Do Handicap Cabins Open Up to Public?

[akh007]

I am sailing in 9 days and I can see there are still 4 handicap cabins available in the same category I have reserved.

 

Is it ever ok, and does Princess allow these to be booked by an able bodied person this close to embarkation?

[Kineticoh20]

I have been offered these cabins twice and twice I turned it down. I want to make absolutely sure I don't take a cabin someone might need and also the bathrooms get very wet!

[ppmanusa]

Call your TA - About a week before our cruise on the Regal we were checking for an upgrade to a mini-suite. They didn't have any available but upgraded us to a handicap room for free.

[RickEk]

I am sailing in 9 days and I can see there are still 4 handicap cabins available in the same category I have reserved.

 

Is it ever ok, and does Princess allow these to be booked by an able bodied person this close to embarkation?

 

Call them and see what they say. I think this close to sailing they might move you.

[Essiesmom]

In 2010, I booked a B2B on Diamond about five weeks out. When my cabin was assigned (inside gty) it was HC. I emailed my TA saying I could see it was HC and I didn't need that. She said they knew, but apparently it was the only inside available for both weeks. It was absolutely HUGE, as big as a suite, just no view. EM

[crochetcruise]

I have been offered these cabins twice and twice I turned it down. I want to make absolutely sure I don't take a cabin someone might need and also the bathrooms get very wet!

 

Your attitude towards others is wonderful, but to my knowledge (limited, I'm a Blue Card newbie, when these cabins are allocated close to cruising they have not been booked. IMO, and this is strictly MY personal opinion, take it and enjoy! I did read on a Cruise Critic thread to ask your steward for extra towels to try and prevent the water making the floor too wet. HTH.

 

393 days and some extra time to embarkation day! Yes, I am eagerly counting down the days! The next fortnightly payment will be over 34% paid of the cruise fare, International Travel Insurance is paid upfront so just airfares and hotel bookings to budget for and reserve! I can't get accurate information for at least another fortnight, then I know what target to aim for!

 

Thanks to everyone who posts on Cruise Critic. I don't read absolutely every thread, but I do scan the titles, and anything interesting I read at least once to see if it will be helpful. Many a time I've got off the computer with a headache from all the information I learnt! :D

 

Crochetcruise :cool:

[Ron the Rev]

DW is wheelchair bound and we are so thankful that there are several HC cabins on all cruise lines. We mostly try to book a year or so ahead for our cruises to be sure of getting one. Indeed those in the same position I'm sure try to do likewise. When booking nowadays you have to state that you are definitely handicapped, as in the past there were those without disabilities, who knowing that the cabins were about one and a half the size of normal cabins would book them anyway. That said, if as you say there are cabins of that class still available very close to sail date then Princess will of course try to fill them for revenue , so yes get in there quickly.

[sunsetbeachgal]

I would call or have my travel agent call this morning. We were the recipient of a last minute upgrade to a handicap cabin several cruises ago.

[timetravler]

DW is wheelchair bound and we are so thankful that there are several HC cabins on all cruise lines. We mostly try to book a year or so ahead for our cruises to be sure of getting one. Indeed those in the same position I'm sure try to do likewise. When booking nowadays you have to state that you are definitely handicapped, as in the past there were those without disabilities, who knowing that the cabins were about one and a half the size of normal cabins would book them anyway. That said, if as you say there are cabins of that class still available very close to sail date then Princess will of course try to fill them for revenue , so yes get in there quickly.

 

This is absolutely true. In the past some people would book handicap cabins when they were not handicapped. Now you must either sign or verbally agree to a document that is binding with no gray areas that you are in a wheelchair or in a scooter. If you agree to that document and Princess later finds out that you are not handicap, they can reassign you to a non-handicap cabin or even kick you off the ship. In fact I know someone that last year was blacklisted from Princess because of their continuing to book handicap cabins when they were not handicapped. Guess this is a real pet peeve of mine.

