A smorgasbord of unrelated river cruising questions

[ellasabe]

For starters: new to river cursing but not ocean cruising. I've read a bit here on the boards and I've talked with 2 neighbors who have done river cruises (plural) and I'm getting a vast and often contradictory array of answers. More confused than when I began! 

 

Getting from the boat to street level: I understand the concept of rafting and crossing deck to deck. From the walkway/pavement where the boat is docked, to street level, one would have to climb an embankment. I've heard that the stairs are really, really, steep, almost like loft stairs, or a ladder - a no-go for anyone over 50 (maybe 60). On the other hand, I've heard that many places have ramps and very shallow stairs, easy to climb, which is a great thing because many of the pax on the river cruises are 80, even 90. So, what is the truth?

 

Elevators on board:  Already verified that Viking boats don't have elevators that run through all decks. However, some of the smaller boats like the MS Monarch Queen (Gate 1 Travel) appear to have lifts from lowest to uppermost deck on their deck plans. Can anyone verify? 

 

Boats travel at night and impossible to see Christmas markets at night:  We want to do the festival/Christmas markets, but we've been told that lines are let loose at 5 or 6 pm and no time to enjoy the Christmas markets and their beauty at night. How true is this?

 

Going through the locks make sleeping impossible:  So noisy! Constant grinding of machinery all night! Worst travel idea ever!  How can this be, as so many folks enjoy repeat river cruises?

 

Water levels are too low/high/windy and you'll be bused to a new hotel every night:  If this is the case, are you, the passenger, hauling your suitcase and toiletries bag to the coach (bus) waiting nearby, 2x a day, per port? Isn't it a hassle, and no better than a land tour?

 

My husband has an issue walking, specifically on stairs. He doubts his footing (he has Parkinson's) and has to hold onto the rail with one hand and hold onto my arm/my hand with the other. We did do Amsterdam, Istanbul, and Vienna on foot recently, and for me it was tiresome to have to constantly monitor where his feet go: "there's a 6 inch curb coming up, watch out for that cracked sidewalk, go around that sharp edge, this is a loose cobblestone, hold my arm." Nevertheless, if he wants to see the markets - and I want to go, which I really do! - this seems to be the easiest? way to travel. He also has difficult problems climbing the steep steps of a coach (bus) but not a smaller shuttle van. 

 

I'd appreciate any and all honest input, encouragement, and blunt truths. Thanks.  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gnome12]

28 minutes ago, ellasabe said:

For starters: new to river cursing but not ocean cruising. I've read a bit here on the boards and I've talked with 2 neighbors who have done river cruises (plural) and I'm getting a vast and often contradictory array of answers. More confused than when I began! 

 

Getting from the boat to street level: I understand the concept of rafting and crossing deck to deck. From the walkway/pavement where the boat is docked, to street level, one would have to climb an embankment. I've heard that the stairs are really, really, steep, almost like loft stairs, or a ladder - a no-go for anyone over 50 (maybe 60). On the other hand, I've heard that many places have ramps and very shallow stairs, easy to climb, which is a great thing because many of the pax on the river cruises are 80, even 90. So, what is the truth?

I am assuming you aren’t discussing the Mekong because it is completely different. That said, if you are the first boat docked next to shore, the angle of the gangplank depends on the water level. If the water is quite low, the gangplank will be quite steep. If the water is very high, it could be a steep walk down. The gangplank does not have steps, but it does have ridges to help steady you. If you are rafted, you have to cross one or more boats to get to shore. Sometimes you can go from reception area to reception area and out. Other times, you must go up to the sundeck, cross over to the other sundeck and come down to the level to exit as above. This is where the steep stairs come up. While there is likely an elevator to the top passenger deck, there is never an elevator to the sundeck. 

 

Elevators on board:  Already verified that Viking boats don't have elevators that run through all decks. However, some of the smaller boats like the MS Monarch Queen (Gate 1 Travel) appear to have lifts from lowest to uppermost deck on their deck plans. Can anyone verify? 
Again there are no elevators to the sundeck. Usually, even the wheelhouse needs to retract in order to get under some low bridges, so you can’t have an elevator shaft sticking up on the sundeck. I think that there are lines where the elevator can get to all passenger decks, but some may not go to the lowest level. And on the Uniworld non S.S. boats, the cabins are offset, so you might have to go up or down half a flight to get to an elevator. I’m not sure any other line has that kind of a layout. 

