Royal Caribbean's room rates discriminate wheelchair users

[ludde]

The easiest solution is that if a passenger requests an accessible GTY room they pick an accessible room at random and charges the GTY rate.

[reallyitsmema]

The easiest solution is that if a passenger requests an accessible GTY room they pick an accessible room at random and charges the GTY rate.

 

So, I want a corner aft GTY cabin, I should be able to have them randomly pick any corner aft and get a GTY rate too.

[chengkp75]

Surely it is discrimination if the ONLY reason he is denied the same rate as everyone else is that he is disabled?

 

He is not denied the same rate. The GTY rate requires that the person accept whatever cabin is assigned, accessible or not. A disabled person can book a GTY rate, and have to accept the assigned cabin, accessible or not. Where is the discrimination there?

[ATC cruiser]

The easiest solution is that if a passenger requests an accessible GTY room they pick an accessible room at random and charges the GTY rate.

 

 

 

No, the easiest solution is to accept what everyone is telling you.

[ludde]

So, I want a corner aft GTY cabin, I should be able to have them randomly pick any corner aft and get a GTY rate too.

No, because DoT has no anti-discrimination rules relating to corner rooms, but they have relating to wheelchairs.

[Ourusualbeach]

The easiest solution is that if a passenger requests an accessible GTY room they pick an accessible room at random and charges the GTY rate.

They are under no obligation to do this.

[emdia43]

He is not denied the same rate. The GTY rate requires that the person accept whatever cabin is assigned, accessible or not. A disabled person can book a GTY rate, and have to accept the assigned cabin, accessible or not. Where is the discrimination there?

 

 

They will not accept a GTY booking from someone who is wheelchair dependent. That's the whole point of OP's complaint.... You have to be able bodied to get the cheapest room rate.

[JoyMouse]

OP, if you didn’t think the pricing was fair, why did you book 4 accessible staterooms? Take your business elsewhere.

 

 

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[mdsgu]

Surely it is discrimination if the ONLY reason he is denied the same rate as everyone else is that he is disabled?

 

That would be discrimination. But he could book a GTY cabin just like you or I could, if he was willing to accept whatever cabin in that class (interior, OV, balcony, suite) he was assigned. But he wants a specific cabin -- handicapped accessible -- and for that reason, he has to pay the regular price, not a higher price.

 

Let's say I want a balcony cabin. The GTY price is $100 -- assuming I'm willing to take any balcony cabin on the ship, because they ship is going to assign my room based on whatever is available at the time of sailing. I could get a really nice aft view balcony or I could get a really crummy one. It's a gamble. But I really want that room near the forward elevators on the port side. The regular price is $150. It'll cost me $50 more than GTY, but I get the room I want. Same situation here -- the OP wants a specific room, so he has to pay that price. I don't know what class of room he wants, but let's say OV. His accessible OV cabin costs as much (and not more than) the OV cabin next door that is not accessible.

 

As I said before -- he's asking for something that doesn't exist -- a handicapped accessible GTY room. There are none. Getting a handicapped room is asking for a specific room (like the balcony near the fwd elevators on the port side in my hypothetical, above) so he has to pay the prevailing rate.

[Merion_Mom]

I would add that, in my experience, the GTY rate is usually not that much cheaper. Just sayin'.

[emdia43]

That would be discrimination. But he could book a GTY cabin just like you or I could, if he was willing to accept whatever cabin in that class (interior, OV, balcony, suite) he was assigned. But he wants a specific cabin -- handicapped accessible -- and for that reason, he has to pay the regular price, not a higher price.

 

Let's say I want a balcony cabin. The GTY price is $100 -- assuming I'm willing to take any balcony cabin on the ship, because they ship is going to assign my room based on whatever is available at the time of sailing. I could get a really nice aft view balcony or I could get a really crummy one. It's a gamble. But I really want that room near the forward elevators on the port side. The regular price is $150. It'll cost me $50 more than GTY, but I get the room I want. Same situation here -- the OP wants a specific room, so he has to pay that price. I don't know what class of room he wants, but let's say OV. His accessible OV cabin costs as much (and not more than) the OV cabin next door that is not accessible.

