Tell me about your accessible British Isles cruising experience

[Wandering_star]

Hello!

 

I am helping my brother plan a British Isles cruise for summer 2017. He uses a wheelchair for mobility and would utilize an accessible cabin on the ship. He's cruised on Princess and Celebrity in the past, though for this cruise we are looking at Princess (for the itinerary and they are the cruise line I am most familiar with). Although we're disappointed that he would likely miss Edinburgh and Guernsey, he's really looking forward to doing some excursions in the rest of the ports. Even though most of the ship's excursions state they are not wheelchair accessible, I'm hoping we can maneuver him up the stairs of a motor coach if needed.

 

Please tell me about your British Isles cruise experience!! I'm looking for recommendations for excursions (either with the ship or private), a hotel in London, a car service for transfers and anything else you can recommend.

 

Also, please tell me about things to watch out for. I know a lot of the UK is not very wheelchair accessible, and we know he won't be able to do everything, but let me know everything, good or bad...

 

Thanks for your help!

[LondonTowner]

It would be helpful to know your ports of call, time of year, your interests and can your brother manage a few steps or is he confined to his wheelchair.

[Essiesmom]

Summer is less than six months away...You may find when you go to book that there are no accessible cabins left - they book fast. He may have to be very flexible as to cabin type. EM

[ozscotart]

I don't understand why he cannot do an excursion in Edinburgh, by law all buses and most public buildings are accessible here. A quick search finds the Royal Yacht Britannia and the castle are accessible by wheelchair, I have been on the yacht recently and did need to use the lifts. If the ship doesn't run excursions I think you will find a private guide who will run one for you. I would expect this to apply to other major British cruise ports.

 

 

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[Wandering_star]

It would be helpful to know your ports of call, time of year, your interests and can your brother manage a few steps or is he confined to his wheelchair.

 

As I said, we are looking at summer 2017, dates flexible, with Princess. The itinerary we are looking at is roundtrip from Southampton and calls on Guernsey, Cobh, Dublin, Belfast, Greenock, Kirkwall, Invergordon, Edinburgh and Le Harve. Guernsey and Edinburgh are tender ports where wheelchair access is limited.

 

He would like to visit the Scottish Highlands (possibly via a ship excursion), and is interested in visiting the Culloden Battlefield when in Invergordon (also via a ship excursion). When in Le Harve, we are interested in an independent tour to the Normandy Beaches with a Canadian focus.

 

He could manage a couple of steps with assistance, so accessing a motor coach is possible, however accessing the ship's tender is unlikely.

[Wandering_star]

Summer is less than six months away...You may find when you go to book that there are no accessible cabins left - they book fast. He may have to be very flexible as to cabin type. EM

 

Our dates are somewhat flexible, but I have checked each date for our preferred itinerary and there are still accessible cabins available.

[Wandering_star]

I don't understand why he cannot do an excursion in Edinburgh, by law all buses and most public buildings are accessible here. A quick search finds the Royal Yacht Britannia and the castle are accessible by wheelchair, I have been on the yacht recently and did need to use the lifts. If the ship doesn't run excursions I think you will find a private guide who will run one for you. I would expect this to apply to other major British cruise ports.

 

 

Edinburgh is a tender port where wheelchair access is limited. We did a West Coast cruise this fall with one tender port and prior to embarking, we were sent an accessibility questionnaire which asked about the weight and dimensions of his chair. After we returned the questionnaire we were told that accessing the ship's tender would not be possible for him. It is disappointing, but we understand.

[xxoocruiser]

Hello!

 

I am helping my brother plan a British Isles cruise for summer 2017. He uses a wheelchair for mobility and would utilize an accessible cabin on the ship. He's cruised on Princess and Celebrity in the past, though for this cruise we are looking at Princess (for the itinerary and they are the cruise line I am most familiar with). Although we're disappointed that he would likely miss Edinburgh and Guernsey, he's really looking forward to doing some excursions in the rest of the ports. Even though most of the ship's excursions state they are not wheelchair accessible, I'm hoping we can maneuver him up the stairs of a motor coach if needed.

 

Please tell me about your British Isles cruise experience!! I'm looking for recommendations for excursions (either with the ship or private), a hotel in London, a car service for transfers and anything else you can recommend.

 

Also, please tell me about things to watch out for. I know a lot of the UK is not very wheelchair accessible, and we know he won't be able to do everything, but let me know everything, good or bad...

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Edinburgh and Guernsey are both tendered port. Therefore unless the tender has roll-on capabilities or your borther has a folding wheelchair as well as able to walk-up down steps he will not be allowed on the tender.

 

 

He could manage a couple of steps with assistance, so accessing a motor coach is possible, however accessing the ship's tender is unlikely.

