Why do we have to pay more for a handicapped room

[JoyB]

Last week I book a room we need a handicapped room because my husband cant walk. and I was told that we would have to spend $20 more to get a handicapped room because thay are in a higher cat.

We book a central park balcony room on the oasis. they had cheaper room but that were also central park bal. rooms but was told that we had to paid the higher price for the hanicapped room. it just does not sound right does anyone know why?

Thanks

Joy

[karmavacations]

The most "cost-effective" Central Park balcony staterooms are C2...the Handicap Accessible staterooms are C1 that is why there is a rate difference.

[LA_CA_GAL]

last week i book a room we need a handicapped room because my husband cant walk. And i was told that we would have to spend $20 more to get a handicapped room because thay are in a higher cat.

Joy

 

$20?

[Merion_Mom]

Every cabin in a category has the same fare.

 

You have to pay for the category you reserve.

 

If you get a C2, that's a certain fare.

 

If you get a C1, that's a certain fare.

 

I am sorry if there are no handicapped cabins in the category you want, but you are NOT being charged more for a handicapped cabin.

[JoyB]

yes it was $20 more. She said they only have hanidcapped room in one cat. and if I needed one I had to pay the extra for the room. which I did.

it just seems they would have some handicapped in each cat.

[Starry Eyes]

If i recall correctly, Royal Caribbean recent redid the categories for accessible cabins...some seemed like very good deals. But sometime categories are sold put. Or sometime a special discount (such as senior or resident) is offered on some categories not others...when that happen sometimes one sees a price inversion, with lower ranked cabin category priced more than a higher level sale cabin..that can happen with cabins for able bodied as well as accessible cabins. If you list the ship and sail date, we can look on the web and try to tell what is occurring on your cruise.

[JoyB]

If i recall correctly, Royal Caribbean recent redid the categories for accessible cabins...some seemed like very good deals. But sometime categories are sold put. Or sometime a special discount (such as senior or resident) is offered on some categories not others...when that happen sometimes one sees a price inversion, with lower ranked cabin category priced more than a higher level sale cabin..that can happen with cabins for able bodied as well as accessible cabins. If you list the ship and sail date, we can look on the web and try to tell what is occurring on your cruise.

 

I ask for a balcony for the sale price I booked 8 cabins, I told her I needed one to be handicapped. She then told me there would be a $20 charge for that room because balconys only come in that cat. in one cat. and it is at the higher price.if only hanidcapped people can use the room why do they have to pay more.

[JoyB]

the sail date 9/8 on the oasis

[Starry Eyes]

The most "cost-effective" Central Park balcony staterooms are C2...the Handicap Accessible staterooms are C1 that is why there is a rate difference.

 

I think accessible neighborhood balcony cabins are now "AN" not C1, C2, B1 or B2. so a disabled passenger may well get a boardwalk accessible balcony cabin for the same price as an able-bodied person might pay for a C2...or they might get an accessible central park balcony...or all accessible cabins in that category may already be booked by other disabled cruisers. Just possibly there is a sale on some other category of neighborhood balcony, and the op's cabin does not qualify. Or maybe the central park view CV is $20 less than the AN, and the nomenclature of view vs balcony is causing the OP to feel slighted. Edit: now that the OP has posted more details, we may be able to give the op an answer (or not). worth a try.

[spookwife]

yes it was $20 more. She said they only have hanidcapped room in one cat. and if I needed one I had to pay the extra for the room. which I did.

it just seems they would have some handicapped in each cat.

 

One.. not all categories can be retrofitted to be ADA compliant/handicapped accessible

 

Two: they sell out FAST and there are usually very few in each category available at all. that could have been the only room on board that was HA that was not already booked.

[JoyB]

I think accessible neighborhood balcony cabins are now "AN" not C1, C2, B1 or B2. so a disabled passenger may well get a boardwalk accessible balcony cabin for the same price as an able-bodied person might pay for a C2...or they might get an accessible central park balcony...or all accessible cabins in that category may already be booked by other disabled cruisers. Just possibly there is a sale on some other category of neighborhood balcony, and the op's cabin does not qualify. Or maybe the central park view CV is $20 less than the AN, and the nomenclature of view vs balcony is causing the OP to feel slighted. Edit: now that the OP has posted more details, we may be able to give the op an answer (or not). worth a try.

