Which cruise would you recommend if traveling in a wheelchair and planning on spending three days in Rome.

[Ski Mom]

Hello I am in the preliminary stages of planning a cruise to Italy and Croatia. I will be traveling with my husband. I have MS and travel with a transport wheelchair and rent a mobility scooter for cruises. I am interested in the best of Italy and Croatia cruise One is 10 days and sails September 17th and the other one sails September 6 for Eleven days and begins in Venice and ends in Rome. Although these two itineraries are very similar they are a little different. I like the idea of starting in Rome and ending in Venice but it doesn’t include Sorrento Amalfi coast. The early September one is a day longer but it is an extra day at sea and ends in Venice instead of Rome which would entail me doing Rome at the end of our trip which is doable but not ideal. I am not familiar with European travel so this is all new to me. I understand that the cobblestone in Europe are an obstacle for wheelchair travelers but I plan on taking private escorted tours with either my wheelchair or the rented scooter. In Rome I would like to see the Vatican and the Colosseum and Venice looks like it maybe do a Rome at night tour by  private car tour.  Any advice or recommendations on which itineraries you would recommend would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

https://www.celebritycruises.com/itinerary-search?sailStartDate=2024-09-01&sailEndDate=2024-09-30&departures=ROM,BLQ&q=italy&feature=off&dateToggle=M

Edited July 25, 2023 by Ski Mom

[Ski Mom]

42 minutes ago, Ski Mom said:

Hello I am in the preliminary stages of planning a cruise to Italy and Croatia. I will be traveling with my husband. I have MS and travel with a transport wheelchair and rent a mobility scooter for cruises. I am interested in the best of Italy and Croatia cruise One is 10 days and sails September 17th and the other one sails September 6 for Eleven days and begins in Venice and ends in Rome. Although these two itineraries are very similar they are a little different. I like the idea of starting in Rome and ending in Venice but it doesn’t include Sorrento Amalfi coast. The early September one is a day longer but it is an extra day at sea and ends in Venice instead of Rome which would entail me doing Rome at the end of our trip which is doable but not ideal. I am not familiar with European travel so this is all new to me. I understand that the cobblestone in Europe are an obstacle for wheelchair travelers but I plan on taking private escorted tours with either my wheelchair or the rented scooter. In Rome I would like to see the Vatican and the Colosseum and Venice looks like it maybe do a Rome at night tour by  private car tour.  Any advice or recommendations on which itineraries you would recommend would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

https://www.celebritycruises.com/itinerary-search?sailStartDate=2024-09-01&sailEndDate=2024-09-30&departures=ROM,BLQ&q=italy&feature=off&dateToggle=M

The departure dates I’m looking at are September 6th or September 17 th

[kokopelli-az]

Personally I would take the Sept 17 trip based on starting out in Rome.  You may be more tired than you think after the cruise.  

 

BTW, if  you depart from Rome, you may want to look at RomeCabs.com to see what they can offer in the way of transportation and/or tours.   My husband also has a transport chair and rents a scooter to use on the ship.  We used RomeCabs to take us from the airport to our hotel, from the hotel to the cruise ship port and then from the cruise ship port back to the Airport.   We arrived in Rome a little early to check in so they took us on a mini-tour of Rome; I think it was about two hours.   They can put together anything you want.  Highly recommended on many boards.   Plus, we had everything reserved before we left home and it worked like clockwork with them picking us up, etc.  There is a certain amount of relief with everything already booked.

 

When we went to Florence, we booked a tour to Lucca and Pisa with Papillon excursions.  They have shore excursion tours all over Italy.   We told them we wanted a mostly driving around tour since I knew my husband would not want to be getting in and out of the SUV but I got out a few places.  They designed a half day tour that was wonderful (we didn't want a full day tour).  Our tour guide was from Livorno and very knowledgeable.  We were very impressed with them.   https://www.papillonservice.com/

[Ski Mom]

3 hours ago, Ski Mom said:

Hello I am in the preliminary stages of planning a cruise to Italy and Croatia. I will be traveling with my husband. I have MS and travel with a transport wheelchair and rent a mobility scooter for cruises. I am interested in the best of Italy and Croatia cruise One is 10 days and sails September 17th and the other one sails September 6 for Eleven days and begins in Venice and ends in Rome. Although these two itineraries are very similar they are a little different. I like the idea of starting in Rome and ending in Venice but it doesn’t include Sorrento Amalfi coast. The early September one is a day longer but it is an extra day at sea and ends in Venice instead of Rome which would entail me doing Rome at the end of our trip which is doable but not ideal. I am not familiar with European travel so this is all new to me. I understand that the cobblestone in Europe are an obstacle for wheelchair travelers but I plan on taking private escorted tours with either my wheelchair or the rented scooter. In Rome I would like to see the Vatican and the Colosseum and Venice looks like it maybe do a Rome at night tour by  private car tour.  Any advice or recommendations on which itineraries you would recommend would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

https://www.celebritycruises.com/itinerary-search?sailStartDate=2024-09-01&sailEndDate=2024-09-30&departures=ROM,BLQ&q=italy&feature=off&dateToggle=M

 

2 hours ago, kokopelli-az said:

Personally I would take the Sept 17 trip based on starting out in Rome.  You may be more tired than you think after the cruise.  