 

 

It's also important to note that not all tours to use motor coaches with a cargo bay beneath the seats. Even if the vehicle has a cargo bay the driver can refuse loading a wheelchair if that tour is not specifically marketed as wheelchair accessible. So before booking any tours you need to confirm that the vehicle can and will accomodate a wheelchair otherwise you might be out the money.

Edited December 27, 2016 by xxoocruiser

[xxoocruiser]

I don't understand why he cannot do an excursion in Edinburgh, by law all buses and most public buildings are accessible here. A quick search finds the Royal Yacht Britannia and the castle are accessible by wheelchair, I have been on the yacht recently and did need to use the lifts. If the ship doesn't run excursions I think you will find a private guide who will run one for you. I would expect this to apply to other major British cruise ports.

 

 

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Edinburgh is a tendered port and the OP's brother may not be allowed to board the tender. Refer to my previous post @ 8 this thread. Besides I believe that only public buses are subject by local law to be accessible and the law does not apply to private tour vehicles which are privately owned.

Edited December 27, 2016 by xxoocruiser

[LondonTowner]

In Kirkwall we did a private tour with Wild About Orkney, which was excellent. It was in a mini bus, so I had to get up the step of the bus. I have limited mobility, but can do steps and stairs.

 

Most attractions will be accessible, you can look at the relevant websites. Depending upon your interests and what you wish to see, it may be more convenient to take a taxi or public transport.

 

I normally start by seeing what the ship offers and then organise my own trips as to what I want to see.

 

I also find that by sending an email to local tourist boards, they can be very helpful.

 

In Dublin we did the HOHO bus and it was excellent.

 

In Le Havre, have you thought of hiring a car? We take our own car to France very frequently and it is very easy driving. The Canadian museum at Juno Beach is an easy drive from Le Havre and you could visit Honfleur or somewhere else that interests you.

 

In the U.K. All state owned museums have free entrance. Those that don't offer 'carer goes free' as in most of Europe.

[Wandering_star]

It's also important to note that not all tours to use motor coaches with a cargo bay beneath the seats. Even if the vehicle has a cargo bay the driver can refuse loading a wheelchair if that tour is not specifically marketed as wheelchair accessible. So before booking any tours you need to confirm that the vehicle can and will accomodate a wheelchair otherwise you might be out the money.

 

Excellent point - anyone have any experience coordinating this with the ship? Should I book the excursions we are interested in, then speak to the shore excursion staff once on board - cancelling what doesn't work for us?

[Wandering_star]

In Kirkwall we did a private tour with Wild About Orkney, which was excellent. It was in a mini bus, so I had to get up the step of the bus. I have limited mobility, but can do steps and stairs.

 

Most attractions will be accessible, you can look at the relevant websites. Depending upon your interests and what you wish to see, it may be more convenient to take a taxi or public transport.

 

I normally start by seeing what the ship offers and then organise my own trips as to what I want to see.

 

I also find that by sending an email to local tourist boards, they can be very helpful.

 

In Dublin we did the HOHO bus and it was excellent.

 

In Le Havre, have you thought of hiring a car? We take our own car to France very frequently and it is very easy driving. The Canadian museum at Juno Beach is an easy drive from Le Havre and you could visit Honfleur or somewhere else that interests you.

 

In the U.K. All state owned museums have free entrance. Those that don't offer 'carer goes free' as in most of Europe.

 

Thank you! Especially for the info about Orkney!

[LondonTowner]

Wandering Star

 

I would only book a ship's tour as a last resort. You haven't told us exactly what you want to see and do.

 

What type of wheelchair does your brother have? If it is collapsible, then all transport should be suitable, including mini buses.

 

The UK is relatively disabled friendly and has plenty of accessible transport options. You need to do your research.

[xxoocruiser]

Excellent point - anyone have any experience coordinating this with the ship? Should I book the excursions we are interested in, then speak to the shore excursion staff once on board - cancelling what doesn't work for us?

 

Very risky to intentionally book a non-accessible tour in advance as most cruise lines policy is that if you book it on knowing fully well it's not suitable for wheelchairs than the cruise line doesn't have to refund the money. Of course if you're still in the cancelation timeline period which can vary for all excursions than you'll get your money. If you book on board after the on-board excursion office OK'd that a folding wheelchair can be accommodated and you get to the bus and they driver won't accept the wheelchair you can than push a refund .

 

My experience regardless of the cruise line is that if the excursion description does not specifically state that it can accommodate wheelchairs of any kind than you're best not to pre-book anything offered by the cruise line in advance. You're best to speak directly to the shore excursion office directly on board the ship as they work first hand with the vendors and can better answers questions rather than working through any one from the state side office.