 

I booked a C-1 central park accessable cabin on the oasis for 9/8 the room were on sale . I asked for the sale price and was told the handicapped room were in a higher cat and would cost more

[Beth C]

based on your other postings you're sailing on Sept 8 Oasis... I just checked that sailing and it's odd that the staterooms aren't listed as their own category and does in fact come up as a C1 (for an amazing price none the less... only $100 pp more than the awesome deal I thought I got on an inside N for next month!)

 

 

You should not have to pay more for an accessible room than an unaccessible one... call back to resolutions and explain that the pricing is still coming up separate rather than with the accessible in a separate category of staterooms.

[vickiw0318]

It would be nice if the handicapped rooms came in all categories, but it appears that they do not. The Central Park handicapped rooms all appear to be C1s. As it has been said above, all C1 rooms will sell for the same price. The good news is that a handicapped C1 room is about 80 square feet larger than a regular C1/C2 room. So, the OP will be getting more real estate for her additional fee.

[Starry Eyes]

the sail date 9/8 on the oasis

 

I am getting errors on the Royalcaribbean website when I try to check pricing. I will try again later. I will say that I am glad you got an accessible cabin. there are a limited number on each ship, and many disabled passengers book very, very early to be assured of an accessible cabin. so, if that cruise date happened to be popular with disabled cruisers, there may be few or no accessible cabins left. although you may not be happy about the $20, perhaps you are lucky to get the cabin you need on the date and ship you want with "only" six months lead time...Odd as that sounds.

[Beachin2]

I travel in HA cabins, so have some experience. I have never, ever been charged more for a HA cabin (usually book 3 cabins, 1 HA) all in the same category.

 

That said, there needs to be a HA accessable available in that category in order for you to book it. I'm not real familiar with The Oasis (too much like a floating island for my taste), but it sounds like they offered you the closest category HA cabin to the general class you were looking for.

 

The HA cabins book wicked early on some dates. As an example, I'm on a waiting list for a HA cabin on a TA this fall and I booked that cruise 18 months out! Yet had no problem for a B2B next month booked 9 months out.

 

Don't sweat the $20. I truely believe (based on my experience) they aren't hosing you just because they can.

[enyliram]

if the balcony central park view cabins have a lower guarantee rate in the future, before final payment, which is less than you paid you are entitled to get the HC cabin for the guarantee rate. for example. liberty of the seas april 8th balcony E2 rate currently 779 but will be able to book at guaranteed rate of 679. if solely looking at the booking which shows E2 rate for HC at 779 you would be missing out the lower rate. you should continue to monitor the price of guarantee balcony central park rates. good luck and even if not enjoy the cruise. fabulous ship.

[enyliram]

correction.. april 8th date is for navigator sailing. however i have done this on liberty Feb 18th cruise and now on navigator april8th.

[honeybee85]

Here it is directly from my Sales contacts.

 

Accessible categories are:

 

AZ - inside staterooms

AY - oceanview staterooms

AX - oceanview balcony staterooms

AN - neighborhood balcony staterooms

AW - suites

AL - loft suites

 

Each of these belongs to a super category (inside, outside, oceanview balcony, neighborhood balcony, suite, loft suite). The accessible pricing is intended to be the same as THE LOWEST current available category in the super category it is assigned to. That means if there is a I (outside) as the lowest outside stateroom, the AY and the I should be the same rate.

 

If you are seeing something different, you need to call back. Of course there will be issues where prices change quickly and not all categories are updated but again if you let them know (and escalate beyond the front line if needed) it will be fixed.

 

They cannot charge you more for an accessible stateroom than a non accessible stateroom in the same super category. It is a violation of DOT policies.

 

Mind you, this only applies to bookings that fall under DOT and ADA authority (made out of the US offices AND sailing out of the US or to a US port of call). If it isn't under DOT or ADA authority anything goes.

[Starry Eyes]

They want 8 balconies. they are only six months out, booking a popular ship with many cabin categories. given that, what if only seven are available at the lowest rate (say C2), wouldn't the 8 th cabin cost more because it must come from a higher price category (say C1)? wouldn't that be true whether the 8th cabin were accessible or non accessible? It happened to me on airlines..only four tickets available at lowest price, next two cost more...and I had to book them separately to get four at the lowest price.

[Desert Cruizers]

We have never been on the Oasis or Allure, and because of the size and location of rooms, OV Boardwalk etc, I wouldn't have any idea how to book a room on this ship. If we wished an OV w/ Balcony mid ship what would be the ideal deck and rooms.

