Handicapped Cabins

[InsureFun]

I noticed on one of the ships we were considering for our Alaska Cruise that certain cabins were denoted with a wheel chair logo indicating handicapped. The line is Holland America (Oosterdam)and they were SS Suites. These were real tempting as they are located in the front bow and if the diagram is accurate larger than the other SS Suites.

 

I called a HAL representative and asked if one needed to be handicapped in order to book this particular suite. The response I received was, "HAL prefers to only rent those cabins to disabled passengers"...but he didn't say one couldn't.

 

We chose another ship but am curious from a moral standpoint if anyone has done this. People seem to be more lax morally when on vacation so perhaps I am a miss goody two shoes. Perhaps it isn't a big deal since it isn't strictly against the rules...afterall I called and would not have lied.

 

Any opinions on this for my next cruise?

[wrp96]

Actually it is a very big deal if you are an able bodied passenger and choose a handicapped cabin. There are very few handicapped cabins as compared to other kinds of cabins. So handicapped travelers are very limited to which cabins they can choose. Usually they have to book months in advance to be able to get those cabins and it is made even worse when able bodied passengers purposefully choose those cabins.

 

It might be different if it were a couple of weeks before the cruise and there were no other cabins of that category, so the able bodied passenger should be able to choose that cabin at that point.

 

Another thing to consider about HC cabins is that usually they have modifications for the handicapped. These modifications are not always to the benefit of able bodied passengers, such as removing pieces of furniture from the cabin, modifications to the shower so that people can be wheeled into them, etc.

 

Please be polite and considerate and not choose a handicapped cabin if you don't need one.

[Nanatravel]

In my experience it is really up to the cruise line whom to sell a cabin to. I have booked 6-12 months out on a brand new ship and got a HP cabin that I certainly didn't ask for. I asked for a balcony and they sold it to me as it was the last cabin in its class. It was wonderful as it was so large. That was on an RCI ship. Recently (for next cruise w/ Carnival) I was questioning moving to another cabin from one I choose by cabin location and was informed from a knowledgable person that the cabin I had bought was again a HP and I did not know it! That purchase was made only 3 months out. Some lines reserve the ability to bump able bodied customers from a HP or a Quad. I was not willing to take that risk as the location ws important to me, so I switched cabins to an equally desirable location. It really is a toss up.

[gorbat]

To the OP: You probably think lying by omission is a neat concept. Since you called and got a vague answer, then it must be ok to book a handicapped cabin. I am disabled and booking these cabins has gotten to be a game with abled bodied pax. There are only from 4 to 32 cabins oer ship - the newer ones having more. That is a small percentage on ships carrying 2500-3500 pax. If you want a larger stateroom then buy one, don't cheat and get one of the few cabins I and others can use. Wheelchairs cannot even enter the doorways of non-HC cabins, so it isn't an option for us! Be an honest grownup and do the right thing, it would help others of us who would like to take advantage of earlier cruises and choice of cabins (a balcony verses an inside). I had to go over 9 months out to get an HC cabin because they were all booked up. I can imagine that more than a few of these were taken up by the likes of you. How sad can you get.

[TexasDH]

To the OP: You probably think lying by omission is a neat concept.

 

And, evidently, YOU think that being rude and disrespectful of another CC member who DID NOT take one of your cabins is a neat concept! :mad: I am sorry you have difficulty booking cabins, but it is not the fault of the OP...

[serene56]

Booking a handicapped cabin and not needing it-- you stand a chance to lose it at the last minute if someone actually produced paperwork that wanted it.

 

I for one would not want to take a chance of booking these bigger cabins for the chance of losing it at the last week when cabins are now sparse with pickings. Cruise lines do not have to give you a higher cat--and you can get stuck with getting a cabin in an area that is not too nice.

 

Gorbat- If you had paperwork from a dr..that cruiselines should help you with that cabin. If not-- I would not be using that cruiseline at all. You should try special services for each cruisline and see what you can get.

no, its not right that abled bodied people are allowed to book these cabins while handicapped people can not find availibilty.

[Linda&Mike]

We had a HP cabin on our last cruise in Feb., we booked the cruise 2 wks before sailing. We did not ask for a HC room and were surprised when we boarded. There were HP people just down the hall in a regular cabin, I don't know why the CL didn't switch us, but if they had then so be it. When you book at the last minute anything can happen.Is it possible that these cabins are more money and some HC people don't want to pay the extra $$ for the designated HP cabins? Just a thought as I don't know how it works. :confused:

 

Linda

 

PS Oh yeah we were on port side and met a couple in the same type HP cabin on the starboard side which they booked 3 weeks out also. :confused:

[critterchick]

To the OP: You probably think lying by omission is a neat concept. Since you called and got a vague answer, then it must be ok to book a handicapped cabin. I am disabled and booking these cabins has gotten to be a game with abled bodied pax. There are only from 4 to 32 cabins oer ship - the newer ones having more. That is a small percentage on ships carrying 2500-3500 pax. If you want a larger stateroom then buy one, don't cheat and get one of the few cabins I and others can use. Wheelchairs cannot even enter the doorways of non-HC cabins, so it isn't an option for us! Be an honest grownup and do the right thing, it would help others of us who would like to take advantage of earlier cruises and choice of cabins (a balcony verses an inside). I had to go over 9 months out to get an HC cabin because they were all booked up. I can imagine that more than a few of these were taken up by the likes of you. How sad can you get.

 

I think your criticism of the OP is unwarranted. Lying by omission would mean not volunteering that she was able-bodied at the time she booked the cabin. She did no such thing, only asked if she COULD book it. And she didn't. Furthermore, she went on to poll CC members as to whether they would be morally lax enough to do so, characterizing herself as a "goody two shoes."

 

To the OP: no, I wouldn't book a handicap access room unless it was a last-minute deal (as in within final payment) and the cabin was the only one in its class still available. My inlaws really benefit from those accomodations and I would not want to deprive a stranger of the benefit.

 

We always book well in advance (over a year sometimes) in order to get the cabins we want (not need, huge difference). We figure that if circumstances change & we can't go we can always cancel & rebook. These days, such planning is the only way to get what suits you.

[wrp96]

We had a HP cabin on our last cruise in Feb., we booked the cruise 2 wks before sailing. We did not ask for a HC room and were surprised when we boarded. There were HP people just down the hall in a regular cabin, I don't know why the CL didn't switch us, but if they had then so be it. When you book at the last minute anything can happen.Is it possible that these cabins are more money and some HC people don't want to pay the extra $$ for the designated HP cabins? Just a thought as I don't know how it works. :confused:

 

Linda

 

PS Oh yeah we were on port side and met a couple in the same type HP cabin on the starboard side which they booked 3 weeks out also. :confused:

 

They can't charge more for a handicapped cabin than for non-HC cabins in the same category. If they did, it would be discrimination.

[Linda&Mike]

WRP96,

I didn't mean charge more becaue they are a Handicapped cabin, but beacuse of location or a higher category, and are more money than a particular HP person might have in their budget.

[estj]

thanks for this thread...we had booked a cruise next May and was all excited about the cabin we received...but after reading the thread...went back and looked and discovered it's a handicapped suite. We called immediately and they switched us to another suite (although I must admit...a far cry from a desirable location). It will do...we wouldn't want to hamper someone with a handicap from enjoying a cruise.