[Pugchief]

Originally Posted by Aces4

It's right up there with wheelchair ramps, most people don't need them so those that do should pay for them. (Playing the devil's advocate..)

Hmm. Most people don't need Viagra. Should it be paid for collectively, or paid for by the folks who need/want it?

The problem with socializing the cost of everything is, well, where is the endpoint?
Be careful what you wish for.

And in case you don't think the cost of ramps is socialized, let's go back to Econ 101. Law requires ramp -> property owner pays for ramp -> rent increases to cover cost of ramp -> business owner raises prices to cover cost of higher rent -> end user pays more to cover cost of ramp, that only gets used 4 times per year.

Just playing Devil's Advocate.

[biker1]

If you have serious health problems, you would definitely want to avoid transoceanic cruises. While there is a Dr. aboard, if you need to be transported to a medical facility then that could be an issue. Otherwise, cruise boats are typically close to land. I did see one person airlifted off a boat by helicopter. On a river cruise in Germany, my Dad was having some congestive heart failure issues. The EMTs came to the riverboat and took him to a nearby cardiac center. From everything I could discern, his care was excellent and he was back on the river boat in 2-days. One of the EMTs was actually a Dr. If you are in poor health, stay home.

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

If I had serious health problems international cruise ship I would avoid like the plague. IMO nothing worse than being dumps off in 3rd world country with serious health emergency. And yes IMO (and i can have one) Caribbean islands 3rd world.

[bikeman]

Understood...I was just following what my cardiologist suggested and again, there were four cruise lines that agreed with his letter...being on a fixed income does not mean I have to stay at home and do nothing, it just means I have to plan on every dollar we spend and the want/need is taken into consideration...wish that were not the case, but it is what is is...fixed...

[bikeman]

My thoughts absolutely...thats why I posted...glad they recognized her medical needs...

[bikeman]

Great...gald they saw the need and did not worry about their profits...

[scubawva]

I called the ADA customer service line today.

The cruise lines are bound by ADA if it leaves from a US port - for the entire cruise. The ADA does not go away once in non-US waters.

“Reasonable accommodations” is the requirement. She could not say if free WiFi for a pacemaker would be considered “reasonable”

If one asks for accommodations and they are not granted you should file a claim.

ADA.gov

There are cruise ship cases
Search | ADA.gov

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

If I had serious health problems international cruise ship I would avoid like the plague. IMO nothing worse than being dumped off in 3rd world country with serious health emergency. And yes IMO (and i can have one) Caribbean islands 3rd world.

Yes you can have an opinion. But the term "Third World" or "3rd World" has an actual definition. The "Caribbean islands" is not a country, so it wouldn't qualify as a 3rd World country. Some of the islands are United States territories, which means you would be claiming that the United States is a "3rd World" country Some of them are British territories, which means you would be claiming that England is a "third world" country. Some are territories of France. Third World country? I'm thinking probably not.

Using the term "Third World" to describe countries with a low income population, or countries with primarily dark-skinned citizens who speak English with a foreign accent - is considered a pejorative, outdated, and not really applicable.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by scubawva

I called the ADA customer service line today.

The cruise lines are bound by ADA if it leaves from a US port - for the entire cruise. The ADA does not go away once in non-US waters.

“Reasonable accommodations” is the requirement. She could not say if free WiFi for a pacemaker would be considered “reasonable”

If one asks for accommodations and they are not granted you should file a claim.

ADA.gov

There are cruise ship cases
Search | ADA.gov

Reasonable accommodation FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. Having a pacemaker doesn't make you disabled. No reasonable accommodation needed.

[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by shut the front door

Carnival does not fly under a US flag, therefore they are not required to follow American labor and ADA laws.
I understand you think they should anyway, but they are in the business to make money and not offering perks for pacemakers is how they do it.

The Civil Rights division of the DOJ has stated that "the ADA applies to foreign flag cruise ships when they are in the ports or other internal waters of the United States."

So they would have to provide it in port but they could turn it off once they got out into international waters.

[Nevinator]

I’m not a big fan of “cruising.” I’ve been on a few, it was fun, but not something that I feel that I need to do on a frequent basis. One thing I’ve noticed is that cruise lines discount their prices substantially to get people to sign up. They make their real revenue on the extras, like alcohol, wi-fi, photo packages and shipboard excursions. Probably not the best analogy, but it’s quite similar to buying a printer. You can go to your favorite electronics store and buy a printer with wi-fi, color printing, fax, scan, PDF to email and a bunch of other features for less than $200 dollars and sometimes as low as $100, but depending upon the type of product, the ink cartridges cost almost as much as the printer. At the end of the day, the company needs to drive revenue in order to make a profit. If you believe your health is so important that your life depends upon wi-fi access, then just pay for it. Personally, if I was so concerned that my pacemaker might fail in some way, I’m not so sure that I would be taking a cruise in the first place where I would have to rely upon a foreign country’s medical facilities for a heart related condition.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by shut the front door

That's why smart cruisers buy travel insurance.

I read a story about a guy who spent 3 days in the ship's medical facility for an infection. He got a bill for $85,000. Would travel insurance pay that bill?

[Marathon Man]

Originally Posted by scubawva

I called the ADA customer service line today.

The cruise lines are bound by ADA if it leaves from a US port - for the entire cruise. The ADA does not go away once in non-US waters.


Search | ADA.gov

Originally Posted by Rainger99

The Civil Rights division of the DOJ has stated that "the ADA applies to foreign flag cruise ships when they are in the ports or other internal waters of the United States."

So they would have to provide it in port but they could turn it off once they got out into international waters.

So, which is correct??

[westernrider75]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

My older brother is completely blind and has a highly trained German Shepherd guide dog that he can bring with him anywhere in the USA, but she isn’t allowed on cruise ships in international waters where the ADA isn’t recognized.

I’m surprised by this as I have seen dogs on several recent cruises. Not sure if they were service dogs or guide dogs but they were obviously highly trained.

[westernrider75]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Personally, I think wifi should be free on all cruises. That is just one of the many reasons that I would never go on a cruise.

If you can afford the cruise, the WiFi is insignificant.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by westernrider75

If you can afford the cruise, the WiFi is insignificant.

On a $200 per day cruise, a fee of $30 per day for wifi is about 15 percent. To me, that is significant, especially since wifi is free almost everywhere else, and most of the wifi cost on a cruise is pure profit.