Advice for traveling with broken foot?

[lindalouwho54]

Hi! I'm taking my first-ever river cruise (down the Danube) next week. Unfortunately, I tumbled down some stairs & broke my foot a week ago. I am in a walking boot. I don't need crutches & can manage stairs, albeit slowly. Any advice anyone would want to share with me regarding traveling internationally with a broken foot would be most appreciated. I have trip insurance & could cancel, but I've been looking forward to this vacation ....

[StillPooh]

I am in a walking boot. I don't need crutches & can manage stairs, albeit slowly.

You may be able to walk in a boot but will tire easily. I would highly suggest bringing a wheelchair so you don't wear yourself out too badly.

[pg.]

Hi! I'm taking my first-ever river cruise (down the Danube) next week. Unfortunately, I tumbled down some stairs & broke my foot a week ago. I am in a walking boot. I don't need crutches & can manage stairs, albeit slowly. Any advice anyone would want to share with me regarding traveling internationally with a broken foot would be most appreciated. I have trip insurance & could cancel, but I've been looking forward to this vacation ....

 

A river cruise sounds lovely,, bring some good books to read while sitting on deck and watching beautiful and or interesting scenery float by every day!!

Lower your expectation for the land portion of your trip( you may not feel up to doing alot of touring about,, warning, many Europeon cities have uneven cobblestone streets etc) ,but talk to ships excursion office about which tours have minimum of walking.

 

Have a good time regardless, no cooking, no cleaning, and a changing view outside everyday,, I wouldn't stay home either!!

[shopril]

Sorry to about your foot and the bad timing of breaking just before vacation. I just got out of my boot a week ago. I think that is the best thing they ever invented. It was cumbersome, but to be able to get around without crutches was nice.

Not sure what your tolerance is, but it really did not slow me down very much. I went to 2 festivals while wearing it, just plan on taking a few more rest stops than usual. BTW – I was walking on uneven ground most of that time with no problem.

Relax on the ship and use your foot as an excuse for your travel mates to wait on you :D

[jmf123]

I would definitely recommend setting up assistance in the airports to get you from gate to gate using wheels. And be very familiar with your insurance in case you need it for any reason during your upcoming cruise. Enjoy! :)

[Treven]

I whole heartedly agree about getting a wheelchair to take you from the curb check in to the gate as well as from the plane to the taxis. In addition, I would recommend you buy a cane. They're inexpensive and really come in handy when walking in your boot, particularily when you're going on excursions, plus onboard. With a cane, a staff person would offer to assist you through the buffet area, and other areas.

 

When I was getting on the plane I used my cane, and fully expected the flight attendent to take the cane and store it. Suprisingly the attendent recommended I keep it in case I needed to go to the bathroom; good idea. Mine is a metal cane that is adjustable, so I slid the ends together and just put it alongside the seat.

[Catnip]

Not sure what your tolerance is, but it really did not slow me down very much. I went to 2 festivals while wearing it, just plan on taking a few more rest stops than usual. BTW – I was walking on uneven ground most of that time with no problem.

 

I agree. I have also traveled in "the boot", both here in the US, and overseas. I did find that I took more short rest breaks, but it really did not slow me down much at all.

The only thing I wold suggest would be to arrange for wheelchair assistance if you are flying & have a connection to make. Getting around the ship is not a problem, since you really don't have to "be" many places at a set time. But making a connection at a huge airport can be bothersome in a boot.

 

Have a great cruise!

[kitty9]

I don't want to throw any sand into your cruise, but European riverboat cruises are extremely difficult for anyone with a physical disability, even a temporary one. Many of the stops on the river are totally inaccessible for wheelchairs and the climb up from the river can have many stairs and can be steep. Many, if not most, of the tours are walking tours, so you need to be prepared for that. While river cruises are slower paced than a cruise on a mass market ship, you will encounter a number of inherent difficulties. BTW, I'm permanently disabled, so I know what I'm talking about with regards to this issue.

[lindalouwho54]

Thank you all for your thoughtful replies. Based on your collective advice, I called my airline & asked for wheelchair service at all airports. I meet with the orthopedist on Friday. If my foot is healing properly, I will plan to go on the trip. I'm pretty spunky and not fussy. Hopefully, that will make a difference. :)

[AZPam]

I have been on two river cruises and there is a lot of walking involved, but you may be just fine. It's not like you MUST go with the walking tours. You can spend the day on the boat or do your own thing too. Talk to your program director each day and find out from them what kind of challenges you will face for that day and then decide if you want to go or not. There may also be a group that is geared for the more slow walkers that might be better for you. I know on the GCT trips I've taken it was offered and greatly appreciated by the slower ones.

[Kailyn]

My dad broke his foot in Venice, on day 2 of our 2 week long Mediterranean cruise. We used the ship doctor for x-rays and medical care, another story all together! But he still managed to tour Ephesus, the Colusseum, all of the cities, and even climb the Acropolis in his boot!

 

Take breaks and hire a driver whenever possible, good luck and I hope you have fun despite your injury!

[upstate_italian]

When I broke my foot and had a walking cast I was in college so I used it to ride my bike around campus. It worked great. You are not going be able to use the proper pedaling form, but it sure beats limping. If you could rent a bike in ports it might work well for you.

[margeecruiser]

I had foot surgery (plantar facitis) about 2 months before my Med cruise. I took a folding 3-legged stool from Magellan's that I took on the long tours. It was a life-saver. I was able to sit down and rest my foot while the tour guides were talking, and then I was ready to go again with the group. I would really recommend one of these; they fold up about the size of an umbrella and come with a cover with a carabiner(sp?) and only weigh a few ounces. Walking with a boot for any long distances or for long durations will be tiring. I ended up with a sore back and the little stool really helped. Good luck! I would not cancel, just plan for the wheelchair assist when possible and use the stool on tours.:)