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Why Does Viking Discriminate Against the Disabled?


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I do not have a problem with wheelchairs on the ship BUT I really would like ALL wheelchair bound passengers to have designated tour groups. They DO impact the rest of us!!

 

Sorry but I used an all terrain walker and I kept up and was always on time for the bus. But able body guests were late for the bus at times. So it all depends on your outlook.

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Sorry but I used an all terrain walker and I kept up and was always on time for the bus. But able body guests were late for the bus at times. So it all depends on your outlook.

 

Then again, you get the guide who isn't considerate of the one person in the group who can't keep up and that person has a miserable/difficult time. (Yes, this did happen on a walking tour we were on). So, I agree with deec that there should be groups for slow walkers but for different reasons.

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I have been thinking about this thread......

 

Not the same....but Holland America goes against all health recommendations and common health sense in allowing smoking on balconies, at outdoor pools, in their casinos and outdoor areas -resulting in becoming the go to cruise line for smokers - People have many choices to take other cruise lines.....so I for one will not cruise with them due to their rules on smoking. Second hand smoke is difficult to avoid on their ships. Again tho - Their line. Their rules.

 

JMHO

 

I just read (assume it's true, but with all the fake news out there, you never know) that Holland America recently reported noro virus on 3 different ships at the same time, which apparently is rare. Therefore, I'm not surprised to hear of their position on smoking. I'm also not surprised to hear that they attract a lot of older people.

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I just read (assume it's true, but with all the fake news out there, you never know) that Holland America recently reported noro virus on 3 different ships at the same time, which apparently is rare. Therefore, I'm not surprised to hear of their position on smoking. I'm also not surprised to hear that they attract a lot of older people.

 

Actually the fake news was that HAL still allows smoking on balconies. Policy was changed as of Jan. 2017:

Holland America
Line
Smoking Policy
. For the comfort of all guests, beginning with sailings departing in 2017, all staterooms (cabins) including stateroom
verandahs
, showrooms and most other indoor
areas
are designated non-
smoking
.
Smoking
is also permitted on certain other designated, outside decks.
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Actually the fake news was that HAL still allows smoking on balconies. Policy was changed as of Jan. 2017:

Holland America
Line
Smoking Policy
. For the comfort of all guests, beginning with sailings departing in 2017, all staterooms (cabins) including stateroom
verandahs
, showrooms and most other indoor
areas
are designated non-
smoking
.
Smoking
is also permitted on certain other designated, outside decks.

HAL did not invoke that policy on Jan 2017, as they permitted it on their World Cruise!!!

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I do not have a problem with wheelchairs on the ship BUT I really would like ALL wheelchair bound passengers to have designated tour groups. They DO impact the rest of us!!

 

Viking rivers knew their clients and they always have an "easy" group for people who not able or don't want to follow medium walkers my group.

The Viking ocean on another hand (I understand it's more difficult with almost 1K of people) doesn't due this. There are bus tours and unfortunately some of the just have a few photo opportunities that means you are given 10-15 min to run out of bus, look around, take a picture and run back. Well, sometimes it takes 5-7 min to get off the bus, you are getting frustrated, and then feel guilty that you felt that way. I'm sure Viking will figure it out. I'm very impressed with their efficiency.

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Would I be rude to suggest that we keep this thread focused on Viking and not vent about or trash other cruise lines? Just a suggestion.

 

 

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That's because this is strictly about Viking

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We are booked on a 22 night December cruise with Viking. They do allow wheelchairs and transfer chairs, walking sticks, canes... just not electric scooters/wheelchairs. With my husband's disability, we will be quite mindful of picking tours that are 'easy' and doable for his ability. One thing we won't do is slow others down, and would prefer not doing any tours if that was the case. I'd like to bring his compact, lightweight, foldable scooter to explore the ports on our own - for those days a tour doesn't work for us. But since they're not even allowed on board, how do I take it on and off the ship without going through the hallways of the ship? I could break it down and carry it in its bag, but that would be a pain. I was hoping to bring it to use extensively on our precruise stay in Miami. There, it would be very helpful. I'll figure something out.

