Do you have to be handicap to book a handicap room?

[kitty9]

You do not have to be handicapped to book a handicapped room, however you may be bounced out for someone who needs it. The rooms are usually bigger and are attractive for that reason...

 

This is a fallacy. Once a cabin is booked, it's out of inventory and passengers won't be moved. The cabin is listed as taken and there's no way for a booking agent to know who's in the cabin. How do I know this? Because for a couple of cruises, when I tried to book an accessible cabin, 8 months out, I was told that all accessible cabins were booked. I asked for them to check if every cabin was booked by a person who truly needed the cabin, and was told it was not possible to know who booked them. I had to book a SS so my scooter would fit, and once on board I made it a point to see who booked the accessible cabins. I discovered that at least 4 were taken by people who didn't need them. One was a family who wanted the space, another was a diver who wanted the room for his gear, and another was again by a family. I did ask if any of them had a disability that required the cabin, and they all said no. But this was before Celebrity started using the information forms.

[kitty9]

Partyalldatyme, Celebrity DOES send out a form asking why you need an accessible cabin, and what mobility devices you use. This is a fairly new procedure.

[PartyAllDaTyme]

Partyalldatyme, Celebrity DOES send out a form asking why you need an accessible cabin, and what mobility devices you use. This is a fairly new procedure.

 

Good to know, but anyone can fill out a form. How do they verify? My understanding is that they cannot require you to produce proof.

[kitty9]

Good to know, but anyone can fill out a form. How do they verify? My understanding is that they cannot require you to produce proof.

 

They ask what your disability is, but that's optional. But, they also ask what you use as far as equipment and they ask if you need anything supplied by the cruise line. And that part isn't listed as optional.

 

Yes, people could lie, but it's a pretty pathetic person who would lie about a disability. And as we all know, Karma is a witch with a B.

 

Wouldn't it be interesting if those who early book an accessible cabin without needing it, would suddenly be confined to a wheelchair, and couldn't cruise because some selfish person booked an accessible cabin, more than a few months out? I bet they would be the first to scream and complain.

[PartyAllDaTyme]

They ask what your disability is, but that's optional. But, they also ask what you use as far as equipment and they ask if you need anything supplied by the cruise line. And that part isn't listed as optional.

 

Yes, people could lie, but it's a pretty pathetic person who would lie about a disability. And as we all know, Karma is a witch with a B.

 

Wouldn't it be interesting if those who early book an accessible cabin without needing it, would suddenly be confined to a wheelchair, and couldn't cruise because some selfish person booked an accessible cabin, more than a few months out? I bet they would be the first to scream and complain.

 

So you don't have to even report, truthfully or falsely, what your disability is. Great. While it may be mandatory to list what equipment you need, you can (truthfully) report that you don't need any, and it wouldn't affect your ability to get the HC cabin.

 

On the thread I mentioned, I was told by someone that the problem of lying (or at least exaggerating) about a disability is more common than it should be, and can be perpetuated by unscrupulous TA's who hook someone into booking with them, usually first-time cruisers, by promising they can get them into this better cabin without hassle because they have special connections with the cruise line, and telling them that this is a common and acceptable practice.

 

If you booked an HC cabin, inviting the wrath of the gods, and then wound up needing it, you would not have the problem of not being able to book one now that you needed one because you did already book one, which is what brought about the payback in the first place:D! Unless you mean they would be screwed on a future cruise.

 

Karma is a wibch? A witbh? A witcb? Oh, I get it!:rolleyes:

[Hflors]

Dh and I are booked into a HC room on our upcoming cruise next March. HAL rep told us to book it as dh had a lot of problems getting in and out of the tub with his knee. The hc cabin we chose is "shower" only. We told our TA when we returned that if someone with a wheelchair needed the cabin we will gladly give it up and they put a note in our file. It will be so much easier and safer for dh to have the shower, but we are willing to give it up if someone else in a wheelchair needs it or not be able to take the cruise.

