Elevator usage by ADA persons

[shelly222]

13 minutes ago, TravelBug2A said:

I am glad you find it so funny. That says a lot and now I even understand more!  

 

Um when did I ask for that and why do I need to when I am very familiar with RC? Like I said, I ONLY mention what my experience has been, I don't assume and I don't need to mention anything further than that. I know about all the other accessible cabins but I don't worry about them because we don't want them. I only worry about our needs and since a nice person was making a suggestion for us, I responded pertaining to our experience and our needs! 

You did much more than just provide a link!  Enough said.. I'm done with you - you are so creepy! 

K- (TravelBug2A) just ignore this controlling person... She/he/it was out of line.. Others have had issues with this person. You are so full of knowledge when it comes to RC especially when traveling with a disabled person one that is confined to a w/c. You have thoroughly helped me so many times and come through for me. Just don't pay any attention to her/him/it - reallyitsmema. By the way, I will be calling you tomorrow as we need HELP on our next cruise.. 🙂 Glad to see you back on here - hope you stay as you are a valuable resource and can help so many others.. 🙂

[GUEST71919]

Could someone wiggle their nose like Sabrina (you have to be over 50) and get this thread closed and done? I think it’s run its course and then some.

Edited May 9, 2019 by 2Beeze

[TravelBug2A]

28 minutes ago, shelly222 said:

K- (TravelBug2A) just ignore this controlling person... She/he/it was out of line.. Others have had issues with this person. You are so full of knowledge when it comes to RC especially when traveling with a disabled person one that is confined to a w/c. You have thoroughly helped me so many times and come through for me. Just don't pay any attention to her/him/it - reallyitsmema. By the way, I will be calling you tomorrow as we need HELP on our next cruise.. 🙂 Glad to see you back on here - hope you stay as you are a valuable resource and can help so many others.. 🙂

Thank you Shelly - not needed though, but that was nice. I look forward to talking to you tomorrow. I have some info for you.. 

[TravelBug2A]

25 minutes ago, 2Beeze said:

Could someone wiggle their nose like Sabrina (you have to be over 50) and get this thread closed and done? I think it’s run its course and then some.

Excellent idea. I was thinking the same thing... 

[Bloodgem]

11 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Yeah, good points.  I was just thinking out loud.  Doesn't sound like a viable option.   

 

I do have a question for the sake of discussion (and understand I'm ignorant of your cabin options).  Would selecting a cabin on the same deck as say the main dining room and theater be a better location because it would avoid the need for an elevator to those places?  If so, are they available?  

Please don't be mislead by TravelBug2A posts. What  TravelBug2A  has not told you, in all his replies to you, is that he only books balcony cabins. So when TravelBug2A posts:  "Usually we have no more than 2 sometimes up to 4 cabins to select from so cant be picky" he is actually being picky, which is his choice.

 

So to answer your question on the Jewel there are 4 accessible cabin on deck 4, which I believe is the same deck as the MDR. How easy it is to get from the cabin to the MDR is unknown to me as I have never been on the Jewel. 

 

[mayleeman]

9 hours ago, 2Beeze said:

Could someone wiggle their nose like Sabrina (you have to be over 50) and get this thread closed and done? I think it’s run its course and then some.

 

Samantha had the magic nose (and Tabitha, too)! Those 50 year old memories get crossed up sometimes!

[ldubs]

3 hours ago, Bloodgem said:

Please don't be mislead by TravelBug2A posts. What  TravelBug2A  has not told you, in all his replies to you, is that he only books balcony cabins. So when TravelBug2A posts:  "Usually we have no more than 2 sometimes up to 4 cabins to select from so cant be picky" he is actually being picky, which is his choice.

 

So to answer your question on the Jewel there are 4 accessible cabin on deck 4, which I believe is the same deck as the MDR. How easy it is to get from the cabin to the MDR is unknown to me as I have never been on the Jewel. 

 

 

Not a problem as I'm just having a sympathetic and hopefully congenial discussion about the issue.   If someone wants a balcony then that will be a problem with deck 4 cabins on just about every ship I suppose.   Take care.      

