CC encouraging AB to book disabled cabins?

[Strawberryflds]

http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/review_page2.cfm?ShipID=127#dining

 

Hi all..I was just reading a review on the Volendam. I was gobsmacked to read that if a disabled room hasnt been booked, than it should be snatched up due to its size. (words to that effect)

 

Does anyone else see how this statement in the above link is so wrong? If you scroll down to where it mentions about cabins, you will find it.

[Strawberryflds]

"Hint 2: Those who are going for an inside cabin should try to book either 2555 or 2554, on Main Deck. Guests who are wheelchair-bound get first dibs, but if either one is open, grab it. They are huge and they feel more like a hotel room than a cruise ship cabin. "

[Arwenmark]

Doesn't say who wrote the article but they should be ashamed of themselves.

 

Hopefully the powers here on the board will get them to edit the review.

[kitty9]

If this was written by a Cruise Critic board host or by anyone employed by CC, they should be fired immediately. Advising anyone to grab an accessible cabin is totally wrong and shameful. This review, and any other review of this sort, should be removed immediately and the author should be sanctioned.

[Putterdude]

This review, and any other review of this sort, should be removed immediately and the author should be sanctioned.

 

Couldn't agreed more!!!!

[Strawberryflds]

Are there moderators for this board that can report this? If not I will be sending an email and encourage others to do so as well. Shameful and disappointing in this day and age.

[CC Help Michell]

Are there moderators for this board that can report this? If not I will be sending an email and encourage others to do so as well. Shameful and disappointing in this day and age.

 

Hit the triangle in the corner of any post on this thread to report it. There's also a web address linked at the top of most pages here -- community@cruise.critic.com -- I'd think that would be the one for this issue (and I agree -- it IS an issue, ESPECIALLY as the CC reviewer apparently doesn't understand that HAL does NOT "save" these cabins to give HC people "first dibs", just as most other cruiselines don't).

[LauraS]

Hi there!

 

I've brought your concerns to the attention of our editors; stay tuned for an update.

 

Laura

[Strawberryflds]

Thankyou Laura. I also reported the thread.

[QLUVS2CRUZ]

OK I totally see what you are saying, but is it the wording that is bothersome or that the reviewer is saying to book a disabled room? If it is about booking the disabled room, does HAL let people book these rooms but then reserve the right to move them if a disabled person needs the room? I don't know how that works.

[uppitycats]

OK I totally see what you are saying, but is it the wording that is bothersome or that the reviewer is saying to book a disabled room? If it is about booking the disabled room, does HAL let people book these rooms but then reserve the right to move them if a disabled person needs the room? I don't know how that works.

 

HAL, and most of the cruise lines -- book a cabin to whoever has the $$ to book it. They'll say they try to screen folks and only book an accessible cabin to someone who really qualifies for it...but the reality suggests that they, and most of the others, only do this on a "hit or miss" basis. Sometimes they'll check, most of the time they won't. And they'll always say, "We'll move you if someone comes along who needs an accessible cabin", but that happens so rarely it's hardly worth noting.

 

Note that most of us here have no complaints at all with the cruise line waiting until near the end of their cruise booking -- a month or 6 weeks out -- to release handicap-accessible cabins for whoever comes along. It would be idea if they kept them "forever", but we're also realists, and good business practices mean they need to sail with as full a ship as possible.

 

But travel agents will book these cabins for favored clients (as they're bigger, more spacious, for the same money as other cabins of their "class"). And people will book them who don't really need them. Since there are so few such cabins available, it means that those of us who truly need these cabins have to book as much as a year or more out from when we intend to cruise, to assure we can get one. We can't take advantage of last-minute specials, as these cabins don't exist "last minute".

 

So it really is reprehensible (in my not-so-humble-opinion) to have someone on Cruise Critic suggest to people that they should "snatch up" these cabins, under any circumstances. But maybe that's just me. :o

[elsje]

http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/review_page2.cfm?ShipID=127#dining

 

Hi all..I was just reading a review on the Volendam. I was gobsmacked to read that if a disabled room hasnt been booked, than it should be snatched up due to its size. (words to that effect)

 

Does anyone else see how this statement in the above link is so wrong? If you scroll down to where it mentions about cabins, you will find it.

