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Wheelchair entry for The Vatican


Kelv_2013

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Hi, I wonder if any recent cruisers can help me with a question here? In a few week's time we head off on the Liberty of the Seas to the West Med and we have arranged a private RomeinLimo tour of Rome, which includes The Vatican. I went on to their (Museum) web site to purchase entry tickets in advance but it mentioned complimentary ones for wheelchair users and their companions and there was no option to buy on line. We are a family of four, myself (the wheelchair user), my wife and children 18 and 15.

 

We have a private tour guide showing us around and I don't want to throw the timetable having to queue for tickets unnecessarily. I don't know whether complimentary tickets will be for my wife and me and I should pre book two for my children, whether they too will be complimentary, or if not whether I can buy their tickets for them at the Special Assistance Desk?

 

We will also be visiting the Coliseum and again I'm not sure what to do. If anyone can help, I'd be very grateful. I have emailed Rome-Museum but haven't heard back yet, so I thought Id post the question here too.

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The free tickets would be you and a pusher. Personally, we bought tickets for everyone and there was no waiting in line. The access to the Sistine Chapel is against the flow of traffic and there are stair lifts when you run into staircases. We did have to wait a bit as the lifts are operated by staff who may not be waiting for you to arrive. Ultimately someone does show up. I assume you also want to go to the cathedral as well as the museum. You will not be able to access the path from the museum to St. Peter's as there are steps. You will have to go back out and then around to the museum. I would use your driver for this rather than take the long way around.

The coliseum has an elevator. It was easy to get up to the level where I could see things. The forum which is nearby has only limited access.

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Katisdale, thank you for your helpful advice. Do you mind me asking why you bought tickets beforehand for everyone, if wheelchair users and carers' tickets are complimentary? Was this peace of mind, knowing that you had all the tickets at the ready, or did it make admission more straightforward not having to obtain tickets at the desk?

 

As part of our RomeinLimo tour we have also paid for a tour guide to show us around the Vatican and I understand that he/she will know the best routes for us.

 

Kelv

 

 

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Katisdale, thank you for your helpful advice. Do you mind me asking why you bought tickets beforehand for everyone, if wheelchair users and carers' tickets are complimentary? Was this peace of mind, knowing that you had all the tickets at the ready, or did it make admission more straightforward not having to obtain tickets at the desk?

 

As part of our RomeinLimo tour we have also paid for a tour guide to show us around the Vatican and I understand that he/she will know the best routes for us.

 

Kelv

 

 

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If memory serves me correctly ALL tickets have a specified entry time including HC complimentary tickets. Seeing that you are on a cruise and have arranged for a private car than it would stand to reason that purchasing tickets would make more sense. This way you are assured of seeing the Vatican as a group and at a time that works for you. Otherwise you're going to have to head to the Vatican first thing after getting off the ship to get in line for tickets on the hopes that all of you will be admitted at the same time if that's even possible to do on the same day.

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Here's info from Vatican's website:

 

Disabled visitors, on presentation of documents testifying disability (over 74%) and accompanying persons. (Free tickets for disabled visitors and for accompanying persons may not be booked online. The free tickets are issued at the "Special Permits" desk or "Reception", situated in the entrance hall to the Vatican Museums).

 

 

 

It's confusing since I thought I read somewhere else that it was only one other person but I may be confused with other site. Anyways, I would try to confirm with Vatican museums.

 

If you have private tour, can't RIL confirm this for you?

 

I am going in Nov, so would be great if you could post your experience when you get back. I booked 3 hr vatican tour based on guide's advice.

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We wanted a specific time and we wanted to go together. We did not want to wait while DH and I got tickets and no guarantee that everyone would be together. To me it was a choice of paying or being bothered. We went with paying.

