Ski Mom

Hello I just returned from a fabulous 8 night River cruise with ACL on the American Song July 8th through July 16th. I posted my review on the Disabled board but I thought that it would help other people on this board to see what ACL has to offer. A little about us. We are in our early sixties and I have MS. I walk with a cane and travel with a transport wheelchair. I usually rent a scooter for larger ships but didn’t for this trip and I will explain later. We didn’t know what to expect when we booked with ACL because I honestly was not familiar with them. A big shout out to Essies Mom for suggesting this line when I posted a question about a year ago. I had so many questions about this cruise line and its itinerary and everyone here was so helpful That I just wanted to return the favor! Except for one couple in their forties and two young adults traveling with their parents we were probably one of the youngest passengers on board but you know what? It didn’t matter! We met so many wonderful and interesting well traveled people and we had a blast! We usually travel with a few friends and if we had done that I don’t think we would have met the people we did so I feel this is a great cruise for a single traveler. The food was great and the cocktail hour was fantastic. We also loved the back porch grill for a quick lunch with great views inside or out and a few choices for early breakfast as well! We loved the breakfast sandwich and the fresh baked scones and fresh fruit! Oh and don’t get me started on the fresh baked cookies available several times a day and the after dinner root beer floats and popcorn while you enjoyed local entertainment on board! The dress code was pretty casual during the day and at dinner most ladies wore nice slacks and a top or a casual dress and the men wore chinos and a polo shirt or short sleeve button up. This was the first cruise My husband did not bring a sport coat and I didn’t see any other men wearing one either. Some people wore what they wore on excursions during the day but they still looked nice. I wore one nice dress on our last night because I was celebrating my birthday but it was still on the casual side. Initially in the early stages of planning this cruise I was a little taken back by the price. It’s definitely the priciest cruise we’ve been on including our Alaskan cruise but it is all inclusive with drinks and gratuities included and also some nice complimentary shore excursions. Although the staff was willing to always help out I do think ACL needs to improve the overall accessibility in their staterooms and the disembarkation process on both shore excursions and the first and last day. I had done some research on line before the cruise and saw that the hallways and elevators were small and narrow and a scooter would have a hard time getting through especially when there are carts in the hallway from housekeeping staff who by the way were awesome and always seemed to be working and available if need be. The ramps to leave the ship for excursions were quite narrow steep and bumpy and I don’t think you would be able to use a scooter on them. That is the one thing that Princess and Celebrity have ACL beat hands down because I’ve been on both of them and never had a problem using my scooter. The ramps going ashore would definitely not accommodate a travel scooter and the shower in my accessible stateroom had a six inch lip that if I was traveling alone I would have not been able to use. I took pictures of the bathroom to show others so they are prepared. The balcony also required a step. All and all it was a wonderful cruise and I would definitely recommend them but I think at this point it would be a bit hard on a wheelchair traveler to do on their own. Just a note and just my opinion I’m glad I started our journey in Clarkston WA which is hot and dry and almost dessert like. On the day we disembarked it was a scorching 95 degrees! Luckily it got cooler and much more pleasant as we traveled down the river towards Oregon. Although both landscapes are beautiful in their own right I think it would be a bit of a let down to go from the lush green scenery in Oregon to the desert like landscape of eastern Washington. But again that’s just my opinion. There is also an option for a pre cruise Jet Boat excursion that we didn’t take because it wasn’t wheelchair accessible but fellow passengers said it was wonderful but you would have to start your cruise two days before in Clarkston to accommodate it. The Columbia River is made up of a series of locks and we passed through eight of them on our journey. Some of them at night. They were designed to let ships pass seamlessly from one water level to another dropping at levels of 90 feet and a defiantly an engineering marvel! I loved all the excursions and it would be hard to pick my favorite but I will say definitely Mount Saint Helen, Cape Disappointment and the M Falls are a must see! We did take a break from the museums and exhibits one day and visited the Merry Hills Winery where the wine was great and the scenery was spectacular! We also loved watching the masses of wind surfers in Mount Hood where can have wind velocities of up to 70 miles per hour! No wonder it is known as the “ Wind surfing capital of the world “ I forgot to mention that forgot to mention that we had four motor coaches that followed our cruise all week and two of them had lifts to accommodate wheelchair travelers and room on them to fit two wheelchair passengers that needed to stay in their wheelchair. I had trouble navigating the stairs on the motor coach the first day and needed to bring my wheelchair to excursions that required a lot of walking so this really helped me! I was blessed to have a wonderful driver named Abra who was always there to assist me with the stairs or operate the lift on days when I needed it. I told her that she was my angel and I couldn’t have done what I did without her help. Although I thoroughly enjoyed all the excursions offered by ACL I think one of my favorite days was the last day of our cruise that we spent just cruising and enjoying the beautiful scenery of Oregon. It was so nice not to have to report to anyone or rise at dawn to board a motor coach for an excursion. These last two random photos are of my wonderful bus driver Abra and the other is of the last day of our cruise that we spent on our balcony enjoying the beautiful weather and scenery of Oregon. I also loved our first day of the cruise when we spent the day cruising and enjoying the beautiful views of Washington. Well I hope I gave you a good idea of what the ACL Colombia River cruise was like! Thanks for reading!