 

Boats travel at night and impossible to see Christmas markets at night:  We want to do the festival/Christmas markets, but we've been told that lines are let loose at 5 or 6 pm and no time to enjoy the Christmas markets and their beauty at night. How true is this?

 

Going through the locks make sleeping impossible:  So noisy! Constant grinding of machinery all night! Worst travel idea ever!  How can this be, as so many folks enjoy repeat river cruises.

Some people are more sensitive to noise, and some captains are more skilled. For me, I had one cruise where I was near the bow, and the noise of the bow thrusters used to maneuvre the ship into the lock woke me regularly. But almost all deck plans that I see now don’t have passenger cabins in the bow. 

 

Water levels are too low/high/windy and you'll be bused to a new hotel every night:  If this is the case, are you, the passenger, hauling your suitcase and toiletries bag to the coach (bus) waiting nearby, 2x a day, per port? Isn't it a hassle, and no better than a land tour?

Different companies handle high or low water differently. In addition, when it happens, it depends how widespread the difficulty is. If it is only a short stretch of low water, many companies can make use of a ship swap. You do have to pack up your stuff, definitely an inconvenience, but while you are on an excursion luggage will be moved to the other ship, to which you will be taken after your excursion. If the low water is very extensive, companies do a number of different things. You could stay on board a ship moored in one spot and take longer excursions every day to the places you were meant to visit. Or you could get the hotel option mentioned above. I don’t think you have to haul your luggage daily, but it is a pain. 

 

My husband has an issue walking, specifically on stairs. He doubts his footing (he has Parkinson's) and has to hold onto the rail with one hand and hold onto my arm/my hand with the other. We did do Amsterdam, Istanbul, and Vienna on foot recently, and for me it was tiresome to have to constantly monitor where his feet go: "there's a 6 inch curb coming up, watch out for that cracked sidewalk, go around that sharp edge, this is a loose cobblestone, hold my arm." Nevertheless, if he wants to see the markets - and I want to go, which I really do! - this seems to be the easiest? way to travel. He also has difficult problems climbing the steep steps of a coach (bus) but not a smaller shuttle van. 
Many excursions are done by coach depending on the location. This just might be too difficult for your husband. 

 

I'd appreciate any and all honest input, encouragement, and blunt truths. Thanks.  

 

I will answer what I can in blue above. 

[RobInMN]

I am pretty sure that all AmaWaterways ships have elevators that go to all floors. AmaMagna's elevator even goes to the top deck (not really an issue if you are doing Christmas Markets 😉 )

We've only done 4 river cruises, 3 with Ama, 1 with Grand Circle, and I want to say that every port we stopped at had a ramp (degree of incline varied greatly), with the exception of Passau, where we went to the top deck and took a ramp across. Once on land, there might be other ramps and/or steps. I don't recall ever needing to "climb an embankment" that did not have standard stairs or ramp.

 

When rafting, I think they prefer people go up, over, down. But I have experienced walking through, and even going in, down their stairs, and then out. I want to say there was an instance where someone with mobility issues was allowed to go through instead of up & over, but can't confirm.

 

The outside stairs from the inner deck to the top deck can be steep, but not like a loft ladder. 

 

I do know that there was an elderly lady on my last cruise that needed to use those forearm crutches to get around. Her husband was very patient.

 

One of our cruises was a Christmas Market cruise from Nuremburg to Vienna. This one was on GC. There were many nights where you could go to the market at night. None of them were right at the port. Depending on distance, you'll need to walk or they might run a shuttle. I am pretty sure there was at least 1 case where they got someone a car/taxi when it was just a bit too far. Uber (or similar), can be an option in some countries/cites.

 

I've never been woken up by any locks at night. I assume we've gone through a couple at night, but can't really say as I never looked up if we would or not.

 

I have never needed to switch ships (so far), and not sure if this is an issue during Christmas market season, but my parents did this once and they just packed their luggage and left it in their room, went on an excursion, and when they returned, they returned to the other ship on the other side of the bridge, and their luggage was in their room waiting for them. I imagine most cruise companies will make this as easy as possible.

 

Obviously, I don't know you or your husband, or how sever his mobility issues are, but if it's important to you, go for it. Even if you don't get to see every market at every port, go and enjoy what you feel you can manage. Again, only 4 cruises, on only 2 different lines, I feel like every crew member we've had so far would do whatever they could to help you and your husband make it to the markets and back.

