Suites, mini suites and mobility scooters!!

I suppose this post is continuing on from my last one about disabiity and accessibility on board P&O's fleet.  I have previously mentioned that I had been told that when Carnival reshuffled it was decided that a dedicated disability team was no longer required and that their customer service could answer any disability related questions; I disagree with this decision and can prove it does not work.
I believe it was around the time of the reshuffle that P&O decided that disabled passengers who used a mobility scooter could no longer take then on-board unless they had an accessible cabin or another cabin that was deemed suitable and in most cases these are non adapted suites and mini suites.  The reason for this decision I understand was purely for health and safety.
I am not a fan of the mobility scooter but I feel that it is unfair on passengers who use a scooter to move around and wish to stay loyal to P&O.  I believe that their choice of cabin has been away and has obviously restricted their choice of ship and cruise as many of them cannot afford the price of suites and mini suites.
Arcadia, does not have any accessible accommodation that is suitable for a full-time wheelchair or mobility scooter users as none of their cabins are large enough to manoeuvre around.  However, they do have 51 non adapted cabins that are suites and mini suites. The ship also has 11 partially adapted cabins in grades from suites to larger inside cabins.
Aurora, does have 22 cabins that are suitable for full-time wheelchair and mobility scooter users in grades from balcony cabins to inside cabins.  The ship also offers 30 non adapted cabins that are suitable for mobility scooters in suite and mini suite grades.
Sister ships the Azura and Ventura each offer 31 adapted cabins that are suitable for full-time wheelchair and mobility scooter users in cabin grades from a suite to inside cabins.  Both ships also offer 27 non adapted suites which are suitable for mobility scooter users.
Oriana only has 8 outside cabins that are suitable for full-time wheelchair and mobility scooter users. However, she has 24 non adapted suites and mini suites that are suitable for mobility scooter users.
Oceana offers19 adapted cabins which are suitable for full-time wheelchair and mobility scooter users in grades from a mini suite to inside cabin.  She has 38 non adapted suites and mini suites that are suitable for use by mobility scooters users.
Britannia, P&O's flagship offers 37 adapted cabins that are suitable for both full-time wheelchair and mobility scooter users in grades from suites to inside cabins.  They also offer 44 non adapted suites that are suitable for mobility scooters users.
Any passenger who is disabled knows that adapted cabins sell out very quickly, usually as soon as a cruise goes on sale and as adapted cabns are very limited in number it means that they would have to swallow the cost of higher grade cabins and suites or go with another cruise company. 
When P&O introduced this new rule I was so furious that they were taking away a passengers choice of cabin and I actually moved away from P&O even though I use a manual wheelchair and the new rule did not apply to me. I went and did several cruises with RCI.  RCI do not have any rules regarding the use of scooters and we never found them to be a pest while on board "Indy".

Open wardrobe on Britannia

What does bother me is that this could be the start of a trend; starting with scooters.  At the moment I am able to manage in a standard cabin with a shower and my manual wheelchair folds small enough to fit in the open wardrobe area.  I do not require space to manoeuvre a wheelchair around the cabin.  When booking a cruise I go no higher in grade than a balcony for the simple reason that the higher grades often come with a bathtub and overhead shower.  I am unable to get in and out of a bathtub safely.  So if P&O brought in a rule regarding manual wheelchairs I would not be able to stay loyal to P&O and would not hesitate in going back to RCI or another cruise line.
I know this topic often comes up on boards and forums and I do feel sorry for mobility scooter users especially when some scooters fold up as small as a manual whelchairs and yet they are still not allowed on-board P&O's fleet.  If I was a scooter owner I would want answers as it does seem a little bit unfair.  If they were to say no manual wheelchairs on-board I believe this would be one step too far; something I don't think they can afford to do. 
I am only able to use a manual wheelchair because I have friends who can push me when I get too tired but if I had no one to push me I would have to rely on a mobility scooter and I feel that my choices should not be compromised should I use a scooter in the future.  It would be nice if one day this rule on mobility scooters could be reversed but I doubt that will ever happen.  I have been on four of the ships in the P&O fleet and they all have something different that makes them special and unique and will remain loyal but loyalty is a two way thing. 

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)