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We took a private tour of the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Apartmens, and St. Peter's, with Romelimostours - different company than who you booked, incredibly similar name! - with our adult daughter who is a walker/wheelchair user. It was made very clear to us that our Vatican guide, who was booked by Romelimostours ahead of time, would get the tickets FOR US - we DID NOT have to get the tickets ourselves. The guides have a place/way to get the tix for those that have booked them, so that the guests themselves are not standing in line. The admittance tickets were included in the total tour cost through Romelimostours (I think we missed out on the free ticket for our daughter and one of us, though!!, the cost was all inclusive for our 2 day Rome tour, all admittances included). Romelimostours (Daniele) was fantastic, super savvy with our daughter, sensitive to her mobility needs. When we pulled up at the Vatican, our guide in our car contacted the Vatican guide that he had pre-reserved, and she met us at our car and bam, into the Vatican we went, as quick as could be.

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Thank you to all those who replied to my question.

 

Here's info from Vatican's website:

 

Disabled visitors, on presentation of documents testifying disability (over 74%) and accompanying persons. (Free tickets for disabled visitors and for accompanying persons may not be booked online. The free tickets are issued at the "Special Permits" desk or "Reception", situated in the entrance hall to the Vatican Museums).

 

 

 

It's confusing since I thought I read somewhere else that it was only one other person but I may be confused with other site. Anyways, I would try to confirm with Vatican museums.

 

If you have private tour, can't RIL confirm this for you?

 

I am going in Nov, so would be great if you could post your experience when you get back. I booked 3 hr vatican tour based on guide's advice.

 

As I haven't heard back from Rome-Museum, I contacted RomeinLimo and they confirmed that I should purchase tickets for my son and daughter (for 2pm) and the tour guide will then assist us in securing the two free tickets at the Special Permits desk. For the Coliseum I have been advised to buy 4 tickets on-line. These do not have to be time-specified.

 

Katrina, I will gladly post back here after our cruise, not just in regard to this item but others too which other wheelchair users may find useful. If you have any particular areas of concern yourself, feel free to let me know beforehand and I will make a point of messaging you afterwards if you would like me to.

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Hi

 

I'm from the UK and we went with Rominlimo last year. I travelled with my disabled friend and my daughter aged 8 at the time.

 

I contacted both the ticket office for the Vatican and also the Colisseum.

 

This is the reply I received from the Colisseum:

 

Dear client,

 

disabled and carer are free as well as children under 18 if E.U. members.

So, you don't need to book anything and can go directly to the museum.

 

Kind regards,

 

OMNITICKET SUPPORT TEAM

www.omniticket.it

 

The Vatican ticket office told me that I just had to buy a reduced (child) ticket for my daughter.

tra

Take some proof of disability with you as they will wish to see that.

,

The guide took us straight past all the queues and showed us around some of the Vatican museum and the Sistine chapel. Unfortunately we did not have time to go inside St. Peters. For an extra 50 euros we retained the guide to show us around the Colisseum and it was well worth it. Apart from being knowledgeable, we walked straight past the long queue and straight into the coliseum

 

The driver then took us to a point where we could see the Forum, we went into the Pantheon, stopped at the Trevi fountain and drove past a couple of other places. We stopped at a very reasonably priced pasta/pizza place and had a delicious meal. It was a very professional service and very comfortable too.

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Lynn, thank you. I think I'm doing the right thing then by buying two tickets for my son and daughter in advance

, although from what you say I would probably have no problem if I left it until arrival at the Vatican.

 

For the Coliseum, now I'm not so sure. It seems daft buying 4 tickets, let alone 2 on-line now if we are going to be waived through on the day. I already have proof if disability papers ready so that's not a problem.

 

 

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I realised today that in trying to contact the Vatican Museum, I had been emailing the wrong people. I had emailed an agent who sells tickets for the Vatican. They were top of the Google list and I didn't check I'd got the right people.

 

Having resent my email I have just received this back.

 

Good morning,

disabled person and an accompanying doesn't need to queue to enter the Museum,

just show up to our staff outside the main entry a disability card.

