Wow. Didn't know I could cause so much fuss

[che5904]

I have often also been ATTACKED for suggesting something or questioning something else .

 

I doubt very much that anyone that has posted their opinion or asked a question and has been on the boards for a couple of months haven't been.

 

Some people on these boards get VEry personal and downright mean !!! Do not take it personally . Filter the info you get IGNORE the rude or condescending responses and stay with the positives .

 

Totally agree. Some of it just comes from posters who are very passionate about some issues, some have issues with phrasing that appear rude or with a tone but don't truly mean it to be rude or mean and some just seem to be rude by nature. On the other side of this I don't completely agree with "stay with the positives" as some might take this to mean, only listen to someone who agrees with you (not saying you mean that). Sometimes hearing another perspective may just have you rethink your point of view. Life is all about differences and lessons JMO

[Got2Cruise]

Are you equating wearing jeans in the dining room with taking a accessible cabin when you are not disabled? Sorry, it is not the same thing. One has to do with customs and the other with morals.

 

Just keep in mind when reading thru the posts on cruise critic that most of the people you'll meet on a cruise have never heard of cruise critic and don't follow our "CC rules of conduct" on the ship.....for example....

 

Most people in the dining room don't really care what you're wearing so feel free to wear shorts, jeans etc if the dress code allows it

 

Although no one likes deck chair hogs, I've only seen one person confronted about it in the 33 cruises we've been on

 

We all know that bringing your own alcohol onboard is "stealing" from the cruise line's revenue but it happens and sometimes is possible to get away with. This also goes for sharing a soda card.

 

People will smoke on the ships but smokers won't be the recipient of the nastiness that is displayed on these forums

 

The list goes on.....

 

Bottom line, read as much as you can but don't take everything you read here as gospel and don't let it affect your cruise.

 

By the way, welcome to Cruise Critic and hope you have an awesome first cruise with many more to come!

[che5904]

Just keep in mind when reading thru the posts on cruise critic that most of the people you'll meet on a cruise have never heard of cruise critic and don't follow our "CC rules of conduct" on the ship.....for example....

 

Bottom line, read as much as you can but don't take everything you read here as gospel and don't let it affect your cruise.

 

The more I reread this post the more I had to smile. I totally agree with the above statement. But (doesn’t there always have to be one of those but words)

All the CC people I have met in a meet and greet are just absolutely wonderful people. CC is a diverse group of individuals with a diverse set of thoughts and opinions. Cruise ships are full of diverse groups of individuals with diverse set of thoughts and opinions. The one big difference is, that when you are sitting around at Gatsbys having a cocktail over some nice lounge music, meeting some of your fellow passengers. You usually wouldn’t start a conversation with “Nice to meet you, would I be considered a chair hog at the pool if I only used the chair for an hour out of the day?” Usually face to face meetings start out with niceties like “Hi I’m so and so and where are you from…” If you do get into any controversial subjects it’s usually after feeling the other person out.

But I do agree with “Bottom line, read as much as you can but don't take everything you read here as gospel and don't let it affect your cruise.” Very good advice to the OP.

[che5904]

Are you equating wearing jeans in the dining room with taking a accessible cabin when you are not disabled? Sorry, it is not the same thing. One has to do with customs and the other with morals.

 

 

I think they were responding to my post above them and to the OP's post how a thought to be innocent question from a Newbie can turn quite heated and flaming.

[monteman]

I posted the earlier query about the "disability suite" As some of you pointed out, this is a sensitive subject. I went out for dinner and came home to nearly 20 responses responses on this post and a closure and zero on the post I entered early this morning on a different subject. I am an absolute newbie when it comes to cruising. I'm only doing this because my child wants to go on a cruise. I was not aware that the "disability" notation on the cruiseline website was the equivalent of a handicapped parking spot. I would never stop in one of those--even for 20 seconds. I have no idea how many suites are so allocated on a given ship, because I have never set foot on a ship/boat over 50 feet before. When I went on the NCL website, this was one of the only aft suites offered. I'm not using a TA because my previous attempt to use one resulted in nearly 4 weeks of silence after I handed him a specific cruise on a platter. So I'm trying to do this myself.

