Rental electric wheelchair

[brillohead]

1 hour ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

I simply don’t understand why people would use a scooter on a ship if they don’t   have a physical need for it.

Again, you're still not understanding what I'm saying.  I'm gonna try one more time to get you to see what I'm talking about.

Someone CAN have a physical need for a scooter to walk longer distances, BUT NOT HAVE A NEED FOR AN ACCESSIBLE ROOM!

Someone with reduced cardiac output can have no orthopedic problems at all.  They can sit, stand, bend over, step up/down a stair, etc.  They can walk around in a room or even in a house with no problems.  They would have no need whatsoever for an accessible room... does that make sense?  They don't need a railing by the toilet, they don't need a flat threshold into the bathroom, etc.  No need for any accessible room features.  BUT -- they can't walk from one end of the ship to the other without stopping every 50-100 feet to rest... so they have a scooter.  

 

Their legs work, and their arms work.... but their heart doesn't work well enough.  (Or their lungs don't work well enough, or they're so anemic that their blood doesn't carry enough oxygen, or whatever.)  

Those people DO have a valid medical/physical reason for using a scooter on the ship.... but they do NOT have a valid need for an accessible room.  (Similarly, there are people who don't use a scooter or wheelchair at all, but do have a valid reason for getting an accessible room, such as knee/hip issues where they need the grab bars or zero-threshold bathroom entry.)

All I'm saying is that having a scooter doesn't mean you should take an accessible room out of inventory unless you ALSO have an actual need for the accessible features of the room.  

The only judgment you should be hearing in any of my posts is towards people who think that having a scooter means they should also get an accessible room just b/c they have a scooter, and rather than an actual need for the accessible features of the room.  

[Dancingnurse79]

2 hours ago, brillohead said:

Again, you're still not understanding what I'm saying.  I'm gonna try one more time to get you to see what I'm talking about.

Someone CAN have a physical need for a scooter to walk longer distances, BUT NOT HAVE A NEED FOR AN ACCESSIBLE ROOM!

Someone with reduced cardiac output can have no orthopedic problems at all.  They can sit, stand, bend over, step up/down a stair, etc.  They can walk around in a room or even in a house with no problems.  They would have no need whatsoever for an accessible room... does that make sense?  They don't need a railing by the toilet, they don't need a flat threshold into the bathroom, etc.  No need for any accessible room features.  BUT -- they can't walk from one end of the ship to the other without stopping every 50-100 feet to rest... so they have a scooter.  

 

Their legs work, and their arms work.... but their heart doesn't work well enough.  (Or their lungs don't work well enough, or they're so anemic that their blood doesn't carry enough oxygen, or whatever.)  

Those people DO have a valid medical/physical reason for using a scooter on the ship.... but they do NOT have a valid need for an accessible room.  (Similarly, there are people who don't use a scooter or wheelchair at all, but do have a valid reason for getting an accessible room, such as knee/hip issues where they need the grab bars or zero-threshold bathroom entry.)

All I'm saying is that having a scooter doesn't mean you should take an accessible room out of inventory unless you ALSO have an actual need for the accessible features of the room.  

The only judgment you should be hearing in any of my posts is towards people who think that having a scooter means they should also get an accessible room just b/c they have a scooter, and rather than an actual need for the accessible features of the room.  

I think we view scooter users differently. That’s fine. Truce. 

[brillohead]

16 hours ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

I think we view scooter users differently. That’s fine. Truce. 

I hope you have good luck finding accessible rooms for your mother to be able to cruise in.  

Not sure why you don't understand what does/does not meet criteria for needing special accommodations.  I'll just make sure to avoid St. Augustine so we don't ever have to work together. 

[Dancingnurse79]

2 hours ago, brillohead said:

I hope you have good luck finding accessible rooms for your mother to be able to cruise in.

The accessible rooms for the sailing I was looking at are already gone except for suites. This is going to be a difficult search.

[brillohead]

1 hour ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

The accessible rooms for the sailing I was looking at are already gone except for suites. This is going to be a difficult search.

This is why the entire discussion happened in the first place.  There's a very high probability that several of the people who took the accessible rooms have scooters but don't actually need an accessible room.  

(I'm not sure why you got the impression that I have some sort of grudge against scooter users.... my only grudge is against people who take an accessible room when they don't actually need the special features of the room.  If someone needs grab bars and a no-step bathroom, they absolutely should be allowed to get an accessible room.)

[molsonschooner]

11 minutes ago, brillohead said:

This is why the entire discussion happened in the first place.  There's a very high probability that several of the people who took the accessible rooms have scooters but don't actually need an accessible room.  

(I'm not sure why you got the impression that I have some sort of grudge against scooter users.... my only grudge is against people who take an accessible room when they don't actually need the special features of the room.  If someone needs grab bars and a no-step bathroom, they absolutely should be allowed to get an accessible room.)

