Handicap wheelchair assistance

Crown Princess Cruise Review to Mexico

Cruises: 7+ cruises
Reviews: 4
Helpful Votes: 147

Overall rating:

2 out of 5
Verified Review
Crown Princess

7 Night Mexican Riviera (Los Angeles Roundtrip)

Sail date: December 12, 2015

Ship: Crown Princess

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: C715

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 8 years ago

Review summary

My husband requires a wheelchair to get on board and to depart - I had rented a rolling  transport for him and it was in the cabin when I got on board - the stipulation with that company was that the transport was to be left in the cabin when we left. I went down to guest services the next day and asked if a wheelchair will come to the cabin when we were ready to depart to take us down to the designated station where we were to wait - was told at the desk this was not a policy of Princess - they suggested that when i was ready to leave the cabin to take my husband down to deck 7 - I was on 10 - deposit hiin the waiting area and hop back on the elevator to bring the roller back to tcabin - husband is 91 and I am 86 - told her this was ridiculous - they provide assistance upon coming on board and they should do the same upon departure - wasl told this was not the policy of Princess - I left - next day went back down to guest services - saw another young lady Hailey and told her my story - told her also that there was no way I could leave my husband down on his own as he has dementia - he would get scared - she said she would speak to her supervisor - came back and said they would make an exception with me - to call before I left the cabin and someone would come with the wheelcair and take him off. -which did happen - how do they expect people who cannot walk long distances to get to the elevators on the day of departure and leave?? crawl down the hallways on their hands and knees - this policy for handicappedI  people is not acceptable.----   Did not like the cabinn - way too small - had a balcony - and the plastic shower curtain in the bathroom was not a good thing - I have cruised with Norweigen - Holland America - many with irCelebrity and never had a problem with disembarking with wheechair - will not look at Princess cruises again - this was my first experience with this line and my last. 

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

1 out of 5

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Entertainment

1 out of 5

Service and Staff

3 out of 5

Ship Quality

3 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

1 out of 5
too small - bathroom too small - plastic shower curtains should be a thing of the pasty.
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21 Comments

Gwbigdog    2 years ago

Thanks for sharing your cruise.

Gwbigdog    2 years ago

jshyshka    8 years ago

I thank your husband for his service !!! God bless and hope you are able to continue to cruise on whatever line you want to ...

sweetliberty13    8 years ago

Thank your husband for his service and sacrifice. I didn't think your concern was petty at all. I have seen some very petty concerns in negative reviews, this is not one of them. I can appreciate the difficulty you would have wheeling your husband on and off the ship. I hope your next experience is much better in that respect. 

tomorrow    8 years ago

thank you - just to be clear on this subject of the wheelchair - my husband cannot walk long distances - short spurts and he has to sit down - my experiences onboard have always been very positive with the people I meet - the supervisor at Guest Relations was very positive and I thank her for that and also Hailey at the desk--- in answer to the question of why I don't bring a wheelchair to the dock - I am 86 my husband is 91 and a WW2 Navy Veteran who saw action at Normandy on D-Day - I try to keep things as simple as I can when I travel which is only now once a year - so with bags, handbag - paperwork- I cannot also handle a wheelchair - there is no way I could push that wheelchair up the gangplank or hold it steady coming down when it is time to leave the ship ---- I was very sad to see the first nasty comment j- maybe someone ran over his foot once with a wheelchair and he is not a happy camper - I thank you all for your positive thoughts - 

mandamommy78    8 years ago

you are not ignorant and your review is not petty. the person that said that was ignorant. I hope you are able to continue traveling.

tomorrow    8 years ago

There is one more comment I meant to make about being called petty and ignorant - I think that perhaps that applies to the writer moreso than it does to me - I am the person who complained about the wheelchair for disembarkation-- my husband also suffers from the onset of dementia - not your problem??? true - it is mine and I try to make it as easy for myself to travel as I possibly can - so perhaps the next comment from that writer that I am petty and ignorant would be - for me to  just stay home and out of his way-would not surprise me in the least.

mandamommy78    8 years ago

it is unfortunate that Princess is so inconsistent with their policies. I am glad you had no issues. That better? 😂

mandamommy78    8 years ago

I'm sorry, but I took your post as a bit rude. I was replying to the OP, not you. You starting addressing me, and I'm not sure why.

CrusinTim    8 years ago

mandamommy78...it's not needed for you to be so rude. All I was pointing out was that you can request a wheelchair for both embarking and disembarking prior to sailing. That was my point. Don't be so defensive. It was just a helpful point I was making for those reading this thread!!

mandamommy78    8 years ago

and the whole point of the post was for just that, embarking and disembarking. so yes, the cruise should take disabled/elderly folks into consideration.

mandamommy78    8 years ago

airlines provide them for boarding and deplaning. why can't the cruise have them at the ports for priority embarking/disembarking?

mandamommy78    8 years ago

yeah, if you NEED one and that is your only way of getting around, yeah, bring your own. but speaking from experience with my 65 year old mother, that could change. she doesn't use one on the regular, so she hasn't bought one. so yeah, princess should take people like my mom into consideration. the OP would have benefited from having their own. They could state they need one in the reservation.

Anthony56    8 years ago

mandamommy78 maybe I am wrong in my thinking but I figure if you need a wheelchair you HAVE one. So why would you need a cruiseship to provide one for you. that would be just more stuff for them to have to store. how many should the keep onboard? 1 for every 100, 50, 25 or 10 passangers?

mandamommy78    8 years ago

cruisintim, ever occur to you I was replying to the OP? get over yourself.

mandamommy78    8 years ago

I wasn't talking to you, cruisintim. haha, jeez.

CrusinTim    8 years ago

mandamommy78...did you read my post? We pre-arranged the wheelchair service and had NO issues!! We had a chair for boarding and disembarking. With all due respect to the OP, if your going on vacation, and you know you need a wheelchair, why wouldn't you bring one of your own to avoid any issues ???

mandamommy78    8 years ago

princess website states they do not provide wheelchairs, and that sucks. unfortunately, until they get sued or someone gets hurt, that won't change. very very sorry for your ordeal.

CrusinTim    8 years ago

When we sailed the Caribbean Princess last April, we pre-arranged for a wheelchair for my wife to help us board in Ft. Lauderdale and deboard. No issues. the chair was there both ways. When we docked in Southampton, we called and they sent up a crew member with a wheelchair.

dwrw    8 years ago

really Kenny your post should be removed by shipmate. there is no need for your IGNORANCE with such language

deanbartlett    8 years ago

If your husband needs a wheelchair then you should have considered bringing the one he uses when he is not on the ship - how did you ever get to the dock ? as it also appears that Princess went against their clearly stated policy and helped him out anyway I for one fail to see your beef with Princess - in fact I think it shows how awesome they are to make special arrangements for you at no cost to you. Please stay off Princess as the rest of us do not wish to put up with anyone so petty and ignorant !

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