I just returned from a trip on the American Song and was in an accessible state room. The bathroom shower was pretty small but had room for a shower chair so I guess it was a decent size. Usually on big ships the accessible showers are bigger and do not have a lip to step over. Mine had a six inch lip and I am pretty sure was the same size as the other ones on the ship. Hope that helps!

You have a beautiful state and I hope to visit it again someday because one week just wasn’t enough!

I tried to edit my original post but it was too late. I forgot to mention that forgot to mention that we had four motor coaches that followed our cruise all week and two of them had lifts to accommodate wheelchair travelers and room on them to fit two wheelchair passengers that needed to stay in their wheelchair. I had trouble navigating the stairs on the motor coach the first day and needed to bring my wheelchair to excursions that required a lot of walking so this really helped me! I was blessed to have a wonderful driver named Abra who was always there to assist me with the stairs or operate the lift on days when I needed it. I told her that she was my angel and I couldn’t have done what I did without her help. Although I thoroughly enjoyed all the excursions offered by ACL I think one of my favorite days was the last day of our cruise that we spent just cruising and enjoying the beautiful scenery of Oregon. It was so nice not to have to report to anyone or rise at dawn to board a motor coach for an excursion. These lat two random photos are of my wonderful bus driver Abra and the other is of the last day of our cruise that we spent on our balcony enjoying the beautiful weather and scenery of Oregon.

Hello just returned from a fabulous 8 night River cruise with ACL on the American Song July 8th through July 16th. A little about us. We are in our early sixties and I have MS. I walk with a cane and travel with a transport wheelchair. I usually rent a scooter for larger ships but didn’t for this trip and I will explain later. We didn’t know what to expect when we booked with ACL because I honestly was not familiar with them. A big shout out to Essies Mom for suggesting this line when I posted a question about a year ago. Except for one couple in their forties and two young adults traveling with their parents we were probably one of the youngest passengers on board but you know what? It didn’t matter! We met so many wonderful and interesting well traveled people and we had a blast! We usually travel with a few friends and if we had done that I don’t think we would have met the people we did so I feel this is a great cruise for a single traveler. The food was great and the cocktail hour was fantastic. Initially in the early stages of planning this cruise I was a little taken back by the price. It’s definitely the priciest cruise we’ve been on including our Alaskan cruise but it is all inclusive with drinks and gratuities included and also some nice complimentary shore excursions. Although the staff was willing to always help out I do think ACL needs to improve the overall accessibility in their staterooms and the disembarkation process on both shore excursions and the first and last day. I had done some research on line before the cruise and saw that the hallways and elevators were small and narrow and a scooter would have a hard time getting through especially when there are carts in the hallway from housekeeping staff who by the way were awesome and always seemed to be working and available if need be. The ramps to leave the ship for excursions were quite narrow steep and bumpy and I don’t think you would be able to use a scooter on them. That is the one thing that Princess and Celebrity have ACL beat hands down because I’ve been on both of them and never had a problem using my scooter.The ramps going ashore would definitely not accommodate a travel scooter and the shower in my accessible stateroom had a six inch lip that if I was traveling alone I would have not been able to use. I took pictures of the bathroom to show others so they are prepared. The balcony also required a step. All and all it was a wonderful cruise and I would definitely recommend them but I think at this point it would be a bit hard on a wheelchair traveler to do on their own. Just a note and just my opinion I’m glad I started our journey in Clarkston WA which is hot and dry and almost dessert like. On the day we disembarked it was a scorching 95 degrees! Luckily it got cooler and much more pleasant as we traveled down the river towards Oregon. Although both landscapes are beautiful in their own right I think it would be a bit of a let down to go from the lush green scenery in Oregon to the desert like landscape of eastern Washington. But again that’s just my opinion. There is also an option for a pre cruise Jet Boat excursion that we didn’t take because it wasn’t wheelchair accessible but fellow passengers said it was wonderful but you would have to start your cruise two days before in Clarkston to accommodate it. The Columbia River is made up of a series of locks and we passed through eight of them on our journey. Some of them at night. They were designed to let ships pass seamlessly from one water level to another dropping at levels of 90 feet and a defiantly an engineering marvel! I loved all the excursions and it would be hard to pick my favorite but I will say definitely Mount Saint Helen, Cape Disappointment and the M Falls are a must see! We did take a break from the museums and exhibits one day and visited the Merry Hills Winery where the wine was great and the scenery was spectacular! Well I hope I gave you a good idea of what the ACL Colombia River cruise was like! Thanks for reading!

