Thread: Are European River Cruise just a memory

The last 3 years we had dream about taking a European River Cruise. We came close a couple of years ago but due to some medical issues we have never been able to see our dreams come true.

Now that our health issues are getting better we started to think maybe we can make our dream come true in the next year or so but having read some Forum messages in different cruise related website and even listening in to some Webinars sponsored by Travel Agencies that provide River Cruises we have been discourage that its feasible to attempt such a cruise in the future. One of our main health issues is not being able to walk long distances without stopping periodically to rest and climbing long flights of stair. We had thought about bringing along a foldable wheel chair but from everything we have read, due to cobblestone streets,
steep inclines etc, the use of wheelchairs is not feasible in most European cities, towns visited by the various River Cruise ships.

One suggestion was we could go and just stay on the ship and enjoy the views. Maybe this would be find for some but we want to get off and interact with the local townfolks and visit the local shops, markets and cafes.

Wondered if and of you out there have taken a European River Cruise? From your experience would you agree that this may not be the best type of cruise to take? How do the Europeans with mobility issues get around. Have you ever seen any wheelchairs that were perhaps tailored to the European town, that had wheels that were unique to rolling over cobblestone streets. We don't want to give up our dream but get discourage from the negatives we read and hear about River Cruises not being the a good choise for the disabled.

I read your post and I was just so sad. I'm sure that there will be at least one river cruise itinerary that would work for you, but it will take a lot of research to look at all the possible combinations.

It might not be an easy trip, because many towns do have cobblestone streets, and are narrow, making it hard to use a wheelchair. The part of Amsterdam with the crescent shaped canals comes to mind right away. But most of Budapest should not be a problem.

I do NOT recommend staying on the ship! It's not like an oceanliner, because it has to be narrow enough to fit in a river. There will be nothing to do on the ship except maybe talk to some of the crew who stayed behind. If you are not confined to a wheelchair, you should not have problems getting on and off the ship or doing most of the excursions. The average age of river cruise passengers is older, so they should not be racing from place to place. If you go to a museum and are not up to walking around, you can probably get a chair near the door and rest up while more ambitious passengers check out more exhibits. Since you will be in Europe, there will be at least one church on the itinerary, and sitting is permissible there.

I checked out Avalon's website, and they do not go out of their way to welcome passengers with disabilities. I purposely checked theirs, because they are one of the better companies, and have roomier cabins. Here is what I found:

Travelers Who Need Special Assistance on Tours and/or Cruises:
"You must report any disability requiring special attention while on tour or on cruise to Avalon at the time the reservation is made. Avalon will make reasonable attempts to accommodate the special needs of disabled travelers, but is not responsible in the event it is unable to do so nor responsible for any denial of services by air carriers, hotels, restaurants, or other independent suppliers. Avalon cannot provide individual assistance to a vacation participant for walking, dining, getting on and off motorcoaches and other vehicles, or other personal needs. A qualified and physically able companion must accompany travelers who need such assistance and must assume full responsibility for their well being.

"Not all sightseeing stops/sites accommodate wheelchairs and some locations and sightseeing activities require extensive standing, sitting, or walking. Avalon is not responsible for any missed activities due to a participant’s inability to participate with the group. The Americans with Disabilities Act is only applicable within the United States and facilities for disabled individuals are limited outside its borders. Most transportation services, including the touring motorcoach, are not equipped with wheelchair ramps. Motorized scooters are not typically suitable on international tours.

"Although some of our ships have elevators, many of our small ships (e.g., river cruise vessels) do not. Passengers requiring ship elevators should inquire before making reservations. Additionally, most stateroom doors and restrooms are not wide enough to allow access by standard wheelchairs, and bathrooms and other doorways may be fitted with coamings. For safety reasons, passengers in wheelchairs cannot be carried on ramps in ports where the ship is at anchor."

I recommend you find a travel agent who likes making dreams come true, and let him/her help you.

jrowland:

I've never done a European River Cruise, despite a long-standing desire!

But, my "gal pal" and I booked for a Viking River cruise on the Danube, Passau-Budapest, August 2011. We are in our mid-70s, but reasonably active, so concerns such as yours did not occur to us!

It's true that my emphysema limits my ability to 'charge about' and my friend's double knee replacements limits her climbing abilities, but we've explored many Caribbean sites without trouble.

Having traveled in Europe several times years ago, I understand the "cobblestones" problem, but think that some folks may overdo their negativity towards the problem!

My suggestion: research every angle you can, then do it all over again! Eventually, you should come up with a plan which will be doable, and comfortable!

Good Luck!

SWR

Originally Posted by MCcruiser

I read your post and I was just so sad. I'm sure that there will be at least one river cruise itinerary that would work for you, but it will take a lot of research to look at all the possible combinations.

It might not be an easy trip, because many towns do have cobblestone streets, and are narrow, making it hard to use a wheelchair. The part of Amsterdam with the crescent shaped canals comes to mind right away. But most of Budapest should not be a problem.

I do NOT recommend staying on the ship! It's not like an oceanliner, because it has to be narrow enough to fit in a river. There will be nothing to do on the ship except maybe talk to some of the crew who stayed behind. If you are not confined to a wheelchair, you should not have problems getting on and off the ship or doing most of the excursions. The average age of river cruise passengers is older, so they should not be racing from place to place. If you go to a museum and are not up to walking around, you can probably get a chair near the door and rest up while more ambitious passengers check out more exhibits. Since you will be in Europe, there will be at least one church on the itinerary, and sitting is permissible there.

