Carnival Cruiser Demands Change

Will Carnival ask passengers to prove they need a scooter? Royal Caribbean Utopia of the Seas announces a change. Princess Cruise line breaks a record. Commentary on these top cruise headlines and other cruise industry updates in this episode.

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[LaLidoLoca]

What is your favorite pizza (restaurant, crust style, toppings, etc..)?

[jamesjoy]

My wife is an amputee that uses a wheel chair. We just finished a 7 day cruise in Carnival Jubilee. We often had to wait four or five elevator cycles to be able to enter an elevator before it was filled with other people that had just walked up and had not waited at all. Several times a day someone would block the elevator and hold the door until I could load her on then let others enter. Random acts of kindness were always appreciated.

[paulnelson]

I saw a really cool tee shirt the other day. On the left front it said simply, “be nice”, on the back it said, “the people you meet are fighting a battle you know nothing about”. ❤

[jericamcbride]

My father has breathing problems. We found out he has COPD. We rented a scooter for him last Christmas on the Horizon. He can't walk far without becoming out of breath. People need to respect persons with disabilities. Its not always visible.

[prisoncop]

I underwent Open Heart surgery back at the end of March. The general anesthesia uses left my legs weak and my balance was way off. When we sailed aboard Celwbrity Eclipse my wife and several of my friends suggested I rent a scooter to make getting around the ship easier. Having a scooter was a Godsend. My disability wasn't evident on first sight, but no one questioned my need. You can't always see the issue.

[KelaineTravels]

Good timing for discussing scooters- it’s Disability Awareness Month!

Many folks have invisible disabilities. You can’t tell by looking at me that I can only walk very short distances. There are many invisible disabilities that impact mobility- the most well known: cancer and cancer treatment, MS, ME, Cerebral Palsy, arthritis, muscular Dystrophy, and so many more.

My disability is more visible when I’m in my wheelchair, but my personal and private medical info shouldn’t need to be on display to prove I’m worthy of consideration.

[maytemcconnell]

Tony - I'm a RN and was a Director of a Blood Bank for over 10 years. I taught my staff on how to draw blood. Suggestions - drinks lots of water the morning of your blood draw/sample and ask the phlebotomist (person taking your blood) to use a butterfly needle or a 22 gauge and go into your hand if you have small veins in your anticubital (area in the crevice of your arm). They should have no problem getting blood.

On the scooter issue. You can't demand people to show prove of disability. That would be a violation of the Peoples With Disabilities Act.

My hubby and I both purchased scooters 4 years ago for our cruises. He has severe los back pain and I'm not able to walk long distances due to arthritis in both knees. We have never had any issues on any Royal Caribbean ship. We are loyal Royals. Keep cruising 🛳️❤️🍹

[diddxdp]

We recently cruised with a friend who requires a scooter and I can tell you she was more inconvienced by it than others were around her. It was such a hassle dealing with it, after the cruise she decided she was done cruising - it's a "younger persons game" to quote her. Then there are times like when my dog raced me to the bottom of the stairs, I tripped over her, broke a bone in my foot, the day before our departure. Ended up with one of those knee scooters. OUCH, that was a tremendous pain (in more ways than one) - So as annoying as these are to others, when you need mobility help, it's not fun, it's not easy and sometimes it's downright embarrassing. Let's give'em a break.

[kathme]

It is very unlikely someone is going to fool the system by lugging a scooter all the way to a cruise ship. What a hassle for them. People need to get over themselves and their conspiracy theories.

[Tallrichard]

To people complaining about scooter users. They aren't even that convenient on a cruise ship, so very few, if any, people would use them unless they needed them.

[shirleybrewer]

When you said “hey Siri” my husband’s phone answered! LOL!

[liviaflood]

Scooters. Personally, I have a movement disorder and I fall often. On the outside I look perfectly fine. These complaints have zero merit.

[ubmtuts]

Tony, I have been following you for about a year now, I am a 100% disabled veteran, and I use a small scooter that folds up and takes up very little space. I can walk and stand for a period of time but cannot walk for long distance. Last year we took a cruise with Regent and they were great helping me get on and off the ship, even getting on and off the tender. Around the ship, I walked, using a cain, the crew and passengers were great.
Around the time that we traveled for the cruise, there were reports and concerns with the airlines, the people were taking advantage of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), so I went out to the VA website ad printed the condition letter stating my level of disability and with the percentage of each physical disability listed. No body asked for it, however I wanted to be prepared just in case.
By the way, I enjoy your show, your information, but most of all your sense of humor.
David

[lvsluggo]

I've never cruised and I watch this channel just to get some giggles from that nut, Tony.
I'm 74 and can't stand or walk more than just a bit without serious pain. After seeing how FAR you have to walk in most ports to get on/off the ship, the ONLY way I could ever take a cruise is with a scooter. The ADA prohibits companies from requiring proof of disability, so if any of these cruise companies legal staff tries requiring proof of disability, they will be slapped silly by the ADA.

[peggyeburden]

I rent a scooter at a cost of 750 US dollars for 20 days. Not sure one would spend the money if not required.

[worldtravelingdeb]

I spend $300+ for 7 days and over $400 for 2 weeks and somehow people think we fake it? I am tired of people passing judgement.

[shannen]

If someone thinks a scooter user is faking, they clearly don’t understand what a pain in the butt they are to use and how much easier it would be to just walk. In my experience, people who need mobility aids are hesitant to use them, pushing it far beyond where they physically should. We took our daughter on her first cruise this year. She has an invisible disability but 99.9% of the time refuses to use mobility aids. We convinced her to rent a wheelchair on the cruise in the hopes that it would help negate some of the issues we knew she would face while sailing. It made things SO much more complicated and difficult, but it helped her enjoy at least some of the trip before her condition took her down and kept her bedridden the rest of the time. She is 23 and “looks fine”. I’m sure there were plenty of people giving her the side eye, having no idea the challenge that is her life and the measures she has to take just to try to eek out some sort of normality that people take for granted. If you find yourself in a position to assume that scooter people are just lazy or milking some sort of system (you think scooters are free or that they get special accommodation or benefit??), consider yourself fortunate and maybe try to have a smidge of compassion for those who are just trying to live and enjoy life and their vacation the same as you

[teresah]

As someone who gets her blood drawn every 3 - 4 months from my endocrinologist, I start drinking water the day before and the morning. It's very helpful even though that last time I had to have a needle in me for a stress test she put it in the top of my hand. As far as your deconstructed tool kit (which is ingenious) my nail file I take on cruises is 3 times longer and I never have that taken away, so I think your good. Thanks for sharing!

[tamarajoneshill]

I definitely agree with you Tony. If Carnival asked for documentation regarding disabilities, that might result in a lawsuit as far as discrimination.

[brianzembruski]

Someone's feelings of inconvenience and "unfairness" are not more important than someone else's inability to move freely.