My name is James Root. I have been on at least three cruises since April 2003. I have travelled on an older ship, RCCL's, Soverign of the Seas and newer ship Brilliance of the Seas, and the Princess's Sun.
I am physically challenged in that I cannot walk any distance without a walker and I must use a walker to get to the bathroom from the bed. My issues with the design of the ships and one I would like to see corrected are the incline's up to the bathroom from the cabin. It may not seem much but when one is physically challenged it is huge. In the last ship cruise, Brilliance this past February and March the cabin was set so that there was a rounded inclined floor beside the bed and in through the bathroom door. This was a huge hazzard.
My next issues that are of importance are, 1 - the toilet seat is entirely too low. It was not the height of a standard handicapped accessible toilet seat. I require that height to be able to stand. 2 - There must be grab bars on both sides and the back wall. I could not get the accessible desk to tell me which side the grab bar was on and it was on the wrong side for me. I am paralyzed on the right side. The grab bar that was available was on the right side which was wrong for me. 3 - And last but not least is that the shower bench was way too small and too low. On all of these issues, I take care of myself at home or in hotels. But on all three cruises my wife had to walk me or push me to the bathroom, lift me from the toilet seat, lift me from the shower because grab bars and heights were all wrong. I am 250 pounds. I won't ask her to do this again.
The above lists are everyday issues for me as a handicapped person. I need a handicapped toilet height, grab bars, grab bars and high seat in a shower and a level floor.
If the ships say they cannot have handicapped height toilets because of shorter persons, then perhaps they need cabins of both venues as far as height in the toilet and shower bench go.
I have spent several thousand dollars on these three cruises. If I spend anymore it will be on a ship that meets my needs.
Thank you for any consideration.
James S. Root, Jr.
[address]
Piedmont, SC 29673
[email address]