HAL Koningsdam with a scooter: Verandah or Vista for storing/charging space?

[bonnieparker80]

I'm planning to book a cruise to travel with someone who will be using a scooter.  I'm concerned about having enough room to store the scooter in the room while still being able to get to the bathroom, etc. I've seen conflicting advice and the advisor I'm working with is unsure. I know the guidance about the size of the scooter needing to be 23" or less width to fit through the door. But I'm focused on whether we can safely fit the scooter in the room to charge it while still having room to walk to bathroom, etc.

 

Some people say you can get the standard size rental scooter (under 23") to the sitting area and charge near the desk. Others commented that they the scooter needed to be placed near the door, blocking the bathroom.  And others said the scooter didn't fit at all and had to be stored elsewhere overnight and returned each morning, which sounds like a pain.

 

Can anyone share experience or info on whether a verandah room has a place where a scooter can be moved to and stored, with the room in 2 twin bed configuration? Or would it be better to book a vista suite? I'm specifically looking at Verandah 7131 or Vista 5127 if that helps. If you have any other handy tips about a scooter on the Koningsdam, I'd appreciate it!

[FOPMan]

You need to keep it in your cabin at all times. Leaving it in a passageway or a lobby creates a fire and safety hazard.

[bonnieparker80]

12 minutes ago, FOPMan said:

You need to keep it in your cabin at all times. Leaving it in a passageway or a lobby creates a fire and safety hazard.

Thanks, @FOPMan. I know it can't be stored in the hallway, but in some other forums I've seen people mention that ship staff came and got the scooter each night, stored it in some approved location, and brought it back each morning.  I'm trying to avoid doing that and want to make sure I understand what will fit in the room. 

[highscar]

Depending on the size of the scooter.   I have always had a veranda but it is a small 3 wheeler.  This year on the Koninsdam I found the best place was along the bathroom wall ahead of the door close to the bed lowered the handles then plugged it in bedside.  Some ships I have taken it between the wall and the bed to the desk    Depends on size and ship.   

 

 

 

 

 

[bonnieparker80]

11 minutes ago, highscar said:

Depending on the size of the scooter.   I have always had a veranda but it is a small 3 wheeler.  This year on the Koninsdam I found the best place was along the bathroom wall ahead of the door close to the bed lowered the handles then plugged it in bedside.  Some ships I have taken it between the wall and the bed to the desk    Depends on size and ship.   

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you, @highscar. When you store it along the bathroom wall, can you still get into the bathroom safely (such as at night, lower light)?  I am planning to rent the scooter.  Something like this, with specs L: 43″ x W:  21″ x H: 36″. Is that similar to what you have?

[highscar]

Similar but no arm rests.  It sits past the bathroom door ok.   Fold the  seat back down and handle bar down.  I don’t have a basket so maybe remove that.  Enjoy your cruise and us know how you make out.    I have cruised in varandas on HAL ships with my scooter for 21 years with no problem.    

[highscar]

Mine also a Pride brand.  👍🏻

[[Big Z]]

When I was on the Koningsdam in December, near my stateroom, there were a couple of Verandah staterooms that had their scooters parked outside of their staterooms every night. 

 

I don't know if it was a case that they couldn't get it inside or felt they didn't need to get it inside. Hopefully your travel companion won't have any problems with it. 

[Seasick Sailor]

1 hour ago, bonnieparker80 said:

Thanks, @FOPMan. I know it can't be stored in the hallway, but in some other forums I've seen people mention that ship staff came and got the scooter each night, stored it in some approved location, and brought it back each morning.  I'm trying to avoid doing that and want to make sure I understand what will fit in the room. 

 

I know there's folks who say the scooters must be in the staterooms. However, we were on the Koningsdam for 35 days, and Rotterdam this past year for 50+ days and there are in fact portals, mostly in the wide corridors leading to the elevator. The people next door questioned the room stewards and I heard them say the scooters were in an approved area. I also took pictures of the scooters and posted it. Probably around December time-frame. 

[bonnieparker80]

9 minutes ago, highscar said:

Similar but no arm rests.  It sits past the bathroom door ok.   Fold the  seat back down and handle bar down.  I don’t have a basket so maybe remove that.  Enjoy your cruise and us know how you make out.    I have cruised in varandas on HAL ships with my scooter for 21 years with no problem.    

Thank you so much.  Very helpful!

[highscar]

@bonnieparker80     Which cruise are you thinking of booking ?

[Seasick Sailor]

 

[Seasick Sailor]

5 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

 

 

Just beware: lots of comments about the scooters being hazardous outside staterooms. 

[crystalspin]

2 hours ago, bonnieparker80 said:

Or would it be better to book a vista suite? I'm specifically looking at Verandah 7131 or Vista 5127

Here is a video showing one place to charge a scooter in a Vista Suite (that happens to be right next to 5127 (left-right mirror image):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsYsh8tZ3k8

 

 

[Kay S]

I've done both the Vista Suite and the Verandah with my scooter.  The suite has plenty of room to park and has outlets accessible.  I had trouble parking in a Verandah.  I put the scooter next to the bed, but it was a pain.  The doors are narrow on both types of rooms.  Anything over 23" wide will be impossible to get through the door.  Don't count on using the halls.  That is something a few stewards will allow, but not many.

[Niagarawine]

2 hours ago, bonnieparker80 said:

I'm planning to book a cruise to travel with someone who will be using a scooter.  I'm concerned about having enough room to store the scooter in the room while still being able to get to the bathroom, etc. I've seen conflicting advice and the advisor I'm working with is unsure. I know the guidance about the size of the scooter needing to be 23" or less width to fit through the door. But I'm focused on whether we can safely fit the scooter in the room to charge it while still having room to walk to bathroom, etc.