[TwoTravelin]

The policy is complex but it is true that you should not be penalized for there not being an accessible at the rate you desire. This is why on future deployments there are 'A' categories to assure accessible rooms are priced equal to lowest price in category. Is every agent versed in this policy... I suspect not.

[rubrrick]

The policy is complex but it is true that you should not be penalized for there not being an accessible at the rate you desire. This is why on future deployments there are 'A' categories to assure accessible rooms are priced equal to lowest price in category. Is every agent versed in this policy... I suspect not.

 

 

You are absolutely correct.........except for one fact that you did not disclose.

 

There are not "A" cabins in every catagory! I can't get an OS or GS on most ships that are an "A" catagory.......because they are not built that way.

 

So, if no C 1's are available, and you have to move up to a C 2 for $20.00 more...........if you can't afford to move up for the handicapped one, don't cruise!

 

I have not looked, but is that the least priced handicapped room available....period, or is there something less, maybe an outside window, or inside.

 

If it's $20.00 and they don't offer C1's pay something less and don't give them a balcony.

 

This person is not being penalized, but paying for a slight upgrade.

 

And it appears that this person is dealing directly with Royal Caribbean......who should have better knowledge than a TA.

 

However.....my FIL and MIL are travelling on the Rhapsody for an Alaskan trip and both have JS's, only one is an AW. They paid the same price for both, as they were in the same catagory.

 

So, as MM says, it's the catagory price that counts......not the "A", which, oh, by the way stands for "Accessable"!;)

 

Rick

[honeybee85]

You are absolutely correct.........except for one fact that you did not disclose.

 

There are not "A" cabins in every catagory! I can't get an OS or GS on most ships that are an "A" catagory.......because they are not built that way.

 

So, if no C 1's are available, and you have to move up to a C 2 for $20.00 more...........if you can't afford to move up for the handicapped one, don't cruise!

 

I have not looked, but is that the least priced handicapped room available....period, or is there something less, maybe an outside window, or inside.

 

If it's $20.00 and they don't offer C1's pay something less and don't give them a balcony.

 

This person is not being penalized, but paying for a slight upgrade.

 

And it appears that this person is dealing directly with Royal Caribbean......who should have better knowledge than a TA.

 

However.....my FIL and MIL are travelling on the Rhapsody for an Alaskan trip and both have JS's, only one is an AW. They paid the same price for both, as they were in the same catagory.

 

So, as MM says, it's the catagory price that counts......not the "A", which, oh, by the way stands for "Accessable"!;)

 

Rick

 

You are incorrect, Rick. They cannot charge more because they chose not to make C2 an accessible room but rather made it a C1. The GS/OS issue is different. They do not claim they have any "full" suites that are accessible (other than loft suites).

 

I guarantee you that if you call up and say you want the cheapest Central Park balcony room oh and you need an accessible room, Royal Caribbean is legally obligated to give you the lowest rate for available central park balconies regardless of which central park balcony category is the accessible one. They CAN NOT charge more for accessible rooms. Contact their Access department and they will tell you the same thing.

 

Again, this is keeping in mind that it must be under DOT and ADA guidelines.

[bigeagle12]

They CAN NOT charge more for accessible rooms.

 

WRONG - they can since they are different categories. If there was no difference between the categories then you would be correct. But since rules for location, cabin size, etc are consistently applied to RCI pricing .. then yes they can.

[rubrrick]

You are incorrect, Rick. They cannot charge more because they chose not to make C2 an accessible room but rather made it a C1. The GS/OS issue is different. They do not claim they have any "full" suites that are accessible (other than loft suites).

 

I guarantee you that if you call up and say you want the cheapest Central Park balcony room oh and you need an accessible room, Royal Caribbean is legally obligated to give you the lowest rate for available central park balconies regardless of which central park balcony category is the accessible one. They CAN NOT charge more for accessible rooms. Contact their Access department and they will tell you the same thing.

 

Again, this is keeping in mind that it must be under DOT and ADA guidelines.

 

I'll be checking this out in the morning with RCCL........but DOT???

 

I understand ADA...........as I remodel to their specs, but Royal Caribbean was ver clear with me on how they worked.

 

What are you selling.........only Oasis Class ships???

 

Otherwise, you have a whole different issue.:)

 

Rick