Booking a room that says disabled.

[mvh]

I'm looking to book an Oceanview room on the Freedom and the only room available in the category I want is a room for people with disabilities. I by no means am trying to scam in any way, but what happens if I book it? The next cheapest OV room is over $250 p/p. Has anyone encountered this? Will they just move us if someone else needs the room? I know if I ask the cruise line, the answer I get will depend on who answers the phone that day. I really need to here it from someone that has experienced and not someone's opinion.

[Kamloops50]

I'm looking to book an Oceanview room on the Freedom and the only room available in the category I want is a room for people with disabilities. I by no means am trying to scam in any way, but what happens if I book it? The next cheapest OV room is over $250 p/p. Has anyone encountered this? Will they just move us if someone else needs the room? I know if I ask the cruise line, the answer I get will depend on who answers the phone that day. I really need to here it from someone that has experienced and not someone's opinion.

 

If a handicapped person requests the room after you booked . They'll move you to another similar cabin. The change could even be done after the final payment day.

[Ourusualbeach]

I'm looking to book an Oceanview room on the Freedom and the only room available in the category I want is a room for people with disabilities. I by no means am trying to scam in any way, but what happens if I book it? The next cheapest OV room is over $250 p/p. Has anyone encountered this? Will they just move us if someone else needs the room? I know if I ask the cruise line, the answer I get will depend on who answers the phone that day. I really need to here it from someone that has experienced and not someone's opinion.

 

If you did not select that you require a handicapped room and it offered it to you then the cruise line has released it for sale to the general public and you can book it. After the room has been released to the general public there is little chance that you will be moved. The cruise line is allowed to release any unsold accessible cabins so many days prior to sailing if they have not been booked.

[rvrocker]

You have to fill out a former stating your disabblity

[gerif]

You have to fill out a former stating your disabblity

No, you do not.

[HillBilly Bob]

No, you do not.

 

That is correct...NO you do not. At the time of booking, one year previous, I needed a ADA cabin. Later, I had recovered and call my RCL TA and told them I didn't need the ADA cabin any more. They told me to just leave everything as is and keep the cabin. I did as they instructed.

[montgomeryfamily]

First I want to clear up a misconception/myth that is continually repeated on the board and that is continually Arefuted by those of us who have actual experience in this area. When a wheelchair accessible (disabled) room is booked, it is out of the system and cannot be subsequently requested and booked by a disabled person. The cruise line does NOT keep a list of the able bodied who book a wheelchair accessible room.

 

So when a disabled person calls and tries to book a wheelchair accessible oceanview room on the Freedom, they will be told that there are no rooms available. The cruise line will not call up the people who hold the room and ask them if they need a wheelchair accessible room.

 

It appears that your cruise is not until September. Usually Royal Caribbean does not release wheelchair accessible rooms to be booked by the general public until after final payment and sometimes even later. So if you are booking through a TA, the TA may be checking the box that you need a wheelchair accessible room when you don't. I suggest that you confirm that Royal Caribbean has released the room to the general public to be booked.

 

 

Otherwise, Royal Caribbean requires you to fill out a form with details of your disability needs. (the form does not ask what the disability is and you are not required to tell them.) The form is on the Royal Caribbean website and my experience with Royal Caribbean if you directly book they will email you the form with your confirmation. My TA has told me that Royal Caribbean also sends thems a copy of the form with the booking.

 

The Royal Caribbean Access Dept told me they follow up on all bookings which require the form within 30 days of sailing. So if they haven't released the room to the general public at this time and you book it and they find out you are not disabled, you could be considered to have lied in the statement which has to be checked when you book that you confirm you have a disability which needs this type of room.

 

This obviously doesn't apply in situations where Royal Caribbean puts people in these rooms due to guarantees or other reasons or where Royal Caribbean has released the rooms to the general public.

Edited April 5, 2017 by montgomeryfamily

[thefog]

My personal point on this issue is should need a doctors note to get one of those rooms just like you need a note to get a handicap sticker for your car.

[CasinoCruzGirl]

My personal point on this issue is should need a doctors note to get one of those rooms just like you need a note to get a handicap sticker for your car.

 

 

Oh I so agree. I'm on a cruise on ncl this Saturday and have been trying for months to get a HC cabin I have mobility issues and have a scooter. I have a regular balxony cabin and plan on asking the steward to either move my couch out or store my scooter someplace when it's not being used. The access desk was no help whatsoever. I find it hard to believe that every HC cabin was being used by a handicap person. I'm not saying they use a scooter or wheelchair I do know that some handicaps are invisible on the outside but I even asked them to call people no go. Today a HC inside appeared all of a sudden. I put it on a curtosey hole until the opened wndnof course when I called it was gone.