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We are booked on a 22 night December cruise with Viking. They do allow wheelchairs and transfer chairs, walking sticks, canes... just not electric scooters/wheelchairs. With my husband's disability, we will be quite mindful of picking tours that are 'easy' and doable for his ability. One thing we won't do is slow others down, and would prefer not doing any tours if that was the case. I'd like to bring his compact, lightweight, foldable scooter to explore the ports on our own - for those days a tour doesn't work for us. But since they're not even allowed on board, how do I take it on and off the ship without going through the hallways of the ship? I could break it down and carry it in its bag, but that would be a pain. I was hoping to bring it to use extensively on our precruise stay in Miami. There, it would be very helpful. I'll figure something out.

 

Can he use a walker because I was able to use my all terrain walker and it folded up and it weighted only about 10 pounds. Easy to keep in the cabin and easy for staff to load onto busses and tenders

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He uses his trekking poles while onboard a ship. On our last cruise with Azamara, he did use the scooter onboard a few times. Even though it's quite maneuverable and small, it was simply too much of a hassle, and he ended up walking - which is a good thing. A walker just doesn't fit his needs right now. His issue is with balance and walking distances. His transfer chair would work too. But he hates being in it, and I hate pushing it.

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We are going on the Sun, 10/18. Looking into the "seat canes". Hubby can walk w/cane, but standing for long times is difficult. We are always at the back of the tour groups. Glad Viking has headsets so we will not miss the narrative of the guide.

Since Viking seems to cater to the older guests, one would think they would have more tours for the physically challenged.

PS, his disability is not due to age, happened at age 26.

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We just received final documents for our Sky trip from Bergen to Montreal in September. There was a statement to let them know if you are bringing a wheelchair, and to remember to bring someone to push it!

 

 

 

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He uses his trekking poles while onboard a ship. On our last cruise with Azamara, he did use the scooter onboard a few times. Even though it's quite maneuverable and small, it was simply too much of a hassle, and he ended up walking - which is a good thing. A walker just doesn't fit his needs right now. His issue is with balance and walking distances. His transfer chair would work too. But he hates being in it, and I hate pushing it.

I find that with the cane , I can't walk very far, my volaris Walker is much more beneficial and it has a seat, lol. Good luck to you and your husband

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We are going on the Sun, 10/18. Looking into the "seat canes". Hubby can walk w/cane, but standing for long times is difficult. We are always at the back of the tour groups. Glad Viking has headsets so we will not miss the narrative of the guide.

Since Viking seems to cater to the older guests, one would think they would have more tours for the physically challenged.

PS, his disability is not due to age, happened at age 26.

 

Yes, they have headsets but the guides dont always use them.

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Kitty9--My wife and I enjoyed a French river cruise on a Viking River cruise and had the pleasure of being joined on several tours and at dinner with a wonderful Australian lady who needed and used her scooter as she could walk for very short distances due to a neuro problem. We had the pleasure, on a Celebrity cruise of accompanying a 40 something year old woman who had MS and was confined to a wheelchair.

 

They each needed some degree of accommodation and to that I say: so what? We're all in need of help from other people to some extent. We needed to wait in France for an extra few minutes for the Aussie lady to locate a ramp since she couldn't use stairs to get to the restroom...I suppose 'exbiologist' would have been complaining loudly about that. In Italy, we waiting with the MS passenger because Celebrity had forgotten to load her wheelchair on the bus...again, so what? We very much enjoyed her company.

The comments of some age and disability bigots on the thread disgust me, as do the stereotypes presented by the exbiologist. I hope Viking welcomes all passengers with a love of their type of cruise regardless of their disability...if the disabled and/or elderly upset the exbiologist that much, then perhaps he (or she) should be the one to stay home.

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The comments of some age and disability bigots on the thread disgust me, as do the stereotypes presented by the exbiologist. I hope Viking welcomes all passengers with a love of their type of cruise regardless of their disability...if the disabled and/or elderly upset the exbiologist that much, then perhaps he (or she) should be the one to stay home.

 

 

But unfortunately all too common.

 

One of things that annoy me more however are those who think they are entitled to judge another person's need for assistance.

