Celebrity Silhouette - Powerchair Tours Eastern Med / Israel Oct 2016

Hi

This is my second post on CC, I'm doing well so far today.... :rolleyes:

My Hubby and I are sailing on the 22 October 2016, we've been reading through the posts and roll call with interest.

As all the accessible cabins are booked up now on this sailing; I'm hoping that there are others who may be going on tours using a wheelchair / powerchair.

If there is anyone who could give me some advice or pointers regarding arranging/joining tours with fellow passengers, in the following ports that would be great.

Valetta, MALTA

Athens (PIRAEUS), GREECE

Ephesus (KUSADASI), TURKEY

Mykonos, GREECE

Haifa, ISRAEL

Jerusalem (ASHDOD), ISRAEL (2 days)

Katakolon / Olympia, GREECE

I've also posted a similar request in the roll call.

Thank you in advance :)

Wendy

Posting the info on your roll call is probably your best option. If you happen to find any accessible tours that have more than one wheelchair space, I suggest you also share that info with your roll call. Or even if you find one that offers space for other seated passengers. This late, there is a strong chance that many have already made arrangements.

It has been a few years since I've been to those ports, thus no longer have records of who I contacted. However, I am aware that there is a tour company, “Israel for All” that should be able to accommodate more than one wheelchair plus have space for seated passengers. Suggest you look them up and see what they have to offer.

In Malta and Athens we saw the sights on our own. For Athens, we did get a taxi into town and took the metro back. For the person walking, it is a tad bit over a mile from the metro station to the ship. For Malta, the ship docks in town.

Ephesus we found a tour company that could accommodate both scooters that took us to a couple sights, a museum and a little town in the hills. Unless there have been some major changes, the biblical area tours are not wheelchair accessible.

For the Greek Islands, I was still pretending I was able bodied and took a couple ship tours. We got to the sights, but I did not get to see much. Did not have a scooter on those trips.

Have a wonderful cruise,

Betty

Hi,

I would check with Celebrity about getting the power chair off and on the ship. It is fairly easy on embarkation day but much different when at ports who don't use the "air bridge" type of ramps (sorry don't know what they are properly called but the type that zig zag) The problem with power chairs is when the angles of the ramps is too great for the chair to run over.

Pete

My husband (power wheelchair user) & I just finished our cruise on Celebrity Equinox. We had expected two tendered ports at which he could not get off. At Mykonos we unexpectedly docked and at Ville Franche the staff and I helped him roll on to the tender so he was able to get off.

The staff was excellent and very accommodating.

TOURS/transport.

In Kusasdasi (Ephesus) I highly recommend Tugrul Sokmen Certified Tour Guide

Cell: +90 532 773 44 84 Toll Free [North america]: +1 877 876 95 35. Tugrul is a great guide and was very willing to accommodate all of our needs. He helped my husband through much of Ephesus. (See photo below) Tugrul is both personable and very knowledgable, and sensitive to my husbands needs.

In Athens I highly recommend Dennis(Dionisis) Kokkotos

Kalimnou 48

Voula 16673

Athens-Greece

[ATTACH]395694[/ATTACH]

http://www.athenslimo.com

Email: info@athens-limo.com

info@athenslimo.com

Phone: 6944294320

Fax: 2109649058

International codes:

From US-Canada: 01130

From Australia: 001130

From Europe: 0030

We hired Dennis' company to pick us up at the airport and a day later for a full day tour ending at the ship. He provided both a driver and a certified tour guide. Although it was raining on our tour day (which means the ramp to the elevator to take disabled people up to the Acropolis was not working), our tour guide did an excellent job at the National museum where all the original excavated pieces from the Acropolis are displayed. We found out later that an able bodied woman slipped and broke her arm at the Acropolis that day. Glad we didn't go.

In Mykonos our shipped unexpectedly docked and my husband was able to get off. But there isn't much accessible transport. He was able to take the Sea Bus (which is right next to the dock) into town and back to the port. He was also able to roll through some of the town and had a lovely water front lunch.

Best of luck!

Thank you to all of you who replied, you've given me some valuable information.

• I posted on the roll call, but it seems that I'm the only powered wheelie looking for tours...
  
• I've been in contact regarding the ramps and been assured... that I'll be able to get off the ship - we shall see, fingers crossed.
  
• In Contact with Israel for All and hopefully set up a tour.
  
• I'm also in contact with the tour companies regarding Epheseus and Athens.
  

Fingers crossed as Celebrity booked our flights with Monarch, we'll know if they've gone bust by the 13th October.

Also waiting to see if Italy will be cancelling their strike scheduled for the 22nd October.

Waiting for the 3rd thing to come along like a bus... :p

xxx