My mum would be ashamed

 I have for a long time been trying to write something about my adoption but I have found it an almost impossible task to do.  I have never been ashamed of my adoption, in fact I have always been extremely proud of  my adoption and have never tried to hide it.  It is part of who I am and I could not have asked for more loving and caring parents who gave me every opportunity they could.
They were always proud of me and of how I coped with challenges of living and working with Cerebral Palsy (CP).
My Mum over the years became disillusioned.  For many years I have been treated like an outsider in my own family and it still continues after her death in 2014.  On many occasions she tried to tackle the issues but never got anyway but in her heart of hearts she knew what they were.
She always wanted my brother and me to be close and as children we were but that closeness died some years ago.  She hope that he would be there for me when they were no longer around but that is not going to happen, it's just as well I have such wonderful friends who have become my family.
It is funny how things happen and I believe that the universe plays a part in destiny. I apparently have a great-niece called Grace who I only found out about yesterday (8th) who was born five weeks ago but no one thought I like to know; but I'm not family I forgot.

Today I got the biggest insult of all through the post and that was an invitation to a reception to celebrate his marriage.  Being as I am his only sister and I am the sole representative of parents who are no longer here. I just assumed it would be the full invitation.  I have RSVP to say I cannot attend because I am unable to find suitable disabled hotel accommodation nearby and as I cannot travel long distances (he lives 200 miles away)  I cannot go but it would have been nice to have been asked.  That just affirms  everything that my mum knew and what I have known for many years but didn't want to.
I have my family, my friends who love and care for me and accept me for who I am and that is all I need.  They do not see adoption or disability as a stigma but I cannot say the same for my family.  I just have to move on from this otherwise it will eat me up.  I have so much in life to look forward to and so much positivity around me.  I don't know what the future holds but I know I am loved by all my friends.

Partially Adapted Cabins

I have CP with a left side hemiplegia and I am a partial wheelchair user. When I have stayed in hotels or when I did a cruise on Independence of the Seas I have had a fully accessible

Wet room on cruise ship

accommodation because I require the use of a wet room.  Because of the nature of my disability I cannot use a bath.  
I have often wondered why I have rarely found accommodation that is partially adapted for people like myself who do not require the extra room needed to manouvre a wheelchair but need the facilities of a wet room.  
I believe that if cruise lines put a few of these cabins on each of their ships it would be a welcomed addition.  It was by pure chance that I have discovered that P&O's Arcadia has 12 partially adapted cabins and they are:  

C1, C2, C194, C203, E95, E96, G11, G12, G74, G81, G82 & G100.  

Again I have to wonder why someone like P&O did not consider putting a few partially adapted cabins on Britannia.  I have to ask the question again who do companies like P&O consult when it come to deciding what is required when it comes to adaptions for passengers with disabilities.  I assume that they may ask OT's (Occupational Therapists).  
I have had dealings with OT's over many years and have found some to be excellent while others are complete rubbish.  I believe the best people that they could consult would be disabled people because we can often find something that an able bodied person may miss.  


 

Just 2% (37) of Cabins on Britannia are Accessible

In 2008 cruising became a lifeline for me to have a holiday in the sun when I could no longer fly and cruising has been my chosen holiday of choice since.  All my P&O cruises have been in standard cabins as I can manage with a shower and my wheelchair (folded) fits inside my cabin.
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

On Britannia there are 1,837 cabins of which 37 are accessible cabins that is just 2%.  If someone uses a folding manual or electric wheelchair and it fits their weight and size restrictions then they can book a standard cabin.
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. 

The policy that was introduced by P&O and I believe it is not a blanket policy that covers other cruise lines.  Last October I was on RCI's Independence of the Seas and it was obvious that there were scooter users booked into standard cabins.  At times it was very difficult to walk down a corridor with my walker because of scooters left outside cabins which meant it was difficult to pass without closing my walker.  I was also aware that house keeping also found it difficult to manoeuvre around the scooters.
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)

Britannia's Cookery Club

I have often found myself to be the person that seems to ask the awkward questions that no one else wants to ask.  One of the reasons for booking this cruise was The Cookery Club.  Cooking is my blood my Dad was a chef in the navy and I had been cooking with him since the age around 4.  
The Cookery Club is

P&O's Cookery Club

led by TV chef James Martin with classes taught by the Cookery Club team who have been hand selected and trained by James himself.   Classes start from £45pp to £100pp
There are 19 classes being held while we are on the cruise and taught by the team.  The classes include perfect pasta, James Martins desserts, Portuguese street food, Atul Kochhar's sindhu favourites, Spanish tapas and modern gastropub.  There will also be family classes on offer.
On special cruises there will be classes led by James Martin, Atul Kochhar, master patissier Eric Lanlard and Marco Pierre White and many other well known chefs.  
I know I shouldn't but the first thing that often comes to mind is "is it available to disabled  people?"  So often activities are not available to us with a disabilities and often their excuse is health and safety.  It is starting to get boring and it can make you feel like a second rate citizen.
I have gone back to P&O's website to look at the information for the Cookery Club although it says everyone is welcome I have not found anything to say that there is adapted stations or that people with disabilities are welcome.  I have also looked at the few photographs that are around and there dosen't appear to be any adapted stations in the Cookery Club.
This totally saddens and angers me as I am a bit of a foodie and am a pretty damn good cook/baker if I say so myself and would have loved the chance to have a class with a

My kitchen

professional chef, but I fear that won't happen.  
I have an adapted kitchen with a rise and fall unit which is L-shape and houses a sink and hob.  It allows me to cook and be independent but also means that other members of my family can use it.  They are either electric or manual and cost £3,000-£6,ooo this is pocket money to a cruise line like P&O who have just spent £473 million on building Britannia.  My cruise agent has the opportunity to stay on Britannia for a couple of nights and I have asked her to find out if the Cookery Club has facilities for disabled cruisers or not.  If they do then I will amend my post.  I will update when I hear back from my agent.

A Couple of New Additions

Picture made of cotton reels

Over the last few days I have been updating my page "Cruising-A Alternative Way To Travel".  It is based on my personal experiences and knowledge that I have gained since I started cruising in 2008.  I have stayed in both adapted and non-adapted cabins and I hope that my ramblings maybe of some use to someone.
I have also added a new page "Accessibility Around Cruise Ships" this based on my personal experiences I have had.  The page also contains facts about different cruise ships that I feel maybe of use.  These facts are the sort of things I like to know before I book my cruises.  If there is something that you think maybe of interest to other disabled cruisers please contact me.