"Important notification regarding your booking"

[david,Mississauga]

Thank you for the links MrsPeel55. Being curious, I tried to find some information through "my.cunard" but there was nothing. I found something in an e-mail entitled "Let your Cunard adventure begin". It led me to  a link to the questionnaire which was somewhat different than the one you sent me.

 

The one I found could not be printed properly because it was one long page. The one in your link was conveniently divided into two pages.  Mine asks if the person weighs more or less than 100 kg. "Yours" says 128 kg.  Yours requires a signature; mine does not. Since I can't print the one I found, I have printed and had my wife fill out the one you linked. The fact sheets are also different but not in a way that affects my wife. 

 

We have back-to-back voyages - Southampton-NewYork- Québec - but they had to be booked separately so we will have to send in two.

 

This makes sense but I hope Cunard will make sure everyone knows about this so there are no surprises at check-in.  

[Victoria2]

41 minutes ago, david,Mississauga said:

Thank you for the links MrsPeel55. Being curious, I tried to find some information through "my.cunard" but there was nothing. I found something in an e-mail entitled "Let your Cunard adventure begin". It led me to  a link to the questionnaire which was somewhat different than the one you sent me.

 

The one I found could not be printed properly because it was one long page. The one in your link was conveniently divided into two pages.  Mine asks if the person weighs more or less than 100 kg. "Yours" says 128 kg.  Yours requires a signature; mine does not. Since I can't print the one I found, I have printed and had my wife fill out the one you linked. The fact sheets are also different but not in a way that affects my wife. 

 

We have back-to-back voyages - Southampton-NewYork- Québec - but they had to be booked separately so we will have to send in two.

 

This makes sense but I hope Cunard will make sure everyone knows about this so there are no surprises at check-in.  

The uk site/ brochure t&cs has all the information required for the necessity to fill out the medical firm. This isn’t a new requirement but obviously, it is to some who haven’t read the details or who haven’t been informed of the need to do so.

 

Our agent knows the Cunard  ( and other lines) t&cs inside out. Mind you, we have read them too so knew what to do.

[MrsPeel55]

@david,Mississauga the questionnaire I gave you the link to, I only was able to find because Victoria gave to me a few weeks ago, every time I tried to find it through the "before You Sail" `I got lost in the site....

Now, my questionnaire says clearly to fill it in, download and send an email with the attachment to

accessibility@carnivalukgroup.com

 

not sure if yours would be the same being in the US?

maybe it changes slightly from one content to another?

What we did was, brought it up on the Cunard site, filled it in there, then saved it as pdf and then sent it to them as an attachment...in the signature place, I just put my name.

 

Did you find anything that said you have to send it physically? printed?

what it clearly says in the Cunard page which has the links to the questionnaire is to read the On Boards Needs Notes

then fill it in and email it to them......

 

When it comes to the tender part, they give you precise measurements of what a person should be able to do, and says also they would call us for the assessment/safety thing you mention your wife does, also states very clearly that if they judge that one cannot make it, the person has to stay on board....

Anyway, glad you are finding your way!!!

 

[david,Mississauga]

Yes, Mrspeel55, there are differences between the UK and US sites. Being Canadian we  must deal with the US site. This has been annoying when they have messed things up for us several times. One time our TA contacted someone he knew at Cunard in England and that person straightened out the problem.

 

I can't print the entire form from what is no doubt the US site. As I said it is too long and not divided into two pages.  I have tried on three computers. As for e-mailing it as an attachment, the "Let your Cunard adventure begin" page gives a different e-mail address than what is on the questionnaire.  The e-mail address on both the questionnaires is the same, so we will send it to that one. I hope they will acknowledge receipt.

 

This is definitely something new for our side of the pond. We cruised on the QE from Vancouver in June. Our TA made the usual request for assistance at the terminal. This was efficiently provided without any forms having to be filled out.  I'm not complaining; I think it is appropriate that Cunard knows what specific assistance is needed by passengers with special needs. 

[MrsPeel55]

@david,Mississauga sorry, should have looked to the side and realized you are in Canada! 

