Bloodgem

I would post your on RCL forum. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/51-royal-caribbean-international/. You will probably get a quicker answer. There are several UK poster, like little britain and kernow who check the RCL forum several times a day.  

We like a 7 night Norwegian Fjords cruises, from Southampton.

Some lines offer a 7 Night Spain & France cruise.

Princess offer a 7-Day Scandinavia cruise (https://www.princess.com/cruise-search/details?voyageCode=Y217)

It might help if you could give us a clue as to what your family dynamic will be; If you are cruising with children consider Royal Caribbean; If there are only adults cruising consider Celebrity (as they say on the BBC other lines are available). Some P&O ships are more geared to children than other P&O ships.

I have to agree with @Reina del Mar, @Billish and @dog. I would not feel comfortable with the TA having my money for that long. 

I only use my smart phone as an alarm clock on cruises to remind me to take medication when I'm not near a clock or in the cabin. 

3 hours ago, maureencruiser said:

I'm newly disabled, 58 years old and obese.  I walk with a cane, walker for long walks and I was exhausted on my last cruise.  Remember ships are three football fields long.  If you can walk that multiple times a day, you'll be fine.  I was hunched over, catching my breath, in terrible pain all week.  I'm on this board to learn more about renting a scooter.  

I would recommend renting a scooter for your next cruise. Just make sure you do walk at least once a day. 

The first time my Dad hired a scooter for a cruise he used it all the time. He then struggled and was out of breath, he suffered more than he normally does, when he disembarked and walked to his car. Since that cruise my Dad walks to the restaurant for breakfast every day.

Hi, as others have mentioned contact the Special Needs Department.

My son does not eat at all, he is peg fed, and we have never had an issue taking his food onboard with us. We carry the food onboard ourselves in it's original box. (each box contains 8 1litre bottles of food and my son needs 1 bottle of food a day).  

2 hours ago, Lou33 said:

I've never scanned a form.  In fact I didn't even know there was a form.  I just email them and I ask for what I need.  I've been using special needs for many years, and maybe back then they didn't have a form, just an email contact.  

We have been cruising with Royal since 2011 and always book through a TA. Royal have always sent a Special Needs form through with the booking confirmation. We always thought this was the norm, until I started reading CC, for everyone but maybe it's only UK customers that get the form sent to them when they book.

1 hour ago, Lou33 said:

I've always just sent an email directly to special_needs@rccl.com and I get a confirmation shortly after.   See if that works better...

Agreed. This method of sending the Special Needs form has always worked for me.

I know it's a bit of a pain to fill out the form; then to scan the form, so I can attach it to an email but at least Royal always sends a confirmation email back.  

I have never sailed with Cunard but on Royal Caribbean ships there are a few PC's that guest can use whilst they are on board.

Try asking on the Cunard forum if there are PC's guest can use?

If you don't want to drive down the gangplank but you can walk down it, ask a crew member to drive the scooter down.

Some tours do take scooters. Contact P&O about wheelchair friendly tours. 

12 minutes ago, CruiserCindy said:

Yes always do

Wow it's really bad of royal to treat you this way.

1 minute ago, CruiserCindy said:

I spoke to CA,Access Dept and the casino.plus regular reservation dept.Everyone said the same thing NO HANDICAP ROOMS! I spent hours on the phone,even with resolutions dept.Noone could tell me why they would take a handicap cabin away and give me a standard cabin.I will try to make the best of it!!!!Wont know for sure until I get on the ship!!!I really need a cruise!!LOL

Did you fill in a special needs form when you booked the handicapped cabin?

6 hours ago, luckybecky said:

I think it is a legit question and I'm just asking. If the answer is no, that's fine. Don't hate on me. 🤔 🙂

It's a good question.

We have had no problem buying 2 alcoholic packages and a refreshment package, for a non drinking adult, sharing a cabin. We were not asked for proof of the medical reason for my son not drinking alcohol.

