reserving handicapped rooms

[musicgirl]

Now, please do not read this wrong. I am by no means trying to keep someone who needed a handicapped room from having one.

When we cruised in June, someone was telling me that they were in one of the handicapped rooms. Actually, I was thinking it was Chinamom3 and we were discussing where our rooms were. It turns out she was only a few doors away. Anyway, she mentioned that they had booked late.

In some conversation somewhere, I seem to remember someone saying that they keep this room available until 2 weeks before the cruise. At that time anyone can book it.

Is this correct? If it is, if I have a cat. 11 room reserved and call 2 weeks before the cruise, can I request one of the cat. 11 handicapped rooms? Also, since I wouldn't be using it for the purpose of needing it for someone who is handicapped, do they change the cat.? Does that make sense?

Again, I am not trying to keep someone who needs this room from going. I just thought that if it is not going to be used by someone handicapped, maybe we could use it. We've been on 3 trips with no up grades (not complaining!!!!)

Thanks, Lorie

 

[LibertyBelle]

Handicapped rooms are held in a different booking system that only the special needs (and operation support teams) have access to. You are correct in the fact that approx 2 weeks before the sailing most of them are released if they have not been booked and any agent will have access to book them. If you were to call and ask for the room by number specifically they could move you to it if it is avalaible in the system.

I understand what you are saying in that you are not trying to take the room from someone else, you would only want it if it were released to anyone so no harm there... In your question of "since I wouldn't be using it for the purpose of needing it for someone who is handicapped, do they change the cat.? Does that make sense" I am not sure what you are asking... are you asking do they change the room?? No the room can not be modified you would be dealing with a handicap accesible room...no bathtub (just a roll in shower...which basically is a fully tiled bathroom with no thresholds and the shower water can go and does tend to go everywhere.) Some of these rooms have designated Queen beds...they can not be split into 2 twins. They also have an emergency button in them that calls to the bridge when pushed (so you would need to make sure that little hands don't press it if you have little ones)...Just keep in mind that even though you might call and have your room moved to one of these rooms just because it was released does not make it set in stone. They will mark the reservation so they know that the person booked in the room does not "need" it and if someone were to call 2 weeks or less prior they could move you.

Just FYI since it tend to get brought up a lot (I know you are not looking at the suites, but just in case anyone else reads this that is)... that Cat 3 suites on Deck 8 aft that are handicapped accessible are open to anyone any time (staterooms 8102 and 8602...) these rooms are handicap accessible but they have a wiring problem and the emergency button does not call to the bridge properly. Therefore they are not kept in the special needs allotment for handicap rooms (or at least they were not when I worked for DCL reservation). They could be used for handicap guests or regular guests.

 

[musicgirl]

LibertyBelle,

Thanks for the response!

The question with the change in the room was about the stateroom category. There is a handicapped room that is a Cat. 11. If it is used by someone who is not handicapped, do they raise the category number. In order to be fair, DCL has handicapped rooms in various categories so that it is accessible for those in need at different price ranges. So therefore, as someone who was not handicapped, would the cat. 11 be changed to a higher cat. because it is essentially a bigger room than the standard cat. 11.

Of course, if one were to receive this room and they would later need it for someone who was handicapped, I for one would not have a problem with it. But could you be bumped from the cruise if there was not a stateroom available?

Again, I would not want to take a room from someone who needed it. But if the room is going to be given to someone who is not handicapped, why not my family.

Thanks, Lorie

 

[LibertyBelle]

No, they won't change the cat. It is still an 11 regardless.

As for bumping you, no they will not bump you from the cruise. They would move you to a different room. If they did not have a different room to move you to they would advise the other party that the ship is sold out and leave your reservation alone.