 

Bottom line is: I should NOT reserve a "disability" room. It It would be nice if the NCL website were a bit more user friendly and would make it clear that this is subject to changes. There is absolutely no notation in this regard. I've been navigating a couple of cruiseline sites and NCL is not that easy to use. Judging by this website, people put great stock in specific rooms (imagine a website where hotel rooms were so clearly reviewed.) Where I live, every apt. renovation must be ADA compliant (a good thing) but it does not mean that only people people with disabilities can live there.

 

I'm astonished that so many people manage to go on so many cruises, but bear in mind that there is a first time for anyone. So...a little patience please. It was an innocent question about whether a reserved room is always a reserved room. I just wanted to know before I put the money down. A simple "yes, you can be moved to make room for someone who needs the room" would have sufficed.

 

I tried to warn you, lol. Try not to feel too beleaguered, there are a lot of strong opinions around here on a number of subjects (jeans in the dining room, smoking, sneaking booze on board, cabins for the disabled, are just a few of them). Don't be afraid to ask, you'll always get at least SOME friendly respoinses! :D Glad you came back to comment. Welcome to cruising, and I mean that.

[Pooh&OurHunny]

Sorry that happened to you. I'm new at this board too and asked a few questions...sometimes get do a search find as my answer and some people have been very kind and took their time to reply to my questions. I too booked a cruise b/c of our 6 yr old son wanting to go on a cruise so all of this is new. Don't be afraid to ask questions b/c when I do post some question, others would comment they never thought of that or it was help them with their planning (ex. I wanted to do a bon voyage package and others wanted to know too, etc).

I have been at this board for 2 months and their are alot of helpful people. When you do book a cruise, join the roll call (they have been great there when I do have a stupid questions).

[ColinIllinois]

People are usually pretty good about answering questions. My only beef with some posters is when they are too lazy to read any of the board even though they could probably find the answer within the first three pages.

[gail-s]

Good for you for coming back and standing up for yourself! I hope you book your cruise and have a wonderful time.

 

I did book a handicap balcony room on my last cruise. It was less than 2 weeks before sailing and it was the last balcony available. I called NCL and booked it through them. They were wonderful. They explained to me that if the room was needed for someone handicapped they might move me and I was perfectly fine with that. They told me that I would not be moved to a "lesser" room. Fine with me. In the end, no one ended up needing the room or I just wasn't moved. The room and the staff on the Sky were wonderful and I came home with zero complaints about the trip.

 

There are some people on any message board that believe that they are the be-all end-all and often act/write as if their opinion is more important than everyone else's. There are the "I want to be a moderator" folks who take it upon themselves to schold anyone who says something they don't like. For the most part, I laugh at how ridiculous these people are and ignore them. I will say, a few years ago I was on here and I ended up leaving for some time because so many people...for lack of a better word...sucked. I think those people were short term trolls who have moved by the wayside (mind you, this wasn't on the NCL board, it was on other ones) and I find most of the people here to be quite pleasant.

 

I'm using a TA for this cruise only because my father loves this TA and we're travelling with them. I cannot stand TAs because in my experience the last few I've used have done nothing but screw things up. Dealing with NCL directly IMHO is the best way to book a cruise.

 

Have a great time and don't be a stranger!

[lambs2]

:)

Anyone on any cruiseline may book a handicapped cabin whether or not thay are disabled...The kicker to it is that if a passanger boards that is actually disabled and that cabin is needed and you are not handicapped you will be moved out of that cabin...

The cruiselines book the cabins not knowing how many of those cabins will be needed...If they have 20 handicapped cabins and only 10 are needed they do not want to lose the revenue on the other 10...

All cruiselines should make that clear not just NCL....

