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$7.95 Room Service Charge

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merlindog22

merlindog22

Posted
Posted
What would you like them to change with the ship to make it more accessible? Right now you can get on a scooter at you cabin, go down a passageway, into an elevator, and into the MDR or Windjammer without ever getting off of the scooter. Just where is it that our nation is so negligent on this matter?

Not all disabled people have scooters, and arriving at the Windjammer etc. and finding that you have to wait in line is no joke if you can't stand for long. There are no chairs to sit on, and if you did find one then you would probably find that you lost you place in the line. Some people do not show disability, it doen;t mean to say they are not however. I have no outward appearance of being disable apart from the fact that I walk a bit funny, but I am classed as extreamely disabled. So if I ask for a chair to sit on I get some pretty bad looks, and no one even attempts to help. Is this right, people are taken for granted and what they look like which is totally wrong. I don't ask for anything special, but if I do ask for something it would be nice to be treated as a human being, which sometimes I am not.

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Cauzneffct

Cauzneffct

Posted
Posted
Maybe on the Contemporary lines. The premium lines (Princess, Holland America, and Celebrity) will hold onto it longer.

 

Eventually one will have to book with Deluxe (Azamara, Oceania) or the Luxury lines to get the basics that used to be taken for granted on even the most basic of cruises. It's sad really. End of an era, we are all living through it.

 

With that said land based travel at All Inclusives offer other options. Currently cruising is the best value imho. That may not always be true. All Inclusives like Secrets, Couples, Sandals, Iberostar, RIU, Gran Bahia Principe -- all compete for traveller dollars. Cruises are currently cheaper but that is rapidly becoming a value propisition with all the cutbacks on Contemporary lines.

 

It used to be even Carnival/RCCL/NCL gave you a "Secrets/Sandals" quality experience for half the cost. Lately I'm finding that's not the case.

 

I must be in the minority in that the alternative to cruising is NOT all-inclusives. The idea of being a "captive audience" has been mentioned in this thread, and that's exactly how I feel at an IA; I feel like I end up flushing a lot of money down the toilet as I tend to want to try local restaurants and thus don't get the full value out of the included meals and drinks. For that same reason, if cruises ever started charging for the MDR or entertainment, I wouldn't pay.*

 

 

*this presupposes that there would be "tiers" of service with a cheaper-than-current-prices barebones option (ie, just the buffet is included with per meal pricing (or packages) for the MDR, main theater shows extra, etc), a "classic" option (how things are now), and a "premium" option (with drinks and maybe specialty restaurants included). if pricing remains stable and things like entertainment or MDR meals are extra, I probably wouldn't cruise.

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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

Posted
Posted
Not all disabled people have scooters, and arriving at the Windjammer etc. and finding that you have to wait in line is no joke if you can't stand for long. There are no chairs to sit on, and if you did find one then you would probably find that you lost you place in the line. Some people do not show disability, it doen;t mean to say they are not however. I have no outward appearance of being disable apart from the fact that I walk a bit funny, but I am classed as extreamely disabled. So if I ask for a chair to sit on I get some pretty bad looks, and no one even attempts to help. Is this right, people are taken for granted and what they look like which is totally wrong. I don't ask for anything special, but if I do ask for something it would be nice to be treated as a human being, which sometimes I am not.

I made no comment about disabilities. The person I replied to mentioned the ADA and the U.S. not enforcing the law on foreign flagged ships. My point was that structurally the ship is ADA accessible. And that was my ONLY point.

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bUU

bUU

Posted
Posted (edited)
What would you like them to change with the ship to make it more accessible?
The case that we were talking about is Spector v. NCL (03-1388). You can use the following link to see the case and read the plaintiffs specific concerns: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/545/119.html My desire is for Congress to make clear that the ADA applies in full, thereby ensuring that as the protections evolve cruise ships would be required to keep pace with the changes, as hotels are, today. Beyond that, griffy116 and merlindog22 mentioned earlier in this thread how the introduction of this new room service charge represents a hardship for the disabled. Extension of the ADA in full to cruise ships would make such hardships actionable, when there is a practicable remediation (i.e., waiving the room service fee for the disabled).

 

People just love buzz words
Either that or they have good reasons for what they post. One or the other. Perhaps it is best to let people speak for themselves rather than second-guessing what others post, when you don't know.

 

There's a reason cruise ship sterns say NASSAU and not OSLO anymore...
Except as I pointed out in another thread this morning, all it would take to impose the ADA on cruise ships is a vote in Congress and the President's signature. Edited by bUU
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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

Posted
Posted
The case that we were talking about is Spector v. NCL (03-1388). You can use the following link to see the case and read the plaintiffs specific concerns: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/545/119.html My desire is for Congress to make clear that the ADA applies in full, thereby ensuring that as the protections evolve cruise ships would be required to keep pace with the changes, as hotels are, today. Beyond that, griffy116 and merlindog22 mentioned earlier in this thread how the introduction of this new room service charge represents a hardship for the disabled. Extension of the ADA in full to cruise ships would make such hardships actionable, when there is a practicable remediation (i.e., waiving the room service fee for the disabled).

