Europe River Cruise For Slow Walkers?

[aslaw01]

For those who are seasoned Europe river cruisers, other than AMAWaterways, are cruise lines that offer excursions for folks who walk slowly and would have difficulty keeping up with a regular paced excursion?  Thanks for your help.

[Daisi]

Most lines do have a slow walker tour on their included tours, not always on the optional ones. You may lose out on the "shopping/wandering" time after the tour, but you normally will see everything the other tours do. Most also now use devices that work wirelessly with ear buds so you don't have to be close to the guide or your fellow travellers.

 

If you've never done a river cruise, i suggest reading the stickies on the top of the main page, and consulting a Travel Advisor to find what line suits your needs and budget. Most choose the river first, then look at the stops with various lines so you can see what areas you wish, although most lines stop in the same towns. Budget and what you wish to be included are also important, and something to be looked at.

 

Planning is only 1/2 the adventure, but it's worth it to know what to expect before going, so you don't get disappointed.

[knoxclone]

Viking River almost always has a "gentle walkers" group for excursions.  As Daisi said, you may miss out on "free time" or shopping, but you should see all the stops on the itinerary.  I always take advantage of that group.

 

Often times, they use the bus to cover ground - for example, in Bratslavia, you could ride the bus back down from the castle or walk the path. 

 

That being said, Europe is not ADA friendly+ cobblestones, you need to be realistic in your planning. If you are just slow ( like me) it works, but if you have serious physical limitations, I would do some additional research.  Good Luck!

[Canal archive]

Scenic has slow walker groups which as an avid photographer I make full use of.

[ljandgb]

I totally agree with @knoxclone.  Besides the serious cobblestones, there are frequently stairs, curbs and other non-flat surfaces that can make ambulation difficult.  There is also just needing to get thru rafted ships which is not always a flat transition, and sometimes a narrow steep gangplank depending on the water level.

 

No clue what version of "slow walker" you are, but definitely be aware of the logistics involved.  Every river cruise I've done has had someone with a walker, and they were definitely struggling at times.