accessibility of Med ports

I will be travelling on MSC med cruise this summer with my mother who has mobility problems and uses a chair. I have a few choices of embarkation ports. I am just concerned about the ease of transfer from airport to port. I have gone from Citavecchia before and used Romecabs with no problem. The other ports I am considering are Barcelona or Venice. I just wondered if anyone had any experience with these? We normally arrive night before cruise and in the case of Rome, went straight to port and stayed in local hotel before boarding next day. It worked out great. Any ideas of what our best options with the other ports I've mentioned. ? Are ports near airports? Would it be best to stay at airport and taxi on morning of cruise? Appreciate any advice as I have only travelled with wheelchair once before and would like to make things as smooth as possible for my mother.

Barcelona should not be a problem, just taking care in hotel choice. Venice is more difficult in finding a hotel that doesn't require crossing a bridge with steps. I believe the Santa Chiara off Piazzale Roma is one. EM

Barcelona is by far the most accessible city we've visited in Europe. The subway system is great and easy to use. Streets and curbs easy navigate. If you can find a decent (quality & price) hotel downtown it is a short cab to the pier.

Barcelona - It hosted the 1992 Paralympic Games and is far more accessible than Rome and Venice.

If you travel with a mobility scooter do you have to book an adapted cabin or would normal outside be OK?

Barcelona, like manySpanish cities is very accessible. Last time we were there we stayed in the Hotel Pulitzer which is only about 50m from Plaza Catalunya. We used the Aerobus, which is wheelchair friendly to get to and from the airport.

If you travel with a mobility scooter do you have to book an adapted cabin or would normal outside be OK?

Depends on several variables :

• Width of scooter at the widest point. Most stand cabins has a door width of 23" from door frame to door frame . 2" than has to be deducted for the depth of the door as it does not open flush to the wall. Therefore the scooter must be 21" or less in width to fit through a standard cabin door.
  
• If the scooter is required for use in the cabin ? If so than an accessible cabin is required.
  
• Viking Cruises does not allow scooters in non-accessible cabins . Believe the same may apply to P&O.
  
• Scooter aside do you require a zero threshold washroom entry as well as a zero threshold shower ? Grab bars in shower and by toilet as well as shower seat ? Than an accessible cabin should be booked.
  
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xxoocruiser

Thanks for your reply. I know with some cruise lines you have to book an adapted cabin if you wish to take a mobility scooter. As long as I have a shower and not a bath I am fine with a standard cabin.

I had been looking on MSC website and liked some of their itineraries, but I couldn't find anything about taking mobility scooters.

xxoocruiser

 

Thanks for your reply. I know with some cruise lines you have to book an adapted cabin if you wish to take a mobility scooter. As long as I have a shower and not a bath I am fine with a standard cabin.

 

I had been looking on MSC website and liked some of their itineraries, but I couldn't find anything about taking mobility scooters.

Here's the link to MSC website regarding accessible cruising as well as FAQ https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Cruise-Information/Special-Needs.aspx

Here's the link to the Special Needs forms that clearly asks for scooter information so MSC definitely allows mobility scooters http://www.msccruisesgetforms.com/SpecialRequirements.aspx

xxoocruiser

I had already read those articles, but they still don't specify if you have to book an adapted cabin.

However, after reading loads of reviews about MSC it may not be for us, but they have got some itineraries that appeal, especially in the Caribbean.

xxoocruiser

 

I had already read those articles, but they still don't specify if you have to book an adapted cabin.

 

However, after reading loads of reviews about MSC it may not be for us, but they have got some itineraries that appeal, especially in the Caribbean.

Than perplexed as to why you just haven't contacted MSC directly to ask about its mobility scooter policy ? You're under no obligation to book a cruise. In fact if you don't want to speak direclty to a rep than an email can be sent directly through the MSC UK Website. Here's the link https://www.msccruises.co.uk/en-gb/Contact/Contact-Us.aspx

As far as reviews go, if reading t mainly the one's on Cruise Cruise you need to understand that CC represents less than 10% of the total cruising populations. Additionly it appears that people on CC are quicker to post a negative review than a good review . Personally never read reviews as by doing so I've allowed people that don'tknow me influence my travel decisions. But than that's me. Good luck with your search.

I was going o ring them yesterday, but they were closed by the time I was going to do it. There are far more reviews on Tripadvisor than CC re MSC.

We are in no hurry to book as I was thinking about 2018 and we haven't booked our main holiday for this year yet.

I was going o ring them yesterday, but they were closed by the time I was going to do it. There are far more reviews on Tripadvisor than CC re MSC.

 

We are in no hurry to book as I was thinking about 2018 and we haven't booked our main holiday for this year yet.

Even Tripadvisor represents only a very small portion of the cruising population. However fully understand everyone goes about their travel decisions differently. Good luck with your search.

xxoocruiser

I worked in travel for many years both here in UK and abroad, so know how to read between the lines. As we have been to many destinations, the itinerary is quite important to us.

Many people complain about the different nationalities on MSC, but that quite appeals to me. I'll carry on with my research and see what I come up with.

We are not interested in the huge ships or travelling in school holidays, so will have to look at the cruises of the mid size ships.

Anyway, thanks for your help.

We did stay I the Santa Di Chiara post cruise and they were very accommodating of our scooter and walker. They gave us a HUGE room and they had a small elevator that could either take luggage or people, but not together. The cab brought us to the square and the driver brought our luggage down to the entrance which was moved to a place facing the canal. Hotel personnel brought our luggage up the block to the cab when we were ready to go to the airport. The Vaporetto was about 100 ft down from the hotel. I rolled right on and traveled all over Venice. I highly recommend Venice as a starting or ending point for a disabled person taking a cruise, but not necessarily as a port stop because it is not easy to get over the bridges and the Vaparetto are not that easy to get unless you take a cab from the ship to the Pazza Roma where the hotel and Vaporetto terminal is located. Then you can go anywhere from stop to stop in either direction all day long without crossing any bridges on fot. This is the best way to do it in. Venice . We have been there 3x now with the scooter.( Travglscoot) and rollator.