Handicap cabin? Volendam

[kathy_bc]

We booked a NN guarantee cabin (inside). And today our room assignment was posted.

 

I feel awkward, because it is a wheel chair accessible room. Room 1806 on Volendam.

 

I did not request this, nor do I need this.

 

Is this common for the cruiselines to assign a wc room to those that don't need it??

 

I'm hoping that they will move us out when someone that does need it, wants one. But I'm not sure now if they will.

 

I definitely do not want to take this from someone who would need this.

 

Should I call HAL and ask them if they can move me??

 

thanks,

k

[happy cruzer]

I had a inside guarantee booked on the Volendam last Nov. (oh that seems long ago) 3days before sailing I was assigned a HC cabin. I was OK with it and assumed no one must have needed it. I enjoyed the cabin's space.

 

I think if your cabin is assigned after the final payment date, there should be no guilt associated with it. There are others that feel very strongly otherwise but that's our right to have different opinions.

[wizard-of-roz]

If someone, who is handicapped, signs up after you've been assigned this cabin and the ship knows that you are not handicapped, they will ask if you are willing to give up the cabin.

They won't insist that you do but they will ask.

Once you've been assigned it's a given that no one (handicapped) has requested it!

Enjoy it; don't feel guilty.....remember to use the shower curtain because if you don't...the entire bathroom floor will be wet! Eventhough there are drains all around the shower, the floor will get wet! I know "been there, done that!":eek:

[cp556]

The other replies are correct that if the HC cabin is needed, they will ask you to accept another cabin.

I have several sets of deck plans for Volendam, and all agree that you have portholes instead of a window. One deck plan also indicates that you have a shower instead of a tub/shower (which makes sense with an HC cabin). One other deck plan suggests that 1806 has twin beds that do not convert into queen size.

You may want to ask your TA to verify the beds with HAL if having a queen bed is important to you. HC cabins can be reconfigured from time to time, so it's best to make sure if it matters to you......

Bon Voyage

Carol

[RuthC]

It's about three weeks until you sail? By now no disabled person has booked so HAL has made the assignments to fill the ship.

You shouldn't feel at all awkward about this. You didn't book the cabin, and at this point it's really too late to think you are taking it from anyone.

Go and have a good time.

[Juanita462]

Our son and DIL were upgraded to an HC cabin - they liked the cabin but the bathroom smell was so strong that they asked to have it cleaned the first night. That did help but enough smell remained that they spent as little time in there as possible. They thought it had something to do with the drains in the floor. this may be unusual but just a word of warning.

[leoandhugh]

Those of us who are handicapped and really do require an accessible cabin know from experience that we have to book months and sometimes more than a year in advance to get one of the few accessible cabins available on most ships. I think that you can safely assume at this point that no handicapped person has requested that cabin. It seems common practice in the industry that if an accessible cabin is not reserved after final payment date has passed - commonly 60 days prior to sailing - that it can be given to an able bodied passenger. And from what I read on these boards I think the general concensus of handicapped cruisers is that is fair - no one expects any cruise line to sail with an empty cabin just because no handicapped person has requested it that close to sailing date. Enjoy your cruise:)

[Sundagger]

On the Disabled Cruise Travel board (on CC), this is a very touchy subject. Not all cruise lines monitor whether a handicap cabin is being assigned to a person with a mobility handicap, and those that do have a spotty record on it. It seems to be the majority opinion that a cruise ship shouldn't have to sail with empty cabins, and if there is a handicap cabin available that has not been requested, then it would be OK to assign it to an able bodied person who has a guarantee. If it were assigned within 30 days of sailing, it would seem safe to say that no handicapped person has requested that cabin.

 

HAL does have an Access and Compliance office that seems to work fairly well. HOWEVER ... from personal experience on a matter that I requested their help, what they say should happen doesn't necessarily get done on the ship.

[Tinknock50]

Those of us who are handicapped and really do require an accessible cabin know from experience that we have to book months and sometimes more than a year in advance to get one of the few accessible cabins available on most ships. I think that you can safely assume at this point that no handicapped person has requested that cabin. It seems common practice in the industry that if an accessible cabin is not reserved after final payment date has passed - commonly 60 days prior to sailing - that it can be given to an able bodied passenger. And from what I read on these boards I think the general concensus of handicapped cruisers is that is fair - no one expects any cruise line to sail with an empty cabin just because no handicapped person has requested it that close to sailing date. Enjoy your cruise:)

 

I agree......no guilt this close to sailing. :)

[Fblack]

I would try to get rid of it if you can. Not because you are not handicapped, but HAL is known to remove large furniture like the sofa and table and replace it with a small chair. Here's a photo of a cabin I turned down because of it. I want a sofa in my cabin. HAL has photos of all handicap rooms. Ask to see a photo.

