commonloon

Kudos to Uniworld. It appears that they are following through on their commitment to provide gentle walker groups for 2018 as per the May 14th statement of Cruise Critic Chris above. Let's hope they continue for 2019 and beyond.

We're now here in Prague after a walking tour yesterday in Nuremberg that was terrific - not a gentle walking tour but it turned out to be easy with a terrific guide. The unpleasant surprise here in Prague in the Uniworld hotel is the room assigned to us at the Art Deco Imperial. In our orientation session with the hotel staff and local, we told that the rooms had very very high bathtubs and we could request steps to get in. My husband has MS and he can't lift his legs high enough to step over the rim of a regular tub. And stairs without a hand rail are a problem. I asked at the desk if we could have a room with a shower and were told if they had known one day before, they could have accommodated us. But of course we didn't know a day ahead. (I know, I know I should checked the hotel web site more thoroughly so it's partly my fault.) Then the local guide said I should have specified a handicapped room on the passenger registration form. I double checked and it asks only for any physical limitations that would affect tours and excursions. So again some advice...if you are taking a Uniworld extension and using a bathtub could be an issue, do let Uniworld know that a walk in shower is necessary in your hotel room.

FYI: My husband used a cane on the ship and only used the elevator at the end of a long day of activity. The crew found a place in one the public spaces to park his walker out of the way. Then on any walking tours, he used the walker to help with balance on the cobblestones. A short rest every 20 minutes or so on a tour, and he's good to go again. He has successfully transversed other ships when necessary (I, a crew member or a fellow passenger carry the walker and he uses the cane until we're on the ground). On ocean trips, he can move from the large ship to the tender with good timing. We did Uniworld Egypt in January 2017, and when he got tired on the long walks around the sites, we'd ask the guide where would be a good place to meet and we'd wait there. Or if at the end of the day, there were a lot of steps involved, he'd wait for the rest of us. For us, it isn't that we feel we must get 100% of what others get. Our goal is 80% participation at some level even if it's sitting and people watching on an Egyptian street. And yes bus tours get counted as part of the 80%. And we do decide to take off with no tours every once in a while which also gets put on the plus side of a trip.

I agree that some of the passengers who used canes on our ship may have been reluctant to identify themselves as needing gentle walks. It's a pity that they stayed behind on the ship for some of the tours. Perhaps a different name is needed or a more detailed description of the length and difficulty. I'm sure someone out there has a solution.

Our next trip will be from Rio de Janeiro around Cape Horn and back north to Santiago Chile. The Oceania descriptions of the excursions seem to be quite clear about the length of the walks and the terrain and the steepness of the path. Until we actually take the tours, we don't know how accurate these descriptions are. We'll be limiting ourselves to the easiest but there is an easy one at each stop. Here's hoping it all works out well.

My husband and I are going on this trip on June 18th. We hope you enjoyed your cruise. I would appreciate any information you would like to pass along.

Elyce

 

 

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I'll be posting a review of the cruise including the refurbished SS Beatrice once I get home in a week or so.

Our tour guide arranged for a gentle walker group for us today in Passau despite the cancellation of the program. There were 2 groups on the bus with 46-48 guests. 20 were in the gentle walker group. Not a minor number from my point of view (which admittedly may be a little biassed.)

re appealing to a new demographic. U by Uniworld initially had a maximum age limit set at 45 years of age. This maximum was removed before the first sailing according to news reports. Perhaps they're choosing the wrong demographic for this type of travel?

I just got back from a trip and there is no mention of their doing away with “gentle walkers”. Are you sure this is happening?

 

There is no mention anywhere of doing away with the gentle walker program either on the internet or in their paper material. That is partly why I thought I should Inform others. The latest print versions of their tours and services here in my room on the ship, the program is not mentioned at all i.e. it has been omitted from their literature although it still does appear on the internet. .

It first arose here on the ship after I arrived when I asked which included tours would have this option so that my husband and I could plan our week. That was when our cruise director said she was informed at the end of February 2018 that none would be offered even for previously booked trips (ours was booked at the end of September 2017). I immediately wrote an email to Uniworld stating that I had booked based on their advertising and my past experience, that I had paid for a particular set of services, that I had informed them on the registration/information form that gentle walker services were required, and that I shouldn't have to pay for services I wasn't getting. And that I should get a partial refund.

Uniworld has replied to my email and the ff sentence is included in that email:

"I’m very sorry for the disappointment caused by the decision to cancel the Gentle Walking excursions program."

Our cruise director is working to provide what she can at Uniworld's direction but there are a number of passengers on this cruise who angry as well.

One of our absolute requirements when selecting a river cruise company is that gentle walking options be available when appropriate. We're not expecting this for every excursion but enough to make the cruise worthwhile. We are currently on the Danube to Prague cruise which we booked and paid for last fall. The Uniworld brochure states that gentle walker options are available (as they have been for our previous cruises with Uniworld). Imagine our total surprise when AFTER we board the ship, that we are told that Uniworld no longer offers this option. Apparently they announced this to cruise directors in late February. Unfortunately, they didn't let us, the paying customer know. If gentle walker options are a requirement for you too and you have booked a cruise for 2018, I suggest you contact Uniworld immediately to see what options are available to you .