Hearing impaired cruise help.

[cementhands]

My wife is looking into taking a hearing impaired friend and her elderly mom on a cruise to Bermuda from Boston. Or possibly to Canada from Boston.

Does anyone know of a cruise line that provides help with hearing impaired?

My wife can sign and care for the person but anyone who has been with someone in this situation knows it’s a constant job. Some help can go a long way. We’ve been on cruises with others that have a few people helping.

Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Holland America are the choices.

My wife is 63 years old and she thinks she can handle this. But for a whole week I know she would need help. This is an around the clock job.

Thanks for the info.

The disabilities cruises are too expensive so she is trying to do this on her own.

[spookwife]

they all do.   however,  Boston is rarely used as an embarkation port for all lines.  so if that is non negotiable,  the options are limited.  

 

you must contact  special needs  ahead of time and  request an interpreter( for shows, etc)  if one is provided, you may be obliged  to go by THEIR  schedule for which show is being signed.  

 

there are kits that can/will be installed  in the cabins for emergency purposes( flashy lights, etc)

 

when you say 'care for' what do  you mean?   just being deaf isn't really a reason to need a caregiver.  how does the deaf friend handle communicating with people when she has no one around to  interpret?  

[Bloodgem]

18 hours ago, spookwife said:

there are kits that can/will be installed  in the cabins for emergency purposes( flashy lights, etc)

On Royal Caribbean these kits can be installed for general use, if requested before sailing. They place a vibrating pad under the mattress to alert the guest to the phone ringing or someone knocking at the door.

I assume other lines may do the same.  

[Caribbean Chris]

Yes, but there are limits on services provided.

 

I am deaf/hearing impaired, (assisted by a hearing dog and use of a Cochlear implant  in recent years) and have had readily-offered help from Holland America Line with very good tech safety features in the stateroom. It’s important to notify the Accessibility Department in advance of your sailing date.

 

(There are also ships I’ve sailed that are getting much better at installing hearing loops or equivalent tech in theaters for people using telecoils with their Hearing aids and Cochlear implants, but that would not help a person who is profoundly deaf.)

 

I have read on this forum about passengers who successfully pre-arranged interpreters or CART captioning with a cruise line’s accessibility department well in advance. Talk with the chosen cruise line to understand exactly what services would be provided - in the public areas - to make the ship’s services accessible to the passenger.

 

But to address the main point you inquired about - cruise lines to my knowledge do not provide personal care services at their expense “around the clock” that you referred to. A passenger with any disability must be able to travel either independently or with the assistance of the travel companion(s) they bring along at their expense.  The cruiseline is not going to provide a free 24-hour companion who can sign to communicate with a deaf passenger in the stateroom and ashore.

 

Is the elderly mother able to assist the deaf passenger, or does she also need help? If the deaf friend and elderly mother could not travel together on a ship unassisted, it sounds as though they might need a paid caregiver/interpreter to share their stateroom at their expense, unless your wife is willing to assume that job.

[kokopelli-az]

Sign language interpretive services are available on Celebrity.   Take a look here:

https://www.celebritycruises.com/special-needs/accessibility/vision-and-hearing

Royal Caribbean offers the same service.

 

You can contact their access department for more specifics as to exactly what is provided and the cruise line does need to be advised ahead of time.

 

FYI:  contact information for Celebrity and Royal Caribbean:

To customize accommodations to meet your specific needs, please complete the special needs form.

For more information, contact our Access Department at (866) 592-7225 (voice), fax (954) 628-9622, send an e-mail to special_needs@celebrity.com, or have your local travel agent or international representative contact us. 

[Caribbean Chris]

Helpful links from Kokopelli. Note that Celebrity lists the major shipboard activities where requested ASL interpreters will be assisting, such as port talks, production shows, etc for all the deaf passengers on board. 

 

(But not personal interpreter services 24/7 for individuals.)

[Benthayer Gonbak]

On 1/18/2019 at 10:02 AM, Caribbean Chris said:

Helpful links from Kokopelli. Note that Celebrity lists the major shipboard activities where requested ASL interpreters will be assisting, such as port talks, production shows, etc for all the deaf passengers on board. 

 

(But not personal interpreter services 24/7 for individuals.)

I met a family traveling with their profoundly deaf parents, traveling in a separate room.  They told me that some of the venues they ended up signing for them and felt Celebrity ad not quite delivered what they promised.  The parents were active Nd regularly traveled around the ship as they did I assume at home.   I met them again the second day going to the buffer.  As we got in I forgot they were deaf and asked where they were going, he was near the buttons.  When I tapped him on the shoulder as his wife reminded me, by motioning they couldn’t hear, I pointed to the buttons.  He looked around and laughed, as we all did.  After that when I saw them getting in elevators he would push a button and then look at me and giggle!  

 

I believe they chose the buffet buffet because they could get what they wanted without help. The dining room would not have been fun alone.  Evenings were the whole family. 

 

Since we were across the hall one evening we came back following the family.  The 12 year old was talking loudly and Mom shhh’d him.  He naturally resisted saying grandma and grandpa can’t hear him to which I responded but I can from behind them.  Mom turned around and thanked me as she pointed out there were others and it was late.  Fun  family!   Glad to “hear” there are more people traveling. 

 

I can’t imagine needing 24/7 help for being deaf. 

 

Also learned from a Brit that signs are different.  Her friend read lips and spoke a bit iirc .  She certified translators too.  She traveled alone on some tours.  Saw and talked to her on several occasions but the long conversations were with her friend translating.  What a gem of a person too!  Both of them actually.