[Eriksgarden]

18 hours ago, TravelBug2A said:

So you’ve been at every elevator every time it operates on every ship to monitor what occurs? That’s a little far fetch to say because you weren’t w us on our cruises where we HAVE BEEN DENIED,  WAIT LONGER, ETC. There are rude ppl out there that will cut in front of u as well filling up elevator causing one to wait longer! Elevators also fill up to where u have to wait for one that has room to get on. 

I was not denying your experience, but sharing mine from numerous cruises.  But I get what you are saying.  We cared for my MIL for 9 years in a wheelchair.  Many people are just oblivious.  But many more are kind and helpful.

Edited May 9, 2019 by Eriksgarden

[GUEST71919]

11 hours ago, mayleeman said:

 

Samantha had the magic nose (and Tabitha, too)! Those 50 year old memories get crossed up sometimes!

 

I will claim insanity brought on by the discourse 😂 (and the fact that the morning it was posted I was moving quickly and getting the message out was my primary focus!). How about Jeannie nodding her head and blinking??  🧞‍♀️ Or the entire thread could be beamed up by Scotty... 🙏🏼

[ReneeFLL]

On 4/29/2019 at 8:38 PM, 6theagle said:

Recently, while travelling with a couple of friends who I am privileged  to be friends with for over 40 years, we encountered a cruise problem that I am seeking opinions on.  I can be a bit of a grump sometimes, but I was wondering if anyone else thinks that we with mobility issues, those traveling with children in strollers or anyone else who requires the elevator to get safely to and from our cabins to every where else on the ship, have encountered long waits at the elevators at peak times. Notably the fact that there are so many ambulatory people using those elevators. 

Rather than shaming my fellow travelers I want to address that it is fact the accessible desk or officer who SHOULD monitor how long it takes to get an elevator during embarkation, days at sea, and debarkation dates and times. How about dedicating an elevator? This would not be a full time dedication but at specific hours, for specific purposes. Let me know what you think, I am trying this again in August to Cuba. 

 

The elevators are there for everyone. I would never lump kids and/or strollers into the disabled category. They wanted those kids so they can deal with the inconveniences of having them!

 

What I have issues with are rude people. I'm talking about the ones that rush in front of others in wheelchairs, canes, etc. We will hold the door to make sure it doesn't close on them and unfortunately we don't see that very often.

 

[6theagle]

My suggestion was based on the fact that there are people who require use of an elevator. That is a simple fact of travel for everyone. You either accommodate that need for others or you don't. It is your choice to either be helpful or harmful. 

My next cruise is in September on a different line that was very accommodating on my last voyage with them, and I hope to be able to go up and down with less frustration. I still think that at peak times, there should be assistance for those of us that require the use of an elevator.I repeat myself, this is not a whim, but a need and there are times when it is clear that when the need is there, it should be attended to. My original thought was that this wasn't the responsibility of the passengers, but of the special assistance department of the cruise line. 

[time4u2go]

I thought that this thread had died a graceful death. 

Edited June 21, 2019 by time4u2go

[Ourusualbeach]

12 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

I thought that this thread had died a graceful death. 

I thought it passed away waiting for the elevator.

[GUEST71919]

40 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I thought it passed away waiting for the elevator.

 

Graceful...   no such luck. 🙇🏼‍♀️

 

Didn’t I beam this into outer space early in May?! Clearly chloroform is called for at this point 🙈. Someone grab that thread-closing screwdriver!

Edited June 21, 2019 by 2Beeze

[cured]

On 4/29/2019 at 6:38 PM, 6theagle said:

Recently, while travelling with a couple of friends who I am privileged  to be friends with for over 40 years, we encountered a cruise problem that I am seeking opinions on.  I can be a bit of a grump sometimes, but I was wondering if anyone else thinks that we with mobility issues, those traveling with children in strollers or anyone else who requires the elevator to get safely to and from our cabins to every where else on the ship, have encountered long waits at the elevators at peak times. Notably the fact that there are so many ambulatory people using those elevators. 

Rather than shaming my fellow travelers I want to address that it is fact the accessible desk or officer who SHOULD monitor how long it takes to get an elevator during embarkation, days at sea, and debarkation dates and times. How about dedicating an elevator? This would not be a full time dedication but at specific hours, for specific purposes. Let me know what you think, I am trying this again in August to Cuba. 

