Royal Caribbean HC

[firefly333]

From a email regarding RCL: (can I say who sent it if its a TA who advertises here?)

 

Can you give some examples of how Royal Caribbean makes cruises more accessible for passengers with limited mobility?

 

Sure. All Royal Caribbean ships have wheelchair accessible cabins with widened stateroom and bathroom doors, roll-in showers, shower benches, and toilet and shower grab bars. All ships also feature lowered guest-relations counters, lowered blackjack tables, lowered or ramped thresholds, and pool and whirlpool lifts.

 

Are there any new amenities or features on the most recently launched Royal Caribbean ships for passengers who have limited mobility?

 

Yes. Our Freedom-class ships contain several new amenities, including the H20 Zone, a water park for children where we have plastic wheelchairs for our guests to navigate this wonderful play area. At the OnAir Club, a dedicated space for karaoke events, we have a ramp to the stage to allow guests in wheelchairs and scooters to participate. And, we have an accessible Junior Suite that accommodates up to six guests.

 

Which itineraries are most attractive for first-time cruisers with limited mobility?

 

Alaska cruises are popular options as there is excellent accessibility in port as well as on shore excursions. In the Caribbean, the Eastern Caribbean may be preferable because many of the ports are "docked," versus Western Caribbean cruises where many of the ports require tendering to shore. I'd also recommend itineraries in Hawaii and Canada and New England.

 

Can you name some specific Royal Caribbean ships that would be ideal for first-time cruisers with limited mobility?

 

Sure. The Freedom-class ships and Voyager-class ships, because they are our newest new-builds and have a lot of accessible staterooms -- 32 on Freedom-class ships and 26 on Voyager-class vessels. And the Radiance-class ships, because accessible staterooms have automatic door openers, which makes it very easy for guests in wheelchairs and scooters to get in and out.

 

What features does Royal Caribbean offer for passengers who are deaf or blind?

 

Royal Caribbean welcomes service animals onboard for people who are blind and/or deaf, in addition to the following.

 

For passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing, we offer:

• Portable Room Kits that include a visual/tactile alert system. The system provides alerts for door knocking, smoke detection and alarm clocks. It comes with an under-pillow or under-mattress vibrator alert.
  
• Sign Language Interpreters (with advance notice)
  
• Closed captioned televisions in staterooms
  
• Amplified telephones in staterooms and public areas
  
• Assistive Listening System in the main theatre

For passengers who are blind or have low vision, we offer:

• Braille and large-print menus and daily Cruise Compasses (on request)
  
• Braille Cruise Services Directories (on request)
  
• Braille/tactile signage
  
• Braille elevator buttons/audio call signals
  
• Braille deck number to staircase handrails
  
• Early boarding for orientation tours

[Barb_and_Sean]

This is great information. Thank you for posting it. Having cruised on Royal Caribbean I can attest to many of the accessible features on the Voyager class ships. I have yet to try the Freedom class and am going on Radiance class this summer.

 

Compared to our other cruise on Carnival RCCl is MUCH better equipped for someone in a wheelchair.

[firefly333]

My friends had a HC on Voyager and said the inside cabin must have been twice as big as a regular cabin, it was huge compared to what Carnival offers.

[Barb_and_Sean]

But your friends actually needed the cabin, right?

[Luv4dacruise]

Sure. All Royal Caribbean ships have wheelchair accessible cabins with widened stateroom and bathroom doors, roll-in showers, shower benches, and toilet and shower grab bars. All ships also feature lowered guest-relations counters, lowered blackjack tables, lowered or ramped thresholds, and pool and whirlpool lifts.

 

Just want to point out one thing. Im fairly certain not all RCI ships have the pool and whirlpool lifts. Pretty sure this information is incorrect. Can anybody clarify?....

[sanspike]

Just want to point out one thing. Im fairly certain not all RCI ships have the pool and whirlpool lifts. Pretty sure this information is incorrect. Can anybody clarify?....

 

They have been on all the ones I have been on.

[WEELYNCRUZER]

I've been on every vision,voyager and freedom class ship and they all have them. RCCL is by far the most w/c friendly cruise line.

[Queenie2]

Actually that post is not what the TA says/has said, but it's quoted from an interview with Ron Pettit, Access Director for RCCI. So I believe him. He's pretty close to the product and in my interaction with him (for maybe 15 or so years, which predates his current position) he has never lied to me. He has told me he will "have to get back to me" or "check on something" for me, but never, has he ever, outright lied to me.

 

I think this is one of those "consider the source" issues. And in this case, I think the source is good. Again it's not TA info , but from the Access Director himself. Horses mouth, so to speak (no offense Ron)

 

Candy

[firefly333]

But your friends actually needed the cabin, right?

 

???? Yes, or course. Why question it?? My friend, the husband is able bodied, his wife has MS and is in a wheelchair and scooter. I never would have guessed she could drive them home but she did. He had heart problems and she drove them to Dallas to the hospital and he was having a heart attack. He pace maker kicked in 5 times. He almost died, but in spite of heart problems, I consider him able bodied, not in a wheel chair or anything, but she is.