 

BTW, if  you depart from Rome, you may want to look at RomeCabs.com to see what they can offer in the way of transportation and/or tours.   My husband also has a transport chair and rents a scooter to use on the ship.  We used RomeCabs to take us from the airport to our hotel, from the hotel to the cruise ship port and then from the cruise ship port back to the Airport.   We arrived in Rome a little early to check in so they took us on a mini-tour of Rome; I think it was about two hours.   They can put together anything you want.  Highly recommended on many boards.   Plus, we had everything reserved before we left home and it worked like clockwork with them picking us up, etc.  There is a certain amount of relief with everything already booked.

 

When we went to Florence, we booked a tour to Lucca and Pisa with Papillon excursions.  They have shore excursion tours all over Italy.   We told them we wanted a mostly driving around tour since I knew my husband would not want to be getting in and out of the SUV but I got out a few places.  They designed a half day tour that was wonderful (we didn't want a full day tour).  Our tour guide was from Livorno and very knowledgeable.  We were very impressed with them.   https://www.papillonservice.com/

Thank you ! Thank you! I too am not interested in full day tours or getting In and out of an SUV or hiking around ruins. I have put both your tour operators suggestions in my notebook! Thank you so much for taking the time to respond!

[juliet]

Ski Mom, I'm curious if you've spoken to people about all the little bridges that go over the canals with steps up and down each one.  We were there many years ago.  My husband has MS too and at that time he could walk, but it was hard for him with all the steps.  He's now in a transport chair if we travel.  I'm just wondering how it can be done with a scooter or wheelchair. 

Good for you that you're traveling.  I wish we had the nerve, but he's afraid to go traveling other than on a cruise.

I'll be living vicariously through you.  Have a wonderful time.

[Ski Mom]

8 hours ago, juliet said:

Ski Mom, I'm curious if you've spoken to people about all the little bridges that go over the canals with steps up and down each one.  We were there many years ago.  My husband has MS too and at that time he could walk, but it was hard for him with all the steps.  He's now in a transport chair if we travel.  I'm just wondering how it can be done with a scooter or wheelchair. 

Good for you that you're traveling.  I wish we had the nerve, but he's afraid to go traveling other than on a cruise.

I'll be living vicariously through you.  Have a wonderful time.

Hi Juliet! Are you talking about the canals and bridges in Venice? I would not be able to do those either. Venice would just be either a starting point or an end point to our cruise. If I started our cruise in Venice I would probably have the scooter delivered to the ship but if I started in Rome I would probably have it delivered to the hotel so I could use it to tour the Vatican and the Colosseum or the parts that are wheelchair accessible. I just thought if I rented a scooter my husband would not have to push me all over the place. I guess I was just asking for opinions on which itinerary would be best for a first time visit to Italy. Thank you for the and and well wishes. Best wishes to you and your husband,

[juliet]

Got it.  I assumed you were aware of it all, but not sure.  Again, have a wonderful time!

 

[Ski Mom]

5 hours ago, juliet said:

Got it.  I assumed you were aware of it all, but not sure.  Again, have a wonderful time!

 

Believe me! This is all new to me and I appreciate any feedback I can get! I have a girlfriend from my MS group that went to Italy, but she went from Rome, France and Barcelona, so she can only give me information on those destinations and we also have different things we are interested in doing and seeing. She gave me a recommendation on a hotel in Rome and a tour operator but she was there five years ago and things may have changed. That’s why I posted my question and I really appreciate your response. I’m now researching for accessible private tours and reading all I can on this board. I just hope I’m not being too naive to think I can do this!

Edited July 26, 2023 by Ski Mom

[juliet]

34 minutes ago, Ski Mom said:

Believe me! This is all new to me and I appreciate any feedback I can get! I have a girlfriend from my MS group that went to Italy, but she went from Rome, France and Barcelona, so she can only give me information on those destinations and we also have different things we are interested in doing and seeing. She gave me a recommendation on a hotel in Rome and a tour operator but she was there five years ago and things may have changed. That’s why I posted my question and I really appreciate your response. I’m now researching for accessible private tours and reading all I can on this board. I just hope I’m not being too naive to think I can do this!

Here are some sites I found, and there are lots more online.  Hope some of it helps.  

And, Ski Mom, I KNOW you can do it!!

 

 

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/trip-planning/travelers-with-disabilities

https://wheelchairtravel.org/europe/

https://wheelchairtraveling.com/europe-wheelchair-travel/

[Ski Mom]

5 hours ago, juliet said:

Here are some sites I found, and there are lots more online.  Hope some of it helps.  

And, Ski Mom, I KNOW you can do it!!

 

 

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/trip-planning/travelers-with-disabilities

https://wheelchairtravel.org/europe/

https://wheelchairtraveling.com/europe-wheelchair-travel/

Thank you!

