Accessible cabin ...... What would you do???

We recently received a very good price on a fall TransAtlantic. We booked it through our TA, who assigned us to an accessible cabin which I then called him making that he knew we DID NOT require one and that we feel guilty taking it and still do. He told me not to worry that he marked our reservation that we would take an upgrade if the cabin was needed. What would any of you do if this were you

Jump up & down with joy and hope that no one needs it.

HC cabins are GREAT!!

I would call my TA and ask for another cabin.

The same thing happened to me for an Alaska cruise, except that it was a gty. My TA said it was probably the only inside available for a B2B, so I sucked it up and enjoyed it tremendously. Especially the seat in the shower when I was chilled from being on deck. EM

On our very first cruise several years ago, on the NCLA Pride Of America, we were assigned an accessible cabin (though we did not realize this until we got on the ship). We enjoyed the extra room and especially the bathroom area. The only problem was that, being on the port side, when we used the shower underway the water washed across the drains surrounding the shower floor, and ended up in a very large puddle against the wall. I cleaned that all up the first time, using towels squeezed out many times, and after that I rolled up towels just outside the drains in advance of using the shower. A minor miscalculation by the designers.

It's done all the time.

I would call my TA and ask for another cabin.

+1

Those cabins are in short supply and will undoubtedly be needed by someone who is truly disabled. They go very quickly.

I don't care for the bathroom in an HC cabin because there are no thresh holds to stop the shower from "showering" the entire bathroom. They have more space for turning around a wheel chair so some people like that. If's it all they have left to give you then enjoy your cruise in the HC cabin.

I don't know how it works on other lines as I have never booked an accessible cabin anywhere but NCL, but on Pearl our TA got us assigned to a HC cabin which we were asked to move out of as a passenger with a need requested it. Our TA made the arrangement for the move, which did not change our category but did net us $15 in OBC. We would have moved for $0 but were happy with the minor compensation.

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I don't know how it works on other lines as I have never booked an accessible cabin anywhere but NCL, but on Pearl our TA got us assigned to a HC cabin which we were asked to move out of as a passenger with a need requested it. Our TA made the arrangement for the move, which did not change our category but did net us $15 in OBC. We would have moved for $0 but were happy with the minor compensation.

 

 

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Last year we booked a full suite on the Regal - Baltic cruise. A few wks before sailing, Princess called me and asked very nicely if we could switch to a handicap suite. Apparently, there's a family booked in one of the HC suites, and they needed a regular suite that has a little privacy. Princess assured us that the only difference is that HC does not have a tub. We said OK. When we boarded, we realized there is a big difference. I will not exchange again in the future. Even if they gave us $400 obc. Which they did. But is not the reason we complied with the switch at all. We just didnt think it was gonna be a big deal. Lesson learned.

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There are still quite a few regular balcony cabins open on your sailing in all sections of the ship; I would ask for one of those. I too dislike the HC room layouts, not only the bathroom, but I don't like the closet set up, either.

NCL freely gives away their HC staterooms and they do not "mark" the cabin and follow up on it. Once the room is taken by someone they wash their hands of it, told to me by a NCL agent. I don't know how Princess handles it. You might pass it by only to have it handed to another nondisabled person...IDK

I'd say you have an unethical TA if he intentionally booked you an accessible cabin when you don't require one. If it's a matter of being assigned to an accessible cabin when booking a guarantee, then don't worry about it. We enjoyed having the extra room when we were assigned an accessible cabin on the Caribbean Princess--especially the wider balcony. But we did not receive our assignment until the last minute, so someone must not have needed it for our cruise.

I would have your TA move you to a guarantee. Disabled people often take last minute cruises also and if the cabin is not available, they are unable to.

I also agree that the TA is unethical. I hope they are never in a position to know what it means to need one.

If you receive it in an upgrade by Princess, then it is a bonus. Otherwise, I would have them switch it.

I also agree that you have an unethical TA.

To get the accessible stateroom (unless assigned by Princess) you have to attest that you do need an accessible stateroom. And then it is unavailable for someone who truly needs it because you said you need it.

Your TA would have to had done that on your behalf and Princess is going to assume that you agreed to this disclaimer also.

Call your TA and have it changed and if he gives you the "it's ok" speech I would call Princess and have this booking removed from the TA.

And yet hereive been desperately trying to get one when doctor said no way I would be in a wheelchair by then.

