Just returned from cruise - don't get it...

Actually, I have stayed in a handicapped room, which was made available because
no handicapped guest booked it. The same logic applies here....if O is not
filling cabins, would they rather have me, a paying customer, or leave it go
empty??


And if handicapped rooms are supposed to be set aside for handicapped people,
yet you want the cabin for the extra room it provides, I suppose you think it
would be OK for you to book one of those, too?

Actually, I have stayed in a handicapped room, which was made available because
no handicapped guest booked it. The same logic applies here....if O is not
filling cabins, would they rather have me, a paying customer, or leave it go
empty??


And if handicapped rooms are supposed to be set aside for handicapped people,
yet you want the cabin for the extra room it provides, I suppose you think it
would be OK for you to book one of those, too?

I believe most of the cruiselines require a letter from the handicapped
person's doctor before a handicap access cabin is confirmed.

This is as it should be, as there is definitely a shortage of rooms that
will accommodate a scooter or electric wheelchair.

We routinely forward a letter from Barb's doctor and have not been refused a
"handicap" so far. It would be extremely selfish for an able-bodied
passenger to even request one of these rooms just for the additional space,
and I think that ALL the cruiselines should monitor the persons using these
few cabins.

Tobieon an Island in the Pacific

"JEFFCOUD" wrote in message
...
Actually, I have stayed in a handicapped room, which was made available
because
no handicapped guest booked it. The same logic applies here....if O is
not
filling cabins, would they rather have me, a paying customer, or leave it
go
empty??


And if handicapped rooms are supposed to be set aside for handicapped
people,
yet you want the cabin for the extra room it provides, I suppose you
think it
would be OK for you to book one of those, too?

I believe most of the cruiselines require a letter from the handicapped
person's doctor before a handicap access cabin is confirmed.

This is as it should be, as there is definitely a shortage of rooms that
will accommodate a scooter or electric wheelchair.

We routinely forward a letter from Barb's doctor and have not been refused a
"handicap" so far. It would be extremely selfish for an able-bodied
passenger to even request one of these rooms just for the additional space,
and I think that ALL the cruiselines should monitor the persons using these
few cabins.

Tobieon an Island in the Pacific

"JEFFCOUD" wrote in message
...
Actually, I have stayed in a handicapped room, which was made available
because
no handicapped guest booked it. The same logic applies here....if O is
not
filling cabins, would they rather have me, a paying customer, or leave it
go
empty??


And if handicapped rooms are supposed to be set aside for handicapped
people,
yet you want the cabin for the extra room it provides, I suppose you
think it
would be OK for you to book one of those, too?

I couldn't agree with you more, Tobie, except to say that the more accurate
industry term used to describe the staterooms set aside for people who need to
use motorized transportation to get around is "wheelchair-accessible".

"SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FORM"

Holland America, for example, has some cabins with asterisks shown on the deck
plans which are for people with limited mobility (perhaps disabling arthritis,
as just one example) who might need a shower instead of a bathtub and/or a
raised toilet. Those cabins are not larger, and they do not require a "Special
Requirements Form" (HAL's own term for this form). As I understand it, anyone
can book the cabins with showers instead of tubs (and raised toilet seats,
etc.) if they want or need those facilities.

However, the larger wheelchair-accessible staterooms are intended for
wheelchair users ONLY (and I am guessing that motorized scooters fit in this
category, though I am not certain) DO require that prospective occupants fill
out and send in the "SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FORM" along with or soon after
booking, and certainly prior to sailing EXCEPT in ONE situation: if a cruiser
books a "guarantee cabin" in the category which includes a
wheelchair-accessible cabin and one of those cabins is still vacant at the time
the computer assigns cabins, which I was told is 7-10 days prior to sailing,
then the computer randomly assigns passengers in the guarantee category, and
able-bodied passengers can and do get assigned to that cabin. I think random
assignment of leftover cabins is a good solution, or perhaps the cruise line
could simply auction off the leftover larger cabins at the pier, just
so these space hogs would have to get to the dock early, stand in line and bid
against others for the extra space they crave.