Hi @gavvy I just wanted to say 'Welcome to CC (Cruise Critics)

37 minutes ago, miaandmum said:

Thank you, had to go with parking4cruises, which i believe is similar to CPS, which we use when on p&o.  Have NEVER not got in with AB.  We used them 4 weeks ago and looking back their car park across the road from one right opposite the terminal was being used for freight so although cruises are at reduced capacity they are only using a smaller area of parking.  At least we get to try out another car park!

Glad you have got sorted out. Enjoy your cruise. 

Check out 

I'm don't know if it will help but post # 3 may be of some use to you

17 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I'd go through RC's special needs department. Seems like a situation they've certainly handled before

This is a good suggestion.

Here's the email address:special_needs@rccl.com   

It's unfortunate that your 1st cruise has been cancelled due to you testing positive for covid but when your wife entered the competition she agreed to the T&C's.

Yes it would be nice if Royal would allow you to reschedule your cruise but they don't have to under the T&C's of the competition. 

I and many of my colleagues did not bother to enter the competition because of the T&C's.

If Royal had allowed the winners to pick the date of their cruises we would have entered but the T&C's were clear. You had to take the cruise Royal offered you and if you could not then you lost the prize.

18 hours ago, Kev_lyndsey said:

Yes but my gripe is how we are treated differently to paying customers.  

 

So all good for rescheduling if paying but not if the cruise was won.  Especially as this comp was aimed at people that more or less everyone  would regard as deserving of it through these times.

The rules of the competition were clear.

 At least your wife had a chance to enter the competition. What about all the other key workers, who were also endangering their lives, who were not allowed to enter the competition because they do not work for the NHS or the emergency services.

I know my post will be unpopular but I'm getting fed up with the winners complaining about this competition. These are just some of the complaints I have read:

• RCI are making me pay for our 3rd child (Prizes shall consist of a 4-night Ocean Getaways cruise for up to two adults and two children sharing a stateroom)
• I can't get time off work and RCI won't let me change dates (cruises departed on July 7, 2021 and July 11, 2021).
• I'm having to pay for alcohol.
• I'm having to take my kids out of school, which I don't think is right and RCI won't let me change the date of my cruise.

Again, I know my post will be unpopular but at least the NHS and emergency service worker had a chance to win a free cruise other key worker did not.

2 hours ago, Euby said:

Any suggestions for disposal of the underwear?  Those trash cans in the bathrooms are pretty small and not airtight.  I'd like to make things as easy as possible for the room steward.

I take small and medium size bin/trash bags with us. The medium bag normally need to hold up to 3 nappies, as this is how many we can use in between room steward visits.

I place the used nappy in a small bag. Then place the small bag in the medium bag. The room steward takes the medium bag away each visit.

Yes the bathroom does smell but it's the price we are willing to pay to cruise.

If a nappy smells particularly vile instead of placing it in the medium bag I place the small bag in a nappy bin in one of the public bathrooms on the ship. 

Sorry this has happened to you. But bad mouthing a company on social media, whilst you are anger, will not help you to get over the anger and disappoint that you are feeling. It will only prolong your feelings every time someone posts anything on your thread.

I'm not sure if you can gain any comfort from knowing that there will be others that are or have been in your situation. Your situation is not unique at the moment. 

Hi and welcome to CC(Cruise Critics),

I don't know the answer but I have a couple of suggestions for you:

Try posting you question on Royal Caribbean's page https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/51-royal-caribbean-international/. A poster on that forum called @little britain should be able to give you some advice.

Try reading this thread from post number 842 onwards  

I hope this helps you to find the answer. 

So that's where I left it 😉

I always strip the bed and place the wet bed sheet in the shower, when my Son's pad leaks.  

Doing this means the cabin steward does not have to be extra careful when checking to bed in the morning.  

On 7/21/2021 at 1:51 PM, dog said:

Is there a wheelchair rental for cruisers out of Southampton UK?  Friend has used Scootaround in USA. So looking for something like that 

Mobility at Sea https://www.mobilityatsea.co.uk/

We use these every time we cruise. I hire a hoist and Dad hires a folding scooter from them.