Princess (sun and sea) have no accessible balcony cabins, but offer an accessible mini-suite for the same price.

Princess said "Yep no problem" fill in these forms it's yours.

Then someone else books it before they get around to processing my application (travel agent says the second person booked it at mini suite price) so I miss out. Was the agent correct? I've got no idea.

But the whole system of accessible cabins is just wrong.

We recently received a very good price on a fall TransAtlantic. We booked it through our TA, who assigned us to an accessible cabin which I then called him making that he knew we DID NOT require one and that we feel guilty taking it and still do. He told me not to worry that he marked our reservation that we would take an upgrade if the cabin was needed. What would any of you do if this were you

Would have my HA cabin changed right away to make it available to those in need.

If Princess assigned a HC cabin to you, then Princess believes that is the best way to have that cabin occupied. They did not kick out some who needed a HC cabin in order to assign it to you.

I do not know if someone later needs a HC cabin if they have it somehow marked OK to move you.

Just a polite comment from my wheelchair bound wife and I, We normally have great difficulty in booking an accessible state room, unless we book as soon as the cruises are published for sale, at least a year ahead. The Princess UK web site states clearly that to book an HC cabin you have to attest your need for one and purposely tick a check box affirming the need, indeed if you don't check the box the HC cabins come up as sold out to block you. Don't you think that it is a bit fraudulent to go along this booking route if you don't need one. The poster's travel agent is morally wrong to do so. I of course fully understand that Princess need ,commercially, to "fill the ship" and will offer up any remaining HC cabins at some date before sailing. Please be kind , it's the best way in life.

We really enjoyed this type of cabin. We felt the same as you did, but were told no one needed it. It is much more spacious. Enjoy!

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We received an upgrade at the pier once to an accessible balcony cabin from an interior (which was marked do not upgrade but which was fine in this case!!) . While we enjoyed the extra room especially in the bathroom, I was sad thinking that someone probably had to cancel at the last minute because of health.

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I am taking my mother who will be 75 next July to Alaska in May 2018. She uses a rollator (one of those fancy walkers with wheels and a seat), because it helps her with stability and helps when she walks distances.

Our travel agent would not book an accessible room for us, because those rooms are intended for people who have true mobility issues and use scooters or wheelchairs.

While it will be some extra effort on our part to collapse the rollator coming and going to and from the room, it is effort we are able to make while someone else who requires more assistance cannot.

I would take the room if Princess changed us because it would provide some benefits for us, but I hate the idea of someone else who has looked forward to their trip as much as we have might have to miss out if we booked it.

When I booked my current cruise, I was trying to book online, but ran into a problem, so I call the 1-800 number to help complete the booking. She asked me where my cabin preference was, so I told her, and she assigned me cabin such and such. I hung up and did research on the cabin assignment only to find it was an HA cabin. I said Hmmm. She did ask, if need be, would I be OK with being moved. of course I said yes. So I did more research and found that the bathrooms were bigger and so on. I kept watching my booking and waited for about a month, then I called the 1-800 back to tell them I had no need for the cabin and would prefer that someone with the need to get it. First she asks me HOW I got it, and then proceeded to tell me if I was moved I would lose my OBC and have to pay more money YADA YADA YADA. Of course I told her in no uncertain words that it was unacceptable on THEIR part to assign a HA cabin to someone who didn't request it and hung up. So, I searched Princess website and found the HA section, I emailed them telling them of my dilemma and just to move me to a comparable cabin. I IMMEDIATELY got a response asking for my booking number, date, and name, sent it back, and IMMEDIATELY got a new cabin, not losing anything and with a big THANK YOU for being considerate of the handicapped community and wished all the best on my upcoming cruise.

We really enjoyed this type of cabin. We felt the same as you did, but were told no one needed it. It is much more spacious. Enjoy!

 

 

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If the HC cabins are sold out and someone needs one, they put them on a waitlist. If no one cancels, they are out of luck. I wonder how many of them are actually occupied by handicapped people.

My dad is in a wheelchair/scooter and he wasn't able to go one time because they put him on a waitlist that didn't clear him.

I would never occupy a HC cabin, even if they assured me it was OK. I'de rather not go and find another cruise.

As somebody with limited mobility and I use a scooter/wheelchair I think it is very wrong these accessible rooms are being allocated to people who are not disabled and do not need them.

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