Offered "handicap accessible" family oceanview w/balcony...can we get bumped?

[Chrisconn]

Looking at booking Allure with an online travel agent.

 

I was offered a family oceanview balcony stateroom (11158, to be exact). I didn't even know these family rooms were available (since they do not show up as an option on the RCL website.)

 

My only concern is, if we book this room, what happens if someone who is really handicapped needs it? It looks like there are only a handful of these family style cabins available.

 

Any advice?

[sas80]

Looking at booking Allure with an online travel agent.

 

I was offered a family oceanview balcony stateroom (11158, to be exact). I didn't even know these family rooms were available (since they do not show up as an option on the RCL website.)

 

My only concern is, if we book this room, what happens if someone who is really handicapped needs it? It looks like there are only a handful of these family style cabins available.

 

Any advice?

 

You will get bumped to the equivalent category, a family oceanview balcony room. If there is none available I suspect you would get upgraded to a better cabin or moved down and compensated for the downgrade (refunded the diff in price and some perks). If you take it and get downgraded be sure to make some real noise over and over again to either get upgraded or better perks.

 

I'd take it. If you are thisclose to sailing there is a good chance you'll stay.

[Chrisconn]

 

I'd take it. If you are thisclose to sailing there is a good chance you'll stay.

 

If by thisclose you mean next September of 2013, then yeah, we're close! :D

 

I wouldn't mind being bumped to the same category, but really want the space and wouldn't want to downgrade.

[Swampbabe]

You really shouldn't book this room. Karma is a b*tch.

[Roland4]

If by thisclose you mean next September of 2013, then yeah, we're close! :D

 

I wouldn't mind being bumped to the same category, but really want the space and wouldn't want to downgrade.

 

I would be very careful about taking this. Changes to the Americans With Disabilities Act that came into effect in January make it almost illegal for cruiselines to allow people to book these cabins unless they can prove a disability. Just because an online TA is offering the cabin does not mean you can actually have it. And this far out the chances of getting bumped are very, very high I suspect.

[marci22]

I think that once all other cabins in this category have been sold, they are able to offer it to a non-disabled passengers. But that would not prevent you from getting bumped if they needed it (into another cabin, not off the ship).

[ryano]

Please dont take it just for the extra space :( if your sailing was in a week or so or at least past final payment date, I would say go for it but not 2013!

[Beachin2]

I think that once all other cabins in this category have been sold, they are able to offer it to a non-disabled passengers. But that would not prevent you from getting bumped if they needed it (into another cabin, not off the ship).

 

True - but the cruise discussed is 18 months out!

[marci22]

True - but the cruise discussed is 18 months out!

 

Yes I know, but that is the rule they go by.

 

© You may release unsold accessible cabins to persons without disabilities for their own use when all other cabins in the same class of service and price for a voyage have been reserved.

 

(d) If a passenger with a disability seeks to reserve an accessible cabin in a given class of service, and there is not an available accessible cabin in that class of service, but there is an available accessible cabin in a different class of service, you must allow the passenger to reserve that accessible cabin at the price of the requested class of service of the class of service in which the accessible cabin exists, whichever is lower.

 

(e) As a PVO, you are never required to deny transportation to any passenger who has already reserved passage in order to accommodate a passenger with a disability in an accessible cabin.

 

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?type=simple;c=ecfr;cc=ecfr;idno=49;region=DIV1;q1=39;rgn=div5;sid=3c7c3bcdcde59a6c9ef06fe264cff271;view=text;node=49%3A1.0.1.1.28#49:1.0.1.1.28.2.16.5

[Chrisconn]

Please dont take it just for the extra space :( if your sailing was in a week or so or at least past final payment date, I would say go for it but not 2013!

 

Nope- we're booking family oceanview for the extra space. I didn't even realize the particular room they offered us was accessible until I looked on the deck plans. Otherwise I would not have known.

 

I would prefer a regular family oceanview- don't want to take the accessible one (esp if it is the last one left) and then find out when we get on the ship that we've been bumped to a smaller stateroom (by smaller, I didn't mean smaller than the accessible one, I mean smaller category- like moving from family oceanview balcony to regular oceanview balcony.)

 

Now that I know, I will go back to the TA and get a family oceanview that is regular, not an accessible one.

[cruisinfanatic]

If by thisclose you mean next September of 2013, then yeah, we're close! :D

 

I wouldn't mind being bumped to the same category, but really want the space and wouldn't want to downgrade.

