Parking scooter in Hall?

[Travelitis]

I read on Tom Gauldin's website, "Our scooter is less than 2' wide, so it fits easily through the cabin door; however, on every ship we've cruised, the cabin steward has suggested that we park it in the hallway. This increases our room in the cabin and keeps it handy."

 

That raises the question: Do HC people book regular cabins and park the scooter in the hall? Have any of you done that? I don't recall seeing any scooters in hallways on ships, but I'd love to book my kids in a regular cabin, request a med frig and shower chair and just park it outside their door. I'd just kind of assumed this wouldn't be OK.

[Valentine's Mom]

They no longer allow this. It can be really bad for the visually impaired. It is also very hard to get around the laundry carts in the hallways and with a cart and a chair or scooter it would be impossable.

[leoandhugh]

do not assume it will be ok. Because of liability concerns, most cruise lines have prohibited parking scooters or wheelchairs in hallways. For several reasons - visually impaired passengers, passengers on scooters or wheelchairs either cannot pass or have difficulties, and they are just plain hazardous left unattended. We travel with both a scooter and wheelchair and would never even consider placing them anywhere other than in the cabin which is where they belong:)

[wizard-of-roz]

You no longer can keep them in the hallway....it is in the way.......

We parked our wheelchair near benches that were located near the elevators....no one touched it and it was out of the way.

This was on the Oosterdam, in April, 2007.

If you don't have a handicapped cabin, (which usually can accomodate the chair, even if you have to fold it against a wall.) You may have to park it like we did or ask your cabin steward to take it and then bring it to you, when you need it.

Sounds a bit inconvenient but it's all doable! ;)

[ILoveScotland]

We're in a regular cabin in October and have rented a scooter for DH. I think it will fit through the doorway, and I had planned to maneuver around it in the room. Reading this thread makes me think we'll ask the room steward about parking it near the elevators.

[wizard-of-roz]

Have a wonderful cruise....let the location of the scooter be the only worry you have!

[leoandhugh]

Beth, don't count on being able to have it parked elsewhere - this is very much a factor of the ship and its security officer. If it turns out that you can arrange it and persuade them to do it, more power to you, but not a good idea to plan on it. Remember, we have years of experience on this. Hugh

[Valentine's Mom]

Several years ago I had a regular room with a rather large scooter, although it wasn't large for it's time.) I had to park it at the purser's desk. It was really luck for me that I only needed it for distance. I don't think that you can even do this now so it might be a good idea to call ahead.

[ILoveScotland]

Thanks, Hugh. I know you have lots and lots of experience. I'm satisfied to put the scooter in the room.

 

Beth

[wizard-of-roz]

In our last HC Cabin...a scooter would have fit in the entrance hall but no further..and, at that, it would have been in the way!

Handicapped Cabins:

HAL, Oosterdam handicapped cabins; unless Veranda's, are very small.

Princess, Diamond (E717) was a mini-suite (huge.)

Celebrity, Summit (large handicapped cabins) inside and out.

NCL, Star (large handicapped cabins) inside and out.

[Arlened236]

Hi.. I always rent an electric scooter and I have my own w/c on every cruise. We have never been allowed to leave the scooter in the hall or near the elevators. The major problem is that they need to be plugged in and recharged every night and there often is no electric outlet in those areas. There is a major hazzard from someone tripping over the electric cord if they did have an outlet.

I have been fortunate in getting an accessible cabin, (we cannot take a cruise if an accessible cabin is available) there is a big difference in size and area left to keep the scooter and being able to charge it and and still move around the cabin. As a previous poster said the entrance hall of the cabin is often the only area it fits in....surprisingly this has been true in the mini-suites we were forced to take because it was the only accessible cabin available.

Another problem leaving w/c or scooters in the hallway are the unsupervised children that just love to play with them. Someone on our deck had their personal w/c taken from the area near the elevator (where they thought they could store it when not in use)...when found the person that took it thought is was just there for anyone that needed it!...also if you rent the scooter or w/c and anything happens to it while you are not present you are still responsible for the item....and if someone gets hurt you are also responsible for "an attractive nussance".

Best advice I can give you is keep it where you can see it at all times.

[tomko2]

I made myself a promise on our last cruise and that is that if I see a scooter or stroller parked in the hallway I am going to speak to the safety officer onboard immediately. Any obstacle in a hallway impeding clear means of egress is a huge safety violation. Carts used by Cabin Attendants are under their watch and are "stopped" rather than "parked".

I have never seen a scooter in a hallway but have seen several large strollers!:eek:

 

I don't care who flames me on this subject; I have seen the deadly results of what can happens when clear means of egress is blocked and nothing is worse!

