Celebrity HC cabin safety

[Wolfpup]

Last year on the Infinity, we booked a HC room on the Constellation for our Baltic Cruise on 8/13/2005. When we arrived in our state room, something seemed to be missing. It wasn't until Mom fell while attempting to transfer to the toilet that I realized the second, moveable safety rail was not there. Needles to say, we immediately called the Medical Center as Mom was bleeding from a gash on her arm. The medical staff was not aware of the rail being eliminated and suggested I ask our cabin steward. I found out that the second safety bar was removed while the ships were in dry-dock last November "due to safety issues" regarding HC passengers! How stupid is that? The cabin steward was told by the head house keeper that the HC person can use the other grab bar. My question was, what if the person requiring the safety bar cannot use either the left or right side of his or her body? Besides, if there is really such a safety issue, why are all the public HC bathrooms and the Medical Center equipped with two grab bars?

Mom was seen every day to have the dressing changed and her cut has healed,though she is still bruised.

I do need to add that the ship's crew was wonderful to Mom. They helped her transfer to a chair in the dining room when she wanted to, otherwise, they positioned her wheel chair as needed. When we went to the buffet for breakfast or lunch, crew immediately assisted with Mom's tray and pushed her chair, found a seat near a window, got her coffee and rather than wait for toast or muffins, seated her and then brought whatever she wanted. After each meal, a crew member wheeled Mom to the elevator.

 

However, the officers and hostess were aloof toward disabled passengers. I observed this at three invitation-only events we attended. In each event, we and others in a WC, were never approached or engaged in conversation by the officers, hostess or cruise director. Their silence speaks volumes.

 

Passengers were very helpful on tours in the Baltics as many ports and buildings are not easy to access. They were quick to lift the wheel chair on steps or move aside so Mom could better see an exhibit. However, I did find the mainly European passengers to be less than understanding, often pushing ahead at elevators, one person was pathetic - dumped Mom's pocket book on the floor and took the chair next to her to another table - in full view of the maitre' D. Guess who didn't get a tip?

 

Darcy

[daju22]

Hello Darcy,

 

I'm so sorry to hear about your mom's accident and the treatment by some of the passengers and the officers and hostess. Hope she is feeling better!

 

We are booked on the Constellation in a handicapped cabin 7143 for next August 26. Which cabin were you in? Did they remove all the grab bars in HC cabins to have single bars?

 

My husband needs two grab bars. I hope the one on the left is remaining. He can't use his whole right side properly and needs help to stand. Maybe they will be fixed by next year. I can't believe they removed one of the bars.

 

We had a wonderful experience last year on our cruise around South America. Holland America was always helpful and attentive to my husband. We could not find fault with their service.

 

Thank you for a review of your trip! Hopefully, Celebrity will correct this problem before our cruise.

 

Thanks again,

[Wolfpup]

We were in cabin 6109, the stationary grab bar is attached to the wall to the left of the toilet, however, the moveable bar that SHOULD have been to the right, was removed and a metal plate was on the wall where it would have been attached. Left or right grab bar would depend on what cabin you were in as the bathrooms are situated back to back. That was the only bar removed from all of the HC cabins.

 

I will be writing Celebrity a letter regarding the safety bar issue, and hopefully they will see that there is need to re-install them in all HC cabins. We have cruised with Celebrity quite a few times, and Mom has always been treated so nicely by staff.

 

It was an exhausting trip, but well worth the extra effort to keep going. Given the limitations with access in Europe, we managed in spite of lack of lifts, cobble stone streets, and Celebrity tour busses on which fellow passengers refused to move from the front seats as Mom struggled to make it to the back of the bus. I finally demanded that the shore excursion staff call down to the pier and allocate a front seat on the bus just before we departed the ship.

 

Darcy

[daju22]

Hi Darcy,

 

Did arranging for a front bus seat through the shore excursion staff work for your mom? I'll have to remember that for our trip.

On our South America cruise, we were with a tour group and our tour managers made sure we had front seats on all busses. They saved 4 front seats for the HC. I guess we were spoiled since this was our first cruise since my husband's stroke.

Thanks for the heads up with the grab bar and tour bus problems. Thanks for writing to Celebrity. This really helps!

[DEL67]

Darcy:

 

I have noticed that fewer ships now have a pull-down bar next to the toilet. If some one had told them that there is a safety issue with these bars I would love to know what it is. Not having one makes it much more difficult for my husband and increases the chance of his falling. To me that's a true safety issue!.

