Why Does Viking Discriminate Against the Disabled?

[chengkp75]

I am slightly confused. My husband just brought up trying Viking Ocean as we have wanted to sail Scandinavia for several years but just haven't found the right itinerary. I use a wheelchair full time. It does fold but not the way most cheap hospital chairs do. It folds forward as in back toward seat and the rear wheels pop off at the push of a button. Does this mean I am allowed on their tenders? No, I do not stand nor walk. As long as they have a reasonable gangway I have no problems on embarking and disembraking. I do need a cabin with a wider door as well as the bathroom door and a roll in shower and roll under sink. I am below the age of HAL's normal demographic and understand their image as "steak night at the nursing home". But if the itinerary fits, well, I'd rather be cruising and fully intend to take any chance to explore ports.

 

Do I fit Viking or are those ADA compliant rooms for people who have sprained an ankle?

 

As previously noted, contact Viking, but generally no line that I know of will allow a person to transfer into/out of a tender in the wheelchair. Your experience may be different, just going with mine. They want you to either step or be carried between the tender platform/dock and the boat, and the chair to be transferred separately. Many ships, and I don't know Viking's design, have external ladders from the tender port down to the tender platform, so that may preclude your tendering.

[kitty9]

Hmmmm, exbiologist. I guess you're saying that Viking Ocean doesn't allow/want complainers on their ships? Only the disabled complain ? Seriously? I've heard countless people, young and old, rich and poor, able bodied and disabled, American and European and every other group have complaints on their cruises. So, does Viking make passengers sign a contract swearing they will not have any complaints?

 

Your "specials" section is also silly. Do you not read other boards where fully healthy, non disabled people ask for special accommodations? I see threads where they want special meals like gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, certain kinds of beer, special coffees, certain brands of soft drinks and water, not to mention certain kinds of wine and alcohol. And they complain when their favorite brands aren't available.

 

The other "specials " you cite are also specious. I've heard people who are in the most expensive cabins/suites complain that they aren't being treated special enough. They want special embarkation/disembarkation, separate areas on the ship, special seating areas in the theater and main dining room.

 

Oh, and we don't demand special bathrooms and the like. We NEED those things.

 

We disabled don't demand special anything, only equal everything that we can reasonably accomplish. FYI, I've been disabled since contracting polio at age 2. I've never known what it's like to walk without braces or canes or walkers, run, ride a bike, skate, ski, swim with dolphins, climb stairs, hike in a forest, parasail and all the things the rest of you take for granted. My heart breaks when I read the comments on boards like these with the unkind, callous and inconsiderate, and most times, incorrect notions. Just remember, all of you will grow old, many will lose your physical abilities and I wish all of you a society that's more compassionate and accepting than I've experienced in my 63 years.

Edited September 27, 2016 by kitty9

[chengkp75]

Hmmmm, exbiologist. I guess you're saying that Viking Ocean doesn't allow/want complainers on their ships? Only the disabled complain ? Seriously? I've heard countless people, young and old, rich and poor, able bodied and disabled, American and European and every other group have complaints on their cruises. So, does Viking make passengers sign a contract swearing they will not have any complaints?

 

Your "specials" section is also silly. Do you not read other boards where fully healthy, non disabled people ask for special accommodations? I see threads where they want special meals like gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, certain kinds of beer, special coffees, certain brands of soft drinks and water, not to mention certain kinds of wine and alcohol. And they complain when their favorite brands aren't available.

 

The other "specials " you cite are also specious. I've heard people who are in the most expensive cabins/suites complain that they aren't being treated special enough. They want special embarkation/disembarkation, separate areas on the ship, special seating areas in the theater and main dining room.

 

Oh, and we don't demand special bathrooms and the like. We NEED those things.

 

We disabled don't demand special anything, only equal everything that we can reasonably accomplish. FYI, I've been disabled since contracting polio at age 2. I've never known what it's like to walk without braces or canes or walkers, run, ride a bike, skate, ski, swim with dolphins, climb stairs, hike in a forest, parasail and all the things the rest of you take for granted. My heart breaks when I read the comments on boards like these with the unkind, callous and inconsiderate, and most times, incorrect notions. Just remember, all of you will grow old, many will lose your physical abilities and I wish all of you a society that's more compassionate and accepting than I've experienced in my 63 years.