[wizard-of-roz]

We need a handicapped cabin......I have NEVER experienced a smell issue in the bathrooms and we have cruised on most major cruiselines in existence.

The best handicapped cabins are on Princess....the smallest are on HAL! NCL's are furnished horribly! Celebrity's are nice but I'm not crazy about their beds. Best beds are on HAL...there is none to match!!!!!

Yes, HAL takes away the sofa (I like them too), you may request that they bring one in (in lieu of a chair) but, you won't like it because it will take up too much room!

We asked for another chair and put the ottoman in front of it and made a sitting area, in the corner.

Unless you spend the money for a larger suite-type room.....the majority of regular handicaps on HAL are small!

[kathy_bc]

Thank you everyone for your responses.

 

I still feel "awkward" with the room. And I am seeing now if HAL has it noted to move us, if someone that really needs it comes along.

 

I definitely would not want to take if someone else truly needs it.

 

Also, I don't know if we are going to get the looks "those people aren't handicap, WHY are they in there??" You know how nosy some people can be.

 

So I think to feel better myself, I would rather not have it. It's funny, but I'm the type of person who parks far away, in case someone else who can't walk as well needs the closer spot. I can never do anything "wrong" or "illegal" because that's not the proper way to act. So this to me, feels like I am doing something wrong.

 

But thank you to all who said not to "feel guilty". But I am me.

[Tinknock50]

The cabin looks to be tiny......so I would try to move if I could anyway.

 

But it is still better than being in the inside you originally booked.

 

Also, don't worry about the "looks".....down there in the bow very few people will see you come and go.:)

[wizard-of-roz]

Kathy: You're a sweetheart. A true "mench!"

Have a wonderful cruise, no matter where you're sleeping! :)

[Oceanwench]

HC rooms that are not booked close to the sailing date are assigned to people who have guarantees.

When you book a guarantee, you get what's left in the inventory -- the level you booked or better.

 

Sometimes HC cabins are in the mix.

There is no reason to feel *guilty* about taking a room that HAL assigned you this close to sailing.

Also, no one is going to give you "looks" because HC cabins are not identified, other than a lower-than-normal peep-hole in the door.

I doubt many pax even bother thinking about that!

 

[And btw, there are people who have "invisible" handicaps, conditions that are not obvious to others.]

 

It's doubtful there will be anyone needing an HC cabin booking at the last minute.

People who require an HC cabin [and DH and I are among them] tend to book about a year out ... there are so few HC cabins on each ship, compared to the number of cabins that able-bodied folks can use.

 

As far as smells ... we have never had a smelly HC cabin in all our many cruises with HAL. We have always had roll-in showers, but no smells from the drains.

 

To address the issues that come up on CC's disabled board threads: People with disabilities who require accessible rooms protest the booking of HC cabins by able-bodied people BUT only when those rooms are booked way in advance of the sailing.

SOME AB pax soothe their consciences by claiming that they'll move if an HC person needs the room ... but the cruise lines don't red flag the room as being occupied by an AB person. Once an HC is booked, regardless of who books it, it is out of the inventory of available cabins.

Period.

 

HC pax generally speaking do not have a problem with available HC cabins being booked last-minute by AB pax.

And I have never heard an argument against the cruise line's right to fill those rooms with pax who purchased a guarantee.

 

SIDE NOTE: In a conversation I had with a HAL Hotel Manager, he told me about booking pax with guarantees into HC cabins as it got close to sailing date. He said A LOT of people do not want HC rooms for whatever reasons.

It's a very common reaction.

[wizard-of-roz]

Precisely my reaction before we actually needed one.....I can't explain it....I was afraid to use the room.....:confused:

[Spoely]

Hello, Kathy_bc,

 

The following paragraph is from my post on a thread a few days ago.

 

"We were on the Volendam for a 10-day cruise this past holiday season. We booked an inside guarantee and HAL "upgraded" us at the last minute to HC Cabin H1807 -- all the waaay forward and all the waaay down. While it did have a porthole, it was sort of like looking out a long narrow tube with an enormous amount of wasted space under the porthole. If only there had been a web net -- we could have stashed our luggage there! The only thing that made it a handicap room was a lovely roll-in, walk-in shower. The doors did not seem any wider but as to the cabin furniture, well they simply moved out the sofa and table and left a small chair. If one were in a wheel chair, I guess you would have to vault over the foot of the bed. There was barely enough room to access the bed on each side and no way of storing luggage under the bed. Perhaps if it had been set up as twin beds, it would have been better (but not for us!:D )"

 

 

Your stateroom is exactly the same but on the other side of the ship. Stilll, the ship is great and we spent very little time in our cabin. In any case, have a great cruise. :)

 

Cheers,

Spoely

[Oceanwench]

Hello, Kathy_bc,

 

The following paragraph is from my post on a thread a few days ago.