Once inside at the "Special Permits Desk" they will get two free admissions.

Others memeber of the family, please, reserve on www.museivaticani.va

Best regards

 

Luciano Gagliano

Manager

Office for Public Relations and Services

Vatican Museums

Vatican City

Tel.+39/06.69883860

Fax+39/06.69885100

e-mail accoglienza.musei@scv.va

 

This is of course exactly what Jany at Romeinlimo had told already, I shall now get on and buy the two tickets for my kids.

 

If I hear back from the Coliseum too, having also now emailed the right address, I shall post back on here.

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I realised today that in trying to contact the Vatican Museum, I had been emailing the wrong people. I had emailed an agent who sells tickets for the Vatican. They were top of the Google list and I didn't check I'd got the right people.

 

Having resent my email I have just received this back.

 

Good morning,

disabled person and an accompanying doesn't need to queue to enter the Museum,

just show up to our staff outside the main entry a disability card.

Once inside at the "Special Permits Desk" they will get two free admissions.

Others memeber of the family, please, reserve on www.museivaticani.va

Best regards

 

Luciano Gagliano

Manager

Office for Public Relations and Services

Vatican Museums

Vatican City

Tel.+39/06.69883860

Fax+39/06.69885100

e-mail accoglienza.musei@scv.va

 

This is of course exactly what Jany at Romeinlimo had told already, I shall now get on and buy the two tickets for my kids.

 

If I hear back from the Coliseum too, having also now emailed the right address, I shall post back on here.

 

Kelv,

Can you post the email for the colliseum? I never found official website and rules may be different for non EU disabled (adds even more confusion to mix). I will send email to Vatican with email address you just posted. Concerns me that Rome Cabs guide didn't know where to get disabled tickets eventhough we are responsible for obtaining them ourselves.

 

If you are also going to Florence, I would be curious to know how difficult it is to maneuver into/around Accademia and Sante Croce if you go to these areas.

 

Thanks.

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Kelv,

Can you post the email for the colliseum? I never found official website and rules may be different for non EU disabled (adds even more confusion to mix). If you are also going to Florence, I would be curious to know how difficult it is to maneuver into/around Accademia and Sante Croce if you go to these areas.

 

Thanks.

 

Katrina, I struggled with finding the web sites too but when I Googled the question, a thread on TripAdvisor pointed me here for the Colosseum. I haven't heard back from them yet, but as and when I do I'll post again.

 

http://www.ticketclic.it/Gb/HTML/musei/colosseo.cfm

 

Kelv,

 

If you are also going to Florence, I would be curious to know how difficult it is to maneuver into/around Accademia and Sante Croce if you go to these areas.

 

Thanks.

 

As highly recommended as it is, we haven't yet made any plans regarding Florence and we will probably just decide what to do when we get off the ship at La Spezia. We already have three tours arranged, Rome from Civitavecchi, Pompeii, Sorrento and Positano from Naples and Monaco., Monte Carlo and Eze from Villefranche. The La Spezia (Florence) stop is sandwiched between Villefranche and Civitavecchia and I'm not sure we will be up for a 2 hour drive there and back. We may opt for something more leisurely that day.

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Kelv,

If you keep clicking through the website link that you posted, you come to this where it indicates that EU disabled and companion get in free so that is what I expect you will hear.

 

http://www.coopculture.it/en/heritage.cfm?id=2#

 

To add to the confusion for me, the ticket place just responded via email that disabled and one other even if NON EU could get in free. I am going in Nov so I will take my chance of getting in free. I think you still need to purchase "free" ticket online though.

 

I would be interested to hear from you if you thought the Vatican guide was worth it. I am hearing that disabled pathways/access is challenging to find on your own and can change. If you are going to St. Peters, I would also be curious if you wait in same security line as everyone else. We are going to be in Rome on Wed (which is papal audience day) so that adds more challenge for us.