People who can walk, regardless of whether they or their partner may have some
arthritis or are on crutches (or have a variety of other health issues that
many of us have either temporarily or permanently) do not qualify as passengers
in need of or eligible for wheelchair-accessible staterooms. Speaking for
myself, I have cruised on crutches before when I had a temporary injury and I
didn't ask for—nor would it have even occurred to me to ask for or seek
out—special treatment.

As you said, Tobie, "It would be extremely selfish for an able-bodied
passenger to even request one of these rooms just for the additional space,
and I think that ALL the cruiselines should monitor the persons using these
few cabins."

I hope that others will contribute to this topic and share their experience.


"Tobie Gerbrandt" wrote:

I believe most of the cruiselines require a letter from the handicapped
person's doctor before a handicap access cabin is confirmed.

This is as it should be, as there is definitely a shortage of rooms that
will accommodate a scooter or electric wheelchair.

We routinely forward a letter from Barb's doctor and have not been refused
a "handicap" so far. It would be extremely selfish for an able-bodied
passenger to even request one of these rooms just for the additional space,
and I think that ALL the cruiselines should monitor the persons using these
few cabins.

Tobieon an Island in the Pacific

"JEFFCOUD" wrote in message
...
Actually, I have stayed in a handicapped room, which was made available
because
no handicapped guest booked it. The same logic applies here....if O is
not
filling cabins, would they rather have me, a paying customer, or leave
it
go
empty??


And if handicapped rooms are supposed to be set aside for handicapped
people,
yet you want the cabin for the extra room it provides, I suppose you
think it
would be OK for you to book one of those, too?

I couldn't agree with you more, Tobie, except to say that the more accurate
industry term used to describe the staterooms set aside for people who need to
use motorized transportation to get around is "wheelchair-accessible".

"SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FORM"

Holland America, for example, has some cabins with asterisks shown on the deck
plans which are for people with limited mobility (perhaps disabling arthritis,
as just one example) who might need a shower instead of a bathtub and/or a
raised toilet. Those cabins are not larger, and they do not require a "Special
Requirements Form" (HAL's own term for this form). As I understand it, anyone
can book the cabins with showers instead of tubs (and raised toilet seats,
etc.) if they want or need those facilities.

However, the larger wheelchair-accessible staterooms are intended for
wheelchair users ONLY (and I am guessing that motorized scooters fit in this
category, though I am not certain) DO require that prospective occupants fill
out and send in the "SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FORM" along with or soon after
booking, and certainly prior to sailing EXCEPT in ONE situation: if a cruiser
books a "guarantee cabin" in the category which includes a
wheelchair-accessible cabin and one of those cabins is still vacant at the time
the computer assigns cabins, which I was told is 7-10 days prior to sailing,
then the computer randomly assigns passengers in the guarantee category, and
able-bodied passengers can and do get assigned to that cabin. I think random
assignment of leftover cabins is a good solution, or perhaps the cruise line
could simply auction off the leftover larger cabins at the pier, just
so these space hogs would have to get to the dock early, stand in line and bid
against others for the extra space they crave.

People who can walk, regardless of whether they or their partner may have some
arthritis or are on crutches (or have a variety of other health issues that
many of us have either temporarily or permanently) do not qualify as passengers
in need of or eligible for wheelchair-accessible staterooms. Speaking for
myself, I have cruised on crutches before when I had a temporary injury and I
didn't ask for—nor would it have even occurred to me to ask for or seek
out—special treatment.

As you said, Tobie, "It would be extremely selfish for an able-bodied
passenger to even request one of these rooms just for the additional space,
and I think that ALL the cruiselines should monitor the persons using these
few cabins."

I hope that others will contribute to this topic and share their experience.


"Tobie Gerbrandt" wrote:

I believe most of the cruiselines require a letter from the handicapped
person's doctor before a handicap access cabin is confirmed.

This is as it should be, as there is definitely a shortage of rooms that
will accommodate a scooter or electric wheelchair.

We routinely forward a letter from Barb's doctor and have not been refused
a "handicap" so far. It would be extremely selfish for an able-bodied
passenger to even request one of these rooms just for the additional space,
and I think that ALL the cruiselines should monitor the persons using these
few cabins.