Edited December 29, 2016 by xxoocruiser

[Wandering_star]

You're best to speak directly to the shore excursion office directly on board the ship as they work first hand with the vendors and can better answers questions rather than working through any one from the state side office.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

[Chunky2219]

It's also important to note that not all tours to use motor coaches with a cargo bay beneath the seats. Even if the vehicle has a cargo bay the driver can refuse loading a wheelchair if that tour is not specifically marketed as wheelchair accessible. So before booking any tours you need to confirm that the vehicle can and will accomodate a wheelchair otherwise you might be out the money.

This is the UK we're talking about, not the back of beyond.

 

The only way you're going to get transport without space for a chair or buggy is if it's advertised as some special form of transport, like an old London red bus or a horse & carriage, or if maybe it's designed for a very small number of people. Equally, you're not going to get a driver who refuses to open the hatch.

 

Speak to the tours desk, tell them your circumstances, they'll put a disabled "reserved" label on a front seat and off you go. It's a non-issue.

 

 

 

.

[xxoocruiser]

This is the UK we're talking about, not the back of beyond.

 

The only way you're going to get transport without space for a chair or buggy is if it's advertised as some special form of transport, like an old London red bus or a horse & carriage, or if maybe it's designed for a very small number of people. Equally, you're not going to get a driver who refuses to open the hatch.

 

Speak to the tours desk, tell them your circumstances, they'll put a disabled "reserved" label on a front seat and off you go. It's a non-issue.

 

 

 

.

 

 

Really there's no need for sarcasm.

 

Have taken many UK tours . Not all tours provided Motor Coaches with cargo bays. In fact some tours that were marketed and sold as using Motor Coaches had the vehicles changed at the last mininute to small buses that only held approximately 20 people due to lack of bookings and had no room to store folding wheel chair and or folding scooter. Those of us that booked on the basis of it being a motorcoach with a cargo bay were not notified in advance of this change and were refused by the driver upon meeting at the designated point. Therefore don't know how you can tell the OP with 100% certainty that it's a non-issue. My previous post stands as written.

[LondonTowner]

Unless a mini bus is full they would be able to accommodate a folding wheelchair. I have taken one on manyexcursions in the Caribbean where the majority of mini buses do not have luggage compartments.

 

I would say it ishe attitude of the driver more than the layout of the bus. There are companies that have disabled access on their vehicles and do tours throughout the UK. It is a matter of researching or sending emails to various local tourist offices.

[Chunky2219]

Really there's no need for sarcasm. .........

 

.......... My previous post stands as written.

Not sarcasm, just pragmatism. My previous post also stands - speak to the tours desk, get it organised, no problem.

 

If you've had issues which were with independently booked tours rather than ship's tours, then maybe a little more care in making the arrangements when booking privately is warranted.

 

 

.

[xxoocruiser]

Not sarcasm, just pragmatism. My previous post also stands - speak to the tours desk, get it organised, no problem.

 

If you've had issues which were with independently booked tours rather than ship's tours, then maybe a little more care in making the arrangements when booking privately is warranted.

 

 

.

 

Interesting how you chose to ignore my post #14 of this thread in which I clearly advised the OP the following :confused:

You're best to speak directly to the shore excursion office directly on board the ship as they work first hand with the vendors and can better answers questions rather than working through any one from the state side office.

Edited January 3, 2017 by xxoocruiser

[Chunky2219]

I didn't ignore it, I just didn't think it was worthy of comment.

 

I originally responded to the suggestion that even if a coach had a luggage hold, a driver might refuse access to it. Which, if you get organsied in advance, is nonsense. I assume we can all agree that if you get organised properly with the tours desk then it's a non-issue? And if you are organising a private tour then maybe it takes a little more sorting out but even then, it's a non-issue?

 

The bottom line is we're talking about UK excursions. If you've had a bad experience here, then I respectfully suggest that you didn't get your ducks in a row, so to speak.

 

 

.

[kitty9]

If anyone has their ducks in a row, it's XXOO. She travels extensively and knows what she's talking about.

 

I've had problems with tours in the UK and believe me, after taking two world cruises, I KNOW how to line things up. Twice, tours were booked via the ship where I was assured they could take a wheelchair, but when the buses pulled up, they were not your usual tour buses, but small vans that could not accommodate wheelchairs. One time, we were told, after much communication with the cruise line, that the tour would be via the large buses with luggage bays. But guess what pulled up on the dock? School buses !!!!!! And yes, this was in the UK, in Edinburgh. At no time were we told the transport would be school buses. And at no time did they tell us that they would switch a full size bus for those small van-type vehicle----the kind they use to transport you from the airport terminal to the rental car place.

