|
Not safe for wheelchair passengers
|
Jul 4, 2008 Carnival Cruise Lines complaint by Tina Williams |
|
|
The problem started when the cruise ship sent a tiny young lady to assist with out boarding. My husband is 6'2" and weighs about 200lbs. The embarkation ramp was so steep I didn't think either one of us could push him up. She asked for help from security and was refused. It wasn't their job! So she tried to get him up the ramp with my help but ended up tipping him out of the wheelchair onto the ramp. He almost went under the railing where he would have fallen to the deck. Despite our cries security still didn't help merely stood at the top of the ramp and watched. However two young men behind us managed to pick him up and put him back in his chair. The Pursers Desk was all concern at first but never once called our cabin that evening or the next morning to find out if he was okay. I had explained to them that he could have injuries and we wouldn't know until he had swelling or bruising as he doesn't have feeling in his legs. Here is a synopsis of the other problems we encountered.
Requested the Purser Desk to cover the cost of neck and shoulder massage as he had
wrenched his shoulder pretty badly when he fell. They said they would cover one treatment (it
was still on our sail and sign card at the end) but no others.
The trapeze I had rented and paid to be put on board was not in the cabin. I had actually paid
for it to sail from Vancouver on the ship the week before because the company couldn’t get it
to Whittier. Purser had no idea where it was. I actually found it while walking through some
decks. It was in a cabin 3 decks below. I asked the cabin steward to disassemble and take it
to the correct cabin and he told me he would get to as soon as he could. When I insisted he
did find someone to take it apart but again it was a tiny young lady. I ended up helping her
and taking it up to the cabin where that room steward reassembled it
Almost dropped him out of his chair a second time going down the ramp at Juneau.
Security had told me to take the other ramp and I refused because I didn’t trust the staff
member assigned to assist him. He spoke very little or no English. Luckily I did because the
person turned him around backwards and tipped the chair forward to pull the wheelchair onto
the ramp. I caught him and managed to stop him from falling totally out of the chair.
I asked for an appointment with the Chief Purser to be told he was extremely busy. I did meet
him casually several days later and told him I was not happy with the way everything was
handled. He told me his staff had informed him the problem was resolved. I assured him I
didn’t feel it was resolved.
No access to tender in Sitka. Another passenger who was a paraplegic also was put aboard
the tender and taken ashore. Other cruise lines have equipment that enables a wheelchair to
be put on the tender.
Didn't have a wheelchair accessible transport for a tour clearly marked as accessible.
When we contacted the Shore Excursion personnel on the pier he actually said that we should
have informed them that he couldn’t climb onto the bus. I pointed out that the wheelchair
symbol next to the tour usually meant accessible for wheelchairs. They did eventually find a
bus that had a lift.
We purchased the new express transfers which meant our luggage would be taken in a secure
truck directly to the airport. I mentioned several times that my husband was in a wheelchair
and could not walk. They assured us no problems. We exited the ship in Vancouver and
found the only way to the secure area is by escalator.
I asked two of the Carnival personnel on the ramp to find someone to help us get out of the
terminal. They left us on the pier ramp for over an hour and half while waiting for a supervisor.
Needless to say I was becoming very frustrated at this point. When I asked the second time
(we had an early flight departure) I was told I would just have to wait until some one was free.
Finally a supervisor showed up and escorted out a different way that did not involve the
escalator. However it did involve departing through customs and we had then to convincing customs to let us go without our luggage (which went through the secure area, rushing to the airport to find our luggage and then having to take it back to customs to be x-rayed prior boarding a flight.
We were told us there would be a bus with a lift to take us to the airport. A ground crew who
had worked 11 years at the terminal told us there had never been one to his knowledge. We
eventually took a taxi to the airport.
I filed a complaint with Customer Service when we returned. Several weeks later I received a letter apologizing for our “inconvenience” and offering a $25.00 per person cabin credit on our next sailing. I called Customer Service and told them that was insulting and that I wished a copy of the accident report my husband had completed after the first incident. It took two months to obtain and the copy is illegible. We received another letter from Customer Service this time offering us a mystery gift on our next sailing! Nowhere did they address the problems or changes in the future
Their staff did not seem to have adequate training in dealing with a paraplegic nor did the Pursers Desk or the Shore Excursion desk. And they certainly did not seem to realize how serious even a small injury could be to someone with this kind of disability. I was informed that wait staff is used to assist disabled passengers. Considering the two main incidents involved staff who spoke very little English and had a hard time understanding instructions then I feel very little training has been done.
 Quote this article on your site | Views: 56
|
Consumer Forum is another great place to discuss consumer concerns NOT RELATED to this article. |
|
![]("http://www.pissedconsumer.com/templates/pc2/images/spacer.gif){kind=spacer}
Comments
Be first to comment this article