 

"We were on the Volendam for a 10-day cruise this past holiday season. We booked an inside guarantee and HAL "upgraded" us at the last minute to HC Cabin H1807 -- all the waaay forward and all the waaay down. While it did have a porthole, it was sort of like looking out a long narrow tube with an enormous amount of wasted space under the porthole. If only there had been a web net -- we could have stashed our luggage there! The only thing that made it a handicap room was a lovely roll-in, walk-in shower. The doors did not seem any wider but as to the cabin furniture, well they simply moved out the sofa and table and left a small chair. If one were in a wheel chair, I guess you would have to vault over the foot of the bed. There was barely enough room to access the bed on each side and no way of storing luggage under the bed. Perhaps if it had been set up as twin beds, it would have been better (but not for us!:D )"

 

 

Your stateroom is exactly the same but on the other side of the ship. Stilll, the ship is great and we spent very little time in our cabin. In any case, have a great cruise. :)

 

Cheers,

Spoely

 

 

As far as the doors go, that cabin does have the 32.5-inch doorway and bathroom doorway, according to information I just researched.

While the doorway may not look wider to an able-bodied person, a person in a wheelchair knows the difference.

 

DH can never get into our friends' or family members' cabins b/c their doorways are too narrow and his power chair does not fit through.

[kathy_bc]

wow, I think I am stuck in this room.

 

HAL can not answer if they can move me to another inside room. They said I have to go through the travel agent. They said by law they can't even discuss it. I explained to her, that I did not request this room, and I am able bodied, and I would rather it be held for someone who needs it. Or at least if there is an available inside room, move me in there. But she said she can't discuss it.

 

The travel agent will not move me, saying that was not the fare I purchased. I just have to accept what room I am offered.

 

So I will let HAL know upon boarding that I would rather be in an inside room, than take up a hc cabin (in case someone else requires it).

 

So that's that.

 

I will try not to let the guilt run me, but I have tried all I can.

[Spoely]

Oh, Kathy, you have absolutely no reason to feel guilty! I guess in your place I would insist that my TA get me an inside cabin. In hindsight I wish we had done that. We would have had far more wiggle room. From that experience we learned to avoid booking guarantees and simply book the cabin in which we would be comfortable and which we could afford.

 

Oceanwench knows what she is talking about but the image of someone in a wheel chair levitating into that bed just boggles the mind. :confused: The shower, complete with pull down seat, was lovely and that about made up for the cramped cabin.

 

Cheers,

Spoely

[wizard-of-roz]

Kathy....I don't want you to feel so bad....why not give it to me?

What's the date.....I'll start packing!!!

[KAKcruiser]

The travel agent has the ability to call HAL and ask for another room. HAL may refuse but the travel agent can ask. I think the travel agent just doesn't feel like being bothered. Ask again.

[Oceanwench]

I've never booked a guarantee, so I have no idea what your contract says.

You should read it.

If it says you are bound to accept what they assign you, then so be it.

I would guess that if everyone who booked a guarantee and didn't like his/her assigned cabin [for whatever reason] tried to change it, HAL would have a paperwork nightmare on its hands.

 

I have to think that the cabins left in the inventory at the end are not always the *primo* locations ... which is why they are left over. Even if DH did not require an HC cabin, I don't think I'd ever book a GTY only because I would hate to end up somewhere that I don't want to be!

 

As far as any qualms -- let me assure you, you are NOT taking a room away from a handicapped person.

Anyone who requires an HC cabin has already booked the cruise.

 

And really, if there were an emergency at the last minute [doubtful], and someone required an HC room --> HAL knows which able-bodied pax with GTYs were placed in the leftover HC cabins.

[Oceanwench]

I asked this question on the disabled board, but thought I would throw it in here as well, since so many people here have experience with HAL ships and HC cabins ...

 

Has anyone sailed on the Maasdam in an HC cabin?

There are only 6 on the ship. :eek:

I have some questions.

[kathy_bc]

I am not worried about where we are placed at on the the ship. What worried me was the fact that I am taking up a hc cabin where I don't need one.

 

If it was any inside room, I couldn't care less. In fact the other GUAR rooms that we've had, we had great inside rooms. We just love cruising, and don't complain about much (other than diaper kids in the hottub). But we love the food (hey it's way better than me cooking every night), and it boggles my mind that people do complain about the food.

 

I guess I just think that if a hc person wants to sail at the last moment, they should have the same rights as someone else.

 

So I truly hope they do have it marked that I will move whenever necessary.

 

But, if all fails, and I have tried everything, I will enjoy my trip.

 

I have read on other boards that some people look at people staying in HC cabins, thinking "those people look fine to me, WHY are they taking up a hc cabin??"

 

But, I will try try try, to not think about it.

 

I am crazy aren't I???

 

k