wheel chair at dock

[meow!]

Our voyage will start at Budapest and end in Amsterdam. Are there wheel chair services at those river cruise docks just like regular cruise ship docks? One of us always use wheel chair service at ship docks as well as airports.

 

For other ports on the way of the cruise, one of us will be able to go ashore alone, while usually not joining any of the group tours. The other plans on staying on the ship to enjoy the scenery, and only go ashore if it is really easy (say less than a couple of hundred steps with a cane).

 

We are taking this voyage just to have at least one river cruise experience and see what it is like. Also presumably the scenery on the way will be fantastic. Any advice?

[Got2Cruise]

The docks for River ships are nothing like ocean liner docks. Basically the docks are portable gangways. You don't mention which cruiseline you are cruising with. Please confirm there is wheelchair service.

[meow!]

The docks for River ships are nothing like ocean liner docks. Basically the docks are portable gangways. You don't mention which cruiseline you are cruising with. Please confirm there is wheelchair service.

 

Viking Budapest to Amsterdam, with all the ports in-between. The starting and ending ports are particularly important. Does the cruise line provide wheel chair service? Thanks.

[Hydrokitty]

Viking Budapest to Amsterdam, with all the ports in-between. The starting and ending ports are particularly important. Does the cruise line provide wheel chair service? Thanks.

 

Hi Meow....in 8 river cruises I have never seen any wheelchairs anywhere near where river boats dock. I've also done several ocean cruises and I know exactly what you mean about w/c services, golf carts, etc. waiting near the ship to take you to the main port area if it's far. I have used them and on my last Celebrity cruise actually had one in my cabin for my personal use. I've only done river cruises with Vantage and while I have seen a wheelchair in the reception area I cannot swear to it being available for anything other than emergencies. You really must contact Viking and ask them what services are available to you. From your post it sounds as though this could be a really big problem for you if there are none.

[meow!]

Hi Meow....in 8 river cruises I have never seen any wheelchairs anywhere near where river boats dock. I've also done several ocean cruises and I know exactly what you mean about w/c services, golf carts, etc. waiting near the ship to take you to the main port area if it's far. I have used them and on my last Celebrity cruise actually had one in my cabin for my personal use. I've only done river cruises with Vantage and while I have seen a wheelchair in the reception area I cannot swear to it being available for anything other than emergencies. You really must contact Viking and ask them what services are available to you. From your post it sounds as though this could be a really big problem for you if there are none.

 

Thank you all so much for your replies. Knowing that no wheelchair help will be available, we have no choice but to cancel it. Fortunately, the penalty period only starts after this coming Monday. We emailed our cancellation to both our travel agent (who may be away) and Viking itself, requesting them to acknowledge acceptance of our cancellation. Since the sailing is full, there should not be a problem. Any experience on cancellations?

[notamermaid]

Hello meow!

 

That is too bad, it does sound as if your best option will be to cancel this river cruise. While I have seen people with wheelchairs on the river boatsand I have read Viking to be very accommodating with mobility issues I read from your post that the lack of service will seriously reduce your enjoyment of this cruise.

 

There is a ship especially refurbished and redesigned for wheelchair users on the Rhine, the MS Alegria. It runs as a charter for different tour organizers.

 

While this does not really help you at the moment, unless you are happy to fit in with a German-speaking group, it illustrates my point. It shows that there is both a demand for and a lack of suitable holidays.

 

The crew on any boat is happy to help but can only do some much, and a river cruise ship is not perfect for wheelchair users.

 

Again, the Alegria is such a boat that is certified to be wheelchair-user friendly and the trips on her are designed with a wheelchair-user in mind.

 

I do hope that you find the right holiday for you and if you have not given up on river cruising yet, do phone around, ask different companies and ask a good travel agent beyond the three four or five main North-American companies.

 

notamermaid

[Mark_T]

We emailed our cancellation to both our travel agent (who may be away) and Viking itself, requesting them to acknowledge acceptance of our cancellation. Since the sailing is full, there should not be a problem. Any experience on cancellations?

 

A shame you have had to cancel, but if this was such a vital aspect of the available facilities, why didn't your TA check this before booking?

 

Also, while I'm sure it will not be a problem since you say you are cancelling before the penalty period, the level of bookings on your cruise will have no bearing on cancellation penalties, either you are in time and there is no penalty or you are too late and there will be penalty.

 

It is a pity that there wasn't time to talk to Viking as well since many people with limited mobility enjoy river cruising without needing wheelchair facilities at the start and end as unlike ocean cruises the distances to be covered are vastly smaller and the gap between taxi and ship can often be measured in a few yards unlike the route march you often face for an ocean cruise.

Edited June 5, 2016 by Mark_T

[meow!]

Hello meow!

 

That is too bad, it does sound as if your best option will be to cancel this river cruise. ...

notamermaid

 

 

Also, while I'm sure it will not be a problem since you say you are cancelling before the penalty period...,.

 

We successfully cancelled the voyage and Viking sent us a confirmation on the cancellation. Thank you all for replying!

[garycarla]

For future reference....

 

I am only guessing, but even those ships that are wheel chair friendly may be an issue. After all, the docking at often unknown piers is often out of their control. And the dock, road, sidewalks could be cobblestone, etc. And, sometimes the ship is docked alongside another ship requiring passengers to 'walk the plank" so to speak.

[capriccio]

For future reference....

 

I am only guessing, but even those ships that are wheel chair friendly may be an issue. After all, the docking at often unknown piers is often out of their control. And the dock, road, sidewalks could be cobblestone, etc. And, sometimes the ship is docked alongside another ship requiring passengers to 'walk the plank" so to speak.

 

And sometimes to even get to the plank you need to walk up the steps on your ship, cross the plank from your sun deck to the other ship's sun deck, and then walk down their steps to disembark via the gangplank. We were on Uniworld's SS Catherine last week and although they have a spectacular elevator on board, it didn't go to the sun deck so you had to be able to handle steps at a couple of our stops.

 

I am recovering - ever so slowly - from leg issues and used a cane on this cruise for excursions. Having lived in Europe and traveled extensively there, I knew that the cobblestones, hills and steps could get the best of me. Thank goodness for the 'gentle walkers' group! In towns with hills (Viviers, Les Andelys), we had a taxi or bus take us to the top of the town and then back down. In towns with extensive walking (Rouen, Tain-l'Hermitage, Avignon) the walk included a narrated ride around the town in a little train. In other towns, we covered all the sights just a little slower than the other groups. An added bonus, at least in our case, was that the gentle walkers was always the smallest group usually numbering less than a dozen.

[JVilleGal]

Viking Budapest to Amsterdam, with all the ports in-between. The starting and ending ports are particularly important. Does the cruise line provide wheel chair service? Thanks.

 

 

The simple answer is NO, you often have to climb up and over and across 3 boats just to reach a 24 inch wide portable ramp. The streets are cobblestone and uneven. The boats themselves are multilevel.

 

Have you discussed your mobility issues with Viking?

 

 

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[meow!]

We cancelled our cruise on 5th June, and our credit card already received Viking's refund on 8th June, that is within three days! So Viking is pretty efficient in refunding! Good job!

[Got2Cruise]

We cancelled our cruise on 5th June, and our credit card already received Viking's refund on 8th June, that is within three days! So Viking is pretty efficient in refunding! Good job!

 

 

 

That's great news.