Handicapped Accessible Room - Documentation?

[Anjelica]

We have a cruise in October 2013 that my brother is looking at joining us. There appears to be no HA's rooms available right now...Hopefully one will open up or they hold back a couple if they no longer require documentation for folks who truly need it.

With that being said.....
At one time I know there was a requirement to have documentation signed by your doctor to have a HA room on DCL. Then I thought I read they no longer are required. Is documentation still required? Once documentation has been sent for a prior cruise does that documentation get attached to that cruiser going forward so they don't have to send a new one for each sailing?

 

[kcashner]

We have a cruise in October 2013 that my brother is looking at joining us. There appears to be no HA's rooms available right now...Hopefully one will open up or they hold back a couple if they no longer require documentation for folks who truly need it.

With that being said.....
At one time I know there was a requirement to have documentation signed by your doctor to have a HA room on DCL. Then I thought I read they no longer are required. Is documentation still required? Once documentation has been sent for a prior cruise does that documentation get attached to that cruiser going forward so they don't have to send a new one for each sailing?

I cruised with a friend who requires an HA cabin in 2009. At that time, documentation was required (physician signed form). She was told at that time that this documentation was permanently attached to her file and would not be needed on any future cruises.

I have read that documentation is no longer required on the ship. I also know from personal experience that it is not required at WDW. I do not know if there is any way that Disney deals with people who need the HA cabins vs. people who want the bigger room or large balcony--it looks like an honor system now.

I also know that we were upgraded (last minute upgrade) to an HA cabin once. I would trust that it was not needed by anyone on that sailing.

 

[Floridagram]

We cruised in May and had a HA room in our party. No documentation was required. My aunt is permanently in a wheelchair so if we had not been able to get this cabin we would not have been able to cruise.

I imagine it is a hassle for DCL to get this documentation from people so they stopped it. This is an example of why it may be necessary.

I hope a cabin opens up for you.

 

[justmestace]

It shouldn't have been a hassle. They used to make people CALL to get an HA room, and at that time, they told you that you had "X" amount of time (it might have been a month or two) to get a form sent in to them, or you'd lose the cabin. That shouldn't have been too much for their computer system to handle.
The new system stinks, because I guarantee people are booking these rooms simply because they're larger.

Anyway, I sent in a new form each time. I didn't trust them to have it "on file" for me.

 

[Anjelica]

It's good to know the form is probably still attached to his profile and he won't have to get a new form. However it does suck they aren't requiring verification anymore. I really would hope that DCL has some sort of process in place that ensures that if someone really needs a HA room, but they are all booked, they would have some verification for existing reservations if push came to shove.

Bottom line - if he can't get an HA room he won't be able to cruise with us (and we can't move our dates).

 

[mdvlprof]

Hmm. I had to do documentation. Didn't have to be signed by a dr., but had to verify that I needed a HC room.

 

[Anjelica]

Hmm. I had to do documentation. Didn't have to be signed by a dr., but had to verify that I needed a HC room.

Was this recently? I know the form he had before required a doctors signature. While it was a little bit of pain I do think it helped to ensure folks who truly needed HA got one. I'm not saying folks for our October 2013 cruise are booking HA rooms that don't need one. It's just tough to know there is that possibility.

Did the new ships have more HA rooms? We are going on the Fantasy for the October 12th cruise so not peak season (hence why my hopes are up).

 

[acourtwdw]

We had to change to an HA for our Oct 2011 cruise due to emergency back surgery 25 days before sailing. We were not required to send any documents to DCL. We did have to pay a little more since the HA available was one category higher than what we had booked.

I hope an HA opens up for your family.

 

[miztressuz]

as of sep '11 the only form we could find was the Special Services Information form. it requests to be turned in at least 14 days prior to sailing and it just asked if you need a wheelchair accessible stateroom, if you use oxygen, need a sharps box, or have a hearing or visual impairment.

we had booked through a TA and it was marked that wheelchair accessible/roll in shower required. we sent in the SSI form in sep confirming the wheelchair accessible need but it's not signed by any doctor nor did we ever turn anything in signed by a dr.

 

[justmestace]

It's good to know the form is probably still attached to his profile and he won't have to get a new form. However it does suck they aren't requiring verification anymore. I really would hope that DCL has some sort of process in place that ensures that if someone really needs a HA room, but they are all booked, they would have some verification for existing reservations if push came to shove.

Bottom line - if he can't get an HA room he won't be able to cruise with us (and we can't move our dates).