[bob&france]

Kitty9, with this line " so WHY would you advise anyone to book them if they're not disabled????? " you seem to be eluding to that fact that "I would advise"...... I'll be brief .....I wouldn't advise anyone to book an accessible cobin if they didn't need it.

 

Bob

[RuthlessBoss]

When we needed a HC we got it for mobility. One draw to the non needy is the size and handy locations of the room. Ours were main deck mid ship, center of most things.

[teajak]

Good to know, but anyone can fill out a form. How do they verify? My understanding is that they cannot require you to produce proof.

Celebrity has never asked me for proof of disability. We just returned from RCI on the Radiance where we did an on board booking. The agent sent an e-mail of a 3 page form to be filled out for our handicapped room, he indicated a physicians signature was required but there is no place on the form for it. This is an improvement.

[2SeaWithMe]

My post Thanksgiving cruise is after final payment, so possibly that could be the reason. But I asked them what forms I needed filled out, and was told there was no paperwork necessary.

 

I did get a doctors letter to carry with me in case there is an issue.

[BarbJ52]

Celebrity has never asked me for proof of disability. We just returned from RCI on the Radiance where we did an on board booking. The agent sent an e-mail of a 3 page form to be filled out for our handicapped room, he indicated a physicians signature was required but there is no place on the form for it. This is an improvement.

 

I've not found the policy to be consistent. Sometimes we've been asked to fill out the form. The form does not require a doctor's signature and we don't mind filling it out since it's an opportunity to make the cruiseline aware of an accomodations you might require. Once (Soltice, I think) we were asked for a doctor's note stating that we needed an HA cabin - signature definitely required;).

 

For our upcoming cruise, we were asked point-blank if we needed the cabin - regardless of the fact that we've needed to book an accessible cabin for numerous years now. It was puzzling since this was the first time we've actually been questioned while making the reservation. Oh well, at least they are trying to ensure that they go to those who need them prior to releasing them. Unfortunately, as some have noted, not everyone is honest. But, at least X and RCI are trying.

[dkjretired]

This is a fallacy. Once a cabin is booked, it's out of inventory and passengers won't be moved. The cabin is listed as taken and there's no way for a booking agent to know who's in the cabin. How do I know this? Because for a couple of cruises, when I tried to book an accessible cabin, 8 months out, I was told that all accessible cabins were booked. I asked for them to check if every cabin was booked by a person who truly needed the cabin, and was told it was not possible to know who booked them. I had to book a SS so my scooter would fit, and once on board I made it a point to see who booked the accessible cabins. I discovered that at least 4 were taken by people who didn't need them. One was a family who wanted the space, another was a diver who wanted the room for his gear, and another was again by a family. I did ask if any of them had a disability that required the cabin, and they all said no. But this was before Celebrity started using the information forms.

 

Only reporting that on this board, over the years, people have said that they were moved from HC cabins for those who needed them numerous times. Perhaps they have changed the policy due to some legal problems but it is certainly not a fallacy...

[dkjretired]

So you don't have to even report, truthfully or falsely, what your disability is. Great. While it may be mandatory to list what equipment you need, you can (truthfully) report that you don't need any, and it wouldn't affect your ability to get the HC cabin.

 

On the thread I mentioned, I was told by someone that the problem of lying (or at least exaggerating) about a disability is more common than it should be, and can be perpetuated by unscrupulous TA's who hook someone into booking with them, usually first-time cruisers, by promising they can get them into this better cabin without hassle because they have special connections with the cruise line, and telling them that this is a common and acceptable practice.

 

If you booked an HC cabin, inviting the wrath of the gods, and then wound up needing it, you would not have the problem of not being able to book one now that you needed one because you did already book one, which is what brought about the payback in the first place:D! Unless you mean they would be screwed on a future cruise.

 

Karma is a wibch? A witbh? A witcb? Oh, I get it!:rolleyes:

 

You can thank our wonderful federal government for that....I have not researched as far as HC rooms but on a similiar vein, you are not allowed under the ADA for proof that an animal is a service animal. You can walk into anywhere you want with your dog, cat, whatever and say it is a service animal and the owner of the establishment must let you in and cannot challenge you...

