Modified wheel chair assessable warning

[sbalkin]

I cuised on Holland's Veendam in December. I was wheel chair bound for three months. I emailed Holland and asked if they had any handicapped rooms left and they gave me two: 831 and 500. They were both handicapped rooms. I lowered my stateroom and paid more money for this room. The wheel chair would not go in, there was too much furniture and there were steps to the bathroom and again to the shower. They never told me it was modified and even if they did what is a modified wheel chair room. All I wanted was my money back for the difference and they told me no. Too bad it didn't work out. Did anyone ever experience anything like this and is there someone I can report this too as I wouldn't want anyone to be in the position I was in

[Splinter]

There are no standards for "wheelchair accessible" on cruise ships yet. While there is a court decision that the ADA applies, they have not yet completed the actual regulations and standards, so a cruise ship can claim a cabin is "accessible" when it really is not. I have found this esp. true on HAL, which has TWO classes of accessible cabins: one that is fully accessible with roll-in shower, wider doors, etc. and another that just has grab bars in the bathroom and a tub. You must ask specifically for the cabins that have the roll-in shower if you need that on HAL. You can usually tell on the deck plan as these cabins are clearly larger. Sorry you had such a bad experience. Did you book through a TA? If so, they should be fighting over a partial credit for another cruise on HAL for you, not you. This is why we ALWAYS use a TA. Next time speak to the Special Needs department at HAL before booking your cabin to be sure you are getting the right one.

[Arwenmark]

I don't understand something you wrote you said you downgraded your cabin? but paid more? The cruise line is not allowed to charge more for any HC cabin than the price of any other cabin in that Category. A BA is a BA is a BA as it were you pay the going rate when you book it.

Perhaps I read it wrong and that is not what you were saying.

 

I agree with the other poster always book directly with special needs department with the cruiseline to get the cabin you need, THEN transfer the booking to the cheapest agent or one you normally use and usually get an even lower price. This is what I always do.

[sologrip]

I had an accessible stateroom with a partially obstructed view on the Oosterdam last year and had to have all the moveable furniture removed from it so I could maneuver my scooter. In addition, I had to have the stateroom host remove the hydraulic arm from the top of the door so I could get in and out of the room without getting squashed against the frame by the automatically-closing, not weighted, door. Give me DCL, any day!

[trvlcarib]

Sorry about your troubles that stinks, however if you look at HAL deck plans it does state that rooms FF831 and L500 are modified H/C accessible. They state that the cabin has regular size doors with a step into bathroom. Unfortunately when using a wheelchair you really have to do your homework. My wife uses a chair because she has MS and we just got back from an All Inclusive down in Cabo. Nobody down there could tell us if the resort was H/C accessible so I brought a shower chair and portable handrails for tub area. Good thing we did. We are sailing on Zaandam this Sept and have room B6225, It says its fully accessible with a roll in shower.