DCL won't do anything if the rooms are all booked. It's happened to me. I kept calling and calling, and they just kept saying "Sorry, there aren't any available". I even asked them if they knew for sure that each booked room actually had someone with needs in it, and they had no answer for that. They just said they only knew that there weren't any, and they weren't about to try for me.

 

[Anjelica]

DCL won't do anything if the rooms are all booked. It's happened to me. I kept calling and calling, and they just kept saying "Sorry, there aren't any available". I even asked them if they knew for sure that each booked room actually had someone with needs in it, and they had no answer for that. They just said they only knew that there weren't any, and they weren't about to try for me.

Wow - my heart sunk a little bit.

How many staterooms are HA on the bigger ships?

 

[kcashner]

DCL won't do anything if the rooms are all booked. It's happened to me. I kept calling and calling, and they just kept saying "Sorry, there aren't any available". I even asked them if they knew for sure that each booked room actually had someone with needs in it, and they had no answer for that. They just said they only knew that there weren't any, and they weren't about to try for me.

This is exactly the problem with not requiring documentation!

I once was seated for dinner with a couple who were in an HA cabin. They explained that their family had been "tagged" for the need because a daughter required it BUT THE DAUGHTER WASN'T with them that time. Still, because they had the tag on their file and they liked the big room so much, they kept it.

OK...if no one else needed the room, no problem. But if above poster's family member couldn't cruise because able bodied people were enjoying a big cabin (granted, no tub...) That's just wrong.

IMHO, documentation should be required for the cruiser who needs the room. And it should tie to the cruiser, not to the family!

 

[Started With a Mouse]

This is exactly the problem with not requiring documentation!

I once was seated for dinner with a couple who were in an HA cabin. They explained that their family had been "tagged" for the need because a daughter required it BUT THE DAUGHTER WASN'T with them that time. Still, because they had the tag on their file and they liked the big room so much, they kept it.

OK...if no one else needed the room, no problem. But if above poster's family member couldn't cruise because able bodied people were enjoying a big cabin (granted, no tub...) That's just wrong.

IMHO, documentation should be required for the cruiser who needs the room. And it should tie to the cruiser, not to the family!

Was their car parked at the port in a HA spot? I just had to chime in. It is so wrong taking advantage of the system. I see it on a daily basis, the able bodied caretaker or family member using the HA parking spot tag, running in to do shopping at the market, mall, etc. Sometimes even at Costco, where there is an actual handicapped person, who is circling the parking lot, waiting for a spot to free up. I just can't imagine being on a ship, knowing there was someone at home in your party that could not join, as there were no HA cabins available...and running into guests abusing their status.

 

[michelle9343]

I was so surprised that they no longer required the Doc to fill out a form. Now it makes sense that I had to book a cruise 18 months in advance to get the HA cabin my DD needs. It makes me so sad how inconciderate people can be. I knew on the old ship the rooms were so much larger esp the veranda's that people really wanted them. When we were on the Wonder for my DD Make-A-Wish I could not believe how many people would come down to "secert deck 7" just to come over to look over the veranda wall. I even had people ask if the could please come in and take a peak at how huge the room was. When they planned the new ships they made the HA smaller then the older ones so I really thought people would just leave then alone.
Disney really makes me made on this one!!!!!

 

[mickeyfan1]

So if the ship is sold out, and someone decides they want to book, with no H/A rooms available, what would you have DCL do, remove someone from the ship? Yes, there are people wh will ake advantage, but DCL pretty much has to follow the ADA guidelines, and if someone asks for a H/A room, they can't ask if it is needed or not. Like GACs in the parks, everyone and anyone can get one, and because people on these boards spread the word, there is abuse. Anyone can rent an ECV or a wheel chair with out showing any need and insist their entire party be boarded on the bus first, taking up 10 seats, when other have waited for 3 buses. So rather than calling our DCL on this, perhaps the outrage should be toward the government rules. Privacy issues prevent questions being asked. Just like all the people who claim their pets to be service animals. Again, privacy rules prevent questions from being asked.

Don't assume that everyone who is in a H/A room asked for it because of size. Don't assume that everyone is a cheater. But don't expect that DCL can do a lot about it, either.