[xxoocruiser]

 

 

If you see someone coming out of an HC cabin that apparently does not need it, please keep in mind that they may have been assigned to or managed to change to that cabin at the last minute.

.

 

Being a disabled person who does require an accessible cabin , I have been witness to where this is not always true. On several cruises I have been on, I've personally observed able body people booked into HC Cabins that are quite verbal about how they intentionally booked it months well in advance of the cabins being released to the general public. Have even overheard them telling other passengers how to go about booking one well in advance. Sadly there are people in this world that just don't care about taking an Accessible Cabin from someone who really needs it.

[PS90]

Because it's not about the space, it's about allowing the disabled to cruise. There are VERY few accessible cabins on any ship, so WHY would you advise anyone to book them if they're not disabled????? As someone who's been disabled since age two, it's unconscionable to book an accessible cabin, and the same for anyone to recommend booking one if not needed.

 

Now, we are not saying that those cabins should go unused, but they should only be given out to the able bodied AFTER final payment.

 

And to the OP, you have to fill out paperwork detailing why you NEED an accessible cabin, just like I just did for our Eclipse cruise.

 

Maybe I'm taking the "politically incorrect" side of this issue, but it seems to me that the onus of getting an accessible room is on the passenger, not the cruise line.

 

It has been stated over and over in this thread that the rooms are held for people who claim that they are disabled, yet there has also been a couple of posts by people who are shocked that an able-bodied person would take one of those rooms.

 

Of course, there are probably people who lie and say that they are disabled, who really aren't, and those people are the exception - and are seriously screwed up for doing so.

 

BUT, I fail to see how someone can be upset at an able-bodied passenger for wanting the extra room of an accessible room, at the point that the cruise line opens those rooms to the general population. In general, a cruise itinerary comes available for purchase about 18 months before it sails, right? And everyone knows that the accessible rooms are valuable, right? So, bascially, that means that the disabled person has almost a year-and-a-half to book one of these rooms before and able-bodied person is able to.

 

So, how can anyone seriously wait until the last minute to book a very limited-availability room, and then be upset when someone else was allowed to use those rooms?

[2SeaWithMe]

Maybe I'm taking the "politically incorrect" side of this issue, but it seems to me that the onus of getting an accessible room is on the passenger, not the cruise line.

 

It has been stated over and over in this thread that the rooms are held for people who claim that they are disabled, yet there has also been a couple of posts by people who are shocked that an able-bodied person would take one of those rooms.

 

Of course, there are probably people who lie and say that they are disabled, who really aren't, and those people are the exception - and are seriously screwed up for doing so.

 

BUT, I fail to see how someone can be upset at an able-bodied passenger for wanting the extra room of an accessible room, at the point that the cruise line opens those rooms to the general population. In general, a cruise itinerary comes available for purchase about 18 months before it sails, right? And everyone knows that the accessible rooms are valuable, right? So, bascially, that means that the disabled person has almost a year-and-a-half to book one of these rooms before and able-bodied person is able to.

 

So, how can anyone seriously wait until the last minute to book a very limited-availability room, and then be upset when someone else was allowed to use those rooms?

 

I personally, think it's a little bit of both. The onus is on the passengers that do book these rooms ahead of time to:

 

Be honest why they are booking it

Be free to be moved if needed (from reports I've read, it normally does result in an upgrade)

 

The cruise line should have a better policy...say that HA cabins are only put in inventory for guarantee booking passengers. Than they aren't "assigned" until shortly before the sail date, and a gty passenger would be more prepared to be bumped if the cabin is needed. Or that they are able to pull up a cabin on the inventory and see if a person booking it is AB or not.

 

I don't know how their software works, but that seems like a reasonable explanation to me.

 

As far as booking last minute, it's pretty varied as what constitutes "last minute"..Today I was looking at a cruise for tomorrow, by myself...that's last minute!

 

But seriously, while it certainly is the case that many wheelchair-bound passengers book their vacations a considerable time in advance, I normally don't do that. Shouldn't I have the ability to take advantage of rates that are normally considerably cheaper when less than 90 days out?