Yes, friends of mine who have sailed with Cunard (some of them with relatively serious mobility I impairments) never had to complete it.

I think something must have happened and they want to make sure all works well, which yes, is a good thing 🙂

 

 

[Se1lad]

I presume that you’ll only be able to request assisted boarding if you’ve pre notified Cunard via the process indicated in the email?

 

It may help to stop abuse of the assisted boarding process.  On one trip I saw a couple jogging round the deck - one of them had boarded in a wheelchair the day before.

[Victoria2]

On 8/6/2023 at 7:47 AM, Se1lad said:

I presume that you’ll only be able to request assisted boarding if you’ve pre notified Cunard via the process indicated in the email?

 

It may help to stop abuse of the assisted boarding process.  On one trip I saw a couple jogging round the deck - one of them had boarded in a wheelchair the day before.

Disabled assistance is tightening up and good job too. Those who required a wheelchair to embark but for whom the sea air worked miracles for their mobility when once onboard for the duration of the cruise and started suffering reduced mobility again when approaching Southampton will find it not quite such an  easy ride if the medical/accessibility form hasn't been filled in.

Nothing more annoying than overhearing one lady boasting to others  'it's my quick way of disembarking, try it'! Grrrrr!

 

I don't think it would stop anyone in need asking and getting assistance if needed but it will hopefully put off the blaggers.

As I have said, there are some changes and most are for the good of those who are truly in need of the assistance. Just be aware, one of them is the assistance programme no longer extends to out of the terminal building pick up at embarkation.

[nightfires]

I agree with @MrsPeel55make sure you fill in the form. I have done this since I returned to cruising in 2021. 
 

I have found when waiting for assistance other people have turned up and are not on the list. They seem very put out that they will have to wait until those who booked ahead are disembarked.

 

WRT tenders they always invite you to attend a meeting where they explain the process and then test you can step across the gap using a mat on the floor. I braved a tender for the first time in July and the crew were lovely making sure I was ok.

 

@Victoria2 I book assistance even though I can walk around the ship. It is very difficult to judge on embarkation/ disembarkation how far I will have to walk, whether there will be seats to break the journey and how much standing in a queue is required.   I will always say if I can walk the distance.
 

Whilst it may look like I am ok walking on board what people don’t realise/see is I allow extra time and have carefully planned routes that allow me to break the journey and sit for a few minutes. They also may see me on a good day or a bad day and if I have taken medication
 

I also go through the wrong door into the Britannia dining room so I can sit on the chairs. I don’t queue jump,  I wait for everyone standing in the queue to be seated first.  When on excursions I am last off the bus as it takes me longer so I don’t hold people up.

 

There will always be people who misuse the assistance service, but most of us really do need and value it.

 

 

 

[Victoria2]

nightfiresYou mentioned me so I'll reply.

If you read this board, you’ll find I have been reactive as far as mobility is concerned and have had some 'debates' over the years regarding this, including those who come on here to rant against Cunard when they discover their folding scooter won’t be allowed because they didn’t follow or read Cunard's mobility protocols and book an appropriate cabin, or who ask questions about this.

 

I was the one who started MrsPeel55 on her medical form quest and who always advocates filling the form in, even if you are 'just' in need of that bit of help to embark and disembark and would need some sort of assistance in an emergency.

 

At no time have I been discriminatory to those that need this. If anyone is in need of help, whatever the problem, then they are in need of help and will have filled out the form. Full stop.

 

I don’t think anyone who truly needs help would be power walking or dancing the night away  and so I do have an objection to those who 'find the sea air invigorating once onboard' and yes, I have seen how it definitely works for some, and who use the facility as a means to jump any queue. That is not fair and by highlighting this mobility/medical form Cunard are making sure they have those in need of assistance, on their records and also it will help weed out those who do not really need the facility on embark/debarking, so if you felt I was being unfair to you and those who as I said 'just' need help, then you haven’t followed my posts very carefully.