But as others said if a handicap cabin is still not booked as the cruise nears, they will assign it to some lucky non-handicapped person. The cabins are wonderful and very large.

[geoherb]

We were assigned to an accessible cabin on the CB in December. We got our cabin assignment less than a week before the cruise. In our case, none of the cabins were showing up as available on the Princess website. I knew we'd get an assignment for our category or above.

 

While we enjoyed the extra space, especially in the bathroom, the cabin did have a few drawbacks. We took the following cruise and had to move cabins to a Caribe Deck balcony. I'd rather have the extra balcony space than the extra cabin space. (I guess an accessible cabin on the Caribe Deck would be best.)

[crochetcruise]

DW is wheelchair bound and we are so thankful that there are several HC cabins on all cruise lines. We mostly try to book a year or so ahead for our cruises to be sure of getting one. Indeed those in the same position I'm sure try to do likewise. When booking nowadays you have to state that you are definitely handicapped, as in the past there were those without disabilities, who knowing that the cabins were about one and a half the size of normal cabins would book them anyway. That said, if as you say there are cabins of that class still available very close to sail date then Princess will of course try to fill them for revenue , so yes get in there quickly.

 

My TA was quite specific about my mobility issues with Princess, and I could only book 1 particular Window Suite anyway.

 

Excited squeal! Have just realised it's exactly 56 weeks to day before embarkation. At this time, I'll be safely in Melbourne, organising a particular snack food known to fill me up, to take on the cruise with me so I can enjoy a Cocktail safely. I've been given lots of advise about also enjoying Mocktails and Sodas between Cocktails, and an ex-Security Guard was the gentleman who advised about taking Prawn Crackers with me, they seem to absorb the alcohol better! The cheeky devil laughed, "That you're far more likely to exhaust yourself exploring the ship taking photos to show other people, than waste time getting tiddly or drunk!"

 

Crochetcruise :cool:

[monicakm]

We were on the Emerald last month. I booked the same deck I always do, Caribe, because of the larger balcony and no public areas above or below us. It was a week or less before our cruise when we finally got our room assignment. It was a wheelchair accessible room. I posted here about being surprised by the assignment. I was told that Princess waits to assigns those rooms when they're sure they're not going to need them for someone that actually needs a wheelchair room and to ENJOY as they're 1.5x larger. So that's what we did and LOVED it! The room and bathroom was huge. The balcony was also much larger. Caribe balconies are already larger but this one could have easily comfortably handled 6 people. We did have a problem with a sewage odor that was coming from the drain channels around the shower. Same smell we smelled in several places around the ship. House keeping took care of it....and the AC and the balcony door that wouldn't completely close!

[kruisey]

I have booked a handicapped cabin for the first time on my next cruise.

I have mobility issues not in a wheelchair.I was warned by Princess if I was not handicapped that there would be severe consequences.

Pleased that Princess have tightened up so that folks with handicaps can get accommodated.:)

[Colo Cruiser]

I have booked a handicapped cabin for the first time on my next cruise.

I have mobility issues not in a wheelchair.I was warned by Princess if I was not handicapped that there would be severe consequences.

Pleased that Princess have tightened up so that folks with handicaps can get accommodated.:)

 

 

Princess does not want confrontations with anyone for anything. The severe consequence would be moving to a non HC cabin.

[alaskakat]

I'm boarding the crown next week, originally booked an inside. Received an upsell about 1 month prior to the sail date to a HC caribe balcony. I'm definitely excited! I assume they hold those rooms until they're sure they're not needed then fill them like the rest of them.

[timetravler]

Princess does not want confrontations with anyone for anything. The severe consequence would be moving to a non HC cabin.

That is only part true. If you have the habit of booking handicap cabins when you are not handicap, you may be banned from sailing with Princess completely. Do a fake booking on a handicap cabin and read what the statement says about booking a handicap cabin. That statement is binding also. In fact someone who posts often here on CC was banned from Princess just last year for that same reason.