Hello I know this is an old review but I really appreciate your feedback and review. We are taking this cruise in July and considering taking the tour of the Maryhill winery for $50 a person. Can you please tell me what’s included in the $50 I looked this winery up on Yelp or TripAdvisor and it states that there’s a $35 wine tasting fee. Is this in addition to the $50 for the tour? That seems kind of expensive to me.If so , did you feel lthe tour was worth the money? Thanks for any input you can give me!

Hello ! Thank you for your response! Unfortunately I have already committed to American Cruise Lines Columbia Snake River cruise but I will definitely check out what Pearl Seas has to offer! I did peak at their website and trips and they do offer some great options to tour the Great Lakes including a Niagara Falls option! So thank you for that information! I will definitely report back about my trip and cabin for you because that was the information that I was most concerned about because of my limited mobility and how accessible the cabin and bathroom was.

Hello! Thank you for your response! I have decided to book a River cruise with American Cruise Lines on the Columbia Snake River.They are a smaller ship and can pull right up to the dock therefore avoiding tender ports. They welcome people with physical disabilities and also have buses that they use on their excursions that have lifts and priority seating for people who need them. They do have accessible staterooms but they are limited but are willing to provide items to a regular stateroom to make it more accessible. It definitely doesn’t sound as regal as Viking or the larger cruise lines but we’re going to try this more laid back way of cruising. At this time American Cruise Lines does not have a great Great Lakes cruise on their roster but plans on adding one in the future. I believe Pearl Seas cruises which is owned by ACL offers a Great Lake cruise but I don’t know anything about it. After talking to Viking they advised me that the expedition cruises are geared more towards active travelers and their wouldn’t be much as far as shore excursions for me and that I should look into one of their ocean cruises. It’s a bummer because I think the Great Lakes itinerary looks like something I would love to do! They also told me that they would not assist in any way with helping me on and off the ship. I use a transport wheelchair when I travel and my husband is perfectly capable of pushing my wheelchair but when I cruised with both Princess and Celebrity they went above and beyond to assist us getting on and off the ship. I guess I thought all cruise lines were like that but unfortunately Viking is not. Hope that helps!

Thank you for your response and feedback on Viking .

Thank you for your input kitty9. That’s the exact impression I got when I called them. Which surprised me because a lot of their passengers are older adults and I would think some of them have special needs. I was told there was no priority given to wheelchair passengers on embarkation day and they would in no way assist us in pushing my wheelchair up the ramp. I will be traveling with my husband and he is perfectly capable with doing that but it is nice to know there is help if needed. I’ve cruised with both Celebrity and Princess lines and they go above and beyond for their disabled travelers. I guess it was silly for me to assume that Viking would do the same. Maybe because they are not an American cruise company. Well now I know and have just booked a cruise with American Cruise lines on the Columbia and Snake River. So far they have been very helpful in meeting the accommodations I will need. I’m looking forward to it and can’t wait to report back after my cruise in July.

Thank you so much for your very informative cruise report! My husband and I are doing this cruise on July 9th to the 16th but in the reverse from Clarskson Washington to Portland. I’m a bit worried about the heat factor because from what I read July and August are their hottest months. Any additional tips on the tours you would skip and a must do? Thanks again I feel a little better about taking this cruise because you’re much younger than me but I was afraid this was geared for a much older clientele.

