Accessible?

My TA just sent me a quote for a cabin. It is an accessible room.

1. My wife nor I do not have any physical issues that require such a cabin.

2. Is it unethical to take the booking?

3. How is the cabin different.....larger? Will it have a tub?

My TA just sent me a quote for a cabin. It is an accessible room.

 

1. My wife nor I do not have any physical issues that require such a cabin.

2. Is it unethical to take the booking?

3. How is the cabin different.....larger? Will it have a tub?

No tub. The cabin will be 1.5 - 2 X the size of a regular cabin in the same category. This allows for turnaround room for wheelchairs and scooters. The doors are wider and the bathroom is larger to accommodate wheelchairs. There is a roll in shower with a fold down seat.

If you are past final payment date and close to your cruise, I say take it if you want it and enjoy the extra room. If you are still months away, please have her swap you to a regular cabin so those of us that require an accessible cabin can reserve it :)

My TA just sent me a quote for a cabin. It is an accessible room.

 

1. My wife nor I do not have any physical issues that require such a cabin.

2. Is it unethical to take the booking?

3. How is the cabin different.....larger? Will it have a tub?

If you are booking prior to the final payment deadline fora cruise embarking from a USA port, it's not only unethical for but it violates USA Federal Laws that went into effect on 1/12014 if your TA is wanting to book you in an accessible cabin. Note that you are required to certify your need for an accessible cabin under the law and RCCL does require that you certify your need if its booked prior to Final Payment Deadline. Additionally RCCL can bump you from the cabin if it's being booked prior to the final payment period.

Here's the information :

The release the HC cabins at a certain point...no worries!

The release the HC cabins at a certain point...no worries!

OP did not state the cruise date so it's not been determined if the final payment deadline has past in which it would be acceptable to book an accessible so how can you state... "no worries!".:confused:

My TA just sent me a quote for a cabin. It is an accessible room.

 

1. My wife nor I do not have any physical issues that require such a cabin.

2. Is it unethical to take the booking?

3. How is the cabin different.....larger? Will it have a tub?

Cabins, especially guarantees, do get released by the cruise line to non-handicapped guests. We had a handicapped suite on a guarantee on celebrity. While it was definately larger, the bathroom wasn't very suitable for a non-handicapped guest. Instead of a tub, we had a huge shower with a plastic shower curtain. The floor was always very wet as their isn't a ledge on the shower. The sink was low, so if you are very tall, you have to bend- Same with the closet- the closet had a very low bar for hanging garments.

While we did like the extra room- we missed the bathtub and walk in closet that other suites in the same category had. Since I was assigned the cabin by the cruise line, I would "assume" that no handicapped person wanted the suite. If they did, we certainly would have changed back to another cabin.

Enjoy your cruise.

OP did not state the cruise date so it's not been determined if the final payment deadline has past in which it would be acceptable to book an accessible so how can you state... "no worries!".:confused:

We booked the cabin and paid in full. The cruise leaves 1/24/15. Would not have known about the cabin had I not looked at the deck plans and found the room.

We booked the cabin and paid in full. The cruise leaves 1/24/15. Would not have known about the cabin had I not looked at the deck plans and found the room.

Perplexed as to why you now state that "Would not have known about the cabin had I not looked at the deck plans and found the room." when you stated in your original post "My TA just sent me a quote for a cabin. It is an accessible room."

Your payment in full has no bearing on the TA booking you in an accessible cabin. unless the cabin was booked after the final payment period. Accessible cabins are not released to the general public until after the final payment period has past.

For cruises less than 7 days the final payment period is 60 days before the cruise date,

For cruise 7 days or longer the final payment period is 75 days before the cruise date.,

Being that your cruise date is 1/24/15 as of today there 91 days before the cruise date so Accessible cabins have not been released nor can they be released to the general public if the cruise is embarking from a USA Port. Therefore it was unethical for your TA to book you into an accessible cabin. Even if you booked a guarantee cabin RCCL will not assign an accessible cabin to a guarantee until after the final payment period has past.

So know that 1. you will have to certify your need to having an accessible when doing the on-line check in 2. if you falsely certify and the cruise line discovers than you can be reassigned a cabin in the same category and if there is no cabin in your category still available RCCL could possibly bump you from the cruise all together. RCCL will not upgrade you under that circumstances as your TA should have complied with the US Federal Law, Your TA really didn't do you any favor and he/she should not have booked you into an accessible prior to the final payment since you do not have need for such room.

For the record I am disabled and do qualify for an accessible cabin. The fact that TA's and able body people what the accessible cabins for the extra space so they don't have to pay for a larger category cabin is the main reason thee USA Federal Law was imposed for cruises embarking from a USA OPort.

When I booked my cruise last May there were no handicapped cabins available. Now less than 2 weeks before departure I was able to change to one. I wonder why when it is so close to departure I still had to fill out the handicapped forms for the cruise line? It was no problem to do so, but I was told if I didn't they could change my cabin.