I think there is a lot of confusion on this topic. For instance, my wife uses a scooter. When I mentioned this to a couple different TA's, they told me that we really need an accessible cabin. No questions asked by them as to what my wife's limitations are. We are booked into a standard balcony cabin this year. Another question that comes up often is, "will the scooter fit through the door". So many people comment that the scooter will not fit. You imply that the scooter will fit but so many other people talk about parking the scooter in the hallway, having the cabin steward park the scooter in an out of the way area at night then bring it back in the morning. Some other people mention that they have to break the scooter down to get it into the cabin, you say just take the arms off, very easy. I will say this, if I have to do anything more than easily remove arms to get the scooter inside, I will be getting an accessible cabin from now on. There seems to be a lot of confusion on this topic.

[CORKY_Q]

On 1/10/2020 at 10:11 PM, Dancingnurse79 said:

Sorry, but this still sounds judgy. I feel like if someone needs a scooter, they are some level of disabled and qualify for an accessible room.

 

I am 5'8" and weigh 155 pounds.  I look perfectly fit.  I cannot walk the ramp to get on the ship because of the incline and have difficulty walking any length at all.  (I am a lung cancer survivor and have had a portion of my left lung removed.) I sure do need a scooter, but I have no need for an accessible room.

 

I have a level of disability, but I do not qualify for an accessible room.

 

I wish you and your mother well as you prepare for your cruise.  

[brillohead]

17 minutes ago, molsonschooner said:

I think there is a lot of confusion on this topic. For instance, my wife uses a scooter. When I mentioned this to a couple different TA's, they told me that we really need an accessible cabin. No questions asked by them as to what my wife's limitations are. We are booked into a standard balcony cabin this year. Another question that comes up often is, "will the scooter fit through the door". So many people comment that the scooter will not fit. You imply that the scooter will fit but so many other people talk about parking the scooter in the hallway, having the cabin steward park the scooter in an out of the way area at night then bring it back in the morning. Some other people mention that they have to break the scooter down to get it into the cabin, you say just take the arms off, very easy. I will say this, if I have to do anything more than easily remove arms to get the scooter inside, I will be getting an accessible cabin from now on. There seems to be a lot of confusion on this topic.

As long as you don't have a super-wide bariatric scooter, it WILL fit through the door of a standard balcony room.  Taking off the armrests will make it even easier to fit through the doorway, but it can fit through even with the armrests on.  

You might want to pack a small doorstop in your luggage to make it easier -- just wedge the door open rather than trying to maneuver around the person holding the door open.  

You may want to ask your cabin attendant to remove the coffee table in front of the couch to give you more room to park in the room, too.  

Is it easier to get through a wider accessible room's door?  Of course.
Is it easier to turn around in a larger accessible room? Of course.
Is it NECESSARY to have an accessible room just because you have a scooter? Absolutely not.

[brillohead]

16 minutes ago, CORKY_Q said:

I am 5'8" and weigh 155 pounds.  I look perfectly fit.  I cannot walk the ramp to get on the ship because of the incline and have difficulty walking any length at all.  (I am a lung cancer survivor and have had a portion of my left lung removed.) I sure do need a scooter, but I have no need for an accessible room.

 

I have a level of disability, but I do not qualify for an accessible room.

Thank you for providing a perfect example of the concept I've been trying to explain but some people just don't seem to be able to wrap their brain around.  

It's absolutely a medical need for you to have a scooter, and it's absolutely not a medical need for you to have an accessible room, and I thank you for not taking one unnecessarily!

Can you also comment on the fact that the scooter DOES fit through the doorway of a standard room?

[molsonschooner]

1 minute ago, brillohead said:

As long as you don't have a super-wide bariatric scooter, it WILL fit through the door of a standard balcony room.  Taking off the armrests will make it even easier to fit through the doorway, but it can fit through even with the armrests on.  

You might want to pack a small doorstop in your luggage to make it easier -- just wedge the door open rather than trying to maneuver around the person holding the door open.  

You may want to ask your cabin attendant to remove the coffee table in front of the couch to give you more room to park in the room, too.  

Is it easier to get through a wider accessible room's door?  Of course.
Is it easier to turn around in a larger accessible room? Of course.
Is it NECESSARY to have an accessible room just because you have a scooter? Absolutely not.

thanks for the tip on the coffee table and the door stop.

[CORKY_Q]

1 minute ago, brillohead said:

Thank you for providing a perfect example of the concept I've been trying to explain but some people just don't seem to be able to wrap their brain around.  

It's absolutely a medical need for you to have a scooter, and it's absolutely not a medical need for you to have an accessible room, and I thank you for not taking one unnecessarily!