 

That said, if there's snow and/or ice, things could be that much more difficult. Make sure he's got good shoes/boots.

 

[RobInMN]

@gnome12,

AmaMagna's elevator goes to the top deck. It pops up 🙂

 

[gnome12]

18 minutes ago, RobInMN said:

@gnome12,

AmaMagna's elevator goes to the top deck. It pops up 🙂

 

 

Thanks for that. 

[CDNPolar]

56 minutes ago, RobInMN said:

@gnome12,

AmaMagna's elevator goes to the top deck. It pops up 🙂

 

 

 

Nice design.

 

This design would suggest that when navigating under low bridges where the wheelhouse needs to lower, they would just stop the elevator from going to the sundeck.

 

Nice....  

 

This was an issue on a recent cruise where we had several wheelchairs and some one in particular that had to be carried if the wheelchair was not an option.

[ellasabe]

OMG, I watched that AMAgna, what a cool vessel!

[CCJack]

I agree with the above answers.... as for locks, we were on a Danube cruise that went through over 20 locks.   About 15 of those were at night, and we were not awoke once.    The remainder were during the day which I thought was a very interesting experience.   I enjoyed seeing the locks very much...

 

[CDNPolar]

2 hours ago, ellasabe said:

 

 

 

Going through the locks make sleeping impossible:  So noisy! Constant grinding of machinery all night! Worst travel idea ever!  How can this be, as so many folks enjoy repeat river cruises?

 

Water levels are too low/high/windy and you'll be bused to a new hotel every night:  If this is the case, are you, the passenger, hauling your suitcase and toiletries bag to the coach (bus) waiting nearby, 2x a day, per port? Isn't it a hassle, and no better than a land tour?

 

My husband has an issue walking, specifically on stairs. He doubts his footing (he has Parkinson's) and has to hold onto the rail with one hand and hold onto my arm/my hand with the other. We did do Amsterdam, Istanbul, and Vienna on foot recently, and for me it was tiresome to have to constantly monitor where his feet go: "there's a 6 inch curb coming up, watch out for that cracked sidewalk, go around that sharp edge, this is a loose cobblestone, hold my arm." Nevertheless, if he wants to see the markets - and I want to go, which I really do! - this seems to be the easiest? way to travel. He also has difficult problems climbing the steep steps of a coach (bus) but not a smaller shuttle van. 

 

I'd appreciate any and all honest input, encouragement, and blunt truths. Thanks.  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

The locks... we have been through many at night and I personally have never known that we were entering or leaving a lock and I am not a heavy sleeper.

 

In Europe there are cobblestones everywhere and uneven surfaces everywhere.  Where mobility is a concern you will have to be constantly vigilant.

 

Christmas markets are notoriously crowded and they can be on cobblestones too, so you will have the added challenge of crowds and uneven walking surfaces.

[notamermaid]

That is a neat design on the AmaMagna, great work of the engineers. Common rule remains that the elevator does not go to the sun deck due to the low bridges. Do check each individual ship if this is important to you.

 

Rafting can be an issue, also the ramps/gangplanks, in low water. Low water can also change your docking space, meaning the prime spot is not available. The more flexible you can be and adapt to these situations the better for your convenience and enjoyment.

 

notamermaid

 

[Kristelle]

3 hours ago, ellasabe said:

Getting from the boat to street level: I understand the concept of rafting and crossing deck to deck. From the walkway/pavement where the boat is docked, to street level, one would have to climb an embankment. I've heard that the stairs are really, really, steep, almost like loft stairs, or a ladder - a no-go for anyone over 50 (maybe 60). On the other hand, I've heard that many places have ramps and very shallow stairs, easy to climb, which is a great thing because many of the pax on the river cruises are 80, even 90. So, what is the truth?

 

Elevators on board:  Already verified that Viking boats don't have elevators that run through all decks. However, some of the smaller boats like the MS Monarch Queen (Gate 1 Travel) appear to have lifts from lowest to uppermost deck on their deck plans. Can anyone verify? 

 

Boats travel at night and impossible to see Christmas markets at night:  We want to do the festival/Christmas markets, but we've been told that lines are let loose at 5 or 6 pm and no time to enjoy the Christmas markets and their beauty at night. How true is this?

