Gloria 51 Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 This coming Sunday on September 11 my daughter and her boyfriend will be joining me on a cruise to the Caribbean. We will be sailing on freedom of the seas and up till now all three of us have been over the top excited about the cruise. My daughter and I have been on many cruises together and have always had a great time. This will be the very first cruise that Travis, my daughters boyfriend will be on. Both Travis and my daughter have been to Iraq and both were wounded there. Travis suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was literally blown up from a bomb. Because of this injury, his stress level can be extremely high when he encounters large crowds and loud talking. Because I know this about Travis I called Royal Caribbean to make sure he will be able to get on board the ship ASAP after we check in. A normal person would think a simple request like this would not be a problem. You would be wrong! Travis is a handicapped vet who needs a little consideration on September 11, 2016. I'm not asking the world to stop spinning because one of our own needs a small amount of extra care. After many many phone calls to Royal Caribbean I think Travis will be able to board the ship ASAP after checking in. I say "I think" because I've been told yes no and maybe by many different Royal Caribbean people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneyraven Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 First and Foremost .... Please convey my thanks to both Travis and your daughter for their service .... I would hope that common sense and compassion will win out ..... Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerel Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 It may be worth wile asking the opinion of a travel agent. Royal can be very acomidating to people with needs, not sure why they arnt here. A agent may know better what channels to take. I'd be concerned about the muster drill aswell, if your muster point is on deck it can get very hot and crowded, they pack you in tight. I'd try and get them a indoors muster point, like the theater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arebee Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 Windjammer and main dining room could be an issues since they can get loud and are crowded. Please thank them for their sacrifice for our country. I hope they truly enjoy the cruise. When I was in the Navy, I used to sit and stare out at the water (still do), it can be very relaxing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firegal2539 Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 Thank Travis and your daughter for their service. I am not trying to be ugly but I think a cruise is not a good vacation choice for Travis. The Freedom is a very large ship with 1000s of passengers and crew. Crowding, noise, dining room and bar commotion is normal, bands and loud music every where. Not good for Travis! Sorry if this upsets anyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christie Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 When we got on Freedom last Sunday, we arrived at the port around 10:30. It was 15 min from stepping foot in the terminal to stepping foot on the boat. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloria 51 Posted September 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 Thank Travis and your daughter for their service. I am not trying to be ugly but I think a cruise is not a good vacation choice for Travis. The Freedom is a very large ship with 1000s of passengers and crew. Crowding, noise, dining room and bar commotion is normal, bands and loud music every where. Not good for Travis! Sorry if this upsets anyone. The day of the cruise Travis, my daughter and I will be taking a shuttle to the Atlanta airport. Go through the airport and find our gate. Fly from Atlanta to Orlando. Go though the Orlando airport and pick up luggage. From there we take a shuttle from the airport to the ship terminal. The day is only half over and at this point, even I will be tired and yes.. Stressed out! I can only imagine what Travis will be going through. The point I was trying to get Royal Caribbean to understand is, Travis should not have to set in a crowded terminal waiting to get on board the ship after going through airports, terminals, airplanes, shuttles and then checking in. I also understand that there will be crowding and noise while on the cruise. But, Travis will be able to go to his room if his stress level gets to high. Travis is very capable of handling one event at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneyraven Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 The day of the cruise Travis, my daughter and I will be taking a shuttle to the Atlanta airport. Go through the airport and find our gate. Fly from Atlanta to Orlando. Go though the Orlando airport and pick up luggage. From there we take a shuttle from the airport to the ship terminal. The day is only half over and at this point, even I will be tired and yes.. Stressed out! I can only imagine what Travis will be going through. The point I was trying to get Royal Caribbean to understand is, Travis should not have to set in a crowded terminal waiting to get on board the ship after going through airports, terminals, airplanes, shuttles and then checking in. I also understand that there will be crowding and noise while on the cruise. But, Travis will be able to go to his room if his stress level gets to high. Travis is very capable of handling one event at a time. Is there any way to possibly fly in the day before? This will not only give all 3 of you a much needed break, but also will help to eliminate any chance of delays and, God forbid, missing the boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 I appreciate your concerns as a son of a disabled veteran. And while the customer service agents are Royal employees, they rarely convey the policies of Royal Caribbean well. My advice would be to either arrive early or late to avoid the crowds. Alternatively, when you enter the port building, you will find many customer service agents guiding people. Ask them where check-in is for your situation and/or explain it to them. I've found that they can be quite accommodating. coneyraven 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloria 51 Posted September 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 Thank you everyone for your kind suggestions on how to solve my problem. I really do appreciate everyone that took the time to post solutions that may be taken to solve my problem. I do mean this from the bottom of my heart. Unfortunately, i'm afraid that some people have completely missed my point of view. I feel that it is not the responsibility of Travis to accommodate Royal Caribbean but in fact, Royal Caribbean should be bending over backwards to accommodate Travis. Before my daughter was sent to Iraq I thought like most people. "As long as you come back in one piece you'll be ok". I know now that this is not true. My sweet daughter I said goodbye to before she went to Iraq is not the same person that came home to me. The emotional scars that both my daughter and Travis have run deep. I guess the point I'm trying to make is, if Travis were in a wheelchair caused by the wounds he sustained in Iraq, would you tell Travis not to go on a cruise because Royal Caribbean can't accommodate anyone with this kind of handicap? Now if you will, replace that wheelchair that Travis is in with extreme anxiety sitting in the terminal waiting to board the ship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christie Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 I think your fears are a little over exaggerated. If he can handle Atlanta's airport, he's going to have no problem at Port Canaveral. Also, RC is very accommodating to their guests. There are so many layers of corporate structure between a customer service rep on the phone and the people at the terminal actually running this operation day after day. There will be someone right at the door when you enter the terminal. If you would like, stop and explain your situation to them and they will help you out. I would be more concerned about muster. Get to your muster station 30 minutes prior to the official drill time. Talk to your station leader about your needs and they will accommodate you. Jerel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 While there cause is completely different, many people with autism have similar issues as Travis and Royal has received kudos from and works with an organization regarding this. As a result, I'm confident that Royal will make accommodations as best they can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurac22 Posted September 10, 2016 Report Share Posted September 10, 2016 Have you contacted the special needs department? If not that would be the place to try, our Son is in a wheelchair and they have been very accommodating in addressing his needs. I agree with those that mentioned Muster drill being a problem. I would definetly try and get special arrangements made to avoid any problems with this. Muster can be stressful, crowded and long. They usually allow those with special needs to leave early, or be in a totally separate place from the crowds. I hope this all works out for you all. Please thank them for their service. DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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