No Sales event for Wheelchair people?!

I am a wheelchair user. I've cruised with RCCL several times before.

I'm trying to book a cruise from their "Sales Event". The "Sales Event" says $599 for an outside room. When I contact Royal Caribbean I am told that this rate does not apply to accessible rooms. There are at this moment 4 accessible outside rooms available, but they are listed as $999 instead of $599.

Before they rebranded their accessible rooms, I never had any problems using the "Sales Event" to book accessible rooms. After their rebranding it seems like it has gotten worse. Their new policy is totally unacceptable.

I'm sure this is not allowed per discriminatory laws, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act. Why do I have to pay a higher price just because I need a wheelchair accessible room. :mad:

Any comments?

I am a wheelchair user. I've cruised with RCCL several times before.

 

I'm trying to book a cruise from their "Sales Event". The "Sales Event" says $599 for an outside room. When I contact Royal Caribbean I am told that this rate does not apply to accessible rooms. There are at this moment 4 accessible outside rooms available, but they are listed as $999 instead of $599.

 

Before they rebranded their accessible rooms, I never had any problems using the "Sales Event" to book accessible rooms. After their rebranding it seems like it has gotten worse. Their new policy is totally unacceptable.

 

I'm sure this is not allowed per discriminatory laws, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act. Why do I have to pay a higher price just because I need a wheelchair accessible room. :mad:

 

Any comments?

This may be part of the other policy that requires people in accessible rooms to pay more gratuity charges as well. There was a post about this earlier in the week, I believe.

Some argued that because there is more space to clean, RCI is requiring that the staff cleaning the room be paid accordingly (like if you were in a suite, which has a higher tipping fee for the larger space).

Although I think that it is unfortunate, RCI doesn't have to do sales at all, and they are at their discretion. I, for one, will likely never get a resident discount.

There are other ways to get deals, like pre-booking on board, waiting for price drops after you book, WOW sales, or trying to find a TA who can give you some perks.

No, it does not violate the ADA and no, it is not discrimination.

For whatever reason I never seem to luck out on sales. The entire world is getting a resident discount. Just not Texas. There's a great senior discount? Not on my cruise or my category. A great sale w/ OBC and a great price? New bookings only and I'm post final payment.

I realize being Texan is not a protected class, but if there is a cruise I want to go on, I have to decide if I can afford the price, and I realize for the most part I'll pay extra for more room. "Fair" doesn't always enter into cruise pricing. And one person's "fair" is another person's.... "hey what about me!"

I am a wheelchair user. I've cruised with RCCL several times before.

 

I'm sure this is not allowed per discriminatory laws, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act. Why do I have to pay a higher price just because I need a wheelchair accessible room. :mad:

 

Any comments?

You are thinking of the US ADA - but RCI is not a US business. US laws may not apply.

You are thinking of the US ADA - but RCI is not a US business. US laws may not apply.

RCI isn't a US business? How do you figure? :confused:

RCI isn't a US business? How do you figure? :confused:

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, the parent company of RCCL is incorporated in Liberia. If I am not mistaken most RCCL ships are registered in the Bahamas. The ships of their other main line, Celebrity are registered in Malta.

While a large % of their customers are American, they are not an American corporation by design.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, the parent company of RCCL is incorporated in Liberia. If I am not mistaken most RCCL ships are registered in the Bahamas. The ships of their other main line, Celebrity are registered in Malta.

 

While a large % of their customers are American, they are not an American corporation by design.

RCI is headquartered in Miami and venue for litigation with them is the Southern District of Florida. The flag of individual ships really has no bearing, nor the parent company. If, in fact, RCI discriminated against a person, they very well could be sued in Miami.

This is clearly not a ADA violation, nor discrimination. I am just arguing the point made that RCI wasn't an American company.

RCI isn't a US business? How do you figure? :confused:

They never have been a US company--ever:confused:

Republic of Liberia

Are we talking about RCCL or RCI? I'm talking about RCI.....the company with the sales event for which this thread is about. The post I first responded to said RCI, not RCCL.

While this is getting totally off the original topic of this post, if you go to RCCL's 10Q, whch is available on the investor relations website, there is a list of subsidiaries in Exhibit 21.1. None of their significant subsiduaries are incorporated in the United States and therefore by fact are not US corporations.

I won't disagree that RCI can't be sued in the US, as they do have significant operations there.

For what it's worth, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the ADA does apply to cruise lines calling on U.S. ports.

Before they rebranded their accessible rooms, I never had any problems using the "Sales Event" to book accessible rooms. After their rebranding it seems like it has gotten worse. Their new policy is totally unacceptable.

 

I'm sure this is not allowed per discriminatory laws, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act. Why do I have to pay a higher price just because I need a wheelchair accessible room. :mad:

 

Any comments?

IIRC prior to them re-categorizing accessible rooms, anybody could book one even without a disability. That is generally not the case now. It seems reasonable that these rooms are charged more since specific criteria must be met to book these rooms and there is a very limited supply of them.

in a sense you are lucky accessible cabins are even available by the time the cruise makes it to a sales event.

You might try discussing it with resolutions department....maybe they will see it your way...or maybe not.

As far as I am aware if you are a US citizen (where ADA rules apply to cruise ships), and if you call wanting a certain category and price, and there are no accessible staterooms available, they must honor the price for closest accessible stateroom. I would call and ask for a supervisor because the laws are a bit complicated and it is possible that the agent does not know all the nuances of the law.

As far as I am aware if you are a US citizen (where ADA rules apply to cruise ships), and if you call wanting a certain category and price, and there are no accessible staterooms available, they must honor the price for closest accessible stateroom. I would call and ask for a supervisor because the laws are a bit complicated and it is possible that the agent does not know all the nuances of the law.

This only applies if you are a US Citizen and the ship is originates from a USA PORT. Believe the OP is talking about booking a cruise on the Navigator of the Seas which departs from a European Port so ADA law would not apply in this situation.

Personally Ludde I agree with you. It stinks what they are doing with the category change. As far as larger space yes it is larger but what are you talking about Not More Furniture or Counter Space in Bathroom. The floor area is larger in both areas but that is it. So as far as more to clean that is ridiculous IMO. They'll give someone a room for $599 and not give it to a handicapped person to me is not fair. Call the resolution dept.

Personally Ludde I agree with you. It stinks what they are doing with the category change. As far as larger space yes it is larger but what are you talking about Not More Furniture or Counter Space in Bathroom. The floor area is larger in both areas but that is it. So as far as more to clean that is ridiculous IMO. They'll give someone a room for $599 and not give it to a handicapped person to me is not fair. Call the resolution dept.

The catagory change is a result of a new Federal Law under the Department of Transportation ( commonly referred to as DOT) that became effective January 1, 2012 that requires that the

the cruise lines have to verify that the person occupying the cabin has a medical or physical need to book the cabin . Though this new regulation came about in 2010/2011, the cruise lines were granted until January 1, 2012 to completely comply with these new regulations. Because of this new law Cruise lines have also had to reclassify its HC cabins. Some of the key points to this new law are:

(g) To prevent fraud in the assignment of accessible cabins (e.g., attempts by individuals who do not have disabilities to reserve accessible cabins because they have greater space, you—

(1) Must inquire of persons seeking to reserve such cabins whether the individual (or an individual for whom the cabin is being reserved) has a mobility disability or a disability that requires the use of the accessible features that are provided in the cabin.

(2) May require a written attestation from the individual that accessible cabin is for a person who has a mobility disability or a disability that requires the use of the accessible features that are provided in the cabin.