 

Kathy

[Travelitis]

I said I assumed it would NOT be OK. I thought it was odd that it was suggested by room stewards, but I imagine they didn't want to clean around it.

[Valentine's Mom]

Another hazard that really bothers me is when people put empty plates and trays and such in the hallways. Can you imagine a visually impaired person making their way down the hallway and coming in contact with uneaten food! YUK! And dangerous!

[wizard-of-roz]

I can imagine how difficult it is for the blind....can you imagine how tough it is for my service dog, when she comes upon the trays of food....she's be trained to ignore it....however, she's still a dog and the challenge for her can be daunting!:(

[Hebe]

I agree about not leaving scooters or wheelchairs in the hallways. I push a manual chair and have had stop and move them to get by. I sure some people are thinking -- they are only going to be in the room a few minutes.

[mikedw]

Got back last month from RCCL Grandeur of the Seas Bermuda Cruise. Because I got an agent discount was unable to get a HC room, so we got a regular balcony cabin and my wife took her wheelchair instead of her scooter. Room Steward let us park it outside the door. I was surprised because there literature says that's not allowed, but I noticed several in the hallways at night.

[cruisinfanatic]

I'm glad that scooters are not allowed to be parked in the hall. A couple yrs ago, my BIL broke his ankle and I wheeled him to his cabin and other places on the ship (Radiance) for 2 days. Never noticed how many obsticles their were in the hall including scooters and laundry carts.

[tomko2]

I'm glad that scooters are not allowed to be parked in the hall. A couple yrs ago, my BIL broke his ankle and I wheeled him to his cabin and other places on the ship (Radiance) for 2 days. Never noticed how many obsticles their were in the hall including scooters and laundry carts.

 

 

OT --- I just read your review of the Radiance and must compliment you on your excellent review. It was sad to read about the "injury" and subsequent lack of professional attendance. Plan to bookmark your this page so I can read your other reviews when we return from our upcoming cruise. Newbies would really learn alot from your comprehensive and easy reading review style.

Thank you.

Kathy:)

[cruisinfanatic]

OT --- I just read your review of the Radiance and must compliment you on your excellent review. It was sad to read about the "injury" and subsequent lack of professional attendance. Plan to bookmark your this page so I can read your other reviews when we return from our upcoming cruise. Newbies would really learn alot from your comprehensive and easy reading review style.

Thank you.

Kathy:)

Appreciate that, Thanks!!!

[jdh]

My twp-cents worth: NOT a good idea to park your scooter in the hall. The first time we did this, the scooter got broken apparently from someone playing around with it. The key was not in it, but they pushed every button and knob they could find and jammed something so that it would not run. So heartbreaking for the handicapped cruiser! We have even had the seat broken when the scooter was sitting beside our seats in the theater when some infantile adult ran over and jumped on the seat before we even knew what was happening and you guessed it....crack went the back of the seat. Trust me, there are many people out there who seem to think scooters are for fun and games and not relaizing it is the means of ambulation for a handicapped person. Therefore, when we are on a ship, we never let it out of our sight and are extremely cautious even when it's parked near us.

[sashas_mom]

I've been renting a scooter for our cruises and it fits under the clothing in our closet. My husband pulls the battery out every night and we charge it over by the desk (we always bring a power cord). The last cruise we were on the cabin steward checked with his manager (he did this on his own) and told me if I wanted to I could keep the scooter by the elevators over night (we did so against the wall between the two elevators where the ash trays are). I simply pulled out the battery and took the key with us. It made it much more convenient especially when I would just stop in the room for a nap during the day.

[wizard-of-roz]

sasha's mom: That's exactly what we did with our wheelchair. We folded it up and placed it against a bench, which was near an elevator. No one ever touched it and I would go out/retrieve it for my DH and off we would go.

Our cabin (handicapped) was so small, it was always in our way!

Warning: Cabin 4090H, on HAL, Oosterdam is a very small cabin and does not serve handicapped people well!

[OceanLadi]

Sorry to hear about the problem with your cabin size.

Hope your next trip is truly a pleasure!

[Luv4dacruise]

Have been on many cruises with my mother who uses a power chair. We always cruise in a handicapped cabin, however, they are not always as roomy as they should be. We have parked her power chair in the elevator/stairwell bank down the hall many-a-times. We always check with the pursers desk to make sure it is acceptable. Never had them say no. We remove the batteries at night and charge them in our room. I should also point out that the control arm (the most sensitive part of a power chair) is easily removable and we also bring that with us at night in case any vandals wish to play with the chair. 9 cruises under our belt since mom has been in the power chair and nothing has happened yet, guess i better knock on wood huh?....:p