Can you also comment on the fact that the scooter DOES fit through the doorway of a standard room?

 

I have only rented "Standard" scooters and I can verify I have always been able to get them into the cabin.  (Even without removing the arm rests.)  I cannot, however, speak to whether the Heavy Duty or Bariatric will be able to enter the standard cabins.  

[Dancingnurse79]

1 hour ago, molsonschooner said:

I think there is a lot of confusion on this topic. For instance, my wife uses a scooter. When I mentioned this to a couple different TA's, they told me that we really need an accessible cabin. No questions asked by them as to what my wife's limitations are. We are booked into a standard balcony cabin this year. Another question that comes up often is, "will the scooter fit through the door". So many people comment that the scooter will not fit. You imply that the scooter will fit but so many other people talk about parking the scooter in the hallway, having the cabin steward park the scooter in an out of the way area at night then bring it back in the morning. Some other people mention that they have to break the scooter down to get it into the cabin, you say just take the arms off, very easy. I will say this, if I have to do anything more than easily remove arms to get the scooter inside, I will be getting an accessible cabin from now on. There seems to be a lot of confusion on this topic.

I think whether or not the scooter fits in the room will depend on the room/ship. I, personally, wouldn’t want the scooter in the room. They’re small enough as it is. But newer ships should have no issues with the doors being wide enough for scooters. 

Edited January 12, 2020 by Dancingnurse79

[brillohead]

54 minutes ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

But newer ships should have no issues with the doors being wide enough for scooters. 

I don't know what you consider to be a "newer" ship.  

Explorer of the Seas is 20 years old and a scooter fit through the door of a standard balcony room last month.

[Dancingnurse79]

43 minutes ago, brillohead said:

I don't know what you consider to be a "newer" ship.  

Explorer of the Seas is 20 years old and a scooter fit through the door of a standard balcony room last month.

I never said older ships would never fit scooters. I said newer ones would definitely fit them.

[brillohead]

15 minutes ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

I never said older ships would never fit scooters. I said newer ones would definitely fit them.

I don't know what your problem is with reading my posts -- most other people don't seem to have any problems with reading comprehension when it comes to what I say?  

I'd also be interested in what difference you think there is in ship age when it comes to the width of a door.  I can't say that my stateroom doors on Freedom or Oasis class ships were any wider than the ones on Explorer class ships, so I'm wondering what criteria you're using to make such an statement?

 

[Dancingnurse79]

16 minutes ago, brillohead said:

I don't know what your problem is with reading my posts -- most other people don't seem to have any problems with reading comprehension when it comes to what I say?  

I'd also be interested in what difference you think there is in ship age when it comes to the width of a door.  I can't say that my stateroom doors on Freedom or Oasis class ships were any wider than the ones on Explorer class ships, so I'm wondering what criteria you're using to make such an statement?

 

That’s funny, because I feel the same way. It’s ironic that your name is brillohead because I think you’re very abrasive. This is not the first thread you and I have clashed on. I think it’s best we ignore each other. 

[helen haywood]

I did a search for “scooter” and found this thread.  Quick question for those using scooters, (my first time) can you push or pull the scooter when entering or leaving the cabin?  I have a walking boot.  (I am not in an accessible cabin.)  I’m trying to picture how to enter or leave by myself if I’m not riding the scooter...

[brillohead]

1 hour ago, helen haywood said:

I did a search for “scooter” and found this thread.  Quick question for those using scooters, (my first time) can you push or pull the scooter when entering or leaving the cabin?  I have a walking boot.  (I am not in an accessible cabin.)  I’m trying to picture how to enter or leave by myself if I’m not riding the scooter...

As I mentioned above, bring a little wedge doorstop and prop the door open, then drive through while seated, then retrieve the door stop.   (Many cabin attendants even have a ribbon "leash" attached to their doorstop, so they can yank it out without having to stop and bend over.)

[helen haywood]

I don’t remember the clearance of the cabin door to hallway floor on Celebrity Equinox.  I was looking at door stops.  You think the basic one you linked to is tall enough?  I thought maybe I needed an adjustable one.  I know it seems I’m overthinking this...but I want to enjoy my cruise and I’ve never used a scooter.  So I really appreciate all the help I’ve gotten!

[brillohead]

50 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

I don’t remember the clearance of the cabin door to hallway floor on Celebrity Equinox.  I was looking at door stops.  You think the basic one you linked to is tall enough?  I thought maybe I needed an adjustable one.  I know it seems I’m overthinking this...but I want to enjoy my cruise and I’ve never used a scooter.  So I really appreciate all the help I’ve gotten!

Every Royal Caribbean ship I've ever been on, the room stewards used standard doorstops.  I can't imagine Celebrity's doors have a larger gap than that -- people would be complaining about there being too much noise/light coming through from the hallway.