Wheelchair availability on board

[SOShrink]

If someone happens to need a wheelchair at the last minute or if their arthritis or fibromyalgia is flaring up one morning, do the river cruises have wheelchairs on board to borrow? I realize a wheelchair would be challenging on the cobblestone inclining streets, but you never know when one might come in handy and yet it's not worth bringing one from home.

[Hydrokitty]

In my experience after 6 river cruises, most river ships are not equipped to handle wheelchairs. Some of them have elevators (Vantage does) but the ramps to get on and off the ship could be problematic for a w/c.

[pinotlover]

I'm not sure a wheelchair would fit down the cabin aisles when the stewards have their work carts in the aisle!

 

Did not see a single tour bus set up for a wheelchair.

 

One could maybe take their meals in the Aqualounge (if Viking), but definitely not room for a wheel chair in the main dining room anywhere.

 

Saw people on a cane, and one with short arm crutches, but never a wheel chair anywhere!

[Ine]

As far as I know no ship has rental wheelchairs, so you will have to bring your own or try and find a company where you can rent one.

[Host Jazzbeau]

There was definitely at least one wheelchair on our AMA cruise (stored near the elevator), but it may have belonged to a passenger. The river boats are very small, do I doubt they have room to stock "just in case" items like extra wheelchairs.

[ewizabeff]

The ship I was on (Uniworld River Ambassador) was not wheelchair accessible. Passengers needed to go down stairs to reach the dining room (and potentially their cabin) once they entered the ship. There was a chair lift available (I never saw it used), but someone in a wheelchair would have to get out, use the chair lift, have someone carry the chair downstairs, and then get back in the chair after the relatively short trip on the chair lift. While I didn't specifically check, I think a chair could be accommodated in the dining room.

 

If this is a concern, some ships are definitely more wheelchair accessible than others.

[pontac]

There was a wheelchair passenger on our Viking Bordeaux cruise last month and on one of the city tours I saw hime being pushed around in a wheelchair.(he may have gone on more, but the ship tours were split into 4 groups and I can't recall seeing him on others I went on.)

 

I didn't pay that much attention, but I believe he had some limited walking ability, and I don't know the ownership of the wheelchair.

 

I saw the wheelchair sometimes stored by the lift lobby (on Viking Longships the lift is between the middle and upperdeck), so staying on either of these floors would give access to both restaurant and lounge.

 

No reason I can see why a wheelchair-seated passenger couldn't be seated in the main restaurant, but I didn't notice anyone there seated in a wheelchair, however the restaurant is large and I wasn't looking.

 

Viking shore trips are rated on ease of walking from 1 to 3 where 3 has steps, rough terrain and not suitable for those not steady on their feet, but a 1 should be OK in a wheelchair.

 

I would imaging renting a wheelchair would be difficult on most river trips because they start in one country and end in another. Bordeaux however starts and ends in the same city.

 

In UK local Red Cross branches loan/hire wheelchairs, I don't know about other countries but it's an idea to explore.

 

But first, perhaps, it's worth speaking with the intended river cruise company.

 

Viking's FAQ's has a section for disabled passengers that starts 'Viking River Cruises welcomes disabled guests but wishes all guests to understand that challenges will exist on board and during shore excursions.' and ends with a freefone number to call. (I won't give it here as the apprpropriate number will depend on which Viking website you access.)

Edited April 10, 2015 by pontac