 

Thanks for all info!!!

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Katrina, I agree its all been a bit confusing. I'll wait a while in the hope that I hear back from the Colosseum before deciding what to do there. At least Im sure what I need to for the Vatican museums already.

 

Regarding the tour guide, from the research I did some weeks, months ago now, Im confident that I did the right thing paying the extra. I think we only have a couple of hours there and I believe that our guide will know what works best for us and the wheelchair access. We aren't ones for spending hours in museums, frankly the kids (18 & 15) wouldn't allow it (smiles) but we had no wish to wander aimlessly either, room to room, floor to floor.

 

We have just over 2 weeks to ours now and so we are all getting really excited. In England we aren't famous for our hot summers but as luck may have it we are in the middle right now of our best in a while, high 20sC, even 30, so it won't be quite such a shock when we step off the plane in Barcelona.

 

 

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Kelv,

If it helps, here's email response that I got regarding Colosseum:

Dear customer,

we inform you that both will have free entrance to the Colosseum.

At this link you can reserve free tickets, for November you have to wait the end of September for the new opening time:

http://www.ticketclic.it/Gb/HTML/musei/colosseo.cfm

Kind regards,

 

OMNITICKET SUPPORT TEAM

BEST UNION COMPANY SPA

 

www.omniticket.it

 

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Kelv,

I don't think you will regret Vatican guide. We went to Louvre on land trip last year and the Louvre disabled map is a masterpiece compared to Vatican's and we still had BIG issues getting around.

 

 

A few years ago I went with my wife to Paris for a couple of days and we visited the Louvre. We were luckier I think as we had no problem getting around. What made it more memorable (at least for me) was that when we arrived at the Mona Lisa, which was roped off, the attendant there opened the barrier and ushered me forwards until I was just two or three feet away from the painting, much to the bemusement of the many people stood much further back, my wife included. Well, there has to be some perks I guess.

 

I have now reserved and paid for Vatican tickets for our son and daughter - now to the Colosseum.

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Kelv,

If it helps, here's email response that I got regarding Colosseum:

 

 

Dear customer,

 

we inform you that both will have free entrance to the Colosseum.

At this link you can reserve free tickets, for November you have to wait the end of September for the new opening time:

 

http://www.ticketclic.it/Gb/HTML/musei/colosseo.cfm

 

Kind regards,

 

OMNITICKET SUPPORT TEAM

BEST UNION COMPANY SPA

 

www.omniticket.it

 

 

Hello again Katrina,

 

As confirmed on their web site, my ticket is free, my wife's too as my carer and my son's as well as he is under 18. I followed the link and read it through several times but I just couldn't see a way to reserve those free tickets as the Support team suggested and so I am going to leave it to our tour guide to help us when we get there. Although I'm not sure it would help you as it talks of EU citizens, a discounted ticket (for 18-25yo) is available to our daughter as she is 18, but I decided to buy an Adult ticket for her, to avoid any possible delays when we arrive. The site indicates that Discounted and Free tickets can only be bought/obtained at the Colosseum and only Adult tickets can be printed at home.

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Kelv,

I couldn't figure the link to get free tickets for Colloseum either. But I saw all the language that it only applied to EU (or UE on website), so I am just going to plan on paying.

 

When you come back, you you please post if the elevator is working in Colloseum since it is my understanding that you can only go on second floor in wheelchair?

 

I will probably purchase Vatican tickets also since I know the Vatican museum will be accessible and I don't want to take the chance that it is for EU residents only even if they tell me otherwise. Time is short in Rome.

 

Thanks and have a great trip!

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Kelv,

If you keep clicking through the website link that you posted, you come to this where it indicates that EU disabled and companion get in free so that is what I expect you will hear.

 

http://www.coopculture.it/en/heritage.cfm?id=2#

 

To add to the confusion for me, the ticket place just responded via email that disabled and one other even if NON EU could get in free. I am going in Nov so I will take my chance of getting in free. I think you still need to purchase "free" ticket online though.

