Bob++

When we did a Baltic cruise with the rest of the family, we did split up for some shore trips. It is pretty restricting for the able-bodied to be held back by a wheelchair. In St Petersburg, I organised a whole day with a van that could take us all and the chair. This worked out well as we were able to jump the very long queues for the Hermitage. Access to the Faberge exhibition was a bit tricky, but we did manage.

We have never cruised with MSC but on other lines, we used to charge the chair overnight with no problems. Of course, you need to be aware of the limitations of your particular chair when you go out and about. We have done the fjords though and Norway is very wheelchair friendly. We even went on the train at Flamm although my wife did have to transfer to one of their seats. The staff were very helpful..

We had one on Celeb Silhouette .

Public conveniences are becoming increasingly rare. However, all cafes and restaurants will have toilets, although it is courteous to buy something if you use them.

Wheelchair storage on planes is designed for folding manual chairs, not powered equipment which tends to be much heavier and bulkier.

I cannot talk about Reflection as I have not been on her, but other Celebrity ships we have sailed on have been excellent.

A few years ago we hired an electric wheelchair from these people. They will deliver directly to the ship and the service is affordable and first class. https://www.mobilityatsea.co.uk/accessible-cruising The comment about ship organised tours is correct. Even shuttle buses are not always accessible. If you want a tour, you will probably need to make your own arrangements,

When we were there, some shuttles had ramps and some did not. I think we had to wait while three or four came and went before we were able to board.

I am not sure about the hand rests. In my experience, there will not be any wheelchair-friendly tours unless you organise them yourself. They use coaches that have three or four steps up to the seats. Shuttle buses are variable. Even in wheelchair-friendly Netherlands, we found that some had no ramp, while on others the ramp was very steep (okay going up but scary coming down). They also tend to be pretty crowded so there is less/no room for wheelchairs. I suggest you pick the ports you are most interested in and research local providers. A private tour may be expensive, but If you can share with others, that could make it more affordable. On the plus side, you do often get priority: At Embarkation, and at tourist sites where there can be long lines when a cruise ship is in town. Of course, much may depend on the chair: We hired one at first, which was okay and convenient. We now have two chairs - a heavy and comfortable six-wheeler, and a lightweight folding chair that we can take on planes.

I don't know about the hire situation, but I would go for a power chair. My wife, who can walk short distances, uses one and it is a lot more versatile than a buggy or scooter. This is most noticeable on the lifts where she can drive in a turn round ready to leave. Buggies have to either reverse in or out, and this often takes time and can be annoying to other passengers. Some ports of call are more accessible than others and it's true that buggies (so long as they are not the small folding type) cope better with rough paving and kerbs. You will need to do your own research and accept that your options will be severely limited. On board, do not hesitate to play the disability card. You will normally get priority boarding and if the ramp is steep, there are always staff to help. There are reserved spaces for wheelchairs and carers in the theatre. We often found ourselves moving furniture around in the dining room and the staff there bent over backwards to accommodate our needs (my wife prefers to stay in her chair). With some forward planning and a relaxed attitude to the obstacles you encounter, it can work very well.

We always pack as much as we can into the big cases, leaving just the minimum for the morning plus medications etc to be carried at debarcation. You should also have a water flask as you may be waiting around for some time. You will be told where to gather, but if there is any doubt, ask. Stick together with your partner until you have collected all your luggage together in departures and then send him off to get the van. I can only speak from our experience, but we have always found the staff, both on the ship and in reception very helpful.

I suspect the 25kg limit applies to tender ports. We have sailed with P&O, Princess and Celebrity with heavier chairs and had no problems. We do book an accessible cabin as they have wider doors, but boarding and disembarking on the quayside has not been a problem. Of course Fred may have a more stringent policy.

It's not just that the door is wider, but they usually open at the touch of a button/card.

Much the same in Heathrow although they will abandon you at the carousel if you don't specifically ask them to stay.

They seem to get pretty good reviews and have been around since 2013. I do find it a little strange to use a firm based East of London (Romford, Essex), 40 miles away on the opposite side of the city to Heathrow, for a trip to Southampton which is even further away. We usually suggest using taxi operators based in or near Southampton.