Boredprez2009

Be sure to get a hotel business card and write down the name of the person who "does not know what ADA is", and the name if his/her direct supervisor. When I do this I always explain that I want to make sure the home office knows exactly which employees have not been properly trained in all aspects of customer service, including ADA. Keep all receipts and document each incident on the trip. On our return to San Diego from the Panama Canal cruise on Celebrity in 2011 I called Celebrity the next day and after explaining how we had to pay for the shuttle that was supposed to be included, and then the shuttle was not wheelchair accessible--a very helpful security person called an ADA van for us--I received a full refund on the shuttle fare, and gratuity, from Celebrity, posted that day to my AMEX account.

My special needs daughter is 37 and she always cruises with us. She loves being in the water, probably because it gives her body freedom she cannot experience out of the water. She uses a wheelchair because she can neither walk nor stand, but she does not wear a diaper in the pool, and she does not have accidents. We use the pool at our fitness center at home and have never had a problem there either.

Thanks to both of you!

 

We do have a different TA this time, since the group leader is now a TA, so that will help, I'm sure, as I know the ones from before were pretty incompetent.

 

I will make sure she and the TA request a "fully accessible cabin" and make sure it is that and not a "modified" cabin (which is a great idea, so that the fully accessible ones are saved for those who need the extra room for their wheelchairs to move around, but not a good idea if they mix the two up!).

I NEVER trust a travel agent to make my cruise arrangements. No one can speak to my daughter's accessibility needs like I can. Cruise lines have someone taking care of special needs passengers making reservations. I only use these people to book a cruise.

I have been traveling on airlines with my daughter since 1989 and while there have been some problems getting the bulkhead seats for us, most of the time airlines have been cooperative and helpful. We need the bulkhead seats because my daughter cannot stand or walk and I have to lift her from the aisle chair into the plane's seat. It is impossible for us to use any other seat. I have zero tolerance for surprises so I cannot travel with the promise of a gate attendant making the decision on site. I plan our trips well ahead, have all trip documents, arrive well ahead of time so I expect the airlines to plan as well as I do. I call ahead to make arrangements. My first airline experience was with Delta and they set the standard I use with all carriers. I prefer Southwest when possible because they are helpful, and not having a first class section makes it easier to get her on and off the plane.