A couple of years ago for reasons of health and safety P&O changed their policy regarding which cabins could be booked if you are an electric wheelchair or mobility scooter user. Cabins that can be booked are accessible cabins and selected mini suites and suites.
Disabled cabin on Britannia |
I am not a fan of mobility scooters because of the beeping, honking and the swearing I have suffered while being followed along a pavement and witnessed at other times. Some of these scooters can do up to 8mph. I have witnessed a lady in 3 inch heels get off her scooter and dance the night away but used her mobility scooter when it suited her. I do have friends who genuinely have a need to use one and that is fine with me but the misuse by people who are just too lazy to walk and see a scooter as an alternative form of transport need shooting.
I can understand why P&O do not want scooters parked in corridors because they are a hazard to other people. However, my opinion is that if a scooter fits the height and weight restrictions that have been set my P&O for electric and manual folding wheelchairs then I can't see why they cannot be included enabling users to book a standard cabin.
The other solution is that P&O should have more accessible cabins on their ships. I do not know the percentage of people with mobility problems or disabilities that cruise but I would imagine it is fairly high. I would have hoped that P&O would have considered this when building Britannia.
Accessible cabins on Britannia:
Suites:
B626 & B627
Superior Deluxe Balcony:
B426 & B427
Balcony Cabins (without sofa):
B429, B430, C440, C441, C446 & C447 (HA grade)
C301, C302, C303, C304, D301, D302, D303, D304 (HB grade)
B709, B719, C720, C726, D732, D733, F724, F725 (HD grade)
A110 (HF grade)
Inside Cabins:
C514, C515, D314, D315, D320, D321 (PB grade)
C723, C729, D730, D731 (PD grade)
Hiya Karen, I am going on The Baltic Cruise in 2017 (!!). My 1st ever cruise. We are staying in Cabin C446 on The Britannia. I had a stroke 9 years ago so my usual holidays are no longer so, we thought about going on a cruise....and we've booked one!!
ReplyDeleteHi Carol, Britannia is a lovely ship. We are off to Baltic in 4 weeks. Will do a full report on how accessible places are around Baltic. If you have any questions just ask.
ReplyDeleteHaving been on 5 P&O cruises and always having to book and pay for an adapted cabin (my wife being a wheelchair user) I find it very annoying when finding many more mobility scooter users than adapted cabins how does this work with the supposed P&O policy
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