JiggeryPokery

We've just come back from a cruise on Arvia. 

I didn't notice anything like folks taking their own drinks from their rooms to the bars etc, but then I was not expecting or looking for it.

If folk have been doing this ,well they have only themselves to blame!

I was expecting P&O to be like Celebrity Cruises, but, to be honest, I was disappointed.

Food was not as good, nice enough but not..special Entertainment was generally, poor. The Skydome was just loud and raucous. I feel it was a grade down from Celebrity,but, then it was a lot cheaper

Do you know if you can connect an ipad or iphone to the tv via an hdmi cable and an adaptor? I used to do this a few years ago, but I havent been on the revamped Silhouette

The canapes in 2015 on the Eclipse were fantastic, but, aboard the Silhouette in 2019 like everything else( MDR, drinks in the classic drinks package, general decor, gym,service)they were disppointing

Weve been cruising since 2015 in concierge class and did not even realise there was a concierge!  We just thought they were the same as the room attendant

I  have always organised our own excursions, mainly because Celebrity can not,  and booked our own dining, so, I  can not see what they could do for us.

Hi Londontowner

I thought there were 'reclassifed' partially accessible cabins for this reason, to allow disabled folk without the need for a large turning circle , and they also included a shower ewtc

I am going on Celebrity in about 2 weeks, but due to the massive difference in cost, drinks packages and drinks prices in general  we booked a P&O cruise for next year with my daughter and boyfriend. We were severely dissappointed with Celebrity when they downgraded the formal night to a chic night - whats that all about - jeans and a polo!!?? They have upped there cost but downgraded the classiness!

I am really looking forward the the P&O cruise in 51 weeks.

It will be possibly be our last cruise with Celebrity, but, it will be a novelty as it will be the first cruise, that my wife and myself will be our own this time, without family. Interesting

Thanks and good luck!

Hi

I have only been crusing with Celebrity Cruises which over the years I have found fantastic for our needs. Nothing is too much for them

However, recently due to the massive increase in prices, and decrease in their services/food etc we have decied to have a look at P&O.

I find it infuriating that P&O will not let you book a cruise with them online. The least they could do is allow disabled cruisers the facility to browse to see what ships and rooms are available before they have to make the dreaded phonecall , and they are only open a limited time. I think it is very substandard of them

I eventually got through to P&O on the phone and it took the staff member over an hour just to find what rooms were available for various cruises, and then I had to hang up to contact other members of our party to re confirm different rooms. Days later and due to the inaccessibility of P&O's booking system, we still have not booked a cruise!!

Anyone else, who doesn't need an accessible rooms can not only find what rooms are available, but, amazingly, they can also book their entire holiday online, but we can not!

Rant over!

Thanks

Ceelbrity sent me details of the drinks packages a couple of days ago:

"I have attached our most recent Beverage Package flyer which details the drinks that you will have included. You can get any drink at the Martini Bar, however the Martini's are not covered by the Classic Package. You would have to pay the additional cost of anything over $10 per drinks plus the additional 20% bar gratuities"

I wonder if any wines from the Cellar Masters wine bar are included?

Perhaps they needn't be accessible, but, it may be in their own interests to may it more accessible if they continue to have tours of various parts of their ship, then it could attract wheelchair user - the value of 'the purple pound'. Also it would be more inclusive for prospective wheelchair using staff

On 3/27/2023 at 2:04 AM, jwlane said:

Should theater backstage and/or kitchen areas be accessible?

Well in the past , the tour of the kitchens used the lift. I was very suprised that the present tour did not

7 hours ago, chemmo said:

I have cruised using a wheelchair and/or crutches a few times pre and post surgery. Definitely hit and miss when it comes to ports and available tours. If I am perfectly honest we have tended to book seeing the ship as our ‘destination’ on the occasions my mobility has been compromised. Trips off the ship we have chosen for ease of access.
 

Lisbon can be inaccessible because of tidal levels. Wheelchair and scooter users were not allowed to disembark on one of our cruises until 2pm owing to the ramp angle. This may apply to several ports.

