shore excursions with disabled spouse

My husband and I are taking a TA to Europe on May 8th, stopping at Azores, Lisbon, Spain, France and ending in England. I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions on the best way to see these ports with someone who is disabled and using a wheelchair. Any comments on the excursions offered by RCCL?

Also, is the 2 1\2 hour trip into Paris a good idea for my husband, really would like to see it.

Looking for any suggestions.

Have you checked with RCCL's Special Needs Department as they can provide information on any Excursions that can accommodate a wheelchair ?

However generally speaking you will have to seek out private accessible tours on your own. Especially if your husband doesn't have a folding/collapsible wheelchair and can't transfer into a taxi or van as it's going to be hard to find a tour that has a bus with an accessible lift.

Suggest you post on the Disable Cruise Travel Forum http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190 and post the names of each port so that more specific information can be obtained. Just posting countries makes it very difficult to assist you with your question.

Lisbon is a bit of a disaster for wheelchairs between poor footpaths, cobbled streets and everything being on a hill.

If he has a little mobility and could get in and out of a tuk tuk, that would be great for Lisbon and I can look up the company I used last October. Otherwise, I'd stick with the specific RCI tours.

I have been shocked at the poor handicap accessible areas in Europe. I did not see any wheelchairs or handicap restrooms in my Mediterranean ports. I wondered where all the local wheelchair users were.

My advice would be to ask here on the special needs forum or the cruise lines special needs department or better yet, contact private tour operators that do tours for wheelchair users.

Good luck. Please come back and tell us what you find. My DH or I may be in your place some day.

Margee

I have been shocked at the poor handicap accessible areas in Europe. I did not see any wheelchairs or handicap restrooms in my Mediterranean ports. I wondered where all the local wheelchair users were.

 

My advice would be to ask here on the special needs forum or the cruise lines special needs department or better yet, contact private tour operators that do tours for wheelchair users.

 

Good luck. Please come back and tell us what you find. My DH or I may be in your place some day.

 

Margee

Newer buildings generally are wheelchair accessible, and have appropriate facilities, however I've heard complaints about the lack of accommodation in places like 12th century castles. Shopping centres are a good place to find wheelchair toilets.

There's not an awful lot can be done about cobbled streets and hills!

Also, is the 2 1\2 hour trip into Paris a good idea for my husband, really would like to see it.

This question just boggles me....

We don't know your husband.

We don't know his physical capabilities.

We don't know his mental and emotional capabiities.

We don't know what medications he's on.

How are we supposed to know if he can handle sitting in a bus for 2.5 hours, then do an excursion that includes we-don't-know-what, and then sit in a bus again for another 2.5 hours?

:confused::confused::confused:

If you actually want to visit Paris, I wouldn't recommend a cruise ship excursion. Tack a few days on to the end of your trip and travel there yourself and stay there for a while.

This question just boggles me....

 

We don't know your husband.

We don't know his physical capabilities.

We don't know his mental and emotional capabiities.

We don't know what medications he's on.

 

How are we supposed to know if he can handle sitting in a bus for 2.5 hours, then do an excursion that includes we-don't-know-what, and then sit in a bus again for another 2.5 hours?

 

:confused::confused::confused:

 

If you actually want to visit Paris, I wouldn't recommend a cruise ship excursion. Tack a few days on to the end of your trip and travel there yourself and stay there for a while.

Wow!! This reply is unbelievably rude. I know the OP. She is new to cruisecritic and I encouraged her to join and ask questions on here because generally people are so helpful and provide lots of good information. There is a way to ask for more information about her husband's disability without being so thoughtless.

Wow!! This reply is unbelievably rude. I know the OP. She is new to cruisecritic and I encouraged her to join and ask questions on here because generally people are so helpful and provide lots of good information. There is a way to ask for more information about her husband's disability without being so thoughtless.

The Lord helps those who help themselves. Generic requests don't yield specific information.

If you're her friend and you're providing her with guidance on how to post here, you might want to let her know that we don't read minds.

Wow!! This reply is unbelievably rude. I know the OP. She is new to cruisecritic and I encouraged her to join and ask questions on here because generally people are so helpful and provide lots of good information. There is a way to ask for more information about her husband's disability without being so thoughtless.

THANK YOU girlfriend, for the support. So... it wasn't just me. It's OK I won't lose any sleep over this one.

Lisbon is a bit of a disaster for wheelchairs between poor footpaths, cobbled streets and everything being on a hill.

 

If he has a little mobility and could get in and out of a tuk tuk, that would be great for Lisbon and I can look up the company I used last October. Otherwise, I'd stick with the specific RCI tours.

Thank you - that would be great. We went to Lisbon 2 years ago on a TA as well but my husband was still able to get around fairly well. Things have changed. What is a tuk tuk? He is only using a wheelchair for the trip - he normally still uses a walker so the tuk tuk may work!

I have been shocked at the poor handicap accessible areas in Europe. I did not see any wheelchairs or handicap restrooms in my Mediterranean ports. I wondered where all the local wheelchair users were.

 

My advice would be to ask here on the special needs forum or the cruise lines special needs department or better yet, contact private tour operators that do tours for wheelchair users.

 

Good luck. Please come back and tell us what you find. My DH or I may be in your place some day.

 

Margee

Thank you for the reply. When I booked this trip I didn't realize how bad Europe was for handicapped. Paris apparently is really bad but England however I heard is quite good with disabled. I am dealing with special needs as well but just wondered if anyone had other ideas, experienced private tours etc. I am also looking into private operators - I will come back to you when I figure it out!

Thank you - that would be great. We went to Lisbon 2 years ago on a TA as well but my husband was still able to get around fairly well. Things have changed. What is a tuk tuk? He is only using a wheelchair for the trip - he normally still uses a walker so the tuk tuk may work!

Here are the details of the company I used in October.

+351 914 925 450

http://www.ecotuktours.com

http://www.facebook.com/Ecotuktourslisboa

They can fit a fold up wheelchair behind the driver's seat, and can come collect you at the cruise terminal. I booked via email in advance. Getting in and out can be a little awkward, but once you're in you're in.

Got to see parts of Lisbon we'd probably never have walked to, and our guide Diego was great.

The site will show you a tuk tuk. It's an open sided little electric vehicle, with a plastic cover that can come down if it rains.

I don't think you need to know what medications he's on to advise on excursions for him. A little over the top I think. I have very limited mobility and will be going on honeymoon cruise this June. I would advise thoroughly researching the different ports to see how accessible and far away everything is. Just to note, Europe is not "bad" for disabled people. As another poster said they cannot do much with cobbled streets etc. Europe has a lot more castles and history. They cannot just install new amenities to historical places. Also just FYI the word "handicapped" is considered quite a rude word in Europe. Disabled is a much more politically correct word.

My apologies to anyone offended. Not my intention

Margee

My apologies to anyone offended. Not my intention

 

Margee

Get in contact with the special needs department they will advise you what's available for you in relation to toilets there hit and miss for able bodied as well many are squat holes in the ground. I will never forget the first trip I took around Europe with my dad and a number of elderly people thought one of the ladies was going to have a heart attack when she saw the toilets. As for trying to do Paris in a day it's a disaster at the mo due to increase security friend is just back and reported long delays to gain entry to many attractions. If u can factor it in at the end of your cruise you could take the channel tunnel from London to Paris and stay for a day or 2 would be less stressful on your husband

Enjoy your cruise