 

As I said before -- he's asking for something that doesn't exist -- a handicapped accessible GTY room. There are none. Getting a handicapped room is asking for a specific room (like the balcony near the fwd elevators on the port side in my hypothetical, above) so he has to pay the prevailing rate.

 

Doesn't matter if he was willing to accept a GTY assigned room or not - RCCL will not sell him a GTY rate cabin. They are obliged to make reasonable accommodation for the disabled passenger, without charging him more. He cannot take pot luck with a room as we can. He is not simply choosing a certain type of room in a more desirable location, for a premium, he is limited by door size, lack of steps etc. Fact is,they will charge him more to cruise than they will you. You are able bodied so you can book a GTY.

[ludde]

The discrimination is precisely that if they offer a regular room for a given price, they need to offer an accessible alternative for the exact same price.

 

Otherwise they are excluding people from that offer based on the fact the person has a disability = discrimination.

[emdia43]

I would add that, in my experience, the GTY rate is usually not that much cheaper. Just sayin'.

 

I agree, it wouldn't be worth the average small savings to me, but the OP claims there is a difference of $1000... I would be complaining too.

[Beachin2]

No, RCI offers a reduced rate GTY pricing to "normal" passengers, and also offers that same reduced rate GTY pricing to a person requiring an accessible cabin. However, the rules of GTY is that, as others have stated, the cabin you get under GTY pricing is whatever RCI decides to give you, you cannot specify any specific cabin within a given category. If you want a GTY price for cabin class "XX", then you are willing to take any cabin in class "XX", you are not guaranteed a given cabin. An able bodied person booking class "XX" could be assigned an accessible room, if one is available. Those accessible cabins in any given cabin class are available for GTY pricing, just like every other cabin, and will be assigned at GTY pricing if it is not booked specifically for someone requesting an accessible cabin.

 

Further, reading the document linked, you conveniently left out this part:

 

"PVOs may not charge higher fares to passengers with disabilities than to other passengers." The price to pick a specific cabin is the same whether you are able bodied or not. The portion you quoted applies to a situation where you are requesting an accessible cabin of a certain type (oceanview), and the ship only has accessible balcony cabins. Then you would be entitled to a balcony cabin at an oceanview price. This only applies if there are no cabins of the type you wish physically on the ship, not if they are all booked.

 

Finally, there is some wiggle room here, in that not all of the ADA applies to foreign flag cruise ships. In its decision in Spector v. NCL, the SCOTUS ruled that the ADA does not apply to a foreign flag ship's "internal policies and procedures", and you would need a legal consultation to determine if this falls under "internal policies and procedures".

 

OK Chief - following your interpretation does that mean if the only HC cabin available on a particular sailing is a suite, I can call and ask to book a HC interior and they would have to give me the suite at the interior price?

[ludde]

OK Chief - following your interpretation does that mean if the only HC cabin available on a particular sailing is a suite, I can call and ask to book a HC interior and they would have to give me the suite at the interior price?

 

If the shipbuilder decided to build only accessible suites and thus all of the accessible rooms on the ship are suites - then yes.

 

If all the accessible interior rooms are sold out - then no.

[mets123]

It the OP feels strongly about it, take RCCL to court. We offer opinions and nothing else. We are not lawyers. I need accessible cabins for my wife and have no objections to their system.

[emdia43]

OK Chief - following your interpretation does that mean if the only HC cabin available on a particular sailing is a suite, I can call and ask to book a HC interior and they would have to give me the suite at the interior price?

 

I have read instances where they have done that, but I don't think that would be required as a "reasonable accommodation". Ordinarily if all the accessible cabins of t he category you want are booked, you are out of luck.

