Disabled Debate

DISABLED DEBATE

Dear WoC

I refer to the letter from James Eldridge of London in the Autumn Edition (Issue 52) on the subject of the disabled aboard cruise ships. He will obviously not be using this hospital ship, the Queen Victoria, again for which I will be truly grateful. I am one of these old men who he accuses of whizzing around the decks and in the cafeteria on my mobility scooter – which will do a maximum 4mph with the wind behind me!

He’s lucky if he is able to jump out of the way of a speeding scooter; I can only manage to drag myself along for a few steps with the aid of sticks when off my scooter – I would willingly swap places with Mr Eldridge if that was possible and, should he ever become disabled in the future, he would understand what I’m saying.

I have cruised on Queen Victoria on three occasions and have my fourth cruise booked in 2012. And I have managed so far not to break anyone’s limbs! I am truly grateful to Cunard and all its wonderful and helpful staff, who look after me in the way they do so I am able to enjoy a great holiday like this. Many thanks, too, to the many able-bodied passengers who do go out of their way to be helpful to me in my predicament.

R Hickling, Malvern, Worcs, UK