 

The above certainly was NOT true when we took our 85 yo disabled dad on a cruise a few years ago for his and my MIL's 60th wedding anniversary! Due to his poor health and a hospital stay we did not book the cruise until a month before sailing and after the doctor gave permission. There were NO accessible cabins available anymore for that sailing at all (this was Royal Caribbean) according to our travel agent. At Dad's insistence, we booked anyway and took him in his wheelchair. We just had to fold the wheelchair up each time he went into the cabin and then he could use a cane in the cabin. We stayed in an inside cabin directly across from them so we could be available whenever he needed help. When we boarded noone even seemed to care that he would have been more comfortable with an accessible cabin. Perhaps we should have spoken up then?

We are so thankful we took that cruise in spite of the lack of an accessible cabin as he only lived a couple months after that. But up until the end he never stopped talking about what a wonderful time he had on that ship! :)

[WinterSky]

I did not read the original thread, but I'm not surprised it got heated. Such threads often do.

 

My only clarification is this: No matter what NCL tells you, they will not move you if someone who needs an H/C (wheelchair accessible) suite wants to book it. They simply do not do that. Once a cabin is booked it's out of inventory. It is not noted that an able-bodied person has booked it and will be moved if necessary.

 

beachchick

 

Unfortunately, this information is inaccurate and out of date. Yesterday, NCL confirmed the following:

 

NCL discourages able-bodied passengers from booking accessible cabins.

NCL will not prevent able-bodied passengers from booking accessible cabins.

NCL WILL DEFINITELY move an able-bodied passenger from an accessible cabin at any time, including on board, if a disabled passenger requires the accessible cabin.

 

NCL said that they make every effort to ensure that all of their guests are satisfied, however, on this particular issue, it has become necessary for them to weigh the disappointment/upset of the able-bodied passenger against the real needs of the disabled passenger. It is now their firm policy that the able-bodied passenger WILL DEFINITELY be moved if a disabled passenger needs the accessible cabin.

 

NOTE: This is not my opinion, it is from NCL.

[Got2Cruise]

Yes! There is reason in this world. I am sorry that some people need a written confirmation to understand what is obvious to many.: That a disabled person who needs an accessible cabin gets it over an abled body person who doesn't need the accessible features. Thank you NCL:)

 

Unfortunately, this information is inaccurate and out of date. Yesterday, NCL confirmed the following:

 

NCL discourages able-bodied passengers from booking accessible cabins.

NCL will not prevent able-bodied passengers from booking accessible cabins.

NCL WILL DEFINITELY move an able-bodied passenger from an accessible cabin at any time, including on board, if a disabled passenger requires the accessible cabin.

 

NCL said that they make every effort to ensure that all of their guests are satisfied, however, on this particular issue, it has become necessary for them to weigh the disappointment/upset of the able-bodied passenger against the real needs of the disabled passenger. It is now their firm policy that the able-bodied passenger WILL DEFINITELY be moved if a disabled passenger needs the accessible cabin.

 

NOTE: This is not my opinion, it is from NCL.

[BikerAl]

Unfortunately, this information is inaccurate and out of date. Yesterday, NCL confirmed the following:

 

NCL discourages able-bodied passengers from booking accessible cabins.

NCL will not prevent able-bodied passengers from booking accessible cabins.

NCL WILL DEFINITELY move an able-bodied passenger from an accessible cabin at any time, including on board, if a disabled passenger requires the accessible cabin.

 

NCL said that they make every effort to ensure that all of their guests are satisfied, however, on this particular issue, it has become necessary for them to weigh the disappointment/upset of the able-bodied passenger against the real needs of the disabled passenger. It is now their firm policy that the able-bodied passenger WILL DEFINITELY be moved if a disabled passenger needs the accessible cabin.

 

NOTE: This is not my opinion, it is from NCL.

 

While I think this is a wonderful policy, I don't believe it will be enforced, or that 99% of folks that work for NCL have seen, or will see this policy. Hope I am wrong, but...

 

Al

[jessemon]

:)

 

The above certainly was NOT true when we took our 85 yo disabled dad on a cruise a few years ago for his and my MIL's 60th wedding anniversary! Due to his poor health and a hospital stay we did not book the cruise until a month before sailing and after the doctor gave permission. There were NO accessible cabins available anymore for that sailing at all (this was Royal Caribbean) according to our travel agent. At Dad's insistence, we booked anyway and took him in his wheelchair. We just had to fold the wheelchair up each time he went into the cabin and then he could use a cane in the cabin. We stayed in an inside cabin directly across from them so we could be available whenever he needed help. When we boarded noone even seemed to care that he would have been more comfortable with an accessible cabin. Perhaps we should have spoken up then?