[VIRGINCRUISER1066]

Question Please - I have just completed and emailed my Assistance Form where unfortunately I will require assistance embarking at Southampton, I am aware that I will need to get into the terminal under my own steam. What is the procedure? will I receive further guidance via email from Cunard or just present myself upon arrival . TIA Jennie

[Victoria2]

10 hours ago, VIRGINCRUISER1066 said:

Question Please - I have just completed and emailed my Assistance Form where unfortunately I will require assistance embarking at Southampton, I am aware that I will need to get into the terminal under my own steam. What is the procedure? will I receive further guidance via email from Cunard or just present myself upon arrival . TIA Jennie

Our experience is you won't get any more correspondence on the subject so now, make your request known to the high vis folk directing the queue so you get to go to the front and then at the terminal door, ask for  wheelchair assistance.

[VIRGINCRUISER1066]

3 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Our experience is you won't get any more correspondence on the subject so now, make your request known to the high vis folk directing the queue so you get to go to the front and then at the terminal door, ask for  wheelchair assistance.

Thank you for this information , it will be the first time I have had to use this service so was unsure what I had to do. 

[david,Mississauga]

On 8/7/2023 at 8:41 AM, Victoria2 said:

...

Nothing more annoying than overhearing one lady boasting to others  'it's my quick way of disembarking, try it'! Grrrrr!

...

 

 

If anyone thinks requesting a wheelchair will guarantee an early disembarkation they should think again.  Last year we disembarked from the QM2 in Red Hook. I was not expecting everything to work well in New York, it never does. There is always at least one issue. Those who had requested assistance were told to report to the Golden Lion at a certain time. There were not enough wheelchairs and/or enough shore staff to push them. Fair enough, not everyone is going to be able to leave at the same time.

 

It took over an hour before it was my wife's turn to get assistance.  By the time we got to the bus loading area we found out there were not enough transfer buses for La Guardia. So it was another hour before a bus bound for Manhattan had enough space for 15 more passengers and it was redirected to the airport.

 

 

 

 

[MrsPeel55]

20 minutes ago, david,Mississauga said:

 

If anyone thinks requesting a wheelchair will guarantee an early disembarkation they should think again.  Last year we disembarked from the QM2 in Red Hook. I was not expecting everything to work well in New York, it never does. There is always at least one issue. Those who had requested assistance were told to report to the Golden Lion at a certain time. There were not enough wheelchairs and/or enough shore staff to push them. Fair enough, not everyone is going to be able to leave at the same time.

 

It took over an hour before it was my wife's turn to get assistance.  By the time we got to the bus loading area we found out there were not enough transfer buses for La Guardia. So it was another hour before a bus bound for Manhattan had enough space for 15 more passengers and it was redirected to the airport.

 

 

 

 

 

I was going to mention something along those lines....

I know cruise ships have their own system and maybe different lines have different ways, my experience is on flying, both on boarding and arrival, economy or business, in all airports we have had experiences (quite a lot), we are the first to board, but on arrival we have to wait until all passengers who are able body left to make our way out, this sometimes means a long wait as the airport assistance not always is there with the wheelchair, even when I travel with my own transit wheelchair and my daughter is the one pushing it, the assistance people will help us to get our luggage and out the gates to either someone coming to pick us up or getting to a cab.

The way I am, not sure I would be able to keep my mouth shut if I heard someone actually boasting about tricking the system!!! 

 

The feeling of frustrating, borderline anger with people who abuse the system is very well known to us, starting with the parking system in London..... people who have no Blue Badge parking in disabled bays, in supermarkets and in roads in general... I always think how I would give anything to have the proper use of my legs back (and general body movement)  whoever thinks abusing the system is clever.... actually are ignorant, so in a way I feel sad for them,  but the frustration and anger are stronger.

I'm glad Cunard is keeping this in check through the questionnaire,

also, @nightfires

Hi 🙂  it was actually @Victoria2 who gave me the links to the on Boards Needs info and questionnaire, I would have never found it if she didn't!  

She has been of great help, far (very very far) from any negative tone, I'm sure you would feel the same way, when we need assistance and people trick the system, it is, as I said, frustrating and annoying!