[cb at sea]

They "hold back" those cabins until they figure no one needs it. After a certain amount of time, they release those cabins to anyone. If it's available to book, do not feel guilty. Folks who NEED those cabins know to book well in advance.

[montgomeryfamily]

As far as I can tell from other posts, the OP is talking about a cruise in September. This is April--about six months before the cruise. I would be surprised if Royal Caribbean made a decision that in the six months before the cruise, no disabled person would need it. This is why I suggested to find out if it had actually been released to the public. If so, then the OP should be free to book it.

 

But if not, the OP should not book it until it is released to the public. At final payment date, it is likely that some oceanview cabins will be available. This almost always happens. But from my experience, it is rare for a wheelchair accessible cabin to open up once booked.

[kokopelli-az]

You have to fill out a former stating your disabblity

 

This is correct. We are booked in a handicapped room on the Serenade next month and had to complete paperwork and forward it to RCCL's Access Dept.

 

Direct from RCCL's website:

 

Accessible staterooms are held for people with disabilities until all other non-accessible staterooms in that category are reserved. Upon reserving an accessible stateroom, we require our guests acknowledge the need for the accessible stateroom by completing a Guest Special Needs Form.

 

If a guest is booked in an accessible stateroom and they do not have a mobility disability or other disability that requires the use of the features that are provided in the accessible stateroom, they may be moved at any time to another non-accessible stateroom in order to accommodate a guest with a disability.

 

Please note we investigate and take action on potential misuse of accessible staterooms where there is good cause to believe that such staterooms have been booked fraudulently.

[HillBilly Bob]

This is correct. We are booked in a handicapped room on the Serenade next month and had to complete paperwork and forward it to RCCL's Access Dept. Direct from RCCL's website:

 

I booked and sailed on FOS with an ADA cabin and filled out no paperwork.

[montgomeryfamily]

If you book the wheelchair accessible rooms after Royal Caribbean has released them to the public, then there is no requirement to fill out the paperwork.

[Mellowjourney]

This is correct. We are booked in a handicapped room on the Serenade next month and had to complete paperwork and forward it to RCCL's Access Dept.

 

Direct from RCCL's website:

 

Accessible staterooms are held for people with disabilities until all other non-accessible staterooms in that category are reserved. Upon reserving an accessible stateroom, we require our guests acknowledge the need for the accessible stateroom by completing a Guest Special Needs Form.

 

If a guest is booked in an accessible stateroom and they do not have a mobility disability or other disability that requires the use of the features that are provided in the accessible stateroom, they may be moved at any time to another non-accessible stateroom in order to accommodate a guest with a disability.

 

Please note we investigate and take action on potential misuse of accessible staterooms where there is good cause to believe that such staterooms have been booked fraudulently.

 

There is the answer to the question as to why the room was released 6 months out. All other rooms in that category must be sold out and therefore is open to the general public.

[firegal2539]

Thank you kokopelli I was just going to post the same info. I am handicapped and as soon as a cruise opens I book but people who don't give a darn and aren't handicapped. RCCL asks you to check mark a box that says you are handicapped booked those rooms. Just before you book that room you must read and agree to the accessible guidelines. So if you aren't and book the room and check the accessible guidelines you are a liar and you should be removed from the room and made an example of.

 

 

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[riclop]

I'm looking to book an Oceanview room on the Freedom and the only room available in the category I want is a room for people with disabilities. I by no means am trying to scam in any way, but what happens if I book it? The next cheapest OV room is over $250 p/p. Has anyone encountered this? Will they just move us if someone else needs the room? I know if I ask the cruise line, the answer I get will depend on who answers the phone that day. I really need to here it from someone that has experienced and not someone's opinion.

You can get bumped.

[thegoodlife247]

What if there are not any more cabins that accommodate 3 people? Will you get bumped completely off the cruise?

 

 

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[Clarea]

What if there are not any more cabins that accommodate 3 people? Will you get bumped completely off the cruise?

I think that is unlikely.

[Tprime]

Call me crazy but I don't get it...wife just called and booked NCL BLISS for cruise in 2020...She told them we were looking for aft facing and rep reccomended 10318 an aft facing mini suite with large balcony...wife was thrilled and made booking..when I checked deckplan,our cabin is listed as disabled,in fact,the only 2 aft facing mini suites on entire ship are listed as disabled...my fear now is we did nothing wrong..we simply followed their recommendation and now I'm reading on cruise critic that we might be bumped from our cabin,even after final payment is made??The only cabin higher or comparable to the 2 aft facing mini suites would be Haven and I'm almost certain that NCL wouldn't move us into Haven to accommodate a last minute HC request..why should I have to tell my wife that she can't have her dream cabin that she is all excited about when she wasn't deceptive about making the booking,and she simply went along with NCL rep's advice?

