Walking sticks and P&O

[yorkshirephil]

4 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

I have just had a 40 minute call from P&O in which I had to go detail by detail into the use of the walking stick, ability to walk, when my husband may not be able to walk etc.  I've spent most of that time being told it is a new requirement in the past month that every single person using a walking stick MUST fill in the form regardless of previous boarding not requiring such a form.

 

When I explained they were asking me to foretell the future as if we knew when a bad day might occur we would be extremely happy, the guy said although sympathetic he did feel we would have some idea! So fortune telling it is.

 

He could not grasp why I could not provide the full details he asked for in the section regarding hidden disabilities.  

 

Once again I was told the old form originally completed was overridden by the online one and I should fill it in.  He said he could see my emails but they did not suffice as an explanation.  I then informed him I've filled in two online forms via my Cruise Personaliser and yet when following up with the requested email detailing the hidden disabilities just received emails saying fill in the form. I'm afraid I rather sarcastically asked if they want me to do this every day until we sail as that's how often the condition can change.

 

At this point he spoke to senior management ... 5 minutes passed and then, yes you guessed it ... fill out the form.

 

On the subject of tender test I'm told my husband will be invited to a room to conduct this in private.  

 

It's been left that he will speak to the assistance team and ask them to confirm in writing that they have noted the situation. I'm to expect another call, probably tomorrow.

 

So  basically EVERY person using a walking stick (which they insist on calling a mobility aid) IS REQUIRED  to complete the form.

 

Meantime my OH, the movement impaired guest as P&O called him, is busy running around the rugby pitch for 80 minutes ... 

Jeez. 

[purplesea]

This reminds me of the health questionaire post covid about coughs!!

[yorkshirephil]

5 minutes ago, purplesea said:

This reminds me of the health questionaire post covid about coughs!!

My thoughts too, and look how that ended for some people, especially when they were being honest.

[Megabear2]

Interestingly nothing from Cunard and I filled their forms in on the same day (x2), emailed the same explanation etc and yet the same team is responsible for the collation of information.  No doubt I've got that pleasure to come, but so far nothing.

[david63]

Having just had a look at the form I am not convinced that it does not break the Equality Act. There is a section about Hidden Disabilities where you are asked what the disability is but there is no option to say that you do not wish to disclose said disability. Under the Equality Act nobody can force you to state what disability you have - but you can volunteer that information.

 

The form should, in my opinion, ask what assistance you require and not what the disability is thus allowing somebody else to decide what assistance you require. The vast majority of people with a disability are quite capable of making their own decisions.

[Winifred 22]

1 hour ago, Son of Anarchy said:

When we were on Aurora in September we had two tender ports.

 

All passengers included those who could walk without any aids had to do the tender assessment en-route to the tender station..

 

It comprised of have to step over two lines 18 inches apart.

Cunard did the same in May.  Everyone wishing to use tender had to take test no one was being singled out. 

[Megabear2]

23 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

Cunard did the same in May.  Everyone wishing to use tender had to take test no one was being singled out. 

Were they invited to a room? All persons on my previous cruises did the test at boarding, discretely.  I'm now told an invite to a room will occur so being singled out so to speak.  The P&O cruise isn't even scheduled for a tender which is even more annoying. I'm all for safety but not singling people out.  I'm very overweight, get very out of breath on stairs as I've lived in a bungalow for 20 years, I'd say I'm more of a problem on stairs as I'm slow and need to rest regularly. They can't ask me about that though as it's discrimination yet I am most likely a hindrance to others over my husband.

Edited November 14, 2023 by Megabear2

[Winifred 22]

No room it was just on the way to tender it might have been at the  entrance to the theatre where we had to wait.  I don’t  remember but if you wanted a ticket for the tender you had to do it. I think it was a mat and there was another one by the tender. The steps were quite steep I remember down to the tender platform. 

[CarlaMarie]

We did the step test on both Oceana and Arcadia when we needed the tender, but this was done just before we got on one.

[Megabear2]

9 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said:

We did the step test on both Oceana and Arcadia when we needed the tender, but this was done just before we got on one.

No problem with any of that as it's everyone.

[CarlaMarie]

30 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

No problem with any of that as it's everyone.

 

If I recall rightly, I think there used to be a notice in the Horizon inviting anyone who has mobility issues to try the step test in one of the theatres before the tender port.

 

I cannot understand why your husband has to go and prove that he can, especially where you have declared he doesn't need any assistance. 

[heatherb1958]

We have had 3 of these e.mails  for Ventura in 3 weeks , Iona for New year then Arvia next March . 

I have given in to the bullying nature of them and completed the questionnaire for my husband .

He does use a walking  stick but can manage the stairs  much better than I who is over weight and asthmatic . He said P&O are using a sledgehammer to crack a nut with the way they are handling this .

 

 

Edit : on Arcadia in July when picking up a tender ticket you had to prove you could step over 2 lines that were placed on the floor in tape completely unaided . At the tender area there were another 2 lines for you to repeat the process again.

 

Edited November 14, 2023 by heatherb1958

[Megabear2]

30 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said:

 

If I recall rightly, I think there used to be a notice in the Horizon inviting anyone who has mobility issues to try the step test in one of the theatres before the tender port.

 

I cannot understand why your husband has to go and prove that he can, especially where you have declared he doesn't need any assistance. 

New rules I'm told. It will be a mess, I doubt many will like the idea.  I was told it would make him feel less uncomfortable.  

