Diamond Princess not easy for mobility impaired

[moki'smommy]

We just returned from 20 nights on the Diamond Princess with my adult daughter who uses a walker and/or leg braces. She found the ship difficult for several reasons.

 

First, on all but the final disembarkation day, the Diamond Princess entrance and exit had steps. These were a part of the ship and could be set to have a standard rise or a rise of only 2-3 inches (or none), but as noted, the only time they were set up as a ramp was the last morning. We were quite shocked to see that the ability to climb stairs was required to board the ship. The promised wheelchair with a human "pusher" did not show up. She navigated it with the walker with difficulty.

 

Next, there are metal pieces over uneven areas of the carpet in the halls--"joints" sort of. All ships have this, but on the Diamond they are more square than what we've encountered on other ships. The wheels of the walker did not roll over these--it hit them and the wheels stopped. On other ships (Princess as well as other lines) they have either been rounded or the edges were more gradually sloped allowing the wheels to roll over them. As it was, each time she came to one of these it was necessary to stop and lift the walker over it. She found it much easier to go to deck 7 to walk from one place to another as these structures did not exist there. This way, she only had to cross one of them between our cabin and the elevator.

 

The third "problem" was a combination of a Princess problem and rude guests. After the muster drill, the HA seating area was released first, but only about 10 seconds before the general population (on previous cruises it has been more like 2 minutes early). Since Princess allows all guests to use elevators after the drill while some other lines do not, this release timing resulted in her literally being run over by other guests in their rush for an elevator. She finally got into an elevator with another guest using a walker and a woman proceeded to scream at her because when she got on with the walker, there was not enough room for the woman's friend to get on. The woman literally held the door open and tried to insist that my daughter get off! Really, people? No, my daughter didn't barge up to the front of the line--she waited her turn. But she was not going to give up the next available spot to an able bodied person who was farther back in the waiting crowd. We later found that the gentleman with the walker and his wife were on our roll call and had quite a conversation about what each of them "almost" did/said to this screamer.

 

I do realize that Princess can't be responsible for the behavior of passengers on the ship, but the situation could be handled by either releasing those needing the elevators a few minutes earlier than the masses OR by having a crew member man the elevators and restrict them to those who need them for the first few minutes as is done on some other cruise lines. They do use this "elevator control" technique during the boarding process when certain elevators are for boarding guests only; why not after the drill?

 

Yes, I realize that the ship is British flagged and was cruising around Japan so ADA regulations do not apply. However, the steps to disembark and reboard at each port were quite a shock. On our previous cruises (Princess as well as other lines) there have always been ramps!

 

In contrast, she had no difficulty on the Caribbean Princess when sailing from a US port.

[LokiPoki]

I thought I'd replied to you here as well as on your other post - but am sorry for both the difficulties your daughter encountered - and the reception your other post got from a particular member of the forum. Have nothing to add that I haven't said on the other, but thank you for sharing your experiences - and please don't let a know-it-all (who evidently has no concept of your daughter's difficulties) stop you from sharing something that might be of use to future cruisers.

[jpcello]

Sorry you faced challenges on your recent cruise. There will always be rude people on cruises. I travel with my sister, who walks with a cane full time and uses a mobility scooter for travel and when she needs to walk long distances. I've discovered that on cruises most people are very courteous and will go out of their way to be accommodated. It's the small group of rude people who we tend to remember.

 

I think the issues you faced with getting on and off the ship are more about the ports you went to and not the cruise line specifically. My sister has explained to me many times (more like reminding me) that once you leave the US the definition of accessibility changes.

 

We're taking our first Princess cruise next month but visiting US and Canadian ports.

 

As for the discussion on the Princess boards, I couldn't even bring myself to respond there since I would have said (typed) things that would have probably gotten me thrown off the board because the offensiveness of that particular person's response was beyond reproach.

[xxoocruiser]

It's so sad that some passengers feel they have the right to be rude and inconsiderate. Be it on the ship and in your other thread. Unfortunately those individuals are most likely just as rude in everyday life off the ship. People with disabilities are often criticized by some not all abled-body as having a since of entitlement due to their disability. However what I have observed from the rude people we often experience is that they feel entitled because they're abled-bodied as demonstrated by what your daughter encountered in the elevator.