 

I agree with what you say, and I personally feel that the disabled are due their ability to access things that others take for granted, within the US, but it is an unfortunate fact of life that the rest of the world doesn't see it that way, and many, many places around the globe are not accessible, nor do laws provide for special needs. Going on a foreign flag cruise ship and expecting to receive the guarantees of the ADA is just like going to a foreign country and expecting them. Any business owner in that country can decide if he/she wants to exceed the laws and provide some measure of accessibility, but it can't be taken for granted.

 

The only way to ensure that you can cruise on any ship with full accessibility is to petition Congress to require all cruise ships home porting in the US to be US flag. A harsh reality.

[bitob]

We have seen scooters on Celebrity and most recently on an Oceania cruise to the Norwegian fjords. The staff was incredibly accommodating and the guest was lifted into the tender in some of the ports. The tour bus had a lift at the rear and she was able to get on and off the bus no problem. I give that guest a lot of credit. It cannot have been easy but she was determined. Kudos to the Oceania crew.

[Fpacifico]

We have seen scooters on Celebrity and most recently on an Oceania cruise to the Norwegian fjords. The staff was incredibly accommodating and the guest was lifted into the tender in some of the ports. The tour bus had a lift at the rear and she was able to get on and off the bus no problem. I give that guest a lot of credit. It cannot have been easy but she was determined. Kudos to the Oceania crew.

 

That's great info for guests that have scooters, now they don't have to worry about booking Viking.

[bitob]

I have never seen a thread with so many heartless posts.

 

 

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[dcsam]

We are booked to take a Viking Oceans cruise next December. My husband can walk, but has balance/walking challenges. We often travel with a transfer chair which makes things more enjoyable for both of us. I recently purchased a foldable, lightweight scooter. It can be folded much to the size of a piece of carry-on luggage. Guess we won't be taking it on this Viking Oceans cruise. But it would have come in handy while touring some of the ports. A shame, really. But we'll make it work.

[Host Jazzbeau]

We are booked to take a Viking Oceans cruise next December. My husband can walk, but has balance/walking challenges. We often travel with a transfer chair which makes things more enjoyable for both of us. I recently purchased a foldable, lightweight scooter. It can be folded much to the size of a piece of carry-on luggage. Guess we won't be taking it on this Viking Oceans cruise. But it would have come in handy while touring some of the ports. A shame, really. But we'll make it work.

 

Have you contacted Viking directly? It sounds like there are scooters, and there are ... scooters. A full description of the device you would like to bring may trigger a more nuanced policy that satisfies your needs. [We visited the Pearl Harbor memorial yesterday. There is a well-announced policy that no bags are allowed, and they forced everyone in our group to check even very small change purses -- but when I asked about my camera bag, they said "no problem, camera bags are allowed." So ... there are bags, and there are ... bags.]

[comas]

Hi cruisead,

We have just returned from Crystal Symphony. Here is a link to their Onboard Accessibility Guide - http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/dc66c76b#/dc66c76b/1

Hope It may be of some use to you.

 

 

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Edited October 15, 2016 by comas

[Going Coastal]

I, too, was torn by this thread, seeing both sides. However, it looks like Viking, by providing accessible cabins and allowing folding wheelchairs, is making a "reasonable" accommodation to those with mobility disabilities.

 

 

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[bzv143]

Vineyard View: Holland America no longer allows smoking except in certain areas of the ship.

NorthernLite: I used to think Holland America was for the "Newly wed and Newly dead," but now it is my adult children's and my favorite mid-size line. We see the average age is not nursing home!

 

 

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[Vineyard View]

Bzv143 - I thank you. I recently received information on this. Holland America will in 2017 stop allowing smoking on balconies. Smoking is still available though at the outside pool on one side, at the outdoor bar, & inside the casino. It's most definitely a step in the right direction.

