Disabled cabins

[Captain Beefheart]

The problem with able- bodied people being booked into disabled cabins is not of their making it is Princess Cruises themselves . They do not have the best record with dealing with disabled people from my own experence.When we travelled with them in May of this year they arrange a shuttle service from different ports of call for $5 each way but the coaches have no facilities for disabled people to get on board or any alternatives laid on.

What is needed is a name and contact number to speak to somebody in person who has the authority and clout to make the changes required.Anybody out there know of one ?

[pugdog]

This is where Princess needs to do a better job. They are placing people in these cabins and sometimes the customer does not know this until they arrive on the ship. Most handicapped would have no problem getting a doctor to verify the need for a handicapped cabin and Princess should request one. If the cabin is still open say 45 to 70 days from the date of the cruise, they could let it go at that time.

 

But the ADA says that it is illegal to ask for proof that you need the room. I do agree that they should try to hold the rooms as long as they are able to thoiugh.

[LARGIN]

But the ADA says that it is illegal to ask for proof that you need the room. I do agree that they should try to hold the rooms as long as they are able to thoiugh.

 

An easy way to get around the ADA is to not have any handicapped rooms at all. All Princess has to do is to rename the rooms as wheelchair rooms not wheelchair assessable rooms. For someone to occupy one of these rooms one of the passengers must be in a wheelchair.

[KFL]

An easy way to get around the ADA is to not have any handicapped rooms at all. All Princess has to do is to rename the rooms as wheelchair rooms not wheelchair assessable rooms. For someone to occupy one of these rooms one of the passengers must be in a wheelchair.

 

The only problem with this is not all handicapped people are in wheelchairs and Princess does NOT have rooms with assist bars in the bathroom. Because of my medicines I have very little lower body strength and need help getting off the pot and in & out of some situations.

 

Most hotels now have different classes of assistance rooms, why not Princess?

[LARGIN]

The only problem with this is not all handicapped people are in wheelchairs and Princess does NOT have rooms with assist bars in the bathroom. Because of my medicines I have very little lower body strength and need help getting off the pot and in & out of some situations.

 

Most hotels now have different classes of assistance rooms, why not Princess?

 

I agree that Princess should provide assist bars. Perhaps one day someone will design a portable one like the ones that can attach to our toilets at home. We hooked one up in my MIL's apartment. She is 97 and loves it. However my original statement still stands.. Those large wheelchair assessable cabins should be renamed wheelchair only. While I sympathize with your situation and really do not know anything about your mobility, I cannot judge whether a normal room would work for you or not. I do know that a person that cannot walk and is confined to a wheelchair should have first access to the limited wheelchair rooms available on a cruise ship.

[Luv4dacruise]

we booked about three months out and got a “handicapped” cabin.

 

12 weeks out is still a long time IMHO.

 

I totally agree that these rooms should be held for anyone who NEEDS it. However I my case, I believe this cabin was the last available in the category we wanted.

 

Must be nice to still be able to choose the category you want huh?....We have never gotten that option, the HC cabins on any given ship, never span more than a few categories. Normally end up booking what we can get. If we want a balcony, but all that are left are insides, well, at least we are on the ship. We don't have the options that everyone else has when booking, thats what people need to understand.

 

The opposite view is impractical. forcing a ship to sail with empty cabins because no one with a mobility problem wants to cruise that week s foolish.

 

I do agree, that it is impractical when looking at it from the cruise lines point of view, but, they have got to figure something else out because the whole line of "if the cabin is needed we will bump you out of it for someone who is HC" is just that, its a line. Never actually happens.

[lauril]

fiona2.

Did you have any trouble getting the scooter in the door way? Do you know what the door measurement is?

[lauril]

fiona2.

Did you have any trouble getting the scooter in the door way? Do you know what the door measurement is?

[pccvp01]

Princess reservations agents are actually instructed to pass up wheelchair accessible cabins if someone on the reservation does not require wheelchair accessibility. But reservation agents are not the only ones who book cruises through Princess and the programs princess uses. Travel agents do as well. There are legal issues with requiring someone to disclose why they need such a cabin. I'm not a lawyer so I don't know specifically but I know that such a thing is a matter of privacy. I don't know how other cruiselines go about it, but Princess reservations are instructed not to book into those cabins and hold them for those who need them, generally.

[Captain Beefheart]

Hi lauril, managed to get into cabin sat on scooter by having back of scooter lifted by about a inch sideways.Sea Princess door ways to cabin on slant. No chance of getting wheel chair into cabin had to walk into /out of cabin.Grand Princess door ways seem to be straight into cabin which would allow scooter into cabin?.My scooter is alightweight (portable)the width is 18 inch(460) approx. hope this is of help.

[Sandytoes]

I am trying to arrange a cruise for next year on the Grand Princess. I want to book a disabled cabin that will accomodate three people. I have been told that there are only 2 cabins on the entire ship that will take 3 people. These are on Emerald Deck (E716 & E717). Does anyone know if this is the case?

 

E716 and E717 are extremely large cabins.

The stateroom for handicapped are almost the size of a suite.

Very comfortable for 3.

There is a sofa in the sitting area opens up to a bed.

(DB books this cabin on every cruise)

 

 

 

Grand Princess has 26 accessible cabins.