Your TA should not be offering that cabin. You will need to prove you are disabled unless the cabin is released to the general public sometime after final payment.

 

What's the date of your cruise?

[xxoocruiser]

Nope- we're booking family oceanview for the extra space. I didn't even realize the particular room they offered us was accessible until I looked on the deck plans. Otherwise I would not have known.

 

I would prefer a regular family oceanview- don't want to take the accessible one (esp if it is the last one left) and then find out when we get on the ship that we've been bumped to a smaller stateroom (by smaller, I didn't mean smaller than the accessible one, I mean smaller category- like moving from family oceanview balcony to regular oceanview balcony.)

 

Now that I know, I will go back to the TA and get a family oceanview that is regular, not an accessible one.

 

Due to recent changes in Federal Law , RCCL now requires you to certify that someone actually needs the HC features of that cabin in order to book it. When I booked a couple months back for my cruise next month, I had to sign the acknowledgment and yes I am disabled due to MS. When booking direct online with RCCL the acknowment pops up that you have to accept before the HC cabin can be booked. The TA may not be aware of this recent change. HC cabin not to be released to the general public until after the final payment period so really don't know how you TA could even book you unless he/she was going to lie on the certification acceptance. Not saying that they did just question how it could be done this far in advance given the new Federal DOT regulations.

 

From someone that actually requires an HC Cabin Thank you for your consideration in going back to the TA to change the cabin. :)

[TwoTravelin]

If this sailing is within two to three weeks it would be acceptable. Other than that your TA should not be offering this stateroom. What they should do is call RCI and get a non accessible family stateroom.

[CruisingMachine]

Looking at booking Allure with an online travel agent.

 

I was offered a family oceanview balcony stateroom (11158, to be exact). I didn't even know these family rooms were available (since they do not show up as an option on the RCL website.)

 

My only concern is, if we book this room, what happens if someone who is really handicapped needs it? It looks like there are only a handful of these family style cabins available.

 

Any advice?

 

Advice? Yeah, get a new Travel Agent. If he/she is offering you this room, they don't know what they are doing or DO know what they are doing (offering you a room you aren't qualified for and could lose) and just don't care. If you were booking this room directly with RC, they would have to verify that at least one of the guests has a mobility issue or other disability that would require the use of the handicap accessible features in the room. Whether you book it through this TA or RC, you WILL also be required to fill out and return RC's "Special Needs Form" to confirm in writing your need for this room. By booking this now you are asking for big problems later.

[ryano]

 

From someone that actually requires an HC Cabin Thank you for your consideration in going back to the TA to change the cabin. :)

 

Ditto! :) and also thanks OP for the explanation. the way I read it, it seemed as if you wanted the accessible cabin for extra room

[sas80]

lol, yes, you will get bumped, probably to the same category.

[marci22]

This is what I read, updated March 8, 2012.

 

© You may release unsold accessible cabins to persons without disabilities for their own use when all other cabins in the same class of service and price for a voyage have been reserved.

 

It says nothing about final payment date.

 

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?type=simple;c=ecfr;cc=ecfr;idno=49;region=DIV1;q1=39;rgn=div5;sid=3c7c3bcdcde59a6c9ef06fe264cff271;view=text;node=49%3A1.0.1.1.28#49:1.0.1.1.28.7.16.4

 

Where is the rule regarding final payment date and release of cabins?

[marci22]

lol, yes, you will get bumped, probably to the same category.

 

If they are following the rules, there shouldn't be any more cabins left in that category.

[cruisinfanatic]

This is what I read, updated March 8, 2012.

 

© You may release unsold accessible cabins to persons without disabilities for their own use when all other cabins in the same class of service and price for a voyage have been reserved.

 

It says nothing about final payment date.

 

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?type=simple;c=ecfr;cc=ecfr;idno=49;region=DIV1;q1=39;rgn=div5;sid=3c7c3bcdcde59a6c9ef06fe264cff271;view=text;node=49%3A1.0.1.1.28#49:1.0.1.1.28.7.16.4

 

Where is the rule regarding final payment date and release of cabins?

that's the way it has been done in the past

 

by the way, those are government rules, not RCL's

[marci22]

that's the way it has been done in the past

 

by the way, those are government rules, not RCL's

 

But it says this on the Royal website:

 

Accessible staterooms are held for people with disabilities **until all other non-accessible staterooms in that category are reserved.** Upon reserving an accessible stateroom, we require our guests acknowledge the need for the accessible stateroom by completing a Guest Special Needs Form.

