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Cunard refuse to assist disabled passengers taking their hoist on board
My physically disabled wife and I recently tried to book a cruise with Cunard. She cannot transfer without a hoist and uses a powered, personalised wheelchair. Unfortunately, we encountered many barriers that ultimately discouraged us from booking.
Accessible cabins are scarce, often requiring booking at least 18 months ahead. Hoist users also need enough space beside the disabled person’s bed to operate the equipment safely and provide personal care.
I first emailed Cunard at accessibility@carnivalukgroup.com in July 2024. I asked which ships had cabins with enough space around the bed and whether staff could help take my wife’s 35 kg Oxford Advance portable hoist from the terminal to the cabin. Her personal assistant, a small older woman, could not safely carry it alongside two sets of hand luggage and personal-care supplies. I considered help with this as a reasonable request.
Cunard did not reply to my July 2024 email until I followed up in November 2024. They apologised but did not answer my questions. Instead, they persisted that we had to register for an evacuation chair as well as an accessible cabin. I This was not something we had had to do in a previous cruise earlier that year. I identified suitable accessible cabins showing available from the Cunard website and proposed seven cruises, but repeatedly received: “Regrettably, we have reached capacity for evacuation chairs for this sailing”. Having proffered seven potential destinations/cruises, only the unappealing or previously visited destinations remained. Throughout this time the Accessibility Team any answer to my original enquiry.
In January 2025, I contacted Cunard Customer Services. After consulting the Accessibility Team three times over a few days, the salesperson reassured me that assistance would be available to take the hoist aboard. On that basis, and the reassurance that the cabin would be big enough, we booked a cruise for 26 September 2026 costing £6,198 for a 19 night cruise in an Ocean view cabin (for extra room) to the Mediterranean and Greek islands on the Queen Anne.
Eight months after booking, on 10th August 2025, Cunard wrote: “Following a thorough review of your correspondence and the discussions you’ve had with our teams, I regret to confirm that we are unable to provide assistance with transporting personal medical equipment, such as your own hoist, from the terminal to the cabin. This responsibility remains with the guest and/or their travelling companion or carer.” Cunard had previously confirmed we could use our own hoist aboard the ship during the cruise so why were they not refusing to help transport the hoist on to the ship?
Over the next nine months, After complaining to Cunard, they stopped communicating with us. Over the next nine months we complained to the next tier in the complaints procedure, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA UK), about Cunard’s refusal to help transport essential mobility equipment. We believed this contravened the Passenger Maritime Transport regulations and EU 1177/2020 regulations. In April 2026, CLIA reported “Cunard would arrange for someone to take the hoist aboard once our cabin was ready.” Cunard never ever confirmed this information to us either verbally or in writing.
The anxiety and hassle destroyed my wife’s confidence with Cunard and its promise, “Why cruise when you can Cunard”. If booking was this difficult, she doubted the company would deliver appropriate services aboard the ship. With no faith in the company, we reluctantly cancelled the booking at the end of May 2026. This was immediately prior to having to pay the balance of the cruise costs.
In my view, this experience shows a major cruise line disregarding disabled customers’ needs and refusal to consider reasonable adjustments as per current legislation. I believe Cunard’s attitude verged on discriminatory. I would not recommend Cunard based on the barriers they placed in our way to accommodate my wife’s needs.
My physically disabled wife and I recently tried to book a cruise with Cunard. She cannot transfer without a hoist and uses a powered, personalised wheelchair. Unfortunately, we encountered many barriers that ultimately discouraged us from booking.
Accessible cabins are scarce, often requiring booking at least 18 months ahead. Hoist users also need enough space beside the disabled person’s bed to operate the equipment safely and provide personal care.
I first emailed Cunard at accessibility@carnivalukgroup.com in July 2024. I asked which ships had cabins with enough space around the bed and whether staff could help take my wife’s 35 kg Oxford Advance portable hoist from the terminal to the cabin. Her personal assistant, a small older woman, could not safely carry it alongside two sets of hand luggage and personal-care supplies. I considered help with this as a reasonable request.
Cunard did not reply to my July 2024 email until I followed up in November 2024. They apologised but did not answer my questions. Instead, they persisted that we had to register for an evacuation chair as well as an accessible cabin. I This was not something we had had to do in a previous cruise earlier that year. I identified suitable accessible cabins showing available from the Cunard website and proposed seven cruises, but repeatedly received: “Regrettably, we have reached capacity for evacuation chairs for this sailing”. Having proffered seven potential destinations/cruises, only the unappealing or previously visited destinations remained. Throughout this time the Accessibility Team any answer to my original enquiry.
In January 2025, I contacted Cunard Customer Services. After consulting the Accessibility Team three times over a few days, the salesperson reassured me that assistance would be available to take the hoist aboard. On that basis, and the reassurance that the cabin would be big enough, we booked a cruise for 26 September 2026 costing £6,198 for a 19 night cruise in an Ocean view cabin (for extra room) to the Mediterranean and Greek islands on the Queen Anne.
Eight months after booking, on 10th August 2025, Cunard wrote: “Following a thorough review of your correspondence and the discussions you’ve had with our teams, I regret to confirm that we are unable to provide assistance with transporting personal medical equipment, such as your own hoist, from the terminal to the cabin. This responsibility remains with the guest and/or their travelling companion or carer.” Cunard had previously confirmed we could use our own hoist aboard the ship during the cruise so why were they not refusing to help transport the hoist on to the ship?
Over the next nine months, After complaining to Cunard, they stopped communicating with us. Over the next nine months we complained to the next tier in the complaints procedure, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA UK), about Cunard’s refusal to help transport essential mobility equipment. We believed this contravened the Passenger Maritime Transport regulations and EU 1177/2020 regulations. In April 2026, CLIA reported “Cunard would arrange for someone to take the hoist aboard once our cabin was ready.” Cunard never ever confirmed this information to us either verbally or in writing.
The anxiety and hassle destroyed my wife’s confidence with Cunard and its promise, “Why cruise when you can Cunard”. If booking was this difficult, she doubted the company would deliver appropriate services aboard the ship. With no faith in the company, we reluctantly cancelled the booking at the end of May 2026. This was immediately prior to having to pay the balance of the cruise costs.
In my view, this experience shows a major cruise line disregarding disabled customers’ needs and refusal to consider reasonable adjustments as per current legislation. I believe Cunard’s attitude verged on discriminatory. I would not recommend Cunard based on the barriers they placed in our way to accommodate my wife’s needs.
For additional detailed accessibility information, please contact: customerservices@cunard.co.uk