Tobieon an Island in the Pacific

"JEFFCOUD" wrote in message
...
Actually, I have stayed in a handicapped room, which was made available
because
no handicapped guest booked it. The same logic applies here....if O is
not
filling cabins, would they rather have me, a paying customer, or leave
it
go
empty??


And if handicapped rooms are supposed to be set aside for handicapped
people,
yet you want the cabin for the extra room it provides, I suppose you
think it
would be OK for you to book one of those, too?

When we got the handicapped cabin it was an upgrade to a new
location....got it in the 7-10 day out range. We did not request it,
but it was unbooked and apparently unneeded, so they put us there. It
was nice to have the extra room of course, but it was right under the
outdoor cafe upstairs....so chair scraping noises at various points in
the day! Although....they did have the classical guitarist guy playing
out there at night during cigar time, and that was extremely pleasant to
listen to out on our balcony. The cabin below us (these were aft cabins
on the Millennium by the way) was occupied by a couple, also not
handicapped, who turned out to be our tablemates. Actually, they were
our tablemates first and I happened to be out on the balcony a few days
into the cruise, looked down, and there were our tablemates, it was
quite funny. Very nice retired couple from Florida.

Jeff


RTCReferee wrote:
As you said, Tobie, "It would be extremely selfish for an able-bodied
passenger to even request one of these rooms just for the additional space,
and I think that ALL the cruiselines should monitor the persons using these
few cabins."

When we got the handicapped cabin it was an upgrade to a new
location....got it in the 7-10 day out range. We did not request it,
but it was unbooked and apparently unneeded, so they put us there. It
was nice to have the extra room of course, but it was right under the
outdoor cafe upstairs....so chair scraping noises at various points in
the day! Although....they did have the classical guitarist guy playing
out there at night during cigar time, and that was extremely pleasant to
listen to out on our balcony. The cabin below us (these were aft cabins
on the Millennium by the way) was occupied by a couple, also not
handicapped, who turned out to be our tablemates. Actually, they were
our tablemates first and I happened to be out on the balcony a few days
into the cruise, looked down, and there were our tablemates, it was
quite funny. Very nice retired couple from Florida.

Jeff


RTCReferee wrote:
As you said, Tobie, "It would be extremely selfish for an able-bodied
passenger to even request one of these rooms just for the additional space,
and I think that ALL the cruiselines should monitor the persons using these
few cabins."

When we got the handicapped cabin it was an upgrade to a new
location....got it in the 7-10 day out range. We did not request it,
but it was unbooked and apparently unneeded, so they put us there. It
was nice to have the extra room of course, but it was right under the
outdoor cafe upstairs....so chair scraping noises at various points in
the day! Although....they did have the classical guitarist guy playing
out there at night during cigar time, and that was extremely pleasant to
listen to out on our balcony. The cabin below us (these were aft cabins
on the Millennium by the way) was occupied by a couple, also not
handicapped, who turned out to be our tablemates. Actually, they were
our tablemates first and I happened to be out on the balcony a few days
into the cruise, looked down, and there were our tablemates, it was
quite funny. Very nice retired couple from Florida.

Jeff


RTCReferee wrote:
As you said, Tobie, "It would be extremely selfish for an able-bodied
passenger to even request one of these rooms just for the additional space,
and I think that ALL the cruiselines should monitor the persons using these
few cabins."

When we got the handicapped cabin it was an upgrade to a new
location....got it in the 7-10 day out range. We did not request it,
but it was unbooked and apparently unneeded, so they put us there. It
was nice to have the extra room of course, but it was right under the
outdoor cafe upstairs....so chair scraping noises at various points in
the day! Although....they did have the classical guitarist guy playing
out there at night during cigar time, and that was extremely pleasant to
listen to out on our balcony. The cabin below us (these were aft cabins
on the Millennium by the way) was occupied by a couple, also not
handicapped, who turned out to be our tablemates. Actually, they were
our tablemates first and I happened to be out on the balcony a few days
into the cruise, looked down, and there were our tablemates, it was
quite funny. Very nice retired couple from Florida.

Jeff


RTCReferee wrote:
As you said, Tobie, "It would be extremely selfish for an able-bodied
passenger to even request one of these rooms just for the additional space,
and I think that ALL the cruiselines should monitor the persons using these
few cabins."