. Other ships may have more.

[Chacooe]

The Carnival Glory DOES have multi-person HC cabins. 7228 has two twins and a sofabed, 1001 has two twins, a sofabed, and an upper berth (1002 is the same). Painfully few, I know - just 3 - but they are there if you can get them. Other ships may have more.

 

Here is a link that will tell you how many handicapped rooms are on each ship.

 

http://www.amanita.net/cruiseaccess/

 

What I like about Carnival is now they do not advertise which ones are handicapped and when you do book the PVP will transfer you to a department that specializes in just booking handicapped rooms. They ask you a lot of questions and you have some forms to fill out. If they feel you do not need the room, you do not get it. They are really trying to weed out this problem of AB booking the handicapped rooms.

[etoile]

Here is a link that will tell you how many handicapped rooms are on each ship.

 

http://www.amanita.net/cruiseaccess/

 

What I like about Carnival is now they do not advertise which ones are handicapped and when you do book the PVP will transfer you to a department that specializes in just booking handicapped rooms. They ask you a lot of questions and you have some forms to fill out. If they feel you do not need the room, you do not get it. They are really trying to weed out this problem of AB booking the handicapped rooms.

 

That's my website! Thanks for linking to it. :)

 

I need to update it with Splendor, Equinox, and other newbuild info.

[patseacruiser]

So let her leave the boards. She's only leaving because she feels guilty and doesn't want to be reminded of it or really doesn't care. Either way, a handicap cabin should be just that. They are really so limited in numbers they should have to provide a doctors note or a copy of their handicap plaque i.d.

[Jesscap5]

So let her leave the boards. She's only leaving because she feels guilty and doesn't want to be reminded of it or really doesn't care.

 

I'm sorry but what are you referencing to? :confused:

[Quampapetet]

Here's a new thread on Carnival about a guy who changed his cabin from a 4-something to a 1A HC room when it opened up so that he could save money. According to his cruise countdown, the cruise is in April.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1085943

[firefly333]

There are two HC and two regular cabins in the front of the decks on Conquest class ships. ... This person loved the pull down shower seat for shaving her legs and says she would definetly suggest anyone else to book one like this. Unfortunately they were not able to disconnect the emergency pull string and her brother pulled it.

 

I stayed in 7206 on the Freedom this past January, which is a 4J handicap cabin. It was wonderful- very spacious and a huge bathroom and shower, with a moveable shower seat attached to the wall- perfect for shaving my legs! The only down side is that there seemed to be a bit less storage area, but with only 2 people it was plenty for us.

 

The beds are back to back along the wall, so they can't be put together into one bed, which was perfect for me and my brother. The picture window is very large, and since it was a corner room, I think we could see out farther into the ocean than the rooms facing straight ahead. The door to the deck area is just around the corner- easy access for viewing the sites as you come into port with very few people around, and it's one of the darker areas of the ship at night for stargazing. The doors are quite heavy, and tend to slam, so you will hear the door slam closed from inside your cabin. But it's really not that bad, since very few people know about using that area. And we never heard it a night while we were sleeping.

 

In the bathroom there is an emergency pull string, and on the wall next to the head of your bed are buttons for the lights and an emergency help button. Those could be a problem if you try to turn on the light but hit the emergency button instead. We made it to the last night of the cruise with no mistakes, but then my brother hit the emergency button by accident. Whithin 30 seconds we got a phone call making sure we were alright. I had asked the room steward if the emergency feature could possibly be turned off, but she said it couldn't because all the HC rooms were linked.

 

I think you should definitely book this type of cabin. I booked through a travel agent who called Carnival directly a few months before the cruise, and they assigned me this cabin. I had no clue it was a handicap cabin until I got in the room. I have a few pictures of the cabin, and if I can figure out how, I'll post a few of them for you.

[cherylcorwin]

My first cruise was on HAL Vollendaam. I took my travel scooter, which I use for long distances (I can walk short distances & wear an ankle wrap or leg brace), but didn't think to order an accessible cabin. I ended up folding the scooter up against the wall outside the cabin door close to an electrical outlet to charge it each night. Also, I noticed the raised door-jams, which made entering some of the rooms harder to enter, & the elevators didn't have a lot of space. Other cruise lines seem more adapted.

Since then, I've decided I needed the exercise, so I got a folding walker & have used it for subsequent cruises, even to Europe on Princess. I still have to fold it to get it through the cabin doors & could possibly use a wider door, but have managed. We like the outside views all the adapted cabins are either inside forward or aft, which is another problem, since I hate the movement there. Therefore, I've never requested a HC cabin.

[cherylcorwin]

That's my website! Thanks for linking to it. :)

 

I need to update it with Splendor, Equinox, and other newbuild info.

why do I get a Malware warning when I try to access it?

[etoile]

why do I get a Malware warning when I try to access it?

Ugh...thanks for letting me know. This is an ongoing problem I've been having for months now. The site is actually fine, but Google refuses to re-review it. If you click to bypass the malware warning, you should be fine.