 

Going through the locks make sleeping impossible:  So noisy! Constant grinding of machinery all night! Worst travel idea ever!  How can this be, as so many folks enjoy repeat river cruises?

 

Water levels are too low/high/windy and you'll be bused to a new hotel every night:  If this is the case, are you, the passenger, hauling your suitcase and toiletries bag to the coach (bus) waiting nearby, 2x a day, per port? Isn't it a hassle, and no better than a land tour?

 

 

 

1. stairs from boat were not really steep, it was more like a ramp and it had rails on the sides. Lots of people over 50 on our trip - many over 70.

 

2. pretty sure Scenic elevator does not go to top deck and the stairs to the top deck are quite steep.

the stairs from one floor to another are not and  there is an elevator (I never used it)

 

3. cant speak for Christmas markets. but yes boats sometimes travel at night - we had no issue with locks or engines at night. and I am not a heavy sleeper and we did not have a 'prime position' cabin

 

4. there is always the possibility of hotel over nights and ship swaps - I doubt it would be every night though. this did not happen to us at all in 14 days, luck of the draw weather wise.

One night was bumpy because river level was low and bottom of boat scraping on river bed. that only happened one night out of 14.

[ellasabe]

2 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

In Europe there are cobblestones everywhere and uneven surfaces everywhere.  Where mobility is a concern you will have to be constantly vigilant.

 

 

Unfortunately no matter how or where we travel, I am constantly vigilant. Making sure my husband doesn't get caught in elevator doors (his reflexes are slow), can climb out of a car or van and doesn't bang his head or slither to the ground, pushing in chairs and suitcases and any other object that might leap into his path. Reminding him to 'step up' every time he has to go into the bathroom on the cruise ship. Helping him navigate turnstiles. Lifting his suitcases - he has strength, but the force of lifting can make him topple over. 

 

It can be challenging at times.  

Edited May 28 by ellasabe

[Got2Cruise]

You board the ship on a gangplank. It’s not stairs but there are sort of speed bumps so you don’t go sliding down the entire ramp. It all depends on the tides and where you are docked. All you need to know is that there are railings and just take your time. 

[Canal archive]

We all approach or reach that age when we have to be more and more aware of our surroundings and the hazards they contain that weren’t hazards in what seems only a few moments ago. The fall and rise of a rivers flow causes a boarding ramp to angle more or less steeply and the ropes either side don’t necessarily feel up to supporting one as your ascending or descending when you’ve got over that maybe not so small inconvenience then the sheer effort of walking across breasted up boats is a trial. What! hold on we’re alive and on holiday, in other words we and I mean all of us are totally capable of achieving what we want to achieve and what our partners feel up to helping us with. We don’t both have to leave the vessel for every tour included or not, anyone can be of a mind ohhh I’m not up to that today and take a day off and enjoy your home from home. My DH has to constantly remind me because of my heart condition not to over extend myself and I don’t exactly forget but ignore but I have friends with life altering conditions who do the same one also with Parkinson’s and he’s terrible. I’m afraid it brings out the rebellious teenager that’s still in us.

Just also to say we had with us on our first Seine cruise a guy who was totally blind he viewed the cruise through all of our eyes.
I’d say be brave and go for it realising there will be hoops and hurdles you may not get the chance again if you do go enjoy.

[Daisi]

While the gangplank may be at an angle, I would be more worried about your husband tripping on one of the "speed bumps" as someone called them. I've seen some fellow passengers trip over them as they weren't looking while walking.

 

For the stairs from the middle deck to the sundeck, yes, they are on the steep side, but have handrails. You can take a virtual tour of ships to see how they are laid out. Here's a link for Avalon's Envision. Just "walk" around and you will see what the stairs are like. As others have said, not many have elevators going to the sundeck so if you get rafted, you will either have to remain onboard, or hope your ship aligns so you can cross over the lobby levels (not all do, we've seen some that are about 6" out and they had to cross overtop). https://www.avalonwaterways.ca/river-cruise-ships/avalon-envision/

 

As to water level problems, if you have to ship swap or go to a hotel, they will look after your luggage. We didn't have to swap ships, but going to our post cruise, we left the luggage (except for our personal bags) outside the door. They had them lined up in front of the buses and we had to confirm what ones were ours (they pulled the handles up, we put them down to confirm) and they loaded them into the bus. I think this is why they "ask" for 1 suitcase - if they have to move them, they will move 1, you *may* be responsible for any others. 

