Top court puts ships on notice

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling last week paves the way for smoother sailing by travelers with disabilities.

Foreign-flagged cruise ships calling at U.S. ports cannot discriminate against disabled travelers by charging more or preventing access to onboard facilities, the court ruled. It said the Americans With Disabilities Act extends to foreign-flagged ships, which make up most of a cruise fleet that carries nearly 9 million North Americans annually.

The ruling evolved from a case against Norwegian Cruise Line by Doug Spector of Houston after problems he encountered on a 1998 cruise. He could not, for example, easily access the cabin’s bath in his motorized wheelchair because of a foot-high step up.

“This is a win-win for everybody,” Spector said of the decision. “It will benefit wheelchair users who have been too scared to go on cruises. More will go now that they [ships] have to comply ... and that will benefit the cruise lines.”

Representatives of NCL and the International Council of Cruise Lines, which deals with safety issues, said they welcomed the decision. Newer ships are being designed for greater accessibility.

-- Mary Lu Abbott

Want to feel presidential?

If price is no object, the Four Seasons New York has two new presidential suites designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei. The suites in the 52-story hotel at 57 E. 57th St. go for $15,000 a night.

The suites on the 51st floor have balconies on the corners of the building that make you feel as though you “are participating in the city, not just looking out a window,” said Kate Laufer, a spokeswoman for the Four Seasons. The rooms also have floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the city.

Pei designed the Four Seasons hotel in the early 1990s. Among his other works are the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston and the Pyramid at the Louvre in Paris.

Information: (800) 332-3442, www.fourseasons.com.

Web mapper

turns to print

MapQuest, known for providing instant driving directions on the Web, is harking back to old technology and will soon be selling printed maps and guidebooks.

MapQuest’s new subsidiary, MapQuest Publishing, will produce six versions of North American road atlases; guidebooks that focus on topics such as sports, camping and college searches; and laminated “Find It” street maps for 20 cities and 38 states. Both companies are owned by America Online.

MapQuest Publishing faces competition from Rand-McNally and others, but the company hopes to capitalize on Time Warner’s distribution capabilities and on brand loyalty.

-- Times staff