[scot2512]

Let me first say I have been married to a paraplegic for 32 years and in the travel industry for the same amount of time so I'm not unaware of problems. However I looked at the thread you referenced and it seems to me the AB passenger booked into the HC room showed sensitivity and awareness by asking the questions. Unless of course the cabin was booked under false pretense. But the bottom line is the cruise line can't continually hold out HC cabins on the off chance they may be needed at the last minute by a handicapped passenger. Cruising is a for profit business and if those are the last cabins left available why should anyone be denied the opportunity to sail. The moral of the story is book ahead and there shouldn't be a problem

[uppitycats]

Let me first say I have been married to a paraplegic for 32 years and in the travel industry for the same amount of time so I'm not unaware of problems. However I looked at the thread you referenced and it seems to me the AB passenger booked into the HC room showed sensitivity and awareness by asking the questions. Unless of course the cabin was booked under false pretense. But the bottom line is the cruise line can't continually hold out HC cabins on the off chance they may be needed at the last minute by a handicapped passenger. Cruising is a for profit business and if those are the last cabins left available why should anyone be denied the opportunity to sail. The moral of the story is book ahead and there shouldn't be a problem

 

You must not have read THIS entire thread. None of us are suggesting that the cruise industry should "continually hold out HC cabins on the off chance they may be needed at the last minute". We ARE suggesting that they hold them until, say, 60-90 days out. In other words, release them and assign them to "whomever" when they start filling "guarantees". We ARE suggesting that the cruise industry be more diligent about making SURE that people that book these cabins early DO have disabilities. We ARE suggesting that travel agents don't "do their clients favors" by booking the HC cabins and LYING to the cruise line that their client is disabled, so that the client has a bigger cabin and bigger bathroom to "shave her legs".

 

While this person posting may not have deliberately booked the HC cabin this time, she clearly is letting people know how "wonderful" it was, and the suggestion is that they book it on future cruises..and I suspect she will, too. You are right to say that she was assigned the cabin THIS time...but NEXT time, she'll be at least trying to book it.

[Quampapetet]

Let me first say I have been married to a paraplegic for 32 years and in the travel industry for the same amount of time so I'm not unaware of problems. However I looked at the thread you referenced and it seems to me the AB passenger booked into the HC room showed sensitivity and awareness by asking the questions. Unless of course the cabin was booked under false pretense. But the bottom line is the cruise line can't continually hold out HC cabins on the off chance they may be needed at the last minute by a handicapped passenger. Cruising is a for profit business and if those are the last cabins left available why should anyone be denied the opportunity to sail. The moral of the story is book ahead and there shouldn't be a problem

 

That guy's cruise isn't until April; this is not last-minute. Final payment isn't even reached yet.

 

He already had a cabin, so it wasn't like he couldn't get on the cruise if he didn't take the HC cabin. There were/are plenty of other cabins for him, including the one he was already booked in. It would be different if the cruise was close or there weren't any other cabins left/he didn't already have a cabin.

 

Why should ppl who need an HC cabin HAVE to book ahead in order to sail period when nobody else does? A good number of ppl who need that type of cabin don't have the opportunity health-wise to book a year/year-and-a-half in advance. And even if ppl try to book that far in advance, the ppl who want an HC cabin for its size/so they can bring SCUBA equipment know to book that early and do it, so there is no guarantee.

 

The cruiselines need to change their policies not to let able-bodied folks book HC cabins until close to sailing OR if the ship is otherwise completely booked (and then, if somebody cancels, move the able-bodied out of the HC cabin). There are plenty of cabins able-bodied folks can sail in and be plenty happy in, but not enough cabins for disabled folks to just have the ability to get on the cruise.

[Harleycat]

Let me first say I have been married to a paraplegic for 32 years and in the travel industry for the same amount of time so I'm not unaware of problems. However I looked at the thread you referenced and it seems to me the AB passenger booked into the HC room showed sensitivity and awareness by asking the questions. Unless of course the cabin was booked under false pretense. But the bottom line is the cruise line can't continually hold out HC cabins on the off chance they may be needed at the last minute by a handicapped passenger. Cruising is a for profit business and if those are the last cabins left available why should anyone be denied the opportunity to sail. The moral of the story is book ahead and there shouldn't be a problem

 

Here's another scenario to consider. I'm disabled but don't need an accessible cabin. That, however, can change overnight with a fall or a bad bump (I have osteonecrosis which has weakened my joints). So I book a non-accessible cabin and then I need an accessible one but there are none available because able bodied people are in them and refuse to move. So I have a choice of cancelling the cruise or trying to make do.

 

No one is saying leave them empty. What people are asking the cruise lines to do is hold them and don't assign them to able bodied people until the end. I really don't think that's too much to ask especially considering how few of them there are.

[etoile]

Let me first say I have been married to a paraplegic for 32 years and in the travel industry for the same amount of time so I'm not unaware of problems. However I looked at the thread you referenced and it seems to me the AB passenger booked into the HC room showed sensitivity and awareness by asking the questions. Unless of course the cabin was booked under false pretense. But the bottom line is the cruise line can't continually hold out HC cabins on the off chance they may be needed at the last minute by a handicapped passenger. Cruising is a for profit business and if those are the last cabins left available why should anyone be denied the opportunity to sail. The moral of the story is book ahead and there shouldn't be a problem

Why does everybody seem to think we're demanding cabins be held indefinitely so we can book cruises two weeks out?

