Cruise lines have to make a lot of tough choices, and that includes how it accommodates certain passengers.
Mobility scooters, for example, are very common on ships. Some people who don't need them on land use them on board simply because being on a modern, large cruise ship requires a lot of walking. That can be beyond what those passengers can handle, so they use the scooters.
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Every cruise line, however, has rules about what's allowed on board, what must be rented from the cruise line, and how those items can be used during a sailing.
The differences among the cruise lines can be subtle, which can lead to problems. One incorrect ruling on one ship can spread virally through social media, creating an army of people outraged at the cruise line's lack of compassion.
That can happen even when the policy being reported is accurate, but when it's not that creates added headaches for cruise line personnel. Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald has made it a mission to clear up these situations and make sure the right information gets out.
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Carnival has a clear policy on scooters
Heald recently posted an email he received to his popular Facebook page:
Message: John this cannot be right. Yesterday I was reading the --- Facebook page write that he had received an email from Carnival saying he couldn't bring his mobility scooter as Carnival had changed their policy. Only people who had booked a full accessible room could bring a mobility scooter. ---- said
Carnival was doing this because there were too many mobility scooters.
I use one because I am overweight and have arthritis. I need my scooter not just to get around the boat but for trips ashore as I cannot walking especially on uneven or cobbled streets.
Is this fact John. It is causing many of us so much worry. The worry is turning to anger. Is this the truth John?
Heald was quick to set the record straight.
"NO, it’s not the truth. The reason I am posting this here is because you are not the only person who has asked, and so before this gets out of hand, I felt it best to clarify this is not true. This is yet another example of the stuff and nonsense that is allowed to be posted on the self-named very important Facebook page," he wrote.
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The Brand Ambassador further clarified the cruise line's policies on mobility scooters:
"Yes, we do have a lot of mobility scooters, and that number is growing for sure, but we do not ask for any proof as to why you need one or to inform us that you will be using one or that you need a full ADA cabin to be allowed to bring one on board. The only thing we ask of mobility scooter users is to remember that they cannot store their mobility scooter outside of their cabin door, so they should drive responsibly and carefully and have a brilliant time," he added.
Carnival used to allow passengers to store their scooters outside their cabins (or at least they did not enforce the rule). Changing that policy was controversial because it limited the size of scooters that can be used in some rooms.
The cruise line can help advise passengers if their scooter will fit and help them rent one that will if theirs won't.
Some passengers think the cruise line takes too liberal a stance on allowing scooters causing back-ups at the elevators and clogged hallways.
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