 

To me, that means they would open it up to the non-disabled once that point has been reached, and that is not final payment date.

 

I realize that it may have been done that way in the past, but these rules are fairly recent. I think I read somewhere that they took effect sometime in January 2012.

 

They also say on Royal's website:

 

If a guest is booked in an accessible stateroom and they do not have a mobility disability or other disability that requires the use of the features that are provided in the accessible stateroom, they may be moved at any time to another non-accessible stateroom in order to accommodate a guest with a disability.

 

So I think it is possible they could get bumped, but to an equal or greater category, and certainly not bumped off the cruise.

[cruisinfanatic]

But it says this on the Royal website:

 

Accessible staterooms are held for people with disabilities **until all other non-accessible staterooms in that category are reserved.** Upon reserving an accessible stateroom, we require our guests acknowledge the need for the accessible stateroom by completing a Guest Special Needs Form.

 

To me, that means they would open it up to the non-disabled once that point has been reached, and that is not final payment date.

 

I think it is possible they could get bumped, but to an equal or greater category, and certainly not bumped off the cruise.

I realize that it may have been done that way in the past, but these rules are fairly recent. I think I read somewhere that they took affect sometime in January 2012.

Maybe so, but to me you're a jerk (just because you can) to take one of these cabins unless it's last minute or given when booked a guarantee or other other possible reason

Most of us agree I think

[marci22]

Maybe so, but to me you're a jerk (just because you can) to take one of these cabins unless it's last minute or given when booked a guarantee or other other possible reason

Most of us agree I think

 

I will interpret that as, 'one is a jerk...' ;)

 

I don't think anyone wants to purposely take a handicapped cabin if they can avoid it, but if they are allowed to under the rules, I don't see it as a problem.

 

At this point, I would guess that Royal would be able to accommodate them with a better cabin -if- someone (handicapped) who needed that cabin requested it. And the point is not to make it easier for someone with a disability to book, but to give them an equal opportunity to book. The longer I wait, the more chance I have of losing a triple cabin, because those tend to go quicker during the time periods I book.

[cruisinfanatic]

I will interpret that as, 'one is a jerk...' ;)

 

I don't think anyone wants to purposely take a handicapped cabin if they can avoid it, but if they are allowed to under the rules, I don't see it as a problem.

 

At this point, I would guess that Royal would be able to accommodate them with a better cabin -if- someone (handicapped) who needed that cabin requested it. And the point is not to make it easier for someone with a disability to book, but to give them an equal opportunity to book. The longer I wait, the more chance I have of losing a triple cabin, because those tend to go quicker during the time periods I book.

Wasn't calling you or anyone else on the thread a jerk

I've never heard of anyone getting kicked out of a HC cabin

[CruisingMachine]

But it says this on the Royal website:

 

Accessible staterooms are held for people with disabilities **until all other non-accessible staterooms in that category are reserved.** Upon reserving an accessible stateroom, we require our guests acknowledge the need for the accessible stateroom by completing a Guest Special Needs Form.

 

To me, that means they would open it up to the non-disabled once that point has been reached, and that is not final payment date.

 

I realize that it may have been done that way in the past, but these rules are fairly recent. I think I read somewhere that they took effect sometime in January 2012.

 

They also say on Royal's website:

 

If a guest is booked in an accessible stateroom and they do not have a mobility disability or other disability that requires the use of the features that are provided in the accessible stateroom, they may be moved at any time to another non-accessible stateroom in order to accommodate a guest with a disability.

 

So I think it is possible they could get bumped, but to an equal or greater category, and certainly not bumped off the cruise.

 

Oh, yes, they could get bumped all right. And if they get bumped to a "greater" category, they WILL get to pay the "greater" price or watch the ship sail off without them.

 

I should clarify that by saying that would be the case IF they booked a handicap rooms that was being held back for those with a need for a handicap room. If you book a handicap room that was made available to the general public then they would certainly NOT charge you any difference if they had to move you to a different room.

[sas80]

When I tried to book a handicapped cabin for my 85 year old grandmother I was informed that, unless she was officially handicapped with note she would be moved if someone who was officially handicapped needed that room. It was also suggested to me that since we were so far out the chances were great that she would be moved. I had asked to book her there, no one offered the cabin to me.

 

I think the TA is wrong for offering it. I also think you will be moved because you are so far out. That said, if you dont mind the possibility of being moved forward on the ship then book it and wait and see.