When I booked my cruise last May there were no handicapped cabins available. Now less than 2 weeks before departure I was able to change to one. I wonder why when it is so close to departure I still had to fill out the handicapped forms for the cruise line? It was no problem to do so, but I was told if I didn't they could change my cabin.

From RCI's website regarding the Special Needs form:

Q: Do you require proof of disability in order to reserve an accessible stateroom?

A: We do not require proof of disability such as medical certificates or disability placards. However, we do require you to acknowledge your need for the accessible stateroom by completing a Guest Special Needs Form.

And regarding when accessible staterooms are released (from RCI's website):

Q: Why are able-bodied guests in accessible staterooms?

A: We hold accessible staterooms for guests with disabilities until all non-accessible staterooms in a category are reserved. At that time, accessible staterooms are released to general inventory and may be reserved by a guest without a disability.

On our Serenade cruise we had booked a 'run-of-ship' gty, and received an accessible balcony upon check-in.

From RCI's website regarding the Special Needs form:

 

Q: Do you require proof of disability in order to reserve an accessible stateroom?

 

A: We do not require proof of disability such as medical certificates or disability placards. However, we do require you to acknowledge your need for the accessible stateroom by completing a Guest Special Needs Form.

 

And regarding when accessible staterooms are released (from RCI's website):

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What is stated on RCCL's website about "RESERVING" an accessible cabin is correct as medical proof is not required. However if the ship is embarking from a USA Port than the US Federal Law in post number 3 of this thread applies. Per the US Federal Law that went into effect 1/1/2013 RCCL can and does have the passenger(s) "attest" to their need to book an accessible cabin when doing the on-line check-in process. Attestation to the needing an accessible cabin is done at the time of check-in and not when initially making the reservation. The Attestation process idoes not contradict what's stated on RCCL's website as RCCL is still not requiring "Medical Proof" rather they are only asking the individual to "Certify that a guest in my reservation has a mobility or other disability that requires the use of an accessible stateroom."

 

Being that the OP's cruise date is 1/24/2015 and the final payment period has not past than it's highly questionable as to why the TA assigned an accessible cabin ? The OP clearly states in his original post that "My wife nor I do not have any physical issues that require such a cabin."which indicates that the OP is not able to legitimately certify the need to having an accessible cabin when doing the check-in. Therefore being that the accessible cabin was booked prior the final payment date it would appear that the room may have been fraudulently booked by the TA as under the US Federal Law in post number 3 the TA should not have booked the accessible cabin prior to the final payment period. RCCL is obligated to comply with this with provided the cruise is embarking from a USA Port and they do so be having the person attest to the need of having an accessible cabin at the time of the on-line check process.

 

Following is what appears on RCCL's On-line check in process when the cabin number is an accessible cabin. If booking a non-accessible cabin this information will not appear on the on-line check-in process.

 

Certify that a guest in my reservation has a mobility or other disability that requires the use of an accessible stateroom. Please check this box so that we have verified your need for the accessible stateroom. It may be possible that you have legitimately booked an accessible stateroom (for example, all non-accessible staterooms were sold out and you were offered an accessible stateroom), in which case you do not need to check this box.

 

Q: Why are able-bodied guests in accessible staterooms?

 

A: We hold accessible staterooms for guests with disabilities until all non-accessible staterooms in a category are reserved. At that time, accessible staterooms are released to general inventory and may be reserved by a guest without a disability.

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This information is correct and complies with the USA Federal Law that went into effect on 1/1/2012

 

On our Serenade cruise we had booked a 'run-of-ship' gty, and received an accessible balcony upon check-in.

 

Being that you booked a "run of ship" qty and received an accessible balcony upon check-in RCCL was in full compliance of the law as RCCL did not release/assigned an accessible cabin to you until after the final payment period has past for cruises embarking from a USA Port.

 

What makes the OP's situation questionable is the fact that the cruise in question is still 90 days out ( as of today's date ) and the final payment period has not past. It appears that the TA assigned an accessible cabin prior to the to the final payment period as indicated by the date of the OP's original post date and the by the fact that the OP stated " My TA just sent me a quote for a cabin. It is an accessible room.

1. My wife nor I do not have any physical issues that require such a cabin."

My TA just sent me a quote for a cabin. It is an accessible room.

 

1. My wife nor I do not have any physical issues that require such a cabin.

2. Is it unethical to take the booking?

3. How is the cabin different.....larger? Will it have a tub?

It's not really any less ethical than using a handicap parking space when you are not disabled.

Per the US Federal Law that went into effect 1/1/2013 RCCL can and does have the passenger(s) "attest" to their need to book an accessible cabin when doing the on-line check-in process. Attestation to the needing an accessible cabin is done at the time of check-in and not when initially making the reservation.

We have always been required to attest to needing the cabin as soon as we have reserved the cabin, not when doing the online check-in.

We have always been required to attest to needing the cabin as soon as we have reserved the cabin, not when doing the online check-in.

Though RCCL requires you to complete the Special Needs Form when reserving an accessible the actual attestation to Certifying your need to having an accessible room is done on the on-line check-in form. Check it out the next time you do an on-line check-in for an accessible cabin.