Cruise Line Strands Disabled Senior On Island

[+EdwardGlen]

fyi; Received this today. family friend had similar experience several years ago and was promised refund and trip vouchers, never got either.

 

But this is how society in America is seeing us disabled and old, as a nuciance. And if you are wheel chair bound you're treated even worse.

 

http://dailytribune.com/articles/2011/04/11/news/doc4da32d48ded47415691288.txt?viewmode=fullstory

 

We suggest seniors and people with disabilities should think twice before they sign up for a vacation with Royal Caribbean International cruise line.

 

What happened to Jim Keskeny, 66, a wheelchair user who has multiple sclerosis, is both shocking and scary.

 

Keskeny, who lived in Bloomfield Township for eight years, signed up for a 10-day cruise with the Miami-based Celebrity Cruises Inc., owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International, of the eastern Caribbean.

 

He paid $4,000 for his ticket so he’d have a larger stateroom for his wheelchair and also paid extra to have a butler assigned to him to help him since he was traveling alone.

 

Keskeny, now of Pinckney, who traveled extensively during his career on behalf of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation, made sure he’d receive extra assistance on the cruise before he bought the ticket and flew to Miami on Feb. 13 to board the ship.

 

“When I went through check-in, everyone was aware I used a wheelchair because it was obvious,” he said. “Cruise line officials knew I paid for extra assistance, if needed.

 

“The trip was a treat to myself because I had retired,” Keskeny said, a former Ford Motor Co. worker before he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

 

The ship left the Miami port Monday, Feb. 14.

 

But the next morning, when he asked the butler to help him get his wheelchair over a non-compliant ADA lip going into the bathroom, the butler refused.

 

“They wouldn’t touch me,” he said. “I felt like a leper.”

 

After he had lunch with friends, he said the manager of the tour company and two cruise line officials came to his cabin.

 

“I asked them to sit down so we could talk at eye level but they wouldn’t and I had to look up at them,” Keskeny said.

 

They said they would not touch his body or help him despite the arrangements he made before paying for the $4,000 trip, he said.

 

“If they had to touch me or lift me, I would be made to disembark,” he said cruise officials told him.

 

“I was in shock and couldn’t believe it,” he said. “Before I got onboard nobody raised any issue about my disability.”

 

On the third day of the trip, Keskeny said he had a problem in the bathroom and slipped off the toilet.

 

“Not one of the workers would help me get back in my chair,” he said, noting fellow passengers helped him out.

 

He then was taken to the ship’s infirmary, given a test and charged $200.

 

Ship officials wanted to drop him off at St. Barts but the sea was too rough “so they let me stay one more night,” he said.

 

The next morning, Feb. 18, Keskeny was taken off the ship and left in the port of Quadalupe.

 

Royal Caribbean arranged for him to get to the airport, but then “I had to buy my own ticket home for $700.” It cost him a total of about $1,500 to get home, he said.

 

Keskeny got a ticket from Air France and flew from Quadalupe to Miami with a stopover in Haiti.

 

“Imagine I had to sit in Haiti and I had none of the vaccinations to protect me from malaria, meningitis or cholera. When I got home then I thought about the diseases I could have caught since Haiti was under a cholera warning as a result of the Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake.

 

“Here I was trying to reward myself for working with a great trip and ended up getting treated in a way I never would have imagined.”

 

Keskeny said he took an around-the-world trip in 2002 by himself and had no problems.

 

“I received a lot of help from strangers and I expected superb service from Royal Caribbean because cruise lines are known for catering to their customers. I never dreamt they would treat me in such a discriminatory fashion.”

 

To get home, he flew from Miami to Detroit Metro Airport on Saturday, Feb. 19, after having to spend the night at a Miami hotel at his expense.

 

When asked to comment on the way Keskeny says he was treated, a spokesman at corporate Guest Relations Department of Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises Inc. in Miami said: “I can’t comment because the facts are unknown.”

 

Keskeny said he was “sorry I signed up for the cruise and would love to know that no one else is ever treated the way I was. Here I was out to sea and at their mercy.”

 

Attorney Richard Bernstein of Farmington Hills, who is handling the case pro bono, said the actions of Royal Caribbean “placed my client in horrible danger.”

 

“Once that ship left port, Royal Caribbean is solely responsible for Keskeny’s safe return back to Miami,” Bernstein said.

 

However, the ticket contract that Keskeny signed requires all litigation to occur in Miami as well as requires the customer to submit to binding arbitration.

 

“These ticket contracts place the traveling public at the mercy of cruise lines,” Bernstein said.

 

Keskeny’s only remedy is to have his lawyer, Bernstein, who is blind, travel to Miami and arbitrate with the cruise line. In addition, Bernstein is unable under the ticket contract to recover his cost and time of traveling and related case costs to represent Kreskeny in Miami.

 

“This company’s conduct is putting disabled seniors at such risk that there’s a much bigger issue at play than getting reimbursement for my client,” Bernstein said, noting that Royal Caribbean behaves like this because the current laws give them an advantage so there is no legal deterrent to keep passengers safe.

 

Keskeny can’t get any punitive damages for the way he was treated and “will be fortunate to get back the cost of his ticket and maybe the cost he had to pay to get back home after he was thrown off the ship,” Bernstein said.