 

Some people say you can get the standard size rental scooter (under 23") to the sitting area and charge near the desk. Others commented that they the scooter needed to be placed near the door, blocking the bathroom.  And others said the scooter didn't fit at all and had to be stored elsewhere overnight and returned each morning, which sounds like a pain.

 

Can anyone share experience or info on whether a verandah room has a place where a scooter can be moved to and stored, with the room in 2 twin bed configuration? Or would it be better to book a vista suite? I'm specifically looking at Verandah 7131 or Vista 5127 if that helps. If you have any other handy tips about a scooter on the Koningsdam, I'd appreciate it!

Hi I was just on Koningsdam with a rented scooter. I was in a veranda and I had rented from Special Needs At Sea. It was in my cabin when I boarded but the attendant suggested we keep it in the hallway by the elevators. Every night he would take it nd charge it after I rode it to the entrance of the cabin. I was very pleased with how it worked out as this was my first time using one. When I decided not to use it for a particular day it would be kept there. 

[highscar]

Vista suite had the bed near the window.  Makes a big difference for the scooter.    Even when the beds are twin.  

[RuthC]

I've been using a rented scooter on HAL ships for over a decade, and never needed to book an accessible cabin until I cruised on a Pinnacle class ship a couple of years ago (Koningsdam is a Pinnacle class ship). All the other classes have at least a few cabins that will easily hold a scooter, with room to turn it around to get out again, but the Pinnacle cabins are smaller than previous ship cabins in the same class. 

On the Nieuw Statendam I didn't dare try my luck in a non-accessible cabin, and booked an accessible veranda room. There was plenty of room in there, with enough room left over for a rollator and walking around. 

If you don't have an accessible cabin booked, and can't get one for the cruise, I would be making plans to contact the Front Desk to see what they suggest. Perhaps the one using the scooter can ride to the cabin, while the able-bodied person can move the scooter to an approved area, then walk back. Reverse the process in the morning. 
I found the passageways in the cabin areas on the Pinnacle class ships to be much more narrow than on earlier ships, so blocking the passageway would be quite hazardous. 

[highscar]

I agree Ruth.   On other than Pinnacle ships I could easily drive by the bed and turn around.   

[mcrcruiser]

There are scooters that you can purchase which are very light & even collapsable  with a remote switch & you can pull it like luggage .  Another possibility is  a light scooter weighing only 40 lbs that can be lifted . 

If this is of interest just look on line for collapsable electri scooters  .Scooter rentals can Be several hundred per trip . Taqking several trips  they can easily own one 

[FOPMan]

19 hours ago, [Big Z] said:

When I was on the Koningsdam in December, near my stateroom, there were a couple of Verandah staterooms that had their scooters parked outside of their staterooms every night. 

 

I don't know if it was a case that they couldn't get it inside or felt they didn't need to get it inside. Hopefully your travel companion won't have any problems with it. 

Leaving equipment outside the cabin presents a significant fire hazard and a major obstacle for cree and other passengers. Don’t be surprised if your scooter gets relocated and/or you get a call to move it yourself at whatever hour of the night.

[fusion927]

My wife has a smaller scooter (TravelScoot).  In a Pinnacle Veranda room, it did fit between the bathroom wall and the bed, but with a couple of caveats: We (ok, the steward) moved the beds about 6 inches further away from the wall so it was up against the couch with both end tables on  between the bathroom wall and the bed. And, we had the beds in a queen configuration.  I don't think it would work in a twin configuration.

 

About scooters (and other devices) in the hallway.  There were several in the hallways, and it seems nothing was done about them (until maybe near the end of the cruise).  Several times they were blocking enough of the hallway where we have to move them so my wife could get by.

 

We saw one interior hallway where a scooter was parked that was wide enough that I didn't feel it was an issue.  And our steward did offer to take it to be charged in the evening and bring it back in the morning, but that still left us with an issue during the day when she was in the room.

 

I hope that HAL is listening and will plan for more 'scooter' accessible rooms (wider door and some scooter parking space in the room) in future builds (or even retrofits).

 

[fusion927]

Just now, fusion927 said:

My wife has a smaller scooter (TravelScoot).  In a Pinnacle Veranda room, it did fit between the bathroom wall and the bed, but with a couple of caveats: We (ok, the steward) moved the beds about 6 inches further away from the wall so it was up against the couch with both end tables on  between the bathroom wall and the bed. And, we had the beds in a queen configuration.  I don't think it would work in a twin configuration.

 

About scooters (and other devices) in the hallway.  There were several in the hallways, and it seems nothing was done about them (until maybe near the end of the cruise).  Several times they were blocking enough of the hallway where we have to move them so my wife could get by.

 

We saw one interior hallway where a scooter was parked that was wide enough that I didn't feel it was an issue.  And our steward did offer to take it to be charged in the evening and bring it back in the morning, but that still left us with an issue during the day when she was in the room.

 

I hope that HAL is listening and will plan for more 'scooter' accessible rooms (wider door and some scooter parking space in the room) in future builds (or even retrofits).

 

 

Forgot to mention this was a B2B cruise where we were unable to get an Accessible room on the 2nd cruise, but we were in an Accessible room for the first cruise.  Nice wide doors (and loved the auto open/close on the door) and plenty of room for the scooter.

 

[RuthC]

7 hours ago, FOPMan said:

Leaving equipment outside the cabin presents a significant fire hazard and a major obstacle for cree and other passengers. Don’t be surprised if your scooter gets relocated and/or you get a call to move it yourself at whatever hour of the night.

Or someone banging on your door with her cane late at night because she can't get by on her own scooter. 
If that doesn't work, she might have to back up and locate a courtesy phone to call you to let you know you are blocking the passageway for others.