 

But I thank you - - I do have more interest in watching HAL's smaller ships and their itineraries with this change -

 

That said, I do prefer Viking"s solution to smoking. It is an important piece of our decision making due to medical parameters.

[garycarla]

I think "Discriminate" is a strong term. They have made a decision not to allow these scooters on their ships. ...

 

I have to agree with this statement.

 

They are not discriminating at all.

 

The are of course, not accommodating. (which is their choice)

[Fpacifico]

I have to agree with this statement.

 

They are not discriminating at all.

 

The are of course, not accommodating. (which is their choice)

 

They do accommodate, they allow wheelchairs and they have Ada rooms. On the China river cruise, they made sure I had a wheelchair for certain tours because of a leg injury. The scoters are not safe in case of an emergency, that's why they are not allowed

[garycarla]

They do accommodate, they allow wheelchairs and they have Ada rooms. On the China river cruise, they made sure I had a wheelchair for certain tours because of a leg injury. The scoters are not safe in case of an emergency, that's why they are not allowed

 

 

I will adjust my post.

 

They do accomodate, just not exactly as the poster requested.

 

(p.s. - Anytime someone uses the word "discriminate" it sets things off.)

[florisdekort]

After witnessing (on Celebrity) an elderly lady on a scooter stress out while trying to maneuver into an elevator, and in her confusion hit reverse as opposed to forward, driving quite hard into an elderly, standing passenger who broke his leg, I'm all for banning scooters on cruise ships. When you get older, as the years pass, there will be more and more things all of us will slowly have to give up. Cruising unfortunately can be one of those things once you start losing your mobility. Your (and perhaps one day my) handicap is not everyone else's problem.

Edited December 22, 2016 by florisdekort

[roberts2005]

On my recent Viking Star there was a gentleman with a scooter. I did not speak to him but saw him more than once in the World Cafe

[Aviator of the Seas]

I'm not sure if I should interject as I work as a contractor with Viking Ocean on embarkation and disembarkation and airport transfers, but here are my two cents:

 

Viking is VERY accommodating to passengers with mobility issues. Whether they allow electric scooters or not, that's a separate issue. But we handle dozens of people with serious handicaps every ten days. The onboard crew is very caring when handing off these fine people to the ground crew. Each passenger with an issue is assigned a crewmember who escorts and pushes the wheelchair all the way to the bus, which always have special seats reserved for them. The ground crew is then very careful and many special accommodations are made so they can get safely and comfortably on the vehicles. Once the vehicle is on its way to/from the airport/ship, the Viking rider on board the vehicle ensures that wheelchairs and crew are waiting at the end of the transfer. On board, I'm not sure how it goes since I work ashore, but on disembarkation and on the way to the airport, the ground crew, as the last Viking staff the guests will see on their vacation, are always the recipients of customer praises and complaints, and in three months working for Viking I have heard ZERO complaints from passengers with mobility issues about their handling onboard.

 

Additionally, and this is a matter of PERSONAL CHOICE, due to an old Army back injury I'm not sure if I'm going to reach old age without needing a wheelchair or some sort of assistance myself, but definitively I wouldn't personally feel safe in ANY vessel in case of a serious emergency where I would have to run, jump, climb, and swim to survive (think Costa Concordia). Even if I love to be out at sea, I will probably say goodbye to cruising and stick to land vacations. And even then, I would avoid cities like Rome that provide almost no access to handicapped people.

 

Cheers,

[JF - retired RRT]

that's how/why.

 

And yes you do bother people with your scooter, they just won't tell you. But it's not just the scooter, its the pilot, and the demands they make on the system.

 

By the way, i do have 3 mobility impaired relatives, i just don't have sympathy for those who demand something they are not entitled to.

 

As for the economics, maybe i wasn't clear. In general older people have more money than younger people, so it's not an issue of whether the mobility impaired have the resources and can fill their berths. It's partly an issue of whether you will spend any money on extras, especially drinks. But more importantly, if they become known as too accommodating to the mobility impaired (whether they are elderly or obese) it turns off other guests (see your own statements above, i don't want to share a table with someone with that attitude) and hurts their brand image, causing fares to drop like hal, which is barely more than carnival or rci on many itineraries.

