Can you book a Handicap Cabin?

[Cruise Junky]

if you're not in a wheel chair? Those back cabins look huge in the middle. Or, do they reserve them for anyone needing wheel chair access and only let them go at the last minute?

Some Ship, Some Itinerary, Somewhere in the Med.
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=008000&cdt=2006;5;12;17;0;00&timezone=GMT+0100[/img]

Mexican Riviera - Rhapsody of the Seas
11 Day Circle the Caribbean - Splendour of the Seas
Alaska - Dawn Princess
Coastal - Island Princess

[lkb125]

I think you really need to be handicapped! Lorelle

[sivia]

To book a handicap cabin you need to have a medical certificate filled out stating why you require the handicapped facilities. Most ships don't have a large number of handicap cabins....let's leave those for the passengers who REALLY do require them.

[kitty9]

As someone who is disabled, I think it's terribly inconsiderate and selfish for non-disabled persons to book an accessible cabin just because they're a little bit larger. Cabins for the disabled are very few and many times it's impossible to cruise because there are so few cabins on every ship. If able-bodied persons book these cabins, it makes it all the more impossible for the disabled to cruise. Most cruise lines require proof of disability before they will book those cabins and will only release them close to the sailing date if no disabled person books them.

Darcie

[Cruise Junky]

Before you start attacking, I agree with you. It was a simple question. What I thought you might be able to do was book one on the condition that if someone in a wheel chair needed it you'd get bumped.

Some Ship, Some Itinerary, Somewhere in the Med.
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=008000&cdt=2006;5;12;17;0;00&timezone=GMT+0100[/img]

Mexican Riviera - Rhapsody of the Seas
11 Day Circle the Caribbean - Splendour of the Seas
Alaska - Dawn Princess
Coastal - Island Princess

[aquaholic]

You can certainly waitlist for any cabin on the ship and see what happens if the cabin is not needed by a disabled person. We did that on the Constellation last Fall a got a beautiful aft-facing wheelchair-accessible cabin last minute. It was great.

[JNLROSE]

I agree with Kitty, it is rude & inconsiderate for non-HC people to book a HC room. To waitlist one if it becomes available is fine IMHO!!!! I just responded to this same subject on another thread. Some freinds of ours booked one, got bumped up as it were, and were terribly disappointed. They should have booked a 1A CC aft & been done with it!!!

I personally feel people should NOT book HC unless they are! Waitlist, absolutely!!!!

Rosie
E-mail me <a href="mailto:JNLROSE@AOL.COM">here</a href>

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Look out MERCURY Here we come!!!

September 19, 2005--"Millie in the Med"--We're there!

[carlyshenk]

We were upgraded, on the Summit, to a handicapped cabin on one of our cruises. We did not know until we got to the port that we were upgraded from an outside cabin to a balcony handicapped cabin. As a matter of fact, our luggage went to our original cabin and we had to track it down. The handicapped cabin was wonderful, but I felt so guilty. I noticed every handicapped person on the cruise and wondered if we had their cabin. We really enjoyed the oversized room and the wonderful bathroom, but I would never have booked that cabin if I would have known that I was depriving a handicapped person of that cabin. I finally got over the guilt and decided that Celebrity would not have given us that cabin if someone more deserving needed it. The cabins are wonderful and very spacious. But, I would never book them just because they are larger than the other cabins. The truly handicapped people really can benefit from the extra space.

Carol

[mango14217]

I agree the Handicapped should get the before regular people. If one is open at the last minute by all means go for it. Just do not take it from a disable person who needs it

[img]http://home.flash.net/~mwyatt/bearfish_1.gif[/img]

[JNLROSE]

Carol,

See, that was a nice thing, you got it after all the disabled were placed accordingly and what a nice treat for you! Glad you enjoyed it. And I'm sure Celebrity would NEVER have given it to you if there was a HC person on any waitlist for an available HC room!! No guilt!!! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Hi Mango!!!

Rosie
E-mail me <a href="mailto:JNLROSE@AOL.COM">here</a href>

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=0000ff&cdt=2004;11;26;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]
Look out MERCURY Here we come!!!

September 19, 2005--"Millie in the Med"--We're there!

[hebeast]

This is an interested topic that always get me going. Having been three times on a Celebrity cruise and waitlisted for a Handicap Room and not being able to get one. It amazes me who does get this rooms. (By the way --- on all three cruises -- my husband traveled in a wheelchair. I saw less than 5 other passingers in wheelchairs). We were lucky enough that he can walk but needs hands on assistance so we were able to get in the doors of the normal room. But it always meant that I had to be with him when he needed to go in and out of the room.

So - my two cents - there are a lot of people who have doctors who can and will write a handicap note to get a room. For people in a wheelchair - the rooms are wider for a reason.
First the door latches opens so that the person in the wheelchair does not fight with the door. Second the door opening is wider so that a chair will fit through the opening. In a normal cabin, the person must get out of the chair and able to walk through the door. I did read a sad thread where a parent had to carry his special needs child in the room every time because they could not get a handicap room. Third - a chair can pass by the bed to get to the far side of the room and balcony. Four - there is a ramp so wheelchairs can go to the balcony. Five - the shower has a seat - which is essential to someone who can not stand. Six the bathroom has assistance bars so the person can get off and on toilet. Seven - the sink made so a wheelchair fits under and the bathroom door is wide enough to fit a wheelchair. Eight - the closet is made with a bar system which will allow the bar to be dropped to get clothing. (By the way these closets have less storage then other cabins). Nine - the safe is lower to allow people to get in and out from a wheelchair.