I think remodeling a cruise ship to keep pace with ADA and remodeling a hotel are very different issues. As for the room service charge being a hardship for those with disabilities, what would your thoughts be if room service was simply eliminated all together?

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bUU

bUU

Posted
Posted
I think remodeling a cruise ship to keep pace with ADA and remodeling a hotel are very different issues.
Folks once said the same about hotels, but that's not really relevant to this thread anyway...
As for the room service charge being a hardship for those with disabilities, what would your thoughts be if room service was simply eliminated all together?
Let's ask griffy116 and merlindog22.
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akcruz

akcruz

Posted
Posted
I think it's going to impact cruisers with a disability the most, which is a shame. I don't have a problem with going to the venues to eat, but for those that can't or that it presents a difficulty...and can't afford a Grand Suite???? Instead of just saying that it's fine for you, how about considering others who truly love cruising but don't have unlimited funds and have some physical limitations.Incidentally, my parents would RAVE about the fine meal they were served and had to tell us every detail of the choices they made from the menus, so they were very satisfied with that "free" food that some of you found unacceptable.

Not sure how long ago it was your parents cruised, but in my experience the quality of room service food has decline in the last 3 - 4 years. We used to order multiple times on a cruise until what we were getting was almost inedible if you ever got it. I would bet if your parents were cruising now they may not be raving about it anymore.

 

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

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The_Big_M

The_Big_M

Posted
Posted
The case that we were talking about is Spector v. NCL (03-1388). You can use the following link to see the case and read the plaintiffs specific concerns: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/545/119.html My desire is for Congress to make clear that the ADA applies in full, thereby ensuring that as the protections evolve cruise ships would be required to keep pace with the changes, as hotels are, today. Beyond that, griffy116 and merlindog22 mentioned earlier in this thread how the introduction of this new room service charge represents a hardship for the disabled.

 

Is a cruise a necessity? Lots of things are 'hardships' but to the extent that they relate to a luxury purchase are not necessities.

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setsail

setsail

Posted
Posted
Not all disabled people have scooters, and arriving at the Windjammer etc. and finding that you have to wait in line is no joke if you can't stand for long. There are no chairs to sit on, and if you did find one then you would probably find that you lost you place in the line. Some people do not show disability, it doen;t mean to say they are not however. I have no outward appearance of being disable apart from the fact that I walk a bit funny, but I am classed as extreamely disabled. So if I ask for a chair to sit on I get some pretty bad looks, and no one even attempts to help. Is this right, people are taken for granted and what they look like which is totally wrong. I don't ask for anything special, but if I do ask for something it would be nice to be treated as a human being, which sometimes I am not.

 

This advice is perfect

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=46280741#post46280741

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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

Posted
Posted
Folks once said the same about hotels, but that's not really relevant to this thread anyway... Let's ask griffy116 and merlindog22.

Sort of an evasive answer. But one could easily make the argument that RCI is avoiding creating a hardship for those with disabilities by continuing to keep room service available. And, apparently, with the new and improved menus their meals should be even more enjoyable.

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bUU

bUU

Posted
Posted
Sort of an evasive answer.
Not at all. Lift up the voices of the people who suffer from the problems whenever possible, rather than speaking for them. It's pretty much a rule in the communities of disabled advocacy.

 

But one could easily make the argument that RCI is avoiding creating a hardship for those with disabilities by continuing to keep room service available.
Just like the argument could have been made that Alabama schools were "avoiding" leaving Black children without water by having segregated water fountains. The intent of accommodation is supposed to be parity.
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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

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Posted
Not at all. Lift up the voices of the people who suffer from the problems whenever possible, rather than speaking for them. It's pretty much a rule in the communities of disabled advocacy.

 

Just like the argument could have been made that Alabama schools were "avoiding" leaving Black children without water by having segregated water fountains. The intent of accommodation is supposed to be parity.

 

Or rather to premium brands that serve that small portion of the customer base that choose to pay that much extra.

Right, everyone gets the same room service for the same price.... parity.

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bUU

bUU

Posted
Posted
Right, everyone gets the same room service for the same price.... parity.
But everyone doesn't get the same treatment with regard to those matters raised by griffy116 and merlindog22. Why are you working so hard to rationalize treating disabled people in a lesser manner? And why are you so reluctant to engage directly with people who are telling you that the experience is a hardship in the context of a disability?
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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

Posted
Posted
But everyone doesn't get the same treatment with regard to those matters raised by griffy116 and merlindog22. Why are you working so hard to rationalize treating disabled people in a lesser manner? And why are you so reluctant to engage directly with people who are telling you that the experience is a hardship in the context of a disability?

I have no issue with anything that they have had to say so no particular reason to "engage" with them. And please point out where I have anywhere said that it is acceptable to treat disabled people in a lesser manner.

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