 

It wouldn't be an issue if the cruiseline had a better management technique of those few rooms.

[PS90]

I personally, think it's a little bit of both. The onus is on the passengers that do book these rooms ahead of time to:

 

Be honest why they are booking it

Be free to be moved if needed (from reports I've read, it normally does result in an upgrade)

 

The cruise line should have a better policy...say that HA cabins are only put in inventory for guarantee booking passengers. Than they aren't "assigned" until shortly before the sail date, and a gty passenger would be more prepared to be bumped if the cabin is needed. Or that they are able to pull up a cabin on the inventory and see if a person booking it is AB or not.

 

I don't know how their software works, but that seems like a reasonable explanation to me.

 

As far as booking last minute, it's pretty varied as what constitutes "last minute"..Today I was looking at a cruise for tomorrow, by myself...that's last minute!

 

But seriously, while it certainly is the case that many wheelchair-bound passengers book their vacations a considerable time in advance, I normally don't do that. Shouldn't I have the ability to take advantage of rates that are normally considerably cheaper when less than 90 days out?

 

It wouldn't be an issue if the cruiseline had a better management technique of those few rooms.

 

I agree with you to some extent. I think it's ridiculous that the cruise line can't require some kind of proof of a disability - but it seems that is the law. Although, that doesn't make much sense, though, because people are certainly required to establish proof to get government disability benefits, aren't they?

 

And I also agree that this policy should be more concrete, and possibly should be some kind of "standard" among cruise lines, so all disabled passengers know what to expect across the board. This would also probably alleviate some upset people, because they could establish an exact amount of time (a month, for example) that the HA rooms open up to everyone - since it sounds like, right now, part of the problem is that these cabins open to the general public at random intervals prior to the sailing. That will probably never happen, though.

 

But, to me, booking an HA room is no different than the person who is looking for a specific cabin that they really want to sail in. They should understand that this may be a highly-sought-after cabin, and therefore need to be proactive in getting what they want, by booking early. I don't mean to belittle anyone's issues, because I realize this example is an option, while an HA room is a necessity to some people - but I wouldn't expect to be able to wait until a month before the sailing and then immediately be able to book the exact port-side royal suite that I want.

[uppitycats]

I agree with you to some extent. I think it's ridiculous that the cruise line can't require some kind of proof of a disability - but it seems that is the law. Although, that doesn't make much sense, though, because people are certainly required to establish proof to get government disability benefits, aren't they?

 

And I also agree that this policy should be more concrete, and possibly should be some kind of "standard" among cruise lines, so all disabled passengers know what to expect across the board. This would also probably alleviate some upset people, because they could establish an exact amount of time (a month, for example) that the HA rooms open up to everyone - since it sounds like, right now, part of the problem is that these cabins open to the general public at random intervals prior to the sailing. That will probably never happen, though.

 

But, to me, booking an HA room is no different than the person who is looking for a specific cabin that they really want to sail in. They should understand that this may be a highly-sought-after cabin, and therefore need to be proactive in getting what they want, by booking early. I don't mean to belittle anyone's issues, because I realize this example is an option, while an HA room is a necessity to some people - but I wouldn't expect to be able to wait until a month before the sailing and then immediately be able to book the exact port-side royal suite that I want.

 

For me (and full disclosure: I am a person in a wheelchair) it's a numbers issue. There are at maximum 20 HC cabins available on any ship, and most often many fewer than that. There are 1000+ non-handicap accessible cabins available.

 

If money were no object, you could book ANY cabin you wanted, from the cheapest to the most expensive. I, on the other hand, am "stuck" with the 20 or less available to me. As you noted, without an accessible cabin, I can't cruise. YOU, on the other hand, while you might be disappointed that the "exact port-side royal suite" that you want isn't available, can "make do" with another cabin. I can't.

[PS90]

For me (and full disclosure: I am a person in a wheelchair) it's a numbers issue. There are at maximum 20 HC cabins available on any ship, and most often many fewer than that. There are 1000+ non-handicap accessible cabins available.