 

Look at seabourn, they have a link regarding "accessible cruising" under one of the main headers on their website, not buried in a faq. They want your business and probably won't get mine. Viking ocean doesn't want your business.

 

Those complaints may not fit you. Maybe you are a wonderful conversationist that doesn't complain about the food, the temperature, the weather, the pricing, the portions, the noise, the vibration, the speed of service or how things used to be so much better. Maybe you do drink, dance, gamble buy extras or add other value to the cruise. Maybe your scooter doesn't get in anyone's way, take up 80% of the elevator and you're able to hide it in your room and maneuver it in the dining room or bar or theater and get on and off the tenders. Maybe you request no special accommodation of the system, other than special bathrooms, special doors, special seating, special meals, special ramps, special embarkation, special debarkation, special safety measures, specially trained staff or other special services.

 

Maybe you can see why mobility scooters and their pilots aren't a demographic some cruise lines are clamoring for.

bravo!!!

[dcsam]

I just purchased the Travelscoot for my husband. We're in Mexico right now and met a woman who swears by it. Lightweight, compact, maneuverable. I can quickly fold it up and carry it under my arm. My husband can walk (slowly), but it would be so much more efficient and enjoyable if he was able to use the Travelscoot on the ship. If nothing else, we'll bring it and just use it onshore. It certainly isn't one of those monster types. Is using something like this strictly forbidden from being used aboard the ship? We're quite independent and when the time comes where we burden others for our own enjoyment, then it's time to stop traveling.

[Fpacifico]

I just purchased the Travelscoot for my husband. We're in Mexico right now and met a woman who swears by it. Lightweight, compact, maneuverable. I can quickly fold it up and carry it under my arm. My husband can walk (slowly), but it would be so much more efficient and enjoyable if he was able to use the Travelscoot on the ship. If nothing else, we'll bring it and just use it onshore. It certainly isn't one of those monster types. Is using something like this strictly forbidden from being used aboard the ship? We're quite independent and when the time comes where we burden others for our own enjoyment, then it's time to stop traveling.

 

Take a picture if it and send to Viking

[newcruiser1956]

Amen, well said.. I don't want smoke, kids, crowds

 

 

 

I have been thinking about this thread......I suppose it definitely has room for different positions and dialogues.....and while I do understand the disappointment in not being able to travel with scooters.....I also respect that it is Viking's choice to comply with ADA without allowing scooters. Their company, their rules. They have the right to make them. Without the oh so common threat nowadays of lawsuits.

 

Not the same....but Holland America goes against all health recommendations and common health sense in allowing smoking on balconies, at outdoor pools, in their casinos and outdoor areas -resulting in becoming the go to cruise line for smokers - People have many choices to take other cruise lines.....so I for one will not cruise with them due to their rules on smoking. Second hand smoke is difficult to avoid on their ships. Again tho - Their line. Their rules.

 

I also won't cruise on lines with climbing walls and water slides full of kids and thousands of people. Some people love that when they cruise. There are lots of cruise lines and cruise environments available -

So Maybe since there are choices out there that the OP has been happy with, then those remain good solutions - and I am glad that they are available for the OP.

JMHO

[Richard2]

In addition to manual wheelchairs, I have seen unmotorized "knee walker scooters" on Viking Sky. Apparently, they draw the line at motorized devices. I find this a reasonable limitation given the realities of the physical environment.

[deec]

I do not have a problem with wheelchairs on the ship BUT I really would like ALL wheelchair bound passengers to have designated tour groups. They DO impact the rest of us!!

[FlaGirl13]

On our last cruise it was difficult to get in the dining room each night because it looked like a parking lot for scooters in the foyer. It was also difficult getting an elevator that wasn't crowded with scooters. I understand they have every right to cruise but I also have a right to enjoy my cruise without having my feet run over, waiting for accessible elevators, etc. There are many other cruise line choices they can make.

 

 

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