We are so thankful we took that cruise in spite of the lack of an accessible cabin as he only lived a couple months after that. But up until the end he never stopped talking about what a wonderful time he had on that ship! :)

Did you think before writing this "was not true on RCCL" that maybe all the handicapped cabins were booked by people ahead of you that also needed handicapped cabins???

You even stated yourself that you booked only a month before the cruise....;)

Glad to here that he had another great memory to take with him.....:cool:

[lambs2]

Did you think before writing this "was not true on RCCL" that maybe all the handicapped cabins were booked by people ahead of you that also needed handicapped cabins???

You even stated yourself that you booked only a month before the cruise....;)

Glad to here that he had another great memory to take with him.....:cool:

 

All I can say is that we witnessed the occupants of an accessible cabin on the same floor we were on and neither person APPEARED to have any disability...but of course we did not press the matter - Dad would have been mortified as that just was not his 'style'.

[SilentHill]

Yes! There is reason in this world. I am sorry that some people need a written confirmation to understand what is obvious to many.: That a disabled person who needs an accessible cabin gets it over an abled body person who doesn't need the accessible features. Thank you NCL:)

 

Judging by your last 3 posts you sure do have a smug sense of entitlement don't you....

[che5904]

Judging by your last 3 posts you sure do have a smug sense of entitlement don't you....

...;)

[jessemon]

All I can say is that we witnessed the occupants of an accessible cabin on the same floor we were on and neither person APPEARED to have any disability...but of course we did not press the matter - Dad would have been mortified as that just was not his 'style'.

As has been mentioned here on this thread some handicaps are not noticable in some cases....;)

[acmes]

and encouragement. I will deal with NCL directly...and only on the phone, since it seems like there are so many other issues that could come up. It used to be that no one ever made any kind of travel arrangements without a TA (I'm old enough to remember those days). Now with the internet and websites like this one, anyone can book a great vacation just sitting at home in their jammies. The suggestion posted here about holding back accessible cabins till shortly before sailing is a good one. If a pop-up window had clarified things that would help too. And if they're smart, they'll build ships with more cabin flexibility because let's face it there are a lot of aging baby-boomers out there (like me). Clearly for anyone with a disability, cruising seems like a marvelous way to see the world. Things have a long way to go, but maybe in the not too distant future, issues like this won't be so thorny.

 

Now, one more question--can I wear cut-offs on Formal nights? JOKE!!!!:p

[WinterSky]

and encouragement. I will deal with NCL directly...and only on the phone, since it seems like there are so many other issues that could come up. It used to be that no one ever made any kind of travel arrangements without a TA (I'm old enough to remember those days). Now with the internet and websites like this one, anyone can book a great vacation just sitting at home in their jammies. The suggestion posted here about holding back accessible cabins till shortly before sailing is a good one. If a pop-up window had clarified things that would help too. And if they're smart, they'll build ships with more cabin flexibility because let's face it there are a lot of aging baby-boomers out there (like me). Clearly for anyone with a disability, cruising seems like a marvelous way to see the world. Things have a long way to go, but maybe in the not too distant future, issues like this won't be so thorny.

 

Now, one more question--can I wear cut-offs on Formal nights? JOKE!!!!:p

 

Love it! You sound cool! Never know, some day we may meet on a cruise... both wearing cut-offs!!!

[sparks1093]

Now, one more question--can I wear cut-offs on Formal nights? JOKE!!!!:p

 

NO, because there aren't any formal nights on NCL. No soup for you!:D

[DMH15]

Acmes- cut-offs & formal night? Good one! NCL is freestyle, no formal night! Yea!

 

I remember my first "flaming session". I asked a question and zowie! Some people sure gave me a piece of their mind! As it turns out it was a moot point. I'd asked about being a solo suite cruiser and my mom ended up going too. At first, I got my feelings hurt, for about 5 minutes.