 

After he got out of the hospital he told us about the cabin and the cruise.

[Barb_and_Sean]

Not a bad question, I swear. Just sometimes we get people who don't need the handicapped room but reserve it simply because of the extra space. :) Glad to hear your friends are doing well and that they enjoyed the cruise.

[WEELYNCRUZER]

The regular rooms are not big enough for a walker. The bathroom is tiny and the shower is a joke. You will be limited on excursion and won't be going in the pool or the ocean. Your condition will heat. You would be so much better of if you WAIT until your better. Your spending a lot of money to be so limited. My grandmother use to say TOO SO OLD TOO LATE SMART. Good luck from someone who is permanently limited.

[ZellaLamb]

They have been on all the ones I have been on.

 

We were on Majesty of the Seas in November and I honestly can't remember any pool lifts.

[Luv4dacruise]

We were on Majesty of the Seas in November and I honestly can't remember any pool lifts.

 

I thought this to be the case. All the pre-Vision class ships do not have the pool/whirlpool lifts. I do realize that all those ships are due to be transferred out of the fleet in the near future, but as of right now and even for the next year or so, they are still apart of it. So it is not an entirely true statement afterall. I just dont want someone to book a cruise with the intention of being able to use the pool/whirlpools and be bummed out. Even if you did have some mobility, on these older ships you would still be out of luck as they only have ladders into the pool, the newer ones in the Solarium have steps.

 

Just wanted to clarify things cause there are alot of people that go by the information on this board, and our job is to make sure it is accurate :p

 

Happy Cruising!

[wieslaw]

But your friends actually needed the cabin, right?

 

 

Hi,

 

we booked two cabins QTY and just got our assignments last Thursday.

Both of the assigned cabins are HC and we are not in need of HC cabins.

We are sailing in a week so they must have had those cabins not sold and they assigned them to us.

I wrote to the RCI special needs department with an offer to give up those cabins if someone needs them.

 

So, it is possible to get an assignment of HC cabin even that one is not needed or has not been requested.

 

Wes

[DisneyKidsDad]

I checked with RC this year to book a 7 day cruise around Hawaii. They told me that they only allow 2 people to a wheelchair accessable room. It's my wife and I and our daughter. I even asked about a junior suite. Sorry, not accessable.

[wrp96]

I checked with RC this year to book a 7 day cruise around Hawaii. They told me that they only allow 2 people to a wheelchair accessable room. It's my wife and I and our daughter. I even asked about a junior suite. Sorry, not accessable.

 

Are you sure you weren't looking at NCL and not RCCL? Which ship were you looking at? RCCL doesn't have any 7 night cruises around Hawaii. Their shortest Hawaii cruise is 10 night repositioning to or from the West Coast. Of the RCCL ships that do occassionally sail to Hawaii, Rhapsody D2 accessible balcony cabins 7032 and 7035 hold more than 2 people. JS 8010, 8510, 8042, 8542, 8050, 8550 are also accessible and hold more than 2 people. On the Radiance class (Radiance and Serenade), inside cabins 4017, 4517 are accessible and hold more than 2 people, oceanview cabins 4006, 4008 are accessible and hold more than 2 people, and JS 1028 and 1528 are accessible and hold more than 2 people.

[Splinter]

I agree. You must be confusing RCI or RCCL (Royal Caribbean International or Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines) with NCL (Norwegian Cruise Lines). And wrp96 is right...NCL is the only cruise line to offer 7 day Hawaii cruises currently. All the rest (Princess, HAL, Celebrity, RCCL) offer either one way or round trip cruises from the mainland (California or Vancouver) only, or stop in Hawaii on their way to more distant ports (such as around the world cruises or from SF or LA to Sydney or Tahiti, for example).

 

We have never had a problem getting an accessible cabin for 3 on RCCL if we book far enough in advance. I don't think NCL has them, so we don't travel with them. Neither does Crystal. We have had them on Princess, RCCL, Celebrity, and HAL.

[leoandhugh]

one word of caution on the presence of pool lifts. they may indeed be there but sometimes are not in operating condition or you have to get some crew member to operate it for you. So don't count on having an operable lift on all the RCI ships that have them. We are talking from experience:(

[sanspike]

one word of caution on the presence of pool lifts. they may indeed be there but sometimes are not in operating condition or you have to get some crew member to operate it for you. So don't count on having an operable lift on all the RCI ships that have them. We are talking from experience:(

 

Crew members always have to operate them and we have never found that to be a problem. I just have to be a little patient while they get it going. I love going into the pool.

[DisneyKidsDad]

I stand corrected. It must have been NCL. Real life has been very busy lately and I guess I got a little confused. :confused:

[wrp96]

I stand corrected. It must have been NCL. Real life has been very busy lately and I guess I got a little confused. :confused:

 

Real life tends to do that, especially when you are a parent. I just wanted to make sure that RCCL hadn't changed something without updating their website.