 

I don't think they've any idea what they are saying or doing and are making it up on the hoof.  I shall see what the actual accessibility team say before anything else happens. I'm very cross as its all totally unnecessary but I'm not going to lose anymore sleep over it.

[david63]

2 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

I'm now told an invite to a room will occur so being singled out so to speak.

If that is only for passengers with either an actual or a perceived disability then it is in breach of the Equality Act. If all passengers have to go to a room to do the test then that is OK

[terrierjohn]

50 minutes ago, david63 said:

If that is only for passengers with either an actual or a perceived disability then it is in breach of the Equality Act. If all passengers have to go to a room to do the test then that is OK

Personally, although it is my wife who has the disability, I don't have any issue with the step test, wherever it is done. What I do have an issue with, is why don't all cruise ships have the same switchback ramp facility for tender boarding that Independence of the seas has, as well as using shoreside tenders with roll on roll off facilities. That way there is no need at all for a step test, because everybody, including electric scooters and chairs get to go ashore.

[Trevor Fountain]

Do I need to declare the use of a shoe horn?

[Snow Hill]

10 hours ago, david63 said:

If that is only for passengers with either an actual or a perceived disability then it is in breach of the Equality Act. If all passengers have to go to a room to do the test then that is OK

Some parts of the Equality Act don’t apply to ships including cruise ships.

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/maritime-passenger-rights-your-journey

[david63]

27 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

Some parts of the Equality Act don’t apply to ships including cruise ships.

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/maritime-passenger-rights-your-journey

There is nothing that I can see in those rights that overrides anything in the Equality Act, all they are doing is enhancing disabled rights.

[david63]

9 hours ago, Trevor Fountain said:

Do I need to declare the use of a shoe horn?

If the need to use a shoe horn is due to some mobility issue then probably.

 

(Yes I know it was sarcastic!)

[Megabear2]

10 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

Personally, although it is my wife who has the disability, I don't have any issue with the step test, wherever it is done. What I do have an issue with, is why don't all cruise ships have the same switchback ramp facility for tender boarding that Independence of the seas has, as well as using shoreside tenders with roll on roll off facilities. That way there is no need at all for a step test, because everybody, including electric scooters and chairs get to go ashore.

We have no problem with a step test.  What we dislike is the idea that despite saying we need no assistance he apparently is going to be made to prove it separately not as an ordinary passenger would be. 

 

The completing of an online form and having some administrative person sitting judging what is effectively a tick box exercise resulting in my husband being singled out as a "risk" and being asked to prove himself is verging on humiliating.  Being informed he most likely will be invited to go to a room to be "judged" on his ability to step over whatever obstacles they have set up is the cause of the problem.

 

While having every sympathy that people are abusing the system and P&O want to stamp it out, choosing to cause stress and upset for people who have actually done exactly as requested by filling in the required form and providing a full explanation as per the "Other" tickbox is not going to weed out the abusers but simply upset someone who has been honest and explained in the fullest way possible why they may or may not take a simple walking stick in their suitcase.

 

 

[Cathygh]

On Arcadia in August everyone was asked to do the tender test when they got their ticket. The loyalty cuise manager was in charge. It was the first time I had seen this on P&O, I had seen it on Cunard pre pandemic. On Cunard a customer kicked off big time as he had to collect his ticket in person and take the test. It was explained that someone had died when they fell between the ship and the tender, hence everyone had to take the test, no excuses. 

I can understand that some people would want to take the test in private, but at the end of the day all us should take the test, for own own safety.

[yorkshirephil]

11 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

We have no problem with a step test.  What we dislike is the idea that despite saying we need no assistance he apparently is going to be made to prove it separately not as an ordinary passenger would be. 

 

I am fairly confident this will not happen, in 30 years of cruising I have never known or heard of anyone being segregated from the herd to do the stepover test. I could imagine someone asking if they could do it privately to ensure they could do it so that they were not turned around while in full view of departing guests. I can also understand your husbands view.

 

I don't think the Nordic pole walkers association will be to happy with the new rules😁

[Megabear2]

36 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

I am fairly confident this will not happen, in 30 years of cruising I have never known or heard of anyone being segregated from the herd to do the stepover test. I could imagine someone asking if they could do it privately to ensure they could do it so that they were not turned around while in full view of departing guests. I can also understand your husbands view.

 

I don't think the Nordic pole walkers association will be to happy with the new rules😁

This isn't apparently being separated from the herd per se.  This will be an "invite" on boarding to be at "x" at "y" time, a bit like those who fail to complete or miss muster are issued with, or at least that's what yesterday's caller informed me. This was apparently to calm my husband's upset at being "singled out".

 

Actually on the subject of tender tests, many times I have travelled with either my mother or my auntie, one on a walking stick the other ending up in a wheelchair.  Excursions are always booked rather than just taking a tender.  Apart from the "observation" on the way and at the loading bay neither of these ladies ever took a dedicated "tender test".  I have sailed with these ladies on P&O, Cunard and Princess, the last time with my auntie on Princess and P&O last year. I assume reading Cathygh's comment above that those on excursions are now doing a "proper" test at the meeting point or is it only those picking up tender tickets as individuals.

Edited November 15, 2023 by Megabear2

[david63]

12 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

This will be an "invite" on boarding to be at "x" at "y" time

And what happens if one declines the "invite"?

[terrierjohn]

8 minutes ago, david63 said:

And what happens if one declines the "invite"?

I assume that you would not be permitted to use the tender.