Survey gives snapshot of disabled people's experiences on cruise and ferry ships

Ferry and cruise ship passengers are more likely to experience problems getting assistance if they have a disability that isn't immediately visible.
In the first survey of its kind, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency has received a number of responses that show while many disabled passengers have had a good experience on board, others have not.
More than 70 per cent of disabled passengers who use cruise ships say they’re happy with their experience on board according to the first survey of its kind published by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. Ferry users were less happy with 56% saying their experience had been a good one.
The survey was carried out by the MCA to find out from disabled passengers and those of reduced mobility, what their experience of transport was and how effective the provision of assistance has been when using ferries or cruise ships.
This is the first year the survey has been conducted and 220 responses were received and analysed since it was begun last August.
Danny Light, passenger rights enforcement officer for the MCA said it showed there was more work to be done.
He said: ‘The survey shows that actually people don’t necessarily know their rights or in some cases what assistance is available. It also revealed a difference in satisfaction levels between those with a visible disability and those with a disability which isn’t immediately obvious. We will be working with the industry to see how we can best help raise awareness.
‘We want everyone to be able to enjoy their experience on board a cruise ship or be able to easily use a ferry, regardless of whether they have a disability or not.’
The MCA will be repeating the survey on an annual basis with the next survey will take place in August 2019. 
The survey was carried out to find out from disabled passengers and those of reduced mobility their experience of transport using ships and how effective the provision of assistance has been when using ferries or cruise ships, as required by regulation EU1177/2010.
Results from the survey showed overall satisfaction levels at 71% for cruise ship passengers, and slightly lower satisfaction rates at 56% for ferry passengers.  
The report is one of the key commitments in the Department for Transport’s Inclusive Transport Strategy to improve disabled people’s access across all modes of transport by 2030.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mca-disabled-passenger-satisfaction-survey-2018

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