Some accessibility pix on a river cruise ship (Avalon)

[usavvy2]

Just returned from an Avalon (Tapestry) river cruise on the Danube on October 7 where I had an opportunity to take some pix that those with disabilities might be interested in seeing. Since the pix aren't truly 3D, I'm not sure the pix reflect the steepness of stairs, etc. but thought it may help folks wondering whether they could manage on a river cruise.

 

The cruise line was very good in reserving a table in the dining room close to the entrance for those with walking difficulties; there was another couple who sat there with us - one used a quad cane. My spouse used just a straight cane at the ports but typically didn't carry the cane onboard ship.

 

A few points:

 

- due to low water levels, the ramps were pitched quite steep at some ports

- the ramps sometimes had "speed bumps" along them (almost like a rung of a ladder without being vertical)

- hallways were much narrower than I remember on ocean cruise ships, once the stateroom attendants put their carts in the hall they were even narrower. On the last morning, it was an obstacle course with all the luggage in the halls in addition to the carts, the vacuum, and the passengers!

 

If you have any questions I could field, feel free to ask.

 

Now on to the pix:

pix P9280212 is a pix looking down the stairwell from deck 3 to deck 2 and 1. It shows the 1/2 case landing where one would turn and go down another short "flight" of stairs the same height as this top one to get to deck 2. (the lounge was 1/2 flight down from deck 3; the dining room was a full flight down from deck 3.

 

pix of Sky deck stairs - quite steep but there were handrails on both sides. When you pushed the door - outward from inside deck 3 - you needed to step over the lip of the doorway - maybe 3" high give or take.

 

Durnstein - water level was low at Durnstein, pitch was on an incline. (Sorry I can't figure out how to rotate the pix for this posting; please tilt your head.)

[usavvy2]

a few more pix

 

p270146 shows two ships tied together. There were no issues with passing through one ship to get to the other. These were both Avalon ships and we walked right through. However, when docked in Nuremberg, the Amacello (AMA) tied up to our outside. Their passengers walked onto our deck 3 level from the ramp on the street then up the stairs outside our entrance door, crossed over our sky deck to their ship then over to their ship. They never entered our ship innards.

 

p9270153 shows the amount of space between the bed and the desk in a regular cabin. There's barely room to pull out the chair and sit on it without putting your legs under the desk. (Sorry you'll need to tilt your head again to see this pix.)

 

p9280207 shows another pix of two ships tied together.

[PennyAgain]

I can't manage the requirements that the Smithsonian now puts on all people who travel with them. This has caused me to wonder if I can do river cruises in Europe. I am used to small ship travel on the ocean so am used to the smaller rooms, narrow hallways and steep stairs. I can do stairs as long as I have at least one handrail.

 

Smithsonian requires that you be able to do stairs without handrails.

 

I can do uphill and upstairs fairly well, but have issues going the other way.

 

You have really helped me to believe I can do appropriate river cruising in Europe.

[usavvy2]

I can't manage the requirements that the Smithsonian now puts on all people who travel with them. This has caused me to wonder if I can do river cruises in Europe. I am used to small ship travel on the ocean so am used to the smaller rooms, narrow hallways and steep stairs. I can do stairs as long as I have at least one handrail.

 

Smithsonian requires that you be able to do stairs without handrails.

 

I can do uphill and upstairs fairly well, but have issues going the other way.

 

You have really helped me to believe I can do appropriate river cruising in Europe.

 

The other couple at our dining table struggled somewhat. He had a brace on his leg (stroke) and used a quad cane. They never got off the ship but he did go to the sky deck. He struggled to get down the long pitched ramp at embarkation and when he arrived on board, they were able to change his cabin from deck 3 to deck 2 so he'd be closer to the dining room (1/2 deck down). Of course, he managed the stairs UP to the Skydeck (with some difficulty) and back down to his cabin 2 flights below.

 

There was also a step to "climb" over going into the bathroom. Every night I held my breath that my DH wouldn't trip over it on his evening stroll! There were handrails on the stairs. Nobody used the handrails on the wide ramps to shore; not sure about the narrower shore ramps, though.

 

BTW, When we were docked at one of the ports, I saw a ship that had an outside chair lift (like you'd see going from the first floor of a house to the 2nd floor). I think it may have been Viking but I'm not sure.

[usavvy2]

Actually, for my DH, the buses were more difficult to climb than the ship stairs! I guess b'c the width between the windshield and the first seat was very narrow.

[usavvy2]

pix of cobblestone street in Regensburg

 

pix of cobblestone street close to the ship's dock in Regensburg

[usavvy2]

found a few more pix

 

ramp "rungs"

 

ramp in Regensburg had loose rope for the handrails. (I pulled it tight while DH walked across so it wasn't flexible in providing him with support.)

 

stairs down to restaurant from deck 2

 

stairs up to lounge from deck 2

[PennyAgain]

Thanks again! Cobblestones are a pet hate of mine. I can relate to the issue with buses as I have had a lot of advice from bus drivers about getting on and off. My general method is to go up and down when positioned slightly sideways. Once I'm in my cabin, if it is small enough, I hae no problems.

 

I have been a serious walker all my life and still do coer a lot of ground, but my methods of getting around have changed. I do a great deal more planning.

[usavvy2]

Thanks again! Cobblestones are a pet hate of mine. I can relate to the issue with buses as I have had a lot of advice from bus drivers about getting on and off. My general method is to go up and down when positioned slightly sideways. Once I'm in my cabin, if it is small enough, I hae no problems.

 

I have been a serious walker all my life and still do coer a lot of ground, but my methods of getting around have changed. I do a great deal more planning.

 

PennyAgain,

One thing to keep in mind is if your river cruise gets switched to a bus trip b'c of water conditions on the river, you'd have to be able to get on/off daily and pack/repack daily. I'm so grateful our trip was on the Danube the entire time but I think we were lucky because the water was getting lower by the day and folks a week later weren't as lucky!

 

BTW, if you'd like to see my pix, send me your email address. (My addy is

on the rim (all one word) at hotmail

dot

com

[PennyAgain]

I never considered that there might be a switch like that. I would hate to pay for a boat and end up with a bus!

 

I can 'do' buses but it is the packing and unpacking that I dislike.