I have to disagree. I have a mobility issue myself. I never thought that should exempt me from waiting in the same lines as everyone else. The elevators are for everyone. I can and will wait in the same line as my able bodied fellow cruisers.

[Whizbank]

So to add to this topic, I was just on NOTS with a husband who is blind and I was pushing in a wheelchair. I observed the following:

1. Muster drill they had us come to the station, scanned us in, then had us go sit down in front of dining room. We listened to the speech but nothing was demonstrated for us. We were in an accessible cabin and had been in touch with special needs numerous times before the cruise. We were never told to check in on board with anyone. I'm not sure why disabled people couldn't get wristbands like kids so any crew member could help to station. In the event of a real emergency we would have been stuck wherever we were and it would be up to a crew member to figure out how to get us where we should be. 

2. Elevators were crowded at embarkation, but because we had a wheelchair pusher who needed to get back to port, the officer directing traffic basically pushed us into first available elevator and others had to wait. Less because we needed it but more because they needed the pusher back. 

3. The stowaway piano player was on the aft elevator every night for at least any hour around dinnertime. So, obviously if he could essentially put an elevator into very limited service they could probably do it at peak times for disabled people. I'm not saying they should, but they could 

4. I wondered why at peak times they couldn't let scooter and wheelchair people use service elevators, thus leaving more room for abled  and invisible disability people. As people have pointed out they are a small percentage of people on ship but they really do have no choice but to take elevators and they do take up more room than a person. 

5. Generally speaking people were very nice, held doors for us, offered to help me get wheelchair in elevator, moved out of our way and the people who were rude were rude to everyone, not just us. The crew was spectacular about helping navigate narrow areas especially in main dining room. 

6. That said, peak times did often have us waiting a long time for an elevator when others who came after us could get on because elevator had room for two people but not 1 person and 1 wheelchair. No one ever got out to let us fit in. So I understand op frustration. I tried very hard to avoid peak times

7. Going to other set of elevators works if you are on decks 11 and 12 or 4 and 5.it works less well on 6-10 because there are very narrow spots in hallways and 1 service cart or laundry bag blocks the hall for a wheelchair though not a person. And the seams on the ship often mean turning wheelchair backwards which was impossible in some narrow hallways. 

8. We too would get into an empty elevator and ride opposite of out direction just to get in and get out of way so others could fit in after us

9. After muster we went outside to watch sail away so by the time that was done elevators were less crowded

This is what we experienced. This does not mean that others, even on the same sailing, experienced the same. 

As an aside when I wasn't with the wheelchair I tried to stay on steps as much as possible but after 3 flights up my asthma bothered me. So, I tr tied to avoid elevators but couldn't do it all the time. And if I saw the dedicated elevator empty while I kept waiting I would have been frustrated and wondered if having dedicated elevator made sense. However, see #4 above for my proposed but not perfect solution 

This is long winded I know so I apologize if you actually read all the way through and are now waiting impatiently to flame me. 

[Bloodgem]

1 hour ago, Whizbank said:

3. The stowaway piano player was on the aft elevator every night for at least any hour around dinnertime. So, obviously if he could essentially put an elevator into very limited service they could probably do it at peak times for disabled people. I'm not saying they should, but they could 

4. I wondered why at peak times they couldn't let scooter and wheelchair people use service elevators, thus leaving more room for abled  and invisible disability people. As people have pointed out they are a small percentage of people on ship but they really do have no choice but to take elevators and they do take up more room than a person. 

Hi loved your post. I thought it was very thoughtfully.

I had never thought about the service elevators.

I have often wondered if an elevator is the best place for the the stowaway piano player. 

 

 

[chengkp75]

6 hours ago, Whizbank said:

4. I wondered why at peak times they couldn't let scooter and wheelchair people use service elevators, thus leaving more room for abled  and invisible disability people. As people have pointed out they are a small percentage of people on ship but they really do have no choice but to take elevators and they do take up more room than a person. 

Couple of problems with this.  First off, the "service" elevators, or crew elevators are not sitting around idle all day, but are just as busy as pax elevators, getting crew and supplies where needed on time to keep your vacation going, and not have the frustrations of waiting for service.  Secondly, this would require passengers into crew areas, which is prohibited for security reasons unless escorted, so each person needing to go to the crew elevator would have to be escorted there, and then a crew to remain at each deck for the elevator to maintain the escort, and further crew to escort the passengers back out of crew areas.