 

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[Merion_Mom]

Call me crazy but I don't get it...wife just called and booked NCL BLISS for cruise in 2020...She told them we were looking for aft facing and rep reccomended 10318 an aft facing mini suite with large balcony...wife was thrilled and made booking..when I checked deckplan,our cabin is listed as disabled,in fact,the only 2 aft facing mini suites on entire ship are listed as disabled...my fear now is we did nothing wrong..we simply followed their recommendation and now I'm reading on cruise critic that we might be bumped from our cabin,even after final payment is made??The only cabin higher or comparable to the 2 aft facing mini suites would be Haven and I'm almost certain that NCL wouldn't move us into Haven to accommodate a last minute HC request..why should I have to tell my wife that she can't have her dream cabin that she is all excited about when she wasn't deceptive about making the booking,and she simply went along with NCL rep's advice?

 

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You seem to be lost. This is the Royal Caribbean board. I think that you want the NCL board.

 

:D

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=107

[brillohead]

A couple of friends wanted to join us on Harmony next month, but needed an accessible room.

 

About three weeks ago (after final payment), I was looking at adding a third person to our room and noticed that it was offering an accessible room to the general public. I messaged my friend, and by the time they got in touch with their TA, that room was no longer available.

 

I told them to ask their TA to call RCI and see if they could bump someone who wasn't handicapped out of the handicapped room that was just booked, because I had heard of that happening before. They didn't get that particular room, but they DID get an accessible room and will be joining us on this cruise after all.

 

So I have to believe that RCI *does* keep a list of people who were offered* an accessible room but didn't specifically need one, and those people can get bumped to a regular room if someone actually needs the accessible room.

 

*Note that I am referring to people who were offered an accessible room, meaning that they weren't looking for one, but one was automatically made available to them at the time they booked. People who check the box that they need an accessible room when they don't really need one deserve to be keelhauled!!!!

[ONECRUISER]

Call me crazy but I don't get it...wife just called and booked NCL BLISS for cruise in 2020...She told them we were looking for aft facing and rep reccomended 10318 an aft facing mini suite with large balcony...wife was thrilled and made booking..when I checked deckplan,our cabin is listed as disabled,in fact,the only 2 aft facing mini suites on entire ship are listed as disabled...my fear now is we did nothing wrong..we simply followed their recommendation and now I'm reading on cruise critic that we might be bumped from our cabin,even after final payment is made??The only cabin higher or comparable to the 2 aft facing mini suites would be Haven and I'm almost certain that NCL wouldn't move us into Haven to accommodate a last minute HC request..why should I have to tell my wife that she can't have her dream cabin that she is all excited about when she wasn't deceptive about making the booking,and she simply went along with NCL rep's advice?

 

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NCL will send out couple forms stating that room is for person that needs it. Also requesting if you do not need it, Change cabins:Can't remember if it's same week you reserved room or week after. Copies of part what they sent me, on Bliss also next year

Wheelchair Accessible Stateroom Policies:

If you have booked a Wheelchair Accessible Stateroom and do not have a disability we may ask you to relocate to another stateroom in order to accommodate a guest with a disability.

If you have any questions or comments about these policies for Wheelchair Accessible Staterooms , please feel free to contact the Accessibility Team at 866.584.9756 or email at accessdesk@ncl.com. Again, we're looking forward to having you on board and experiencing

our exclusive Freestyle Cruising®, where you're free to... whatever.

Edited May 7, 2018 by ONECRUISER

[Tprime]

NCL will send out couple forms stating that room is for person that needs it. Can't remember if it's same week you reserved room or week after. I have copies what they sent me, on Bliss also next year

Wheelchair Accessible Stateroom Policies:

• Wheelchairs must be able to navigate through the stateroom door measurements range from 34 in to 36 ½ in (inches) wide.

• Wheelchairs must also be able to navigate The Bathroom door measurements range from 34 ½ in to 36 ½ (inches) wide.

• Motorized wheelchairs and scooters are welcome; however gel-cell batteries must power them. Due to safety regulations,

Norwegian Cruise Line cannot accept any wet cell or acid-battery powered wheelchairs.

• If you have booked a Wheelchair Accessible Stateroom and do not have a disability we may ask you to relocate to another

stateroom in order to accommodate a guest with a disability.

If you have any questions or comments about these policies for Wheelchair Accessible Staterooms , please feel free to contact the

Accessibility Team at 866.584.9756 or email at accessdesk@ncl.com. Again, we're looking forward to having you on board and experiencing

our exclusive Freestyle Cruising[emoji768], where you're free to... whatever.

Thanks for the info just still don't understand why they suggested the cabin if they are only going to try taking it away lol

 

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[Merion_Mom]

Thanks for the info just still don't understand why they suggested the cabin if they are only going to try taking it away lol

 

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Perhaps they are trusting in your integrity?

 

 

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