 

If money were no object, you could book ANY cabin you wanted, from the cheapest to the most expensive. I, on the other hand, am "stuck" with the 20 or less available to me. As you noted, without an accessible cabin, I can't cruise. YOU, on the other hand, while you might be disappointed that the "exact port-side royal suite" that you want isn't available, can "make do" with another cabin. I can't.

 

I completely understand your situation - I was trying to equate the availability, not the necessity.

 

Whether it is fair or not, and whether you need it or not, a very-limited-availability cabin is going to go fast.

 

I guess (hate me if you must) my point is that - while I would NEVER try to pretend to be disabled, but if I was offered an upgrade to an HA cabin (I am not disabled) AFTER the cruise-line opened these cabins to everyone, I wouldn't feel guilty because someone MAY POSSIBLY be disabled and waiting until the last minute to book, when they should know that their cabins are usually taken quickly. Just being honest.:o

 

And, really, if that did happen - I was given a HA room after the cruise line opened them up - and I had never been on these CC boards, I most likely wouldn't know the difference one way or the other. I have never had an HA room, and don't really plan to ever have one - but I had friends who booked a cruise with us at the last minute, and they were given a HA room. However, when they booked, they were just given a cabin number, and didn't realize that it was a HA room until they walked up to the room door on the first day of the cruise. And many other "casual", able-bodied cruisers may not, either.

[uppitycats]

I completely understand your situation - I was trying to equate the availability, not the necessity.

 

I guess (hate me if you must) my point is that - while I would NEVER try to pretend to be disabled, but if I was offered an upgrade to an HA cabin (I am not disabled) AFTER the cruise-line opened these cabins to everyone, I wouldn't feel guilty because someone MAY POSSIBLY be disabled and waiting until the last minute to book, when they should know that their cabins are usually taken quickly. Just being honest.:o

 

And, really, if that did happen - I was given a HA room after the cruise line opened them up - and I had never been on these CC boards, I most likely wouldn't know the difference one way or the other. And many able-bodied people may not, either.

 

And I would not hate you. If we could get the cruise line to indeed NOT open up these cabins until, say, 60-90 days out...about the time that they're assigning "guarantee" cabins..and you came along to book and picked one that was HC -- that's your gain. And no one that I know of with a disability would fault you for that. And if we in the disability community knew that they would hold those cabins until 60-90 days out, we might be able to wait until near that time to book, hoping for a cheaper rate, or even take our chances that one might still be available and try to book 60-90 days "out"..and perhaps be disappointed, or maybe lucky. As it is now, if we don't book 6-8 MONTHS out, we often can't cruise. (I booked my next cruise in August..I'll be cruising in April..to ensure I would get one of 2 HC cabins on the ship I'm going on.)

 

Unfortunately as the system is now, anyone who is not disabled can come along at any point and book one. They're on the "honor system" to claim/ not claim disability, and often are either not asked at all, or asked in such a way that they can lie convincingly, and book one. And as you (and hopefully others) have learned on this thread, the cruise line does little to verify their disability (and there are ways to do that without asking specifically what someone's disability is!)

 

The cruise line is a business. They want $$. They want their cabins filled. They'll do what they can to make that happen, including looking the other way to fill them, no questions asked, or only perfunctory questions asked. That's what the original poster of this thread is hoping.

 

But if you're booking at the last minute (60-90 days out) and an HC cabin is open...or you're assigned an HC cabin by the cruise line within that window...then have a great guilt-free cruise! :)

[PS90]

And I would not hate you. If we could get the cruise line to indeed NOT open up these cabins until, say, 60-90 days out...about the time that they're assigning "guarantee" cabins..and you came along to book and picked one that was HC -- that's your gain. And no one that I know of with a disability would fault you for that. And if we in the disability community knew that they would hold those cabins until 60-90 days out, we might be able to wait until near that time to book, hoping for a cheaper rate, or even take our chances that one might still be available and try to book 60-90 days "out"..and perhaps be disappointed, or maybe lucky. As it is now, if we don't book 6-8 MONTHS out, we often can't cruise. (I booked my next cruise in August..I'll be cruising in April..to ensure I would get one of 2 HC cabins on the ship I'm going on.)