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And all of us who use and appreciate assistance likewise need to be patient

and understanding of other points of view.

In fact, reading this thread has helped me decide which of my assistive devices to take on Sky next month. I had originally planned to take a Norwegian rollator which is great for climbing (and comes with ski attachments), but now that I see there are sometimes bottlenecks in the dining room I will be taking one that hinges in the middle and can get through much narrower spaces.

Thanks everyone for your input.

 

 

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Edited by Going Coastal
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Thank you for your consideration, seems to be a rarity. Living among many retirees in Fla (myself included) there are quite a few with a sense of entitlement. They block store aisles, run into people, expect immediate and constant attention and it all seems to be okay just because they are in a scooter. One man even wheels himself and his TWO dogs around in the grocery. I am as empathetic as the next person but a little consideration on both sides goes a long way.

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Thank you for your consideration, seems to be a rarity. Living among many retirees in Fla (myself included) there are quite a few with a sense of entitlement. They block store aisles, run into people, expect immediate and constant attention and it all seems to be okay just because they are in a scooter. One man even wheels himself and his TWO dogs around in the grocery. I am as empathetic as the next person but a little consideration on both sides goes a long way.

 

 

You're so correct, FlaGirl, just who do these disabled think they are! Afterall, it's not our fault they're disabled, right? We shouldn't have to put up them on land and we take cruises to get away from them right? But there they are!! Scooting all over the ship.. They scoot here, they scoot there, taking aim at us to run us over!..When they're done with that, they ride the elevators for hours so we have to wait as long as 2 minutes for another elevator! They should be banned from cruise ships! Grocery stores, also! Then once we get rid of them, we can pick out other groups pf people who annoy us and start all over...it's something we (em)pathetic people shouldn't have to deal with.;)

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Thank you for your consideration, seems to be a rarity. Living among many retirees in Fla (myself included) there are quite a few with a sense of entitlement. They block store aisles, run into people, expect immediate and constant attention and it all seems to be okay just because they are in a scooter. One man even wheels himself and his TWO dogs around in the grocery. I am as empathetic as the next person but a little consideration on both sides goes a long way.

 

You are very lucky, you are retired and you do not require the use of a service dog, wheelchair, scooter, or walker. Those who are not so lucky would give anything to be in your shoes. I have a walker and I can't tell you how many people walk right in front of me or block my way when I'm walking. Yes , many handicap people may want immediate attention because they may need to get home quickly to take pain medication. They may have cancer and need to get to a bathroom. It has been only two years since I injured my leg and found how difficult it is to use a scooter. Sometimes, we forget how lucky we are and that there are others dealing with more issues than we can imagine. We at least can go on cruises. How lucky we truly are.

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I'm not taking sides here, but I DO think it's important to remember that ocean cruising is a bit different from river cruising - more complex, less predictable, etc. Tendering can obviously be problematic. Sometimes docking can be too, due to how the gangway must be placed. Here's a picture of the set up in Honningsvag, Norway. I believe this is where we had to wait for Viking to have an ambulance crew come up and take someone down on a stretcher before excursions could go off. Some people in the theater were complaining about an announced delay due to difficulty with gangway setup, but got quieter when they realized there were more challenges than they knew. Just like with disabilities, unless and until you know the whole story, it's best to be quiet, I think. Anyway, I only saw the stretcher leaving the door of the ship and not going down the gangway. However, I imagine it was a difficult trip. It wasn't exactly easy for us, either, especially after we came back to the ship in the rain.

 

http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/image/165735220

 

I agree with the person above who stated that a little consideration on both sides goes a long way.

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I'm not taking sides here, but I DO think it's important to remember that ocean cruising is a bit different from river cruising - more complex, less predictable, etc. Tendering can obviously be problematic. Sometimes docking can be too, due to how the gangway must be placed. Here's a picture of the set up in Honningsvag, Norway. I believe this is where we had to wait for Viking to have an ambulance crew come up and take someone down on a stretcher before excursions could go off. Some people in the theater were complaining about an announced delay due to difficulty with gangway setup, but got quieter when they realized there were more challenges than they knew. Just like with disabilities, unless and until you know the whole story, it's best to be quiet, I think. Anyway, I only saw the stretcher leaving the door of the ship and not going down the gangway. However, I imagine it was a difficult trip. It wasn't exactly easy for us, either, especially after we came back to the ship in the rain.

