QE2 Accessabillity.

I have been planning our way around the ship as Tony now needs to use a wheelchair or mobility scooter, some of the time.The one I have a problem with is the Funnel bar,is there a lift up there or just stairs?I think I have mastered everything else,just by looking on the plans.All the times we have been on the QE2 before I never took much notice!Hope someone can advise me.

Regards

Kathie:)

I have been planning our way around the ship as Tony now needs to use a wheelchair or mobility scooter, some of the time.The one I have a problem with is the Funnel bar,is there a lift up there or just stairs?I think I have mastered everything else,just by looking on the plans.All the times we have been on the QE2 before I never took much notice!Hope someone can advise me.

Regards

Kathie:)

Kathie,

I think there may not be access via a lift. I just returned from the world cruise and spent many sea days on the Sun Deck where the Funnel Bar is located and remarked to myself that it is not accessible. There was one gentleman with a walker who also spent many days there with his wife. He always used the stairway leading down to Boat Deck. Even the crew brought food for the noonday buffet up by stairs. I am going to assume that Sun Deck isn't accessible.

Why not email the QE2 directly and pose the question? You will get an answer. QE2@cunard.com. in the address line; Attention: Purser in the subject line.

Good luck,

Bobby

I have been planning our way around the ship as Tony now needs to use a wheelchair or mobility scooter, some of the time.The one I have a problem with is the Funnel bar,is there a lift up there or just stairs?I think I have mastered everything else,just by looking on the plans.All the times we have been on the QE2 before I never took much notice!Hope someone can advise me.

Regards

Kathie:)

Kathie,

Don't feel bad about not noticing before. I have spent time as a disability advocate, and so many people just do not think about it! They don't understand what it is like until they have tried to imagine dealing with a specific handicap. I know I learned a lot from people with handicaps other than my own- Such as, horns and sirens don't mean much to a deaf man in a fire, and having a strobe at his desk doesn't work if he is in a conference room. fortunately, it was a very minor fire, but he never got evacuated! And it never ceases to amaze me how many people pile snow or brush in the "convenient" handicapped parking spaces. I am currently dealing with an able bodied man who uses his wife's permit to park by the door in the only spot at work. I have good days and bad days. And some days it is agony to get to the door, especially in piles of ice and snow. He once commented to me that he has seen people getting out of Cadillacs, and some of them are just fat and lazy! I don't even want to know what he thinks of me! I wasn't this big when I first became handicapped. It really does open your eyes to the injustices. Even on a modern ship like QM2, I do not like how they have the "mezzanine" layer of the ship between 2 and 3, where the photo gallery and Queen's room are. They have a glass wheelchair lift, operated by pushing and holding a button the whole time (Not easy for those with general weakness and some types of paralysis) It makes you feel as if you are on display, and I find it quite humiliating!

All of that said, and my best wishes to you on the QE2, I am so pleased that you and Tony are able to take this trip. It is marvelous that you are able to do this now, even maybe spending a bit of money you might not have chosen to spend before, while he is able to enjoy it. I hope that the progression of his disease is slow, and that he maintains good (relative) health. My heart aches for your situation. Not to indicate that there is something good about having such an illness, but if there is a silver lining, it is that you suddenly become so much more aware of what is important, and while you are dealing with many many more difficulties and disappointments (such as the access issues) you become acutely aware of what is really important and what maybe isn't quite as earth-shattering (by comparison) as it once was. I think it also makes you a kinder person, more forgiving of others whose circumstances you might have previously judged without thinking of the possibilities of what could be going on in their lives.

I truly do admire you for being willing to take on the tasks and risks associated with traveling with some disabilities. Keep your heads up and live life with all the gusto you can! If things should deteriorate to the point where it becomes impossible later, you will be so glad that you were able to do this now!

Karie,

who wishes you the best in all things.

Medical miracles happen daily. One never knows!

The one I have a problem with is the Funnel bar,is there a lift up there or just stairs?

Kathie - I've been thinking about this (my parents are in a similar situation - my mother will be using a scooter at Christmas) and I don't think there is any level access. There could be a way up by going through the Queens Grill Lounge, onto Sun Deck and then out through the nursery. If there is I've never seen it and as the door thresholds from the crew areas onto the Funnel Bar are all about 4 inches high you wouldn't be able to get a scooter or wheel chair over them.

As I've said this is only what I think - I'd quite like to be told that I'm wrong - If you find out otherwise please let us know:)

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions and kind thoughts.We love being on the sundeck and I am sure we will get there.Perhaps I need to practice my firemans lift !I have only one more thing to say'where there is a will there is a way'.

Counting the days,again

Best wishes

Kathie:)

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions and kind thoughts.We love being on the sundeck and I am sure we will get there.Perhaps I need to practice my firemans lift !I have only one more thing to say'where there is a will there is a way'.

Counting the days,again

Best wishes

Kathie:)