 

Sometimes you can have 1000 ducks in a row, but there's always someone who comes around and kicks a few of those ducks out of the water.

[xxoocruiser]

If anyone has their ducks in a row, it's XXOO. She travels extensively and knows what she's talking about.

 

I've had problems with tours in the UK and believe me, after taking two world cruises, I KNOW how to line things up. Twice, tours were booked via the ship where I was assured they could take a wheelchair, but when the buses pulled up, they were not your usual tour buses, but small vans that could not accommodate wheelchairs. One time, we were told, after much communication with the cruise line, that the tour would be via the large buses with luggage bays. But guess what pulled up on the dock? School buses !!!!!! And yes, this was in the UK, in Edinburgh. At no time were we told the transport would be school buses. And at no time did they tell us that they would switch a full size bus for those small van-type vehicle----the kind they use to transport you from the airport terminal to the rental car place.

 

Sometimes you can have 1000 ducks in a row, but there's always someone who comes around and kicks a few of those ducks out of the water.

 

Darcie

 

Your experience with excursions booked through the ship was exactly the same as what occurred with my group in the UK as well. Despite all the time spent getting the "ducks in a row "and having confirmed with the ship's excursion dept. several times that the wheelchairs will be accommodated doesn't mean anything when the vendor changes things at the last minute. Something that Chunky refuses to believe could possibly occur in the UK. Not only does it occur in the UK, it happens more than people realize with ship excursions regardless of the country. Hopefully the OP fully understands this and keeps an open mind when things don't go as planned regardless of getting their "ducks in a row".

 

BTW Happy New Year!

Pat

Edited January 5, 2017 by xxoocruiser

[Chunky2219]

It sounds like either the OP needs to stay on the boat and not expect things to ever go right, or else should get everything organised well in advance and at least if the transport isn't up to snuff then has the basis of a claim for a refund.

 

I'm still intrigued about where and when someone has had a driver refuse to open a luggage hold and then the client has been unable to claim a refund, let alone raise the roof with the tours desk after they had got their ducks in a row beforehand.

 

In all these years of cruising with a chair I've never had a problem (other than a port provided wheelchair shuttle bus that bit the dust). Maybe I'm just lucky. Maybe more persuasive, maybe better organised. We'll never know. I certainly won't be changing my approach, especially in the UK.

 

I'm not a resident of Edinburgh so not in a position to state unequivocally that they don't have "school buses", but most towns in this green and pleasant isle tend to use older public service buses for the school run, often double deckers. The don't have PA systems, so would be pretty useless for a tour guide to do their thing. I'm not doubting your story, just finding it a little incongruous for an organised tour.

 

 

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[Nancy48]

Hi I am disabled and British and did a Princess cruise in 2015 round the British Isles. I use a wheelchair but can walk up and down steps etc and short distances with my crutches.

 

I didn't go ashore in Edinburgh, by then it was nearly the end of the cruise and I was shattered so my husband did his own thing ashore and I had a nice relaxing day on board. I do have the advantage of having visited Edinburgh many years ago so had no great need to visit again. Guernsey was another tender port and I managed it, because we just wanted to have a little look at St Peter Port I just took my crutches. Lovely place and we just tottered up into town, not far from tender drop off point, had a coffee outside a little bistro, watched the world go by and then headed back to tender. I managed, BUT if I had known about the queues for the tender back I wouldn't have done it. Fortunately there was a low brick wall for me to sit on whilst my husband queued, but it was a hot day and not a good ending.

 

Other than those two ports all of the others were berthed. Again we have the advantage over you as my husband is used to driving over here (obviously😄)

So we hired a car in Glasgow and took a leisurely drive round Loch Lomond. The car hire place was a way from the berth but they picked us up and took us to the car hire place and then when we returned the car they drove us back to the ship. A lovely area and really easy to do. We did the same at Invergorden, there the car hire place was on the docks, so really easy. Had a lovely day round Loch Ness and went to the battlefields as well.

 

Perhaps surprisingly one of our highlights was Belfast when we went to the Titanic exhibition/experience. Amazing and really wheelchair friendly. We taxied there and back and used their wheelchair which I had booked in advance

 

Liverpool is also brilliant, although you may not go there as we docked right by in the city centre and the wheelchair was no problem.

 

 

As has been said previously most places give free admission or career free, and a lot of places have wheelchairs to borrow, so if you can manage to get into a taxi and out again that could be a way to go.

 

I must say that as Brits my husband, in particular, wasn't too interested in this cruise itinerary, but we booked it last minute at a good price and thought we would just have a nice time on board. We were wrong it's a brilliant itinerary. Do hope you enjoy it,

 

Nancy