 

http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/image/165735220

 

I agree with the person above who stated that a little consideration on both sides goes a long way.

 

 

 

River boats don't have to worry about tides. Tides affect where and how you leave the ship. Particularly the steepness of the gangway.

 

 

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  • 6 months later...

Surely it's your choice to go ashore or not, not something to be dictated by the cruise line?

 

For information Azamara allow scooters and couldn't be more helpful.

 

Shame about Viking, I loved my ocean cruise with them but my mobility ha worsened so I suppose I will have to write them off

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Gleaned from the Viking website:

 

FAQs:

 

 

 

Viking Cruises welcomes disabled guests but wishes all guests to understand that challenges will exist on board and during shore excursions. Our ocean vessels have elevators, but there may still be thresholds that could make movement difficult. Shore excursions may require movement over cobblestones or up and down stairs; accordingly, a physically challenged guest will require the services of a responsible adult since crew availability is limited. Guests need to provide their own wheelchairs, except in an emergency. Motorized scooters are not typically suited on international cruises and cannot be accommodated. Viking does not accommodate animals except for certified therapy or Seeing Eye dogs on our international itineraries.

When you make your reservation, please let us know of any disability that will require special attention while you are on your Viking Ocean Cruise itinerary. Should you have any medical, physical or other special needs, check the fleet information on our website to gain an understanding of the layout of any particular ship, and contact Viking Cruises, Inc., at 1-855-884-5464 (1-855-8VIKING) directly with additional questions and to obtain a copy of our policy statement.

 

 

 

Terms and Conditions:

 

Disabled/Pregnant Passengers

 

 

You and all other passengers traveling with you must be physically, emotionally and otherwise fit to undertake the Cruise and have received all medical inoculations necessary. You must report any disability requiring special attention while on your Viking itinerary to Viking at the time the reservation is made. All vessels and motorcoaches for European cruises are equipped to European standards. Most transportation services, including the vessels and motorcoaches, are not equipped with elevators or wheelchair ramps. The Carrier will make reasonable attempts to accommodate the special needs of disabled travelers, but neither we nor the Carrier are responsible in the event it is unable to do so, nor are we or the Carrier responsible for any denial of services by vessel operators, air carriers, hotels, restaurants or other independent suppliers. We regret that the Carrier cannot provide individual assistance to a passenger for walking, dining, getting on and off vessels, motorcoaches and other vehicles, or other personal needs. A qualified and physically able companion must accompany passengers who need such assistance and must assume full responsibility for their wellbeing. Guests must be able to walk down/up steps and ramps without a walker, or wheelchair, as ramps are typically not wide enough to accommodate these items. Not all ships have elevators, and some have split-level decks and/or significant thresholds. Airports in some regions typically do not have ramps or elevators. Guests may inquire about accessibility by contacting Viking at 1-877-668-4546 (1-877-66VIKING). The Carrier will endeavor to accommodate special access needs, but Viking cannot guarantee the Carrier will be able to do so in all cases. The passenger assumes the full risk of use and of any prohibitions imposed by vendors. Motorized scooters are not typically suitable on international cruises and cannot be accommodated. The Carrier reserves the right not to accept passengers who are in an advanced state of pregnancy either upon commencement of or at any time during the trip.

 

 

For cruises in China, cruises on the Mekong River, and cruises in Egypt, and for other destinations as specifically noted by Viking or the Carrier, certain additional conditions and limitations apply regarding physical ability to travel. Viking and the Carriers do not discriminate based upon disabilities, but local conditions for certain cruises are beyond Viking’s control. Our tours and cruises are not physically demanding but tours may not be appropriate for guests with certain medical conditions and physical restrictions. Guests may inquire about accessibility related to these cruises by contacting Viking at 1-877-668-4546 (1-877-66VIKING).

 

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