Noordam -- questions about handicap accessible cabins

[amagar]

Hi,

 

Booking room for parents. Mom will walk most places, but will likely use a wheelchair for long distances (embarkation, etc). Considering getting a handicap-accessible room. A couple of questions:

 

There are two SY available aft Veranda deck--5001 and 5002. Are these private? I can't tell from diagram whether there is some public deck area there, too.

 

Do handicap-accessible cabins have a bathtub as well as a shower?

[Oceanwench]

Hi,

 

Booking room for parents. Mom will walk most places, but will likely use a wheelchair for long distances (embarkation, etc). Considering getting a handicap-accessible room. A couple of questions:

 

There are two SY available aft Veranda deck--5001 and 5002. Are these private? I can't tell from diagram whether there is some public deck area there, too.

 

Do handicap-accessible cabins have a bathtub as well as a shower?

 

I believe 5001 and 5001 are forward, not aft.

We have stayed in a similar category cabin on the Zuiderdam, but we were midship.

The cabin was very roomy and DH had plenty of maneuvering space for his power wheelchair. We had a shower and a separate tub. The bathroom had only one sink, as opposed to the others of that category, which have double sinks.

 

If your mother is going to walk most of the time, I would recommend you get a cabin that is closer to the elevators. 5001 and 5002 are quite a hike, so unless you bring your own wheelchair (I do not believe HAL supplies them), she would have a long walk to most places on the ship.

 

Also, since your mother is ambulatory and does not need a wheelchair except for long distances, you may consider a regular cabin ... unless there is a reason why she needs the wider doorways and roll-in shower that HC cabins provide.

The HC cabins are essentially wheelchair cabins in that they are designed to accommodate people in wheelchairs and scooters.

 

Also, regarding the deck: I have not sailed on the Noordam, but have been on the other 3 Vista ships. The deck forward of these rooms is a public deck, I believe.

The balconies of these cabins is the same size as the other SY cabins.

[Sundagger]

There is a short thread on that topic (forward HC cabins) on the Disabled Cruising board (about the Zuiderdam, but that would be the same situation on the Noordam) - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=714959

[amagar]

Thank you, both, for the information. Very helpful.

[InTheWASide]

Hi,

 

Booking room for parents. Mom will walk most places, but will likely use a wheelchair for long distances (embarkation, etc). Considering getting a handicap-accessible room. A couple of questions:

 

There are two SY available aft Veranda deck--5001 and 5002. Are these private? I can't tell from diagram whether there is some public deck area there, too.

 

Do handicap-accessible cabins have a bathtub as well as a shower?

 

I was on the Oosterdam in 5002 this past fall.

 

The room was great, there's a private balcony and the window over the desk looks onto the forward public viewing deck (the window is tinted. I did the cup my hands and press against the glass and couldn't see anyone waving inside :))

 

The bathroom has a smaller sink, etc but has a tub/shower combination and an accessible shower that's in the same area as the toilet. There's a mounted padded shower seat right there too.

 

We needed this room as my mom is disabled and we were getting a scooter for her (brought her walker for moving around in the room) and it worked great.

 

This time we're bringing a very basic transfer chair that is narrow enough to fit through regular doors and as it's a shower only, there's no worry of the tub threshold, but the SY was a great room. I'd book it again for us.

 

Hope this helps!