 

I would be interested to hear from you if you thought the Vatican guide was worth it. I am hearing that disabled pathways/access is challenging to find on your own and can change. If you are going to St. Peters, I would also be curious if you wait in same security line as everyone else. We are going to be in Rome on Wed (which is papal audience day) so that adds more challenge for us.

 

Thanks for all info!!!

 

When we took our 2 day tour of Rome with Romelimostours, with our disabled adult daughter who uses a walker and/or a wheelchair, we had no lines, no problems, no delays, anywhere. It was quite empowering breezing past the unbelievably long lines to get into the Colosseum! Our guide took us to the front of every line, at every venue - that is standard, if you hire a private guide, vs doing it on your own. Our private Vatican guide was essential - first, because indeed, if you can't take the stairs, it is daunting to figure out where to go - the velvet ropes parted everywhere for us because of her and her Official Guide ID badge! - really, no metaphor there. And also, since we only had a few hours, she was able to get us to the key areas in the Vatican Apartments and Museum - she asked us in the beginning about our preferences. She wanted to make sure we had enough time in the Sistine Chapel and in St. Peter's, also - so a private guide is essential particularly if you have a mobility issue.

Over the course of our 2 days in Rome with our private guide from Romelimostours, like I said, we had to stand in no line, ever, and because of our mobility issue, he was able to drive closer to the entrances to venues - he would say something to a policeman, and we were allowed to get closer.

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When we took our 2 day tour of Rome with Romelimostours, with our disabled adult daughter who uses a walker and/or a wheelchair, we had no lines, no problems, no delays, anywhere. It was quite empowering breezing past the unbelievably long lines to get into the Colosseum! Our guide took us to the front of every line, at every venue - that is standard, if you hire a private guide, vs doing it on your own. Our private Vatican guide was essential - first, because indeed, if you can't take the stairs, it is daunting to figure out where to go - the velvet ropes parted everywhere for us because of her and her Official Guide ID badge! - really, no metaphor there. And also, since we only had a few hours, she was able to get us to the key areas in the Vatican Apartments and Museum - she asked us in the beginning about our preferences. She wanted to make sure we had enough time in the Sistine Chapel and in St. Peter's, also - so a private guide is essential particularly if you have a mobility issue.

Over the course of our 2 days in Rome with our private guide from Romelimostours, like I said, we had to stand in no line, ever, and because of our mobility issue, he was able to drive closer to the entrances to venues - he would say something to a policeman, and we were allowed to get closer.

Thanks for the info Lexmiller. We have a private driver as well as a Vatican guide, but ticket price isn't included in our tour. I just heard from the Vatican museum that non EU disabled residents and companion get in free and don't wait in line so we will do this (and US handicap placard suffices as evidence of disability).

 

Since we are going on Wed (day of papal audience), I just need to figure out if we want to go to Vatican museum with guide in the morning and on our own to St. Peters in the afternoon or go with guide in afternoon for both.

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Kelv,

When you come back, you you please post if the elevator is working in Colloseum since it is my understanding that you can only go on second floor in wheelchair?!

 

Yes, no problem Katrina, I can do that. And thanks, I'm sure we'll have a superb time, much like yourself later in the year.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with us lexmiller. I have little doubt that on the day things will run really smoothly and I will have done a lot of worrying unnecessarily.

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We were on our own, without a guide, to the Colosseum, with me pushing my mother in her wheelchair. It was summertime, and the line LONGER than I had ever seen it - winding out past the gates. As we approached, personnel saw us, rushed out, and led us through the throngs into the monument. Later, we breezed to the elevator to view the second floor. All for free; we never showed anything. I suppose if one is in a wheelchair, that suffices for proof of disability.

 

Italy is the MOST accommodating country I have ever taken my mother. And most locations gave free acces to both my mother and me.

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