 

[Anjelica]

So if the ship is sold out, and someone decides they want to book, with no H/A rooms available, what would you have DCL do, remove someone from the ship? Yes, there are people wh will ake advantage, but DCL pretty much has to follow the ADA guidelines, and if someone asks for a H/A room, they can't ask if it is needed or not. Like GACs in the parks, everyone and anyone can get one, and because people on these boards spread the word, there is abuse. Anyone can rent an ECV or a wheel chair with out showing any need and insist their entire party be boarded on the bus first, taking up 10 seats, when other have waited for 3 buses. So rather than calling our DCL on this, perhaps the outrage should be toward the government rules. Privacy issues prevent questions being asked. Just like all the people who claim their pets to be service animals. Again, privacy rules prevent questions from being asked.

Don't assume that everyone who is in a H/A room asked for it because of size. Don't assume that everyone is a cheater. But don't expect that DCL can do a lot about it, either.

It's an ADA guideline that prevents DCL from "requiring" documentation now? Don't folks who get handicapped parking stickers require documentation/verification if they are under a certain age - why would that type of verification be allowed per ADA rules/guidelines but not DCL requiring documentation? I'm not completely versed in ADA rules only what I know with working with my brother hence why I am confused.

I certainly don't think they should kick anyone off the ship. I would hope though, that Disney holds back HA rooms (especially now that they don't require documentation) for situations similar to this (wishful thinking). He has no issues providing documentation voluntarily and to show his absolute need.

Our cruise is not sold out - all categories are still available and its not during peak season. Back when they required documentation (which wasn't that long ago) we booked our Alaska cruise several months after they released the dates. We had no issues at that time getting a HA booked for him (again when it required documentation).

Maybe I am naive - maybe there are really that many more HA folks going on our cruise than I realize (more so than our Alaska cruise on a smaller ship). Maybe Disney didn't build enough HA rooms on the new ships to really accomodate the amount of HA folks who are going. I really don't know.

 

[kcashner]

So if the ship is sold out, and someone decides they want to book, with no H/A rooms available, what would you have DCL do, remove someone from the ship? Yes, there are people wh will ake advantage, but DCL pretty much has to follow the ADA guidelines, and if someone asks for a H/A room, they can't ask if it is needed or not. Like GACs in the parks, everyone and anyone can get one, and because people on these boards spread the word, there is abuse. Anyone can rent an ECV or a wheel chair with out showing any need and insist their entire party be boarded on the bus first, taking up 10 seats, when other have waited for 3 buses. So rather than calling our DCL on this, perhaps the outrage should be toward the government rules. Privacy issues prevent questions being asked. Just like all the people who claim their pets to be service animals. Again, privacy rules prevent questions from being asked.

Don't assume that everyone who is in a H/A room asked for it because of size. Don't assume that everyone is a cheater. But don't expect that DCL can do a lot about it, either.

I don't think anyone is implying that an HA cabin should be freed up on a sold out ship. The issue is that the ship may not be sold out, but the HA cabins may be sold--to people who don't need them! If there is an empty cabin on the ship, the person not needing it should be moved to a "regular" cabin, thus allowing the person needing it to cruise. However....due to privacy issues and sneaky people, DCL doesn't know that the person who reserved this cabin doesn't need it.

DCL goes far above the necessity to provide for mobility impaired (and other sort of impairments) in guests. Honestly, there is no reason that someone in a wheelchair or ECV should be able to jump the line and board the first bus that pulls up while people who have been waiting for 30 minutes continue to wait. Why can't they just join the line and get on the bus when they have waited their turn like everyone else? And there is a huge difference between someone who needs mobility (or other) assistance on a daily basis vs. someone who isn't able to walk the long distances involved in the parks.

The funny thing is that the people I know who NEED assistance are the very ones that don't want to inconvenience anyone else. Those with lesser "needs" seem to like the perks. Don't get me started on the woman at church who has her mother's HA parking tag--mom died 3 years ago, the there are several years remaining till the tag expires and this lady continues to use it!

On the other hand, we need to remember that not all needs are readily visible. A person may need the grab bars by a shower or toilet for balance/weakness issues but not need a wheelchair routinely. Heart or lung problems may impair walking just as much as leg issues. Perhaps the best we can ask is that those who don't need the cabins on the ship remember that they there FIRST for people who need them and only at the last minute for people who just want a big room.

 

[Anjelica]

UPDATE - Just heard back from Travel Agent who had been working with DCL on this issue. Somehow, someway DCL came up with a HA room for my brother and only 4 doors down from us to boot.....

 

[kcashner]

 

[mdvlprof]

Glad things worked out.