 

“There is absolutely no excuse for the behavior and conduct of Royal Caribbean,” Bernstein said.

 

“How could they have left him on an island? They had full knowledge he didn’t have vaccinations which are required to travel to Haiti,” Bernstein said, noting that multiple sclerosis weakens a person’s immune system.

 

Keskeny said he hopes that Royal Caribbean changes its policy regarding seniors and people with disabilities.

 

“I want people to be aware of the limitations of the assistance they can expect from Royal Caribbean if they have a disability or are a senior.

 

“I was lucky that I got home safely to the arms of my wife, Nancy.”

[solabeirtan]

Another sad case of assumed or imagined and unrealistic expectations, on his part.

 

Bad enough going on a cruise alone, much less propped up in a wheel chair. Sorry for your troubles nevertheless, what he needed was a guide, else a companion.

 

I've never been on a cruise, however they are very freindly in the Carribean on any Island I've ever had the good fortune of visiting, or getting 'stranded' on! .................... ........................... peace

[Croppled1]

Mr Glen you always come up with great articles that spur my emotions whether I agree or disagree . One of the worst things I have found in hidden or visible disability from injury or illness is requiring assistance and communicating your needs along with finding acceptance of your requests . Even when you have people willing to help if your weak and sick just trying to coordinate it can be very stressful , overwhelming and too much . Mr Kenskeny is one brave individual for having the gumption to travel alone and trust others as he did before finding out most people have no empathy toward patients needs and are scared of them .I am very sad this man who needed a break received none and spent so much of his hard earned money to receive treatment like this . A much needed offshoot of the medical cannabis movement is patients are discussing issues in health care , travel , the work place that effect them trying to create a better world for all people with improved communication .

 

On many days the problems gaining acceptance for patients and medicinal cannabis seem unsurmountable . The pain of persecution for many in this time of change seems so steep with severe prison sentences and felonies which should not be occurring in many cases a reality as patients work toward change in attitudes and practice . I look for inspiration in many places and I enjoyed this service on the topic laughter to improve health and coping with stress .It really is true even smiling releases hormones that make one feel better . I hope that someone else will listen , benefit and enjoy the Minister's discussion of laughter and health . I often listen to Minister Olsteen who reinforces what most severe chronic pain programs in our Country teach about laughter and even just smiling to release hormones that heal . While the Greek adage of " nothing in excess " applies to medications it seems like one can never get enough laughter .

 

http://www.joelostee...ks_message.aspx

[Big Smoke Dog]

I'd like to know how much he wins in the lawsuit, or how much Royal Caribbean slides him under the table to start shutting up.

[jessiejamez]

I'd like to know how much he wins in the lawsuit, or how much Royal Caribbean slides him under the table to start shutting up.

He'll be able to afford much better meds.

[MightyMightyMezz]

I imagine they wouldn't touch him for liability reasons? They should have made that clear from the beginning.

[greenbuddha]

Yeah,

 

He'll probably get enough to retire all over again in some MJ friendly place.

 

At least I hope so.

[Croppled1]

I imagine they wouldn't touch him for liability reasons? They should have made that clear from the beginning.

 

You may be right in todays world but isn't that just ridiculous ? This man spent allot of money , explained his situation to cruise line staff and paid up for a Butler to attend him figuring he would obtain reasonable help . Money damages isn't the point staff should of been trained and suggested at the very least he take a health aide to travel with him if a Doctor felt it was necessary and many companies allow helpers of the disabled s to travel for free .I am sure he paid both ends pf a two party room or at least 150% of single passage ( double occupancy they require ). Sounds like the cruise lines are not on top of the situation to assist the elderly and disabled needing assistance which is wrong morally as well as from a profit standpoint . They should of been able to recommend one of the few agencies that specializes in providing travel aid assistance for the disabled . The ships are like Cities I am surprised they wouldn't consider having a few qualified aides full time on board training is minimal . These are things we can all help each other learn about as we solve things for ourselves . If anyone knows about travel options for the single disabled traveler , couples or families in need of additional accommodation or assistance maybe they can start another thread with some possibilities .sharing the benefit of their knowledge . One of the things I know to be true is patients need access to keeping balance in their lives just because your health declines doesn't mean your life should loose balance and be all work with no play . That will not result in aiding recovery it will cause decline . This is one reason I felt it is wrong to prevent in any way patients ability to be able to keep therapeutic levels of cannabis in their system away from home . They need to get out and have more normal lives not just sit alone with a cannabis plant like punishment for following a treatment program they are self evaluating after being approved or qualified as a candidate for potential benefit by a Doctor .

 

If anyone knows of travel tips for the disabled I wish they would start a thread . I myself would be very interested in going to a private campground that had a dock for fishing and had other patients on the program whom frequented it . I used to go to a Christin campground on Indian Lake but how the public is reacting to this law after 3 years as well as some Law Enforcement I am honestly reluctant to travel out alone since I need to keep level therapeutic levels of cannabis in my system to receive benefit from being on the program . If you run into prohibitionists they can crucify you thinking their helping and being ill defending oneself can be too much .

[MightyMightyMezz]

Absolutely it is ridiculous, croppled1. A legal system that creates such situations should not be tolerated.