[Colo Cruiser]

That is only part true. If you have the habit of booking handicap cabins when you are not handicap, you may be banned from sailing with Princess completely. Do a fake booking on a handicap cabin and read what the statement says about booking a handicap cabin. That statement is binding also. In fact someone who posts often here on CC was banned from Princess just last year for that same reason.

 

 

I agree, however the discussion did not mention multiple offenses. ;)

[kruisey]

I am really going to enjoy my handicapped cabin on the Lido deck I will only have the saunas above me.I leave my inside cabin and go right on to the open deck:D.I use a cane now and cannot fly around the decks like I used to do but I love the fresh air and this trip most of the time will be warm weather less bone ache:D

Also my chair will fit in the bathroom:)Last time the shower was so small that I could not use the chair and would gingerly stand against the wall there were no handicapped cabins they were all taken up because I booked late.

Edited March 21, 2015 by kruisey

[timetravler]

I am really going to enjoy my handicapped cabin on the Lido deck I will only have the saunas above me.I leave my inside cabin and go right on to the open deck:D.I use a cane now and cannot fly around the decks like I used to do but I love the fresh air and this trip most of the time will be warm weather less bone ache:D

Also my chair will fit in the bathroom:)Last time the shower was so small that I could not use the chair and would gingerly stand against the wall there were no handicapped cabins they were all taken up because I booked late.

You will enjoy it for sure.

[Mindy97]

Ok, here's the other side of your luck, and its sucky...

 

I frequently get to read how lucky (a few of) you are when you get upgrades or even upsells.

 

I never, ever, after 30+ cruises get one. Why? Because I need a Handicap Accessible cabin.

 

Lately I've taken to booking an HC obscured outside because I can cope with it, and save a bit. And I'm fine with that. But if they are handing out handicapped cabins to non-handicapped folks as upgrades, upsells, or GTY assigns, then doncha think I might like an upgrade/upsell?

 

I know in some of these cases the person booked a GTY class, and a HC cabin is what they ended up with. I just find it hard to believe that this was the only way they could do things.

 

I know, I got what I paid for. I understand that. Still, if it were offered, I'd take it in a minute.

 

M.

[caribill]

Ok, here's the other side of your luck, and its sucky...

 

I frequently get to read how lucky (a few of) you are when you get upgrades or even upsells.

 

I never, ever, after 30+ cruises get one. Why? Because I need a Handicap Accessible cabin.

 

Lately I've taken to booking an HC obscured outside because I can cope with it, and save a bit. And I'm fine with that. But if they are handing out handicapped cabins to non-handicapped folks as upgrades, upsells, or GTY assigns, then doncha think I might like an upgrade/upsell?

 

I know in some of these cases the person booked a GTY class, and a HC cabin is what they ended up with. I just find it hard to believe that this was the only way they could do things.

 

I know, I got what I paid for. I understand that. Still, if it were offered, I'd take it in a minute.

 

 

I assume that you have your bookings marked "will not accept upgrade" because of the chance you would not get an HC cabin on an upgrade.

 

It is a shame that the Princess computers (and humans) do not recognize that someone who has legitimately booked a HC cabin would willingly accept an upgrade to another HC cabin and only to an HC cabin.

[Mindy97]

That's it. I've heard that some cruiseline (disremember which) allows "upgrade to HC Cabin Only."

 

M.

 

I assume that you have your bookings marked "will not accept upgrade" because of the chance you would not get an HC cabin on an upgrade.

 

It is a shame that the Princess computers (and humans) do not recognize that someone who has legitimately booked a HC cabin would willingly accept an upgrade to another HC cabin and only to an HC cabin.

[KSprite01]

We'd all like upgrades, but doesn't sound like it's a frequent occurrence (and likely to be less so with the advent of upsells) such that it's worth getting upset about never getting one. Think on the positive side - while you might not get the upgrade, your cabin is always ~1.5 larger that it might otherwise be.