Remember that we only have 3 handicap balconies on the M ships - yes we are fortunate enough for them to be aft.

This thread is pointed not at people who waitlist them and are moved there at the last minute but people who really do not need them and get a note so they can book them for the size.

Please make sure you are asking for them based on need not on location.

[This message was edited by hebeast on 05-30-04 at 10:08 AM.]

[This message was edited by hebeast on 05-30-04 at 10:13 AM.]

[Ma Bell]

Hebeast,
There are 20 handicap balcony cabins on M-Class ships, three of which are on the stern of the ship. Many of them are midship right next to the elevators.

[woodofpine]

We booked an aft handicapped balconey (superb cabin) for my mother in mid-January '04 for the Summit 3/26/04 sailing (only two months out). No wait, no problem - doctor note required; I'm sure manipulation occurs at times (but shouldn't).

There were no handicapped suites available at that time, but the aft balconey more than made up for it. My mother is a double amputee with advanced MS (and a tough constitution) so she more than ADA qualifies by anybody's standards.

[rhoeffner]

Very tough subject indeed! We were assigned a handicapped room at the last minute - purchased the cruise through a discount house.

We felt awful when we saw a young family with a handicapped child who were in a small regular cabin. Yes, our cabin was wonderful, but if we could have changed we would have (we didn't learn of this situation until 3-4 days into the cruise). I'm not sure how they had booked their cruise, but said they didn't know there were such things as Handicapped cabins.

There were things in our room that made no sense however - the room was huge allowing for a wheelchair all around, as were the doors oversized. However, the sink was regular height and there was no seat in the shower - although it was big enough for a wheelchair inside. There was precious little storage, but was not handicap friendly, neither was the room safe.

I would have enjoyed the room immensely, had I not known about the little girl who needed the room worse than we did. I'm sure this situation happens more times than is necessary due to lack of communication. So...for those that NEED the room, PLEASE ask for it!

[want2cruisenow]

Another point to keep in mind is even those who ARE disabled should not book the handicap cabin unless they truly need it.

My sister and I are going on a cruise in October. She is truly disabled with a form of muscular dystrophy, however she is NOT in a wheelchair and has no true need for the extra space.

Our TA told us that since she has a state-issued handicap parking permit we are qualified to book a handicap cabin and offered to book one for us. I must admit the extra space was tempting, especially since we are also traveling with two children, but we felt it just wouldn't be fair to take the room away from those who may really need it.

Please save those cabins for those who truly need them!

[kitty9]

want2cruisenow, the extra space in a HC cabin isn't just for those who use wheelchairs. I don't use a WC but book an accessible cabin if I know that due to the itinerary, the seas would be rough during the cruise. If that's the case, I need the seat in the shower because I'm unsteady on my legs and rough seas make it even worse. Add to that the fact that the bars next to the commode give a lot of added stability in rough seas. So, you don't have to be in a wheelchair to need the use of an accessible cabin

Darcie

[hebeast]

Ma Bell - I assume you know that a good portion of the Handicap Balconies next the the elevator are Sky Suites and may be out of the price range for some. To my knowledge there is still only 3 cabins in the 1A 1B or CC class.

By the way, you are able to request a shower seat for a regular room if you are concerned about standing during rough seas. Contact special services.

As far as scheduling and being able to get Handicap rooms. It depends on the schedule. For example, Europe which has a limited number of weeks of sailing book out quickly. Carribean does not because of the number of months that it sails.

Want2Cruise -- how considered of you to realize that extra space is not always necessary for all people who are able to get a Handicap tag.

[This message was edited by hebeast on 05-30-04 at 11:01 PM.]

[Ma Bell]

Hebeast,

Your comment was that there are only three balcony handicapped cabins on M-Class ships.

To be exact there are 7 Skysuites on deck 8 and 9. Cabins 9162 CC aft and cabin 9122 CC on deck 9. 8176 1A aft and 8006 2A on deck 8. On deck 7 cabins 7137, 7139, 7141, and 7143 2Bs and 7212 1B. On deck 6 6103, 6105, 6107, and 6109 are 2C cabins. As you can see there are handicapped cabins in a range of prices in the balcony categories. There are also three window cabins at the bow on deck 6 and 29 inside handicapped cabins throughout the ship.

[want2cruisenow]

kitty9:

I'm sorry if it sounded like I was implying that only people in wheelchairs should book the handicap cabin. I wasn't. I was only trying to make the point that just because somebody CAN book it doesn't mean they SHOULD. It should be reserved for those who truly need it whether for a wheelchair or for some other reason.

[Ma Bell]

Of course the handicapped cabins should be reserved for those who truly need them, however, there is certainly nothing wrong with waitlisting or checking a few weeks before departure to see if they are available. There's no reason for them to sail empty when someone could be enjoying the extra space.

[hebeast]

Ma Bell
You are right -- I forgot that there were 9 more balconies -- in the 2A 2Bs ranges. I do not see that 9122 is handicap in CC. Think there are only 3 in the CC 1A 1B.

But I guess the point still remains - not many if you need a wider space.

But I agree put a waitlist on one and see what happens.