Hello! We are looking into taking a cruise on the Columbia/Snake river on July 9 th through the 16th. I was wondering if anyone has taken this trip in July and would like to hear your personal experience on what your weather was like. Especially the temperatures. I have read that the best time to visit this area is June through September but July and August are the hottest months with temperatures ranging from mid 80’s to mid to upper 90’s. I like the idea of sunshine and warm weather but the thought of a string of 90 +degree days kind of worries me.Would I be better going in early September to avoid the extreme heat? I know there is no guarantee on weather and things change from year to year but would love to input about your cruise during this month. Thanks in advance for any feedback you can provide.

Dear Essiesmom thank you so much for suggesting American Cruise Lines. I just booked a cruise with them on the Snake River. Although pricey I like the idea of a smaller ship and think it will be a good fit for me.

Thank you Essie’s mom. I’m sorry if my response was misleading . I appreciate your information and when I originally posted I was under the impression that there were no accessible staterooms on the Expedition trips based on my conversation with the first representative I spoke to. I then spoke to another representative and he told me that there were accessible suites available. I tried to edit the post but it was too late. I appreciate you and everyone else on CC talking the time to research and I will try to word my responses and questions differently in the future.

Thank you for your response. Yes I was told that they have two junior suites that are accessible but they are 3,000 a person more which is out of my budget. I actually am working with a TA now who called their representative from there And I did get some more information. It is a ramp to board the ship but it’s up to us to board that the crew will not assist and there is no priority boarding for passengers with special needs. Other than that the ship has elevators, and is accessible to wheelchairs.

The Viking Octantis

Neither it’s on the Great Lakes

Okay thank you.

Hello! I’m interested in taking a cruise with Viking on the Great Lakes expedition. I can walk short distances but do most of my transport on vacation in a manual wheelchair. I know this cruise is geared towards a more active traveler but the itinerary really interests me because I’ve never been to Niagara Falls or Mackinac Island and would also love to see the Great Lakes! I know there are no accessible cabins accept for suites and the ship does not allow scooters. My question is how friendly is the Viking cruise line to people with physical disabilities. Will they assist in boarding and is there any priority given to wheelchairs or people with mobility problems. I am traveling with my husband and I am only familiar with Princess and Celebrity both of whom are wonderful to people with disabilities in making their boarding and embarking safe and worry free. I spoke to a very nice representative from Viking and he said he could provide a raised toilet seat and a shower chair in the bathroom. I have read some of the brochures and faqs on Viking’s website and it states that although they allow wheelchair passengers that they cannot assist in pushing or lifting a wheelchair. I fully understand that and like I said I will be traveling with my husband who is perfectly capable of doing all that. It’s just that in the past cruises I’ve been on the crew always took over when we were getting on and off the ship. My question is would I be comfortable traveling with Viking or should I stick with a line that I’m familiar with and that welcomes people with physical challenges. Unfortunately none of the cruise lines have this itinerary. Thank you for any information or feedback you could give me.

Correction I tried to edit but couldn’t, it’s a Great Lakes cruise from Toronto to Milwaukee.

Hello! I’m considering taking a cruise with Viking cruise line on their Great Western cruise. I have only cruised with Princess and Celebrity and they are both wonderful to travel with for people with physical disabilities. I understand that this trip is geared more to active adults but I love the itinerary and have always wanted to try a smaller ship. My question is how is Viking cruise line in general to travel with for people with physical disabilities. I can walk short distances with a cane but have trouble with stairs and do most of my transport in a wheelchair. Does Viking give any kind of assistance with boarding and do they give priority to people in wheelchairs or will that be all up to my husband. I know they do not have any accessible cabins on this ship but I have spoken to an agent from Viking and they can provide me with some items in my stateroom to help. I guess I was just wondering what your experience was with Viking and traveling as a person with disabilities or should I look into other options. Thank you for any insights you can provide.

Thank you for your response. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a River cruise but I am interested in seeing New England and Cape Cod in the fall and this itinerary looks interesting. They do have other Cruises to New England and Cape Cod. I guess I was just interested in the accessibility of the ship and it’s excursions.

Hello!! Thank you to all who commented on my post about a fall colors cruise. I’m interested in anyone who has recently traveled with American Cruise Lines because someone suggested them on my post . I have read all the reviews and they are so mixed from any where to loved them or hated them. My main concern is the accessibility of the ship and it’s excursions for which I can’t seem to find much information . All I’ve come up with is that they do have accessible cabins but most only one per ship. I spoke to a representative from there but didn’t feel he was fully aware of what it means to be a disabled traveler. I would love to hear from anyone who has recently sailed with ACL especially on this Hudson River trip and itinerary and on the American Independence ship. Thanks in advance for any information you can give me.