 

Like you, I have found many Celebrity ship's officers and their hostess to be aloof from the disabled. In fact, the hostess at the repeaters party on the Infinity ignored the fact that we had no where to sit because the only remaining seats were in a raised area with no ramp. We stood around for about 10 minutes and then left when the hostess asked everyone to be seated. One of the dancers who was at the door asked why we were leaving. She was very upset when I explained why and offered to get us chairs, but at that point, we did not feel like staying. While we were waiting for the elevator, I saw her speak to the hostess who seemed to brush her off.

[Wolfpup]

When I went to the Celebrity Theatre to pick up our bus number stickers prior to each shore excursion, I asked that some one call down to whoever is managing operations at the pier to request a reserved seat on our bus. The meek response was, "we didn't know you needed a front seat." I will suggest to Celebrity that their shore excursion forms must include a place to note HC and to reserve a front seat.

 

Initially, we played by the rules and waited until our tour was called before we left the ship, however, others exited the ship early to claim front seats, thus preventing Mom for sitting closer to the door. So, get your stickers early, and if possible, the person who is in a wheel chair needs to use the main elevators to get to the gangway ahead of time. My DH took Mom to the first floor gangway while I got the stickers, and then I ran down the stairs to meet them.

 

I am going to suggest to Celebrity that one elevator be reserved for disabled passengers. I have seen elevators reserved and set on automatic stop for each floor for religious reasons, why can't cruise lines accommodate disabled passengers with similar accommodations?

 

The pull down safet bar issue is a major concern for many. I want to hear what the "home office" has to say.....if they ever respond, I'll let you know.

 

Last year on the Infinity, the officers, cruise director and hostess were very personable at all of the functions we attended. We were also invited to dine at the Captain's table one evening. Both my DH and I were very disappointed by the behavior of the "top dogs" at the invitation only functions we attended on the Constellation.

 

In case anyone is intersted, I was on the Pride of America in June and looked at the HC cabins. The bathrooms are a bit institutional, but have everything one would need to be as independent as possible.

 

Darcy

[Queenie2]

I am going to suggest to Celebrity that one elevator be reserved for disabled passengers. I have seen elevators reserved and set on automatic stop for each floor for religious reasons, why can't cruise lines accommodate disabled passengers with similar accommodations?

Darcy

 

Can you clarify what you mean by religious reasons? I guess you are going to have to give me an example cause I'm totally lost on that one. Thanks!

 

As for the fold down grab bars I've had tons of complaints about them (people who do not want them). Yes, all cite safety issues. Code says that there has to be a grab bar on one side and the back (and yes I know the ADA does not apply to cruise ships yet, but the Access Board is going with the ADAAG "land" code as far as grab bars are concerned in their proposed regs, so I expect the fold-down models will slowly disappear.) If you have paralysis on one side we usually recommend that you specify which side you need a grab bar on. this can get confusing too, but saying something like "I need a grab bar on the right side (as you face the toilet)" usually gets the concept across. Some folks also use diagrams.

 

 

Candy

[Brucemcdou]

Hi, Queenie - I think when Darcy refers to "religious reasons," she's referring to Orthodox Jews who do not work on the Sabath, Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. That includes not pushing buttons for elevators or flipping switches for lights, along with not cooking or other forms of "work." By setting the elevators to stop at each floor it saves them from having to push the buttons. I agree that similar provision could be made for HC passengers if necessary.

[Wolfpup]

Queenie, Bruce is correct about "religous reasons" to allocate an elevator.

 

Reservations doesn't have a clue where the toilet is located, so asking for a left or right bar could make booking a HC room even more of a problem as there are so few on ships. We booked this a year in advance. Because we need the HC room, we don't get some of the repeater "perks" such a free upgrades, etc., as we lock in a specific room. In Mom's case, she uses and needs support on both sides.

 

Darcy

[Queenie2]

Oh, I see. I never thought of that. I know Orthodox Jews are prohibited from using electricity on the Sabbath, so I guess if the don't actually push the elevator button, they are not really *using* electricity. To be honest I never pay that much attention when I'm in the elevator.

 

As for the grab bars, I've talked to many passengers who need specific configurations (usually because of a stroke and paralysis on one side) and they do talk extensively with the special needs/access dept. (or in some cases a TA very well versed in access issues) to get the right configuration. It is very time consuming, and yes it does further limit the cabins available. The response is very dependent on the cruise line - some are better than others. Still some people have found out in advance that a particular ship would not work at all for them, and they were disappointed but still thankful the found out this fact, so they could book on a ship that met their needs.

 

Candy

[Splinter]

Alternatively, you could also take your own Versaframe and use it.

 

http://www.seniorshops.com/versaframe.html

 

You would need to find out about the distance between the bolts on the toilet seat on the ship's toilets before going or be prepared to modify the mount when you get on the ship...perhaps with their help. Special services may be able to help with this too.