dangerous problem on Princess-contact??

[OldinJersey]

We were on the Crown Princess cruise out of NYC on Oct. 18th. We had one major problem. The "push button to open" electronic door openers where turned off on the entire ship. In case of a public or even personal emergency, you could be stuck without a way to open the doors.

I could not get around the ship alone. I ended up stuck at doorways waiting for another person to come along and hope they'd hold the door open.

Anyone with scooter expertise knows how to open a manual door, but many were very heavy, and many also had a very narrow ramp going up to the door, making it extra hard or impossible to grab door, back up and open, then prop open while driving through. I could not, at any rate.

It made daily adventures much less fun for me.

The crew said that there were a few buttons malfunctioning and so the whole ship's auto door buttons were turned off "for repair". I wonder how long that will be the story? Anyone know if it was broken before the cruise, or if it is still not working?

I can see online where I can contact them to book a trip etc. but no clear complaint or customer service contact. An email address or phone number would be a big help.

My minor but quite annoying issue was that my personal mobility travel scooter could only get into a regular room by scraping the doorway, even though it fits in other cruise rooms without this problem. Once in the room - there was no room for it! We talked to the desk. No interest in checking to see that handicapped rooms were booked by handicapped people, but that was not the main issue. The desk told us this is common, and to park in the hallway. ( fire hazard anyone?) After 24 hours the couple across the hall complained. (should we really know who is mad?) We were then told to try plan two, which is also recommended - park the scooter in a common area such as elevator lobby on the floor, or if there is an open space at the end of the hallway, park there. We did that, although my husband had to drive it down the hall to park and pick it up. Not a big deal but it seems to me it should have been dealt with enough times to have a solid plan in place.

Barbara

[Queenie2]

That's what happens when you deal with a cruise line who has no "access department" (aside from their brochure) and no phone number where you can contact them directly (all other major cruise line do). No, I'm not dissing you but I can say that I've had hundreds of complaints from Princess customers. I have to say that folks with mobility issues need to be able to interface with the access department before, during and after the cruise -- and that doesn't happen with Princess.

 

Candy

[Umbarger]

We were on the Crown Princess cruise out of NYC on Oct. 18th. We had one major problem. The "push button to open" electronic door openers where turned off on the entire ship. In case of a public or even personal emergency, you could be stuck without a way to open the doors.

I could not get around the ship alone. I ended up stuck at doorways waiting for another person to come along and hope they'd hold the door open.

Anyone with scooter expertise knows how to open a manual door, but many were very heavy, and many also had a very narrow ramp going up to the door, making it extra hard or impossible to grab door, back up and open, then prop open while driving through. I could not, at any rate.

It made daily adventures much less fun for me.

The crew said that there were a few buttons malfunctioning and so the whole ship's auto door buttons were turned off "for repair". I wonder how long that will be the story? Anyone know if it was broken before the cruise, or if it is still not working?

I can see online where I can contact them to book a trip etc. but no clear complaint or customer service contact. An email address or phone number would be a big help.

My minor but quite annoying issue was that my personal mobility travel scooter could only get into a regular room by scraping the doorway, even though it fits in other cruise rooms without this problem. Once in the room - there was no room for it! We talked to the desk. No interest in checking to see that handicapped rooms were booked by handicapped people, but that was not the main issue. The desk told us this is common, and to park in the hallway. ( fire hazard anyone?) After 24 hours the couple across the hall complained. (should we really know who is mad?) We were then told to try plan two, which is also recommended - park the scooter in a common area such as elevator lobby on the floor, or if there is an open space at the end of the hallway, park there. We did that, although my husband had to drive it down the hall to park and pick it up. Not a big deal but it seems to me it should have been dealt with enough times to have a solid plan in place.

Barbara

 

I just got off the Crown. All the automatic doors are now working. Even the ones with the switches. I have to agree with you. The doors were very difficult for my mom. If I was with her it was fine, as I opened all the doors for her. When she was on her own she really struggled or depended on passersby. The doors were very heavy.

 

We booked an handicapped accessible room. Mom was able to get her scooter thru the door and we parked it and charged it in the room. My mom would have never been able to park at the end of the hall as she could not walk to go and get it etc. My mom did try to get in a regular room and it was next to impossible. She also scraped in. Once in, she was not able to get off the scooter because the bed was on one side of her and the dresser was on the other. Mom fell in the cabin one day during some rough weather. Thankfully she fell on the floor and did not hit on a dresser or anything else and was only bruised.

 

We hated the closets. The pole is only 4 feet off the floor in the closet so pax in wheelchairs can reach. However, half of our dresses were on the floor as they were so long and the closet was so short. The doorway into the cabin was nice and wide so mom could get in and out with her mobility devices. There was a chair in the shower which was great as mom is not able to stand while showering due to balance issues.

 

We met many people on the cruise who were in need of handicapped cabins but they were already booked. What they really needed were wider doors so they could get into their cabins with their mobility devices. They will not fit thru regular doors. Some of these people checked at the pursers desk asking if they could switch with someone in a HC cabin who was not in need, but the pursers desk refused and said they were all booked and could not switch. I know for a fact that AB people were booked in some of these cabins.

 

I really don't think Princess or any other cruise line cares whether a handicapped person gets a handicapped cabin. As long as the cabin is sold they don't care who has it. Yes, it is partly the cruise lines fault. I only hope people will have some personal responsibility.

[OldinJersey]

That's what happens when you deal with a cruise line who has no "access department" (aside from their brochure) and no phone number where you can contact them directly (all other major cruise line do).

Candy

 

I called the booking number just now and was told I can fax a complaint to ATTN: Customer Relations, Post Cruise Issue at 661-284-4771 or 4747

 

Let's face it, I can book online, talk to a sales person online and do the same via telephone. Not offering that option with any customer service issue is a major attempt to avoid issues, and not too ethical imho.

 

I'll type it up now, and have dh fax it for me. Then I'll look at other cruise lines!

Tomorrow at T-day the family member that works for the Federal Govt. in disability compliance will be joining us. I think something should be done about both AB in handicapped cabins, and issues like this.

 

Also, since it is really Carnival that owns them, would Carnival main office address this or is each line totally separate?