[Whizbank]

2 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Couple of problems with this.  First off, the "service" elevators, or crew elevators are not sitting around idle all day, but are just as busy as pax elevators, getting crew and supplies where needed on time to keep your vacation going, and not have the frustrations of waiting for service.  Secondly, this would require passengers into crew areas, which is prohibited for security reasons unless escorted, so each person needing to go to the crew elevator would have to be escorted there, and then a crew to remain at each deck for the elevator to maintain the escort, and further crew to escort the passengers back out of crew areas.

Yet I know they use these when getting wheelchairs to areas that aren't served by the other elevators. People on the boards have mentioned, for instance, the galley tours using the kitchen service elevators. I certainly wouldn't do it all of the time but during peak times, which are predefined I'm pretty sure crew could work around it. I doubt those elevators are being used every minute 24-7. Those elevators are usually larger too.  I've seen this done at the opera, the hospital, older buildings that are less accessible so it has precedent. Obviously couldn't be done just because I mention it, but that doesn't mean Rc couldn't explore the idea. 

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, Whizbank said:

Yet I know they use these when getting wheelchairs to areas that aren't served by the other elevators. People on the boards have mentioned, for instance, the galley tours using the kitchen service elevators. I certainly wouldn't do it all of the time but during peak times, which are predefined I'm pretty sure crew could work around it. I doubt those elevators are being used every minute 24-7. Those elevators are usually larger too.  I've seen this done at the opera, the hospital, older buildings that are less accessible so it has precedent. Obviously couldn't be done just because I mention it, but that doesn't mean Rc couldn't explore the idea. 

And the galley tours are escorted and in a group.  And on some ships pax are granted access to use a crew elevator if their cabin area is not served by an elevator, and these people have a pass signifying limited access to crew areas.  True "service elevators" on ships don't go to pax decks, just between the lower crew areas (provisions to galley, I-95 to engine room).  "Kitchen service elevators" are also the crew elevators in those areas.  I would say that for a ship with 6 passenger cabin decks, and 2-3 public space decks, you would need 30-40 crew to handle this "peak period" service, so where are these crew to come from, and what duties get dropped so they can do this?

[MJSailors]

This is a hot topic- 344 posts since April.

Since I am late to reading this post,perhaps mine will be the last one !

I am asthmatic in my mid-sixties. I walk everyday and take a weekly exercise class and play golf. But, if I walk up  more than two flights on a ship, I get winded. So, I need an elevator to go to higher decks.

I can walk down with no problem and choose to do that rather than take an elevator. 

I may look healthy,but I do have a health issue and do need to us elevators at times.

My DH and I tend to use forward and aft elevators rather that mid-ship elevators at peak times.

Usually, those elevators are less crowded.

I would like to add an observation about possible mis- use of handicapped assistance, namely the priority given to people using wheelchairs. 

My DH and I fly Southwest to and from Florida on a regular basis.

We have observed a significant number of wheelchair passengers (sometimes 20+) waiting to board a flight in NY. These passengers are the first to board. When we arrive in FL, a good number of these same passengers walk off the flight with no assistance ! Those of us who are regular flyers on these flights call them “ miracle flights” as  many people are able to walk after taking the flight.

Passengers can get a wheelchair just by requesting one. No doctors note or handicap document is needed according to the airline.

I am mentioning this here because there are people who use handicap designations for their personal advantage.

This could happen with cruise ship elevators if some are designated for handicap use only. People could claim a “hidden” disability to get on such an elevator if there is room or if there is a shorter wait time.

I,forone,would not abuse the system if  one should be established,but would someone question me about the nature of my disability if I chose to do so I think such a question would be out of line.

Just as no one questions those in the wheel chair line-up at the airline gate.

Unfortunately, people can take advantage and it can impact the comfort of those truly needing handicap assistance.

So,to theOP, I think elevator use on a ship for disabled passengers needs a bit of pre-planning.

In peak times,use alternate elevators than those mid-ship, let crowds dissipate from theaters etc before leaving the venue and consider waiting a few minutes for an open elevator.