 

We had problems accessing many of the tours on our Fjords cruise as all guests needed to be able to board a standard coach which many wheelchair users can’t do. If your companion can get out of the chair and climb the three/four steps they will store the wheelchair and the first seats on entry are reserved for limited mobility guests. If your wheelchair user can’t do this then all coach tours  are pretty well out. At Flam you couldn’t book a wheelchair spot on the train through Celebrity but independently you could privately on line and it was cheaper! 

 

Re what I know about your ports…

 

Vigo…The town is fine for a walk around, perhaps you could search a local tapas bar and do a simple walk on your own. Google and plan your route to avoid cobblestones. That is what we did. We did know someone else with limited mobility who did a cooking/dining experience there but do not have the details.

 

Porto…Suggest you look for a private tour to one of the vineyards checking on the accessibility of the site. This isn’t always clear. Make sure you get email confirmation that it is wheelchair accessible transportation and access to the vineyard. Local area around the port, if I remember correctly, had lots of cobblestones. It is years since we cruised from there and mobility wasn’t an issue for me at the time.

 

Bilboa, I seem to remember we researched a private accessible wine tour but it was expensive, we decided not to do it and enjoy a ‘ship day’. I seem to remember it was nearly triple the price of a standard coach tour to the same vineyards.

 

Can’t comment on the other ports as we haven’t visited.

 

Two further comments I would add…

 

Firstly, you can find something you fancy doing close to the ship in each port (museum, art gallery, bars and restaurants) you can get a taste of the region without the hassle of getting in and out of transport.

 

Secondly, consider a scooter as pushing a wheelchair is hard work. Even on the ship my husband struggled to push me on the carpeted areas….

 

Sincere best wishes for a wonderful cruise!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the invaluable info. We have always stayed close to the port as it is always our first time to that specific area. Normally a cafe is fine or a short tour. When there is a long tour with much talking, after half an hour I feel ever so sleepy!

We went to the Norwegian Fjords too and managed to bok a Rib ride which was great

This time we are taking an electric wheelchair with wobbly front wheels, as against in the past we have taken a scooter which is quite different but not as manoeuvrable

9 hours ago, njsmom said:

I want to ring in and say that this is awful. I'm so sorry you're not finding excursions that are suitable. My mom must use a wheelchair for any activity that requires walking more than 20-30 feet (she uses a walker otherwise) and so this is near and dear to my heart. It's not appropriate to not have a full range of excursions available. Perhaps it is due to the excursion providers, but regardless, I'm sure if Celebrity pushed for it, they would provide it.

 

I am cruising on both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity in the next few months, and I see several excursions for Royal Caribbean that say they are for people with mobility issues but I don't see any with that notation for my Celebrity cruise to Alaska. With Celebrity, when I filter for those activities with only mild exertion required, it often says that "full participation" will require walking over cobblestones, etc. It makes me wonder if there is an alternative to full participation. It should say that, however, if it is an option.

When we went to the Baltics in 2015, there were quite a few tours/excursions including onboard tours that were suitable for us. Recently, I was really surprised that the ship tour they offered was not suitable. It is a ship tour, couldn't they include a lift as qwell as stairs ? That tour is surely operated by Celebrity isnt it?! They boast that cruising is "An Unrivaled Cruise Vacation for Each and Every Guest", well, I'm afraid that just isnt the case, as this time there is a lack of wheelchair excursions, onboard and offboard!

17 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

This is exactly why I went with a different cruise line.  We went with AMA Waterways where they cater to slow walkers.

 

We have a couple in our group.  I inquired with Celebrity and the results were nonsense. 

 

I agree, they have had me waiting for months for their email response, and they just keep saying they are working away at it

1 hour ago, Alakegirl said:

Itinerary?

 

Sorry of course!

Vigo Spain

Porto (Leixoes) Portugal

La Coruna Spain

Bilbao Spain

Bordeaux(la Rochelle)France

Paris (Le Havre) France

Thanks

Hi

We booked our 3rd Celebrity cruise last year, but,  were only recently told that out of all the shore excursions available, there was not one excursion that was suitable for a wheelchair user!

Has anyone else experienced this? Even the ship tours were not suitable!

We have been on excursions with them before on previous cruises

They have told me they are looking into this, but we leave in May, so I am quite annoyed with them

Thanks

I have been on it a couple of time, you are not missing much, it's too glitchy and I would rather paint the porch!