 

Most of the people on CC are just swell. Some have wealths of cruising knowledge to share. And some have been so patient answering a lot of the same questions over and over to be helpful. Hey, we were all newbies once!

 

Welcome to cruising. I hope you love it! I sure do!

[Taxguy77]

I posted the earlier query about the "disability suite" As some of you pointed out, this is a sensitive subject. I went out for dinner and came home to nearly 20 responses responses on this post and a closure and zero on the post I entered early this morning on a different subject. Bottom line is: I should NOT reserve a "disability" room. It It would be nice if the NCL website were a bit more user friendly and would make it clear that this is subject to changes. There is absolutely no notation in this regard. I've been navigating a couple of cruiseline sites and NCL is not that easy to use. Judging by this website, people put great stock in specific rooms (imagine a website where hotel rooms were so clearly reviewed.) Where I live, every apt. renovation must be ADA compliant (a good thing) but it does not mean that only people people with disabilities can live there.

 

I'm astonished that so many people manage to go on so many cruises, but bear in mind that there is a first time for anyone. So...a little patience please. It was an innocent question about whether a reserved room is always a reserved room. I just wanted to know before I put the money down. A simple "yes, you can be moved to make room for someone who needs the room" would have sufficed.

 

Yes it would have, but that will never happen on CC (CruiseCritic).

Now that you have been properly singed/flamed keep asking questions. Keep some salt by your computer to take with the most positive and most negative answers. There are a lot of people here who really want to help.

[dopeyngrumpy]

and encouragement. I will deal with NCL directly...and only on the phone, since it seems like there are so many other issues that could come up. It used to be that no one ever made any kind of travel arrangements without a TA (I'm old enough to remember those days). Now with the internet and websites like this one, anyone can book a great vacation just sitting at home in their jammies. The suggestion posted here about holding back accessible cabins till shortly before sailing is a good one. If a pop-up window had clarified things that would help too. And if they're smart, they'll build ships with more cabin flexibility because let's face it there are a lot of aging baby-boomers out there (like me). Clearly for anyone with a disability, cruising seems like a marvelous way to see the world. Things have a long way to go, but maybe in the not too distant future, issues like this won't be so thorny.

 

Now, one more question--can I wear cut-offs on Formal nights?

JOKE!!!!:p

 

Only while smoking a large pipe, and wearing flippers and for preference swimwear

 

David

[acmes]

I think the weirdest thing about the whole situation was not the reaction of fellow cc responders...it was that the forum management CLOSED the topic within hours of my posting it! I felt like I violated some unwritten rule. But all's well that ends well--I'm booked on a trip with an aft balcony that has no disabled designation.

 

happy sailing!!

[ashley_and_jason]

Unfortunately, this information is inaccurate and out of date. Yesterday, NCL confirmed the following:

 

NCL discourages able-bodied passengers from booking accessible cabins.

NCL will not prevent able-bodied passengers from booking accessible cabins.

NCL WILL DEFINITELY move an able-bodied passenger from an accessible cabin at any time, including on board, if a disabled passenger requires the accessible cabin.

 

 

OK...I need to respond to this. I am going on my first cruise 11/26 on the Jewel. I see that this was quoted from NCL. Is this a rule? Because I have read, READ not experienced, because like I said I am new to cruising, I have read on many threads, posts & reviews that NCL doesn't enforce some of their rules, ie; children in adult pools, or jacuzzi's, front rows at shows, etc. I have seen many posts that people have complained about these issues & NCL staff on board haven't done anything about, even if they are a witness to it.

 

Now, I believe that a H/C person should have priority to a room, if available. Point blank! I have also experienced many people on CC to quickly jump down people's throats. This site is for everyone, new & old to cruising, to share their stories, tips, suggestions etc. At one point or another, we all were new to cruising & have had our fair share of 'silly' questions to ask!! Like I was told in grade school....."NO QUESTION IS STUPID; THE ONLY STUPID QUESTION'S ARE THE ONES NOT ASKED"!!