 

NOBODY is saying to hold them past guarantee assignments. If they are unbooked as of guarantee assignment time, then by all means assign people to them.

[TigerLady]

Here's another scenario to consider. I'm disabled but don't need an accessible cabin. That, however, can change overnight with a fall or a bad bump (I have osteonecrosis which has weakened my joints). So I book a non-accessible cabin and then I need an accessible one but there are none available because able bodied people are in them and refuse to move. So I have a choice of cancelling the cruise or trying to make do.

 

No one is saying leave them empty. What people are asking the cruise lines to do is hold them and don't assign them to able bodied people until the end. I really don't think that's too much to ask especially considering how few of them there are.

Beaing a parent of a handicapped, wheelchair bound child; I find it outrageous that I have to book at least 9-12 months in advance to get a room for my child. Heaven forbid if I want to just go on a cruise without having to book ahead. I would never get a room. The cruise lines are sailing without being full, due to the economic crisis anyway. Just leave those cabins empty. The cruise lines make their money either way, and maybe more disabled passengers would have the opportunity to cruise, Not everyone knows thier schedule a year ot more out.. I'm just sayin'

[uppitycats]

Beaing a parent of a handicapped, wheelchair bound child; I find it outrageous that I have to book at least 9-12 months in advance to get a room for my child. Heaven forbid if I want to just go on a cruise without having to book ahead. I would never get a room. The cruise lines are sailing without being full, due to the economic crisis anyway. Just leave those cabins empty. The cruise lines make their money either way, and maybe more disabled passengers would have the opportunity to cruise, Not everyone knows thier schedule a year ot more out.. I'm just sayin'

 

 

I think many of us agree with you....but concede that the cruise line IS after all, a business, and if they can fill low-end cabins (and most of the HC cabins are at the lower end of cabin classes), they'll do it.

 

It is indeed frustrating that we need to plan so far ahead to take a cruise. No last-minute spontaneity for us! And it's ironic...many of us have health issues that could mean that we'd have to cancel the cruise anyway. I always feel like I'm taking a huge gamble to book a cruise; who knows how well I'll be 9 months from now!!

 

We just need to keep vigilant and keep pressing the cruise lines to be more responsive, get travel agents better trained, and "jump all over" cruisers who are either ill-informed or insensitive.

[TigerLady]

I think many of us agree with you....but concede that the cruise line IS after all, a business, and if they can fill low-end cabins (and most of the HC cabins are at the lower end of cabin classes), they'll do it.

 

It is indeed frustrating that we need to plan so far ahead to take a cruise. No last-minute spontaneity for us! And it's ironic...many of us have health issues that could mean that we'd have to cancel the cruise anyway. I always feel like I'm taking a huge gamble to book a cruise; who knows how well I'll be 9 months from now!!

 

We just need to keep vigilant and keep pressing the cruise lines to be more responsive, get travel agents better trained, and "jump all over" cruisers who are either ill-informed or insensitive.

 

 

We do, but also need to believe that perhaps common courtesy, and doing the right thing, will be something we see more of. I am beyond tired of the "I'm the most important person" mentality that is the mantra of most individuals now. What happened to respect, kindness and the willingness to give and help out those less fortunate than you. We have become a selfish society. I will get off my soapbox now. This issue brings out the worst in me..

[Umbarger]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=23002988&posted=1#post23002988

[Valentine's Mom]

David and I drcided to book a H/C room on the new Carnival Magic. The ship won't be out until 2011 and past guests were given first chances to get a good deal so we called right away! We wanted a regular h/c room inside or balcony but not a suite( too expensive with the airfare) Would you believe that all of the h/c rooms were booked:eek: He even called before 8 am. Now I wonder just who has thesr rooms:mad:

[Three Rings]

David and I drcided to book a H/C room on the new Carnival Magic. The ship won't be out until 2011 and past guests were given first chances to get a good deal so we called right away! We wanted a regular h/c room inside or balcony but not a suite( too expensive with the airfare) Would you believe that all of the h/c rooms were booked:eek: He even called before 8 am. Now I wonder just who has thesr rooms:mad:

 

I've had that problem before too. Try calling again and hopefully you will get a different agent. Some agents, for some reason, just don't go the extra step to contact the special needs department, and just tell you the cabins are all booked. Hopefully that is the case here, and you'll be able to get what you need.

[wizard-of-roz]

Sometimes a "block" of HC cabins are reserved by an agent for a group cruise and they don't need them all but reserve them [holding up anyone else from booking them] for their own needs. I, personally, resent them doing this because it stops us [the general public] from booking them.

I would go through an agent who is used to booking the HC cabins and have him/her badger Carnival until they release a cabin or make sure that you are put on the "wait-list" for the first available cancellation.

This is very annoying for those of us who do book a year or more in advance and still find that these cabins are not available.