 

Unfortunately as the system is now, anyone who is not disabled can come along at any point and book one. They're on the "honor system" to claim/ not claim disability, and often are either not asked at all, or asked in such a way that they can lie convincingly, and book one. And as you (and hopefully others) have learned on this thread, the cruise line does little to verify their disability (and there are ways to do that without asking specifically what someone's disability is!)

 

The cruise line is a business. They want $$. They want their cabins filled. They'll do what they can to make that happen, including looking the other way to fill them, no questions asked, or only perfunctory questions asked. That's what the original poster of this thread is hoping.

 

But if you're booking at the last minute (60-90 days out) and an HC cabin is open...or you're assigned an HC cabin by the cruise line within that window...then have a great guilt-free cruise! :)

 

Yeah, as I mentioned before, it sounds like the current HA-booking system needs some serious re-vamping. Or maybe some serious regulating. I completely understand your predicament.

 

I guess I just got a little defensive after reading some of the previous posts in this thread, that seem to imply that any able-bodied person in a HA cabin is a horrible, selfish human being. And that may not always be the case.

[kitty9]

PS90, what you're forgetting is that just because we're disabled doesn't mean we're not under the same constraints that other cruisers are. We have jobs and vacation issues, we're business owners and may not know 12 months out if we can take a vacation. How can anyone put further constraints on us than we already have? Again, I continue to stress, we NEVER demand that HA cabins are left open, unused, forever. But why should a disabled person be forced to do something that the able bodied isn't? After all, you can take any open cabin, even three days before sailing, and we can't. Is that fair?

 

BTW, I don't hate those who get those cabins fairly, such as guarantees after final payment. But I do have little tolerance for those who book them months and months out, like the woman on the family board who asked how she can book those cabins early because they cabins are so much larger and have so much space for her kids to play.

[PS90]

PS90, what you're forgetting is that just because we're disabled doesn't mean we're not under the same constraints that other cruisers are. We have jobs and vacation issues, we're business owners and may not know 12 months out if we can take a vacation. How can anyone put further constraints on us than we already have? Again, I continue to stress, we NEVER demand that HA cabins are left open, unused, forever. But why should a disabled person be forced to do something that the able bodied isn't? After all, you can take any open cabin, even three days before sailing, and we can't. Is that fair?

 

I think uppitycats already made this same comment a couple of posts above you. And I said that I understand, but life isn't always fair.

[kitty9]

Kitty9, with this line " so WHY would you advise anyone to book them if they're not disabled????? " you seem to be eluding to that fact that "I would advise"...... I'll be brief .....I wouldn't advise anyone to book an accessible cobin if they didn't need it.

 

Bob

 

Um, did your first post not say "If it's available.....why not get the extra space."? You did not qualify that statement by saying anything like "But only after final payment date, or at the last minute, or via a guarantee". You just inferred that someone should book it for the extra space.

[shamda]

About 2 weeks ago i booked a gty sky suite on the 11/26 sailing of the equinox. A few days later I saw that they put me in an ADA sky suite. I did not request an ADA cabin. Why would they put me there? Based on what you all are saying if someone wants to book an ADA sky suite they will not be able to get one? I certainly do not want anyone to judge me coming in and out of an ADA cabin when it was the cruise line that put me there. Its not like i booked it a week before the cruise. Still 6 weeks to go and was 7 weeks at the time they assinged that cabin to me.

 

 

Being a disabled person who does require an accessible cabin , I have been witness to where this is not always true. On several cruises I have been on, I've personally observed able body people booked into HC Cabins that are quite verbal about how they intentionally booked it months well in advance of the cabins being released to the general public. Have even overheard them telling other passengers how to go about booking one well in advance. Sadly there are people in this world that just don't care about taking an Accessible Cabin from someone who really needs it.