Lido Deck L248, L252

Emerald Deck E716, E717, E301, E302, E303, E304

Caribe Deck C248, C252, C301, C302, C303, C304

Baja Deck B248, B252, B301, B302, B303, B304

Aloha Deck A248, A252, A301, A302, A303, A304.

[S&M in Pgh]

I have been in diabled cabins on the Grand and the Emerald. While I have a mobility issue, I do not need a chair. I mainly get it because I can sit down in the shower (much safer for all concerned). I always tell our TA that if Princess needs it for someone in a wheelchair, then they can have it back. That said, Princess never requires me to prove my need for the room. I really wish they would, I cannot tell you the number of times I have seen people in the handicap cabins who do not need them while people less than mobile (but not in wheelchairs)are stuffed into rooms that are frankly dangerous for them.

 

Mike

[cjh]

I have been in diabled cabins on the Grand and the Emerald. While I have a mobility issue, I do not need a chair. I mainly get it because I can sit down in the shower (much safer for all concerned). I always tell our TA that if Princess needs it for someone in a wheelchair, then they can have it back. That said, Princess never requires me to prove my need for the room. I really wish they would, I cannot tell you the number of times I have seen people in the handicap cabins who do not need them while people less than mobile (but not in wheelchairs)are stuffed into rooms that are frankly dangerous for them.

 

Mike

 

Once you are booked that's it they don't move you. I know because on one of our cruises we had to have a wheelchair inside cabin down the hall from our balcony wheelchair cabin because the able bodied 20 something couple next to us had a TA that thought it would be a nice suprise for them on their first cruise to have the extra room. Meanwhile I had one kid in a wheelchair with me and my father had the other one in a wheelchair with him down the hall with 2 different muster stations and a firewall between the cabins.

 

Also the only way we can cruise is a handicap cabin since the girls can't stand and walk and their chairs won't fit through a regular cabin door.

 

I believe they do provide shower chairs for the no wheelchair cabins if requested.

 

Cindy

[lauril]

thanks, this defiantly helps.

[sunsurf]

Fiona 2...I owe you a big appology. I didn't realize that you actually do need one of these cabins and not just want one. I'm sorry....I was quick to judge without knowing the details. Pls accept :o

[Putterdude]

I have been in diabled cabins on the Grand and the Emerald. While I have a mobility issue, I do not need a chair. I mainly get it because I can sit down in the shower (much safer for all concerned). I always tell our TA that if Princess needs it for someone in a wheelchair, then they can have it back. That said, Princess never requires me to prove my need for the room. I really wish they would, I cannot tell you the number of times I have seen people in the handicap cabins who do not need them while people less than mobile (but not in wheelchairs)are stuffed into rooms that are frankly dangerous for them.

 

Mike

 

Mike;

 

I couldn't agree more with you, this in my mind is a serious issue and one that needs to be addressed by Princess. My wife is normally not wheel chair bound but uses one on the ship or her walker. She needs the extra room and the extra door width not to mention the bathrooom facilities provided in an accessable cabin.

[Magellan321]

The sad part is that some TA's seem to encourage the practice of taking handicap cabins without need. My mother is my special need traveler and has been for many years. She couldn't go on our cruise last January...no cabins available to meet her need level. I wasn't mad until I learned that a non special needs couple had it and we're telling people at dinner what a great TA they had for pulling it off and suggesting the practice to others!!!! I do understand that there is very limited availabilty and I need to plan ahead as much as possible. I've never been bothered by not being able to get a cabin when people that need them are using them...I think it's great that more travel options have become available to us. I just wish that people (TA's and passengers alike) would show compassion and ethics. I totally understand that cabins get booked all the time without the passenger knowing or it's the last available.

[Toto2Kansas]

I wasn't mad until I learned that a non special needs couple had it and we're telling people at dinner what a great TA they had for pulling it off and suggesting the practice to others!!!! .

 

Oh I sympathize with you on this. If you were at the same table they were bragging about how great their cabin was, I am sure it was a lively dinner conversation that evening. :( :(

I have read other posts over the years where passengers were so excited as they were able to grab up an accessible stateroom, even though they didn't need it, as they wanted the extra space. ARGH!

[Captain Beefheart]

Sunsurf, No probs----Fiona.

[Putterdude]

Oh I sympathize with you on this. If you were at the same table they were bragging about how great their cabin was, I am sure it was a lively dinner conversation that evening. :( :(

I have read other posts over the years where passengers were so excited as they were able to grab up an accessible stateroom, even though they didn't need it, as they wanted the extra space. ARGH!

 

Yes and I have read similar posts on these boards.:mad: :mad:

[Magellan321]

I excused myself from the table with a headache.....before the urge to poke the wife in the eye with my fork took control. I figured why bother saying anything...people that selfish wouldn't care anyhow.

[Toto2Kansas]

I excused myself from the table with a headache.....before the urge to poke the wife in the eye with my fork took control. I figured why bother saying anything...people that selfish wouldn't care anyhow.

 

I am sure that was hard for you not to say anything. I would have had a terrible time keeping quiet when they began to urge others to try to attempt the same thing though. My DH probably would have had to stuff a roll in my mouth! ;)