[Paulxyz2004]

They will not accept a GTY booking from someone who is wheelchair dependent. That's the whole point of OP's complaint.... You have to be able bodied to get the cheapest room rate.

 

Of course they would accept such a booking. They would not accept such a booking for an accessible room, but for sure they would not deny a wheelchair dependent person to book a GTY. If the person can make due with whatever cabin the get, the cruiseline won´t have a problem with it.

 

But as I said before go ahead and take them to court. I´d like to see the outcome, though I´m pretty sure about it already.

 

BTW, in the unlikely event the court would rule there need to be GTY rates for accessible rooms, this would not result in all accessible cabins, it would simply result in no more GTY rates and the marketing people thinking about a new strategy.

[chengkp75]

OK Chief - following your interpretation does that mean if the only HC cabin available on a particular sailing is a suite, I can call and ask to book a HC interior and they would have to give me the suite at the interior price?

 

No, as I said, it only applies if the ship has only built accessible suites (i.e. there are physically no other type of accessible cabin), then the person could request an accessible suite for an interior price. If there are accessible interiors, but they are all booked up, then this policy does not apply.

 

If you read the Federal Register linked in the OP, you will find that it states " While this ruleconsequently does not require vesselswith overnight accommodations to haveaccessible cabins", in other words, ships don't even have to provide accessible cabins, but that if they do have some designated as accessible, then they must be available to those requiring them, and at no more than a normal cabin of the same type.

[RocketMan275]

No, because DoT has no anti-discrimination rules relating to corner rooms, but they have relating to wheelchairs.

 

 

It does you no good to argue these points with posters on cruise critic. We cannot change the cruise line policies. The only thing you can do is argue your case with the cruise line.

 

Another point you should consider. The cruise line has many lawyers. I can assure you they have examined these pricing policies and they are in accordance with current law.

[RDC1]

Doesn't matter if he was willing to accept a GTY assigned room or not - RCCL will not sell him a GTY rate cabin. They are obliged to make reasonable accommodation for the disabled passenger, without charging him more. He cannot take pot luck with a room as we can. He is not simply choosing a certain type of room in a more desirable location, for a premium, he is limited by door size, lack of steps etc. Fact is,they will charge him more to cruise than they will you. You are able bodied so you can book a GTY.

 

RCCL is willing to sell him a GTY cabin. What they are not willing to do is to guarantee that there will be any accessible cabins available when the GTY cabins are assigned.

 

Basically buying a GTY is the willingness to accept ANY cabin in that class, the OP is not willing to accept any cabin in that class.

[Biker19]

American entitlement mentality is being exported to Sweden? Can that be taxed?

[ludde]

RCCL is willing to sell him a GTY cabin. What they are not willing to do is to guarantee that there will be any accessible cabins available when the GTY cabins are assigned.

 

Basically buying a GTY is the willingness to accept ANY cabin in that class, the OP is not willing to accept any cabin in that class.

 

This is discrimination since they are required by law to accommodate also disabled people under the same terms.

[RDC1]

They will not accept a GTY booking from someone who is wheelchair dependent. That's the whole point of OP's complaint.... You have to be able bodied to get the cheapest room rate.

 

Actually they will accept a booking from someone that is wheelchair dependent. As long as that person is willing to accept any room in the class. My Aunt and Uncle (she uses a wheelchair 99% of the time) booked a GTY room.

They were willing to accept a standard room. They received a standard room. My Uncle was able to and was willing to assist her into the cabin and around it as needed. He also folded up her chair to bring it into the room.

[RDC1]

This is discrimination since they are required by law to accommodate also disabled people under the same terms.

 

Nope it is not. Because the can buy under the exact same terms. They can select their cabin and get an accessible cabin for the same rate as standard cabins in the same class.

 

They can also book a GTY if they are willing to accept any assigned cabin in the same class at the same rate.

The issue here is that the OP is not willing to accept any room in the class so he is eliminating that option not the cruise line.