[CDNPolar]

18 hours ago, ellasabe said:

 

 

Water levels are too low/high/windy and you'll be bused to a new hotel every night:  If this is the case, are you, the passenger, hauling your suitcase and toiletries bag to the coach (bus) waiting nearby, 2x a day, per port? Isn't it a hassle, and no better than a land tour?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Water levels are a risk on any river cruise at any time of the year based on too much rain, not enough rain, too hot...etc.

 

The potential of moving to a hotel or to another ship is just part of river cruising.

 

As already said, the crew will take care of your bags, but you do have to pack and unpack.

 

Because of this risk, we have taken to really embracing "packing cubes" and we have many sizes.  Underwear goes in one, socks in another, belts and accessories of the like in another.  Anything else that does not have to hang is combined into one or two packing cubes - like pants and shirts.

 

We then take these out of the suitcase and put directly into a drawer or on the shelves.  This way if we have to pack up, the only thing that needs concern is the dirty clothes that are accumulating in a packing cube on the floor of the wardrobe.

 

It is kind of unpacking without unpacking.

[gnome12]

5 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

Because of this risk, we have taken to really embracing "packing cubes" and we have many sizes.  Underwear goes in one, socks in another, belts and accessories of the like in another.  Anything else that does not have to hang is combined into one or two packing cubes - like pants and shirts.

 

We then take these out of the suitcase and put directly into a drawer or on the shelves.  This way if we have to pack up, the only thing that needs concern is the dirty clothes that are accumulating in a packing cube on the floor of the wardrobe.

 

It is kind of unpacking without unpacking.

That is my packing method of choice also.

[pontac]

I'll do my best to answer, but so much depends on which boat and route you are on. What your neighbours have told you is of their experiences on the boats and routes they were on. There is no one answer that fits all.

18 hours ago, ellasabe said:

Getting from the boat to street level: I understand the concept of rafting and crossing deck to deck. From the walkway/pavement where the boat is docked, to street level, one would have to climb an embankment. I've heard that the stairs are really, really, steep, almost like loft stairs, or a ladder - a no-go for anyone over 50 (maybe 60). On the other hand, I've heard that many places have ramps and very shallow stairs, easy to climb, which is a great thing because many of the pax on the river cruises are 80, even 90. So, what is the truth?

 

Getting to the road depends on what ship and where. on boats that have an exit lower down at places this will be on the same level as the street.

 

Then the exit will be like this, straight onto street level.

 

Other times you might have to moor on a floating pontoon, and the exit could  be like the above, but you will have to walk up a wide ramp, the angle of which depends on the height of the river

Some boats have only one departure level so there's a gangplank down to road level. Even if you're on a boat that could have a level exit you may, as we were, rafted on the outside of a boat that doesn't, as we were here. Those on the top had had to go up to the top deck of their boat, cross over using a short gangplank, and go down the stairs of the other boat. (those stairs were thin, wet and slippery, I stayed on the outside boat in the afternoon instead of going back to the town because I didn't want to risk those steps again).

 

As to climbing up embankment steps; I don't recall many of them. Budapest come to mind. 

19 hours ago, ellasabe said:

Elevators on board:  Already verified that Viking boats don't have elevators that run through all decks. However, some of the smaller boats like the MS Monarch Queen (Gate 1 Travel) appear to have lifts from lowest to uppermost deck on their deck plans. Can anyone verify? 

 

I'd suggest you verify for yourself, again it depends on the boat which can vary model depending on route. Check plans on websites of lines you're considering. Remember that if your boat has an elevator to the top deck, the boat it's rafted next to may not.

 

 

.

19 hours ago, ellasabe said:

Boats travel at night and impossible to see Christmas markets at night:  We want to do the festival/Christmas markets, but we've been told that lines are let loose at 5 or 6 pm and no time to enjoy the Christmas markets and their beauty at night. How true is this

 

I've not done a Christmas markets cruise, but it seems unlikely to me that a cruise advertised as such would not allow time at night to see the market.

Boats travel at night in order to cover long distances and take people to places where they can enjoy excursions in the daytime. If a cruise is specifically for Christmas markets it seems to me that's what they're focusing on.