[Ski Mom]

9 hours ago, juliet said:

Here are some sites I found, and there are lots more online.  Hope some of it helps.  

And, Ski Mom, I KNOW you can do it!!

 

 

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/trip-planning/travelers-with-disabilities

https://wheelchairtravel.org/europe/

https://wheelchairtraveling.com/europe-wheelchair-travel/

Thank you 😊

[GeezerCouple]

On 7/25/2023 at 1:15 PM, Ski Mom said:

... I understand that the cobblestone in Europe are an obstacle for wheelchair travelers but I plan on taking private escorted tours with either my wheelchair or the rented scooter. In Rome I would like to see the Vatican and the Colosseum and Venice looks like it maybe do a Rome at night tour by  private car tour. ...

 

22 hours ago, Ski Mom said:

 

Thank you ! Thank you! I too am not interested in full day tours or getting In and out of an SUV or hiking around ruins. I have put both your tour operators suggestions in my notebook! Thank you so much for taking the time to respond!

 

What you wrote is a bit confusing.  (The first is probably just wording, but where you wrote: "In Rome I would like to see the Vatican and the Colosseum and Venice looks like it maybe do a Rome at night tour by  private car tour", I'm not sure what you are asking about regarding Venice.)

 

But mostly, you wrote that you planned to take "private escorted tours".  (We almost always do this, so we can set the pace and also decide more specifically what we do - or do *not* - want to see.)

So I don't understand your concern about no interest in full day tours or "getting In and out of an SUV or hiking around ruins".  IF you are doing private escorted tours, one of the big advantages is that YOU get to choose the itinerary, the timing, and the activities (assuming the private guide agrees this is "possible", of course).

 

Venice is likely to be the most challenging, so you'd want a guide who is specifically experienced with mobility-challenged or wheelchair travelers.

When we were in Venice, we were quite surprised (and really pleased!) to see, on the top (2nd or 3rd?) floor of a museum, a group that included quite a few people in wheelchairs.

I have some mobility difficulties, so our guide had already helped us with a well hidden elevator in the building, so no doubt that group was using the same or other elevators in that building.  (For someone who didn't know, there would be no indication that there was any elevator anywhere in the building.)

 

But there *will* be issues with the many small bridges over the many little canals.

I'd suggest starting early, finding an appropriate private guide who is experienced guiding travelers with disabilities/in wheelchairs/etc., and then not only setting up a workable schedule/agenda, but --> find a hotel that is situated where you can get to the other touring routes.

 

My recollection is that some of the larger water vehicles can load at dock level, and can accommodate wheelchairs, but please *doublecheck*.  Again, your guide should be familiar with this, and thus how using those can help you avoid the little bridges, and also access as much as possible of the city.

 

We took a water taxi from the airport to our hotel that was right on the Grand Canal.  Alas... it was at a *very* low tide time, so the dock of the hotel was, er, considerably higher than we had expected.  So, let's just say that several others "helped DH to shove me up and out" of the water taxi on to the hotel dock.

NOT the most graceful entry, to put it mildly!  😳

DH was probably trying very hard not to laugh too loudly...

 

And I overestimated my stamina the first day.  It was SO exciting to be wandering through Venice that I sort of lost track... and suddenly it was... "Uh, I can't go much further at all!"

Our guide asked me if I could get to [pointing to a nearby spot], and then she called a water taxi who showed up and took us back to the hotel!  Whew!  (And... the tide was much higher then, thank goodness!  🤭 )

 

The bottom line is that the wheelchair group was obviously getting around Venice well enough to get to that museum, somehow.  And there must have been enough accessible to make the entire trip worthwhile. You might want to search for guides that are experienced with visitors using wheelchairs.  Apparently it's not impossible!

 

GC

[FOPMan]

Florence is also a city that is much easier to get around when not in a motor vehicle, though the streets can be a but rough on scooter, wheelchair, or rollator wheels. It can be challenging to get point to point and have parking.

 

A golf cart tour of Rome is a possibility to consider. Authorized drivers can get you much closer to many attractions than a regular car can, especially for things like the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps.

 

Booking some tours well in advance can be helpful. One of out smarter moves was breakfast in the Vatican, which included early access to the Vatican Museum. Our group of 30 people had 25 minutes or so in the Sistine Chapel to ourselves.

 

Many museums offer discounted admission not to the disabled individual but to their aide, with proof of disabling condition. We used my disabled parking placard since the US doesn’t produce any identification card with the international symbol for disability. We had a letter if needed, but it was in English and wanted to be respectful of the countries we visited and not have things lost in translation.

 

Upon seeing me, it is really obvious that I have mobility issues. I don’t think we ever actually showed documentation, but always had it available.

[Ski Mom]

12 hours ago, FOPMan said:

Florence is also a city that is much easier to get around when not in a motor vehicle, though the streets can be a but rough on scooter, wheelchair, or rollator wheels. It can be challenging to get point to point and have parking.

 

A golf cart tour of Rome is a possibility to consider. Authorized drivers can get you much closer to many attractions than a regular car can, especially for things like the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps.

 

Booking some tours well in advance can