Wheelchair Accessible Cabin - have you ever been bumped?

[madforcruising]

This really sounds like a good idea.

 

Some folks do have a physical disability but do not require wheelchairs, but DO need grab bars, or no steps into the bathroom (an example would be someone who has had knee or hip surgery, or lung diseases)

 

Personally I think they should make more rooms that would accomodate all types of disabilities. With wider doors and etc. (at hotels too) the worlds population is aging, and nobody can predict a stroke or such. Although there would be a few less cabins on the ship, they dont all sail full anyway!

 

This a little OT and I don´t question your idea of having more HC cabins, but your statement about not sailing full isn´t quite correct.

Of course not every single cruise is completely booked but the statistic shows they sail full pretty much.

 

From RCCL 2005 anual report:

Occupancy:

2003: 103,2%

2004: 105,7%

2005: 106,6%

[andnickali]

Some folks do have a physical disability but do not require wheelchairs, but DO need grab bars, or no steps into the bathroom (an example would be someone who has had knee or hip surgery, or lung diseases)

 

Personally I think they should make more rooms that would accomodate all types of disabilities. With wider doors and etc. (at hotels too) the worlds population is aging, and nobody can predict a stroke or such. Although there would be a few less cabins on the ship, they dont all sail full anyway!

 

While I think the PC thing to say would be I agree- I can't. To some extent cruise ships are not floating nursing homes designed to meet the needs of an aging population. If an otherwise mobile passenger is so bad off that they can not step the 6 inches into the bathroom then how do they expect to navigate an entire ship? This is a vacation, which is an optional holiday away from home; people that can not take a cruise vacation because of a medical condition should not be turning to the cruise lines to extensively modify their product to accomodate their needs.

 

I would venture to say that cruise ships are exempt from the ADA and any modifications to their ships are based solely on the bottom line.