 

 

19 hours ago, ellasabe said:

Going through the locks make sleeping impossible: 

 

Not so. Sometimes I'm waken by a bump. I'm a light sleeper, Mrs P isn't woken. There are many locks that I've slept through. There isn't  constant noise and I've never certainly heard grinding. Your neighbours must have had a terrible time.

 

19 hours ago, ellasabe said:

Water levels are too low/high/windy and you'll be bused to a new hotel every night:  If this is the case, are you, the passenger, hauling your suitcase and toiletries bag to the coach (bus) waiting nearby, 2x a day, per port? Isn't it a hassle, and no better than a land tour?

 

It's not happened to me in 15 river cruises, but water issues do happen. Some rivers have a reputation for it, and time of year is a big factor. Winter and soon afterwards there's more chance of high water, end of summer, low.

 

What cruise lines do about it depends. On popular cruises Viking have so many boats, going on different days and in both directions that if they can't get under a bridge or river is not navigable for a way passengers swap to another boat which turns back in the direction its come from. The boats are identical, so you go to the same room number and its the same. The crew transfer bags.

 

Some line transfer to a hotel. I agree, this would be no better than a land tour. It's one of the risks in river cruises.

19 hours ago, ellasabe said:

He also has difficult problems climbing the steep steps of a coach (bus)

 

Coaches are standard.

[ellasabe]

Are these (aqua arrow) the steps from the Sun/top deck down to a lower deck? If so, they look almost like a loft ladder. I can't see a handrail; there should be one on both sides and the entire staircase appears to be metal, not wood. I'm pretty agile (63) and I would have a problem going down them with my feet full forward, ie, I'd have to turn my feet sideways and crab down, the tread is really narrow.  I can't imagine they would be allowed for pax to use, ie, safety reasons. 

Edited May 29 by ellasabe

[pontac]

8 minutes ago, ellasabe said:

Are these (aqua arrow) the steps from the Sun/top deck down to a lower deck? If so, they look almost like a loft ladder. I can't see a handrail; there should be one on both sides and the entire staircase appears to be metal, not wood

 

Yes, I said thin, I meant narrow, they were steep and narrow and metal. They were slippery because of rain. There was one handrail.

 

A Viking crew member, in red in photo at top of stairs, advised us to go down backwards, which I did. They were very dangerous and that's why I didn't use them in the afternoon.

 

You have no control over what you're rafted to. This was 'Elegant Lady', a Plan Tours boat. The other terrible metal stairs I encountered while rafting was a CroisiEurope boat.

 

But even wide steps can be dangerous, see @1of4 's thread 

 

[ellasabe]

Wow. I'm not one for over-regulation, but other countries and cultures are far behind the US in terms of certain safety standards. I guess it is due to our litigious society, which forces building and design codes for protection. Without the threat of potential massive lawsuits, why would a company design/redesign with safety #1 in mind?

 

I'm always baffled by this, as Europe has some great health and safety regulations with food and beauty products, but safety in children's playground equipment and lack of stair handrails seems to be of little importance. 

[pontac]

13 minutes ago, ellasabe said:

Europe has some great health and safety regulations ..... but ......... lack of stair handrails seems to be of little importance. 

 

Europe isn't one country; every country has different rules. I don't know where Elegant Lady was registered but many boats are registered in Switzerland which isn't an EU member.

In Speyer, Germany last year the guide told us all stairs in Germany that had more than three steps had to have handrails. But hand rails on steps can be at either edge so its not possible to hold both. I can't remember in the USA finding wide stairs with handrails spaced across them so both can be held at once.

[RobInMN]

Maybe other lines are different, but Ama has hand rails on both sides. Found a couple videos for you timestamped where you can clearly see the outside stairs that go to the top deck.

 

 

[pontac]

Both lines I've cruised on (Viking and Scenic) have two handrails either side of stairs to to deck. And so have the boats from other lines that I've been rafted to, so I think that's standard, but the point is that you cannot be sure you'll not be rafted next to one that doesn't.

 

Edited May 29 by pontac

[ellasabe]

Agreed, Europe isn't one country, but I believe (not sure, as I'm a Brit but as you know how that goes with the EU) each country within the EU has different standards and regulations. However, international, cross-border businesses and goods must adhere to the same codes. And yes, Switzerland is neither EU nor Schengen.

 

Wide, shallow stairs with handrails in the US are very common. We used to live on the water and had a set of these going from our dock to our cabin cruiser (boat). But I digress.