 

Despite the difficulties experienced it appears from your other post that the cruise was enjoyed. That you didn't let the comments from rude people as well as some of the obstacles take away from enjoying the cruise.

 

I often experience the same rude people. Just when I think I've heard every possible rude comment some one comes up with a whole new criticism towards People with Disabilities. My standard reply to all the rude comments made by others is " I hope you never experience a situation that forever changes your life and find yourself in the same situation as me particularly since having a disability probably won't change the fact that you're just a rude person. Have a good day."

 

Please don't let this experience discourage you from taking another cruise.

Additionally I glad to see that the moderators to control in your other thread.

Edited September 3, 2016 by xxoocruiser

[LokiPoki]

People with disabilities are often criticized by some not all abled-body as having a since of entitlement due to their disability.

 

It's an interesting point this...i was having a discussion much along these lines the other day with a friend of mine - both of us are disabled, she works for (and I'm involved to a lesser degree) with an organisation that advocates for women with women with disabilities. One big thing they teach - and you ladies may be familiar with it - is the social model of disability (if you're not - it's the idea that we/PWDs aren't necessarily 'disabled' or limited so much by our conditions as we are by society not being willing to adapt, be that in a physical sense or even just in terms of attitude).

 

I'm probably preaching to the converted here (so to speak) but i think people with no lived experience of disability - whether as a person with a disability or as a carer or close relative (or both) - sometimes just can't grasp that we do in fact want to live normal lives, or as close as we can do with whatever lot we've got to work with/around - and in this day and age (I know it's not that long since a majority of disabled people were regarded as inferior and kept out of sight, out of mind in institutions and suchlike...perhaps too many still have that mindset?) I don't see that how it's a "sense of entitlement" to 1/ be requesting that normal, everyday activities be made accessible to us where possible, be that having ramp or lift access if it's practical, or tactile indicators for people who are vision impaired, or whatever and 2/ drawing attention to problems where they exist - as this is the only way things change.

 

jpcello - I hope you and your sister enjoy your cruise. We did a South Pacific cruise earlier this year with Princess, and while I had some issues with negotiating the ship (some expected, some not, all overcome) & the odd rude passenger, but I could not have found the tiniest fault with Princess' crew if I tried. To me they went above and beyond - even to the point of our cabin steward keeping an eye on our door in the mornings to make sure I could get in and out okay (I'm a morning person...my cabinmates were not!). A lot of the areas of the islands aren't the most wheelchair friendly...but the locals friendliness/helpfulness more than made up for it (and big, friendly Fijian guys who don't feel bound by oh&s and offer to lift you when your chair gets bogged in sand ... very handy :D)

[jpcello]

We've been fortunate that our experiences have been mostly positive. It's just the occasional person that you just have to shake you head and smile. I actually get more upset by rude people than my sister does. What does put her over the top is when someone tells her how "lucky" she is to be using a scooter to get around the ship. She would much rather be walking around like the rest of us.

 

I'm definitely looking forward to our cruise next month. I've heard wonderful things about Princess.

[xxoocruiser]

you ladies may be familiar with it - is the social model of disability (if you're not - it's the idea that we/PWDs aren't necessarily 'disabled' or limited so much by our conditions as we are by society not being willing to adapt, be that in a physical sense or even just in terms of attitude).

 

I'm probably preaching to the converted here

 

Been singing in the choir with you for a long time ! Didn't you see me in the back row ;)

 

Yes knowledgeable of the social model of disability. As a young child ( not disabled than) my parents raised me to understand that people with disabilities are the same as anyone else . Also taught me that PWD's just wanted to live life normally though the normal just might be different than mine but no less important. That PWD's are intelligent and talented individuals that should never be typed cast long before the politically correct term of "Social Model of Disability" entered the picture. Raised the why I was , after becoming disabled later in life I found it to be a rude awakening to say the least as to how society actually treats PWD's . That's one of the reason I became involved in advocacy both at the state and federal levels for PWD's. That and I also have special needs great-nephew that he and his parents have been subjected to just horrific treatment/comments from abled-bodied when they're out in public. Whenever the opportunity arises I politely try to educate people on the Social Model of Disability in a polite way.