I checked out Avalon's website, and they do not go out of their way to welcome passengers with disabilities. I purposely checked theirs, because they are one of the better companies, and have roomier cabins. Here is what I found:

Travelers Who Need Special Assistance on Tours and/or Cruises:
"You must report any disability requiring special attention while on tour or on cruise to Avalon at the time the reservation is made. Avalon will make reasonable attempts to accommodate the special needs of disabled travelers, but is not responsible in the event it is unable to do so nor responsible for any denial of services by air carriers, hotels, restaurants, or other independent suppliers. Avalon cannot provide individual assistance to a vacation participant for walking, dining, getting on and off motorcoaches and other vehicles, or other personal needs. A qualified and physically able companion must accompany travelers who need such assistance and must assume full responsibility for their well being.

"Not all sightseeing stops/sites accommodate wheelchairs and some locations and sightseeing activities require extensive standing, sitting, or walking. Avalon is not responsible for any missed activities due to a participant’s inability to participate with the group. The Americans with Disabilities Act is only applicable within the United States and facilities for disabled individuals are limited outside its borders. Most transportation services, including the touring motorcoach, are not equipped with wheelchair ramps. Motorized scooters are not typically suitable on international tours.

"Although some of our ships have elevators, many of our small ships (e.g., river cruise vessels) do not. Passengers requiring ship elevators should inquire before making reservations. Additionally, most stateroom doors and restrooms are not wide enough to allow access by standard wheelchairs, and bathrooms and other doorways may be fitted with coamings. For safety reasons, passengers in wheelchairs cannot be carried on ramps in ports where the ship is at anchor."

I recommend you find a travel agent who likes making dreams come true, and let him/her help you.

Wow, Avalon's Disabled Terms and Conditions sure aren't very friendly.

However, their suggestion to call ahead and discuss the possibilities of your trip sounds reasonable.

If you do not require wheelchair assistance on board ship, I feel as if there might be a solution to your concerns.

There is a company called Special Needs At Sea and they service a wide array of embarkation ports, as well as destination ports throughout Europe.

You can find them here: Scooter & Wheelchair Rentals for Cruise, Hotel, & Air - Special Needs At Sea I can't guarantee they will be able to satisfy all of your needs, but I think that this is a good start.

I am going to do a little more research for you and post when I unearth anything of interest.

Understandably, the river cruise experience is a desirable one and one that creates a very specific cruise vacation feel.....but let's not forget how EXTREMELY helpful some of the more traditional cruise companies can be to those with limited mobility and/or those who are disabled.

Chin up and let's see if we can't find a good solution for you!

Overall, Europe is NOT handicapped friendly, that's for sure! They do not have the same laws as the U.S. such as the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Their major "excuse" for this is that they have been around longer than we have and it would cost them too much money to comply.

Having been around Europe, I can personally testify that it's not easy for those with disabilities to get around. Needless to say, that sucks!

Since river cruises go to cities on the rivers, it's inevitable that you have to get off the boat and maneuver around the city in order to see the sites. Since accommodations for those with disabilities are far and few between, it makes it very difficult to get around. Unfortunately, it's just a sad state of affair.

To stay on the boat is not a great idea. While you'll still see some wonderful sites from the river, you just don't get the complete picture and would be missing alot.

The cruise ships do make it easier for those with disabilities to get around easier and offer excursions suited for those passengers. So overall, this is probably the best option available when thinking about Europe.

Pete

Originally Posted by jrowland

The last 3 years we had dream about taking a European River Cruise. We came close a couple of years ago but due to some medical issues we have never been able to see our dreams come true.

Now that our health issues are getting better we started to think maybe we can make our dream come true in the next year or so but having read some Forum messages in different cruise related website and even listening in to some Webinars sponsored by Travel Agencies that provide River Cruises we have been discourage that its feasible to attempt such a cruise in the future. One of our main health issues is not being able to walk long distances without stopping periodically to rest and climbing long flights of stair. We had thought about bringing along a foldable wheel chair but from everything we have read, due to cobblestone streets,
steep inclines etc, the use of wheelchairs is not feasible in most European cities, towns visited by the various River Cruise ships.

One suggestion was we could go and just stay on the ship and enjoy the views. Maybe this would be find for some but we want to get off and interact with the local townfolks and visit the local shops, markets and cafes.

Wondered if and of you out there have taken a European River Cruise? From your experience would you agree that this may not be the best type of cruise to take? How do the Europeans with mobility issues get around. Have you ever seen any wheelchairs that were perhaps tailored to the European town, that had wheels that were unique to rolling over cobblestone streets. We don't want to give up our dream but get discourage from the negatives we read and hear about River Cruises not being the a good choise for the disabled.

I just saw the Emerging Horizons, a print magazine for wheelchair users and "Slow walkers" has just published their August issue with an article about.....European River Cruising.

I can't read the article because its not online, but I have written to see if we can't get a copy.

I also suggest you call your local newsstand/bookstore to see of they carry or can order you a copy of Emerging Horizons...

or better yet, you can research them a little more online here:

Emerging Horizons Accessible Travel News

What a great resource, Tim! I am considering getting a subscription for my parents.

In wandering around that site, I found a blog written by a wheelchair user about getting around major cities in Europe. I am posting that link here since it does have a list of places to visit in Europe with accessibility ratings.
Accessible Europe Travel Advice and Reviews

"This information is most useful for disabled travelers and elderly travelers, however it is also useful for parents with strollers, travelers with lots of luggage, or anyone whose desire slightly exceeds their energy!"

Hi, jrowland. We agree with everything that's been said so far. We've worked with travelers with disabilities for many years and river cruising in Europe is a challenge. The more your agent knows about what you CAN do, the better match they will be able to make for you. There are a number of companies that specialize in tours when you are in the various destinations. Special Needs at Sea is great in providing any necessary equipment - we've worked with them for years.

Shelly and Roberta, welcome to cruiselinefans!

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