Mediterranean ports: easy access? hard to access?

[sattva]

My wife and I would like to do a Mediterranean cruise again (we're been going to Europe frequently for 50 years).  However, we both now have limited mobility in our mid-70s. We both use canes and sometimes rollators; no wheelchairs or scooters yet.  With these new challenges, we're looking at Med ports differently and need advice.  Which ones do you consider fairly easy to access with limited mobility?  Which ones are difficult?  We'd welcome any advice--and thanks in advance!

[ozscotart]

10 hours ago, sattva said:

My wife and I would like to do a Mediterranean cruise again (we're been going to Europe frequently for 50 years).  However, we both now have limited mobility in our mid-70s. We both use canes and sometimes rollators; no wheelchairs or scooters yet.  With these new challenges, we're looking at Med ports differently and need advice.  Which ones do you consider fairly easy to access with limited mobility?  Which ones are difficult?  We'd welcome any advice--and thanks in advance!

My best advice is to choose cruises without anchor ports, and avoid Santorini. It is possible to access Santorini with a walker on the gondolas but it would need to fold and it’s very hilly.  The excursions will still use the gondola and a steep uphill walk from the bus park to get to it.  I’ve managed all anchor ports so far but now stay on the ship if we’re in Santorini, I’ve been there and it’s just too hard. 
If you can descend the steps to the tender on anchor ports, crew will usually hand down any mobility devices you have, but if it’s your first cruise just choose one without anchor ports. 
Easy ports from the point of view of mobility include Mykonos, Corfu, most Croatian ports with exception of Dubrovnik, Athens, Istanbul, Barcelona.  Look for the shuttle into the centre of town as most ships dock a little way from the centre. 

[LondonTowner]

Many Mediterranean ports are accessible as are most Norwegian ports.

 

choose a cruise without tender ports. Once you’ve chosen a couple of cruises do your research. There are plenty of resources like Cruise Critic, WhatsinPort, Toms Port Guides, tourist board websites and Google.