 

It is absolutely wrong. It should read that those cabins are for disabled only! Someone needs to strike that sentence from this review!

[kitty9]

OK I totally see what you are saying, but is it the wording that is bothersome or that the reviewer is saying to book a disabled room? If it is about booking the disabled room, does HAL let people book these rooms but then reserve the right to move them if a disabled person needs the room? I don't know how that works.

 

What happens is, once a cabin is booked, it's removed from inventory, and there's no way for anyone to know if an HC cabin is booked by an able bodied person or a disabled person. So, if all the cabins are booked early by those not needing them, anyone who really needs that kind of cabin is shut out. The cruise line will not move anyone from an HC cabin because like I said, once they're booked, no one knows the disabled from the able bodied.

[PaulC29]

I just booked a cruise for the first week in Feb 2010 on Costa Atlantica and it supposedly only has 8 hc cabins on the ship 4 were sold out already. Now I was on MSC this past Feb we booked in June and got a cabin no problem however it had 12 hc cabins and I being a snoop wrote out which cabins are hc and found out only 3 of the 12 were actually in need of the cabin 2 couples flat out admitted they booked the hc cabin because they liked having more space but didn't want to upgrade to a suite for the extra $$$ I personally don't need the space but my travel companion does he's in a wheelchair full time and we both are rather shocked at how fast hc cabins are snatched up within days of the tickets becoming available, although I guess this is a good idea to do since there is such a limited amount to book a year in advance and not wait until 3-6 months prior and just hope to get a hc cabin as we did with MSC.

[ansjefitnes]

Hi All,

 

I agree totally that it is very shamefull for AB body persons to want and book such a cabin just for the space. My husband is in wheelchair but still can walk a bit and we don't need or book a HC cabin. If people want more space than book a AB bigger cabin or suite!!! If you don't want to spend more money book a regular one but don't take a HC cabin away from somebody who needs it. Last year I asked my TA about regulations for a HC cabin and overhere (Holland) you have to fill in forms to prove you need it. I think that's much better than just let anybody book those cabins without any prove they need it.

 

Best regards,

 

Maria

[CC Help Michell]

As a follow up, I went to read the linked review from the original post this evening and I could just be tired or missing it, but I believe some editing has occurred. Thank you, CC. (and if I'm tired and just missed it, well, oops! )

[Arwenmark]

No you didn't miss it, I received an email in reply to my email to CC about it saying that bit would be removed.

Thank you CC.

[Chacooe]

When I booked my cruise on the Splendor for next January, Carnival does not advertise the HC rooms anymore, you have to ask for one and before they even take your money, they have to talk to someone in the department that handles taking care of handicapped passengers. They ask you all kinds of questions and if they feel you do not need the cabin, you do not get it, but then to, if they feel the cabin that the PVP has picked it not right, they will tell you which ones are. They then send you a packet of forms to fill out and send back. I was told that they are trying to weed out the people that do not need them so just handicapped people will get them.

[Arwenmark]

When I booked my cruise on the Splendor for next January, Carnival does not advertise the HC rooms anymore, you have to ask for one and before they even take your money, they have to talk to someone in the department that handles taking care of handicapped passengers. They ask you all kinds of questions and if they feel you do not need the cabin, you do not get it, but then to, if they feel the cabin that the PVP has picked it not right, they will tell you which ones are. They then send you a packet of forms to fill out and send back. I was told that they are trying to weed out the people that do not need them so just handicapped people will get them.

 

 

There are only certain questions they CAN legally ask you. They cannot require medical proof of your condition etc.

 

That is the two edged sword that the ADA gives us. It gives us rights, that we need but it also makes it easy for people to cheat, as much as I hate people cheating, I am not prepared to give up my rights and leave such questions of who "qualifies" up to the provider.

 

Some of the lines do what they can initially to make it more difficult for just anybody to book without outright lying, but once it is booked they won't go back and require proof or ask if you REALLY REALLY need it because they have someone else they think does.

 

and if someone who DOES need it books it and then cancels it goes right back into regular stock. NONE of the lines has a provision for putting it back into special service inventory.