I know any of the "Voyager" series are GREAT, and it looks like Freedom of the Seas is coming out, so I'm sure it will bbe accessable as well. I would say, any ship built by RCI or Celebrity after 2000 are good to go. I was on Mariner of the Seas (RCI) and Millenium (Celebrity). I would ask a really experienced travel agent. If you go to my website http://360.yahoo.com/jennincincy and look at the photos on the far right and select Western Caribbean you can see pictures of our cabin. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective...lol!) you'll have to look through all our trip pics, but it'll give you a good perspective I think. Now, we got a Jr Suite, so our room is VERY large, but that's just one step up from a regular stateroom. Hope this helps!
It has been reprinted a numner of times, but it's fairly indicitive of what you will find on any RCI Voyager class ship.
The Monarch is really old and retrofitted -- I would not actually recommend it. You need to look for newer ships -- constructed since 2000 for the *best* access.
Candy Harrington
Editor, Emerging Horizons
***edited to remove commercial link*** -- the only magazine about accessible travel
I have never posted on a site before, but I have to say that you are all very helpful.
As background, my husband has MD and most of the time walks around fine with a cane (just in case). As he puts it, "People probably just think I'm an overweight, clumsy man." It irks me when people give him looks, but at the same point if I see someone using a handicapped facility who might not need it, I get frustrated if he suffers from lack of facilities. That being said, I can see both sides of the issue - meaning the giving of the looks and the receiving of them and why people need to just be understanding. If you need a facility - use it. If not, have the courtesy to make sure someone else does not need it.
Now, as far as cruises go, I have never been on one before and the only reason we can afford this one is b/c someone gave it to us. The only thing is the room classification is set. Apparently, there are only 25 handicapped staterooms aboard the Carnival Victory - and none that are in our classification. While he does not need a wheelchair, I asked for grab bars in the shower. I was told that there was one - only to discover that their version of a grab bar is an 8" washcloth bar. We don't want a seat in the shower (as this would just trip him up), but it would be nice if they had the different options available as someone mentioned earlier in the post. Some training for people as to what to do with someone with a disability that isn't wheelchair bound might be helpful too. (I often get the "If he's not in a wheelchair, then he's not disabled." treatment.)
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My DH and I went on a Disney cruise and had a regular cabin. We found it almost impossible to squeeze through the bathroom door - once we thought we were going to need to call for help. Next time we booked a handicap room. Just because we are able to walk does not mean we do ot need a handicap room.
The cruiseline paperwork asks everyone whether they have a medical disability. If you answer, 'yes' of course they will want to know about your disability. They want to be sure they can accommodate you and they want you to know what to expect from them. Answer the forms honestly because they're for your benefit.
Believe it or not, the people who refuse to fill out the forms because they think they're too intrusive are the same ones who complain when they get on board and discover they're limited because of their disability.
Case in point: A few years ago a passenger on a cruise required a wheelchair; but didn't bring one. He expected to get one on board and also expected there would be a crew member available at all times to push him around in it. Needless to say, his cruise activity was limited.
Sadly it has come to the time when my husband needs a handicapped cabin and there are none available, even ten months ahead of time. The reason I'm bring this up is that we were on a particular ship (don't dare mention the line) and overhead a woman bragging how she always gets a handicapped cabin because her husband is blind and has a bad knee.. I saw her husband around the ship without a white cane and doing well on his own.. It seems people in the "know" manage to get these cabins when they book by any means possible. This woman had a certain attitude of entitlement. It seems that Parrot Pop who now walks with a rollator and has difficulty walking will get the short end.. and only the privileged few who know the ropes and want a bigger cabin and can get a note from their M.D. will get one. There has to be a more equitable system!!!
these types of debates sadden me as I too have booked a disabled cabin, and if one was to look at me i suppose at times i would get all the nasty comments from people as well, some people are so quick to assume because someone can walk now and again then they are fine! I will not go into my illness here as it's my bussiness and no one elses however i would say for me to be able to walk those few steps i have to take a ton of morphine on holiday with me, in fact my whole flight bag is full of class A drugs which i need.
I did not have to produce a letter stating my disability however i did have to produce one staing my illness, that i was fit to travel and what my class A drugs consisted off along with my insurence details showing pre exsisting illness was covered. I wish i only had to worry about being in a wheelchair however as things stand when i am really tired due to the amount of medication i am taking that is when i will need to use my chair which i will be hiring from the cruise ship. If i can do without it great as i do not want people to know i am sick and disabled but if i need it .it's there
So please as many poster have stated already do not asume someone is not disabled just because they are not jumping in and out of a wheel chair
I too think that this is very selfish and the cruise lines should require a letter from a doctor that confirms the disability. Violators should be fined or loose their reservation.
I'm finding that many disabilities aren't visible on the outside .
People who have heart pacers , heart transplants and a number of
other illness are considered disabled . I have a friend that has only 40% of
his sight . He considered disabled and legally blind even though
though he can work a day like everyone else . When he travels he always
requests a disabled room and carries all his documentation and still has
problems in hotels and restaurants.
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my daughter has Cp so she needs a handicap room for her wheelchair with bigger doors and bathroom so she can be transfer on toilet if people don't need this kind of assistance and are not in wheelchair please don't book accessable room also I would like to see carnival get a hoyer lift to help transfer to pool and hottub to help her be more dependant and so she can injoy it also
I am amazed at this, I just assumed that in order to get one of these cabins you had to "qualify" somehow, surely you can't just say I want cabin "xyz"??
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Re: Stop ABs booking disabled cabins
once we thought we were going to need to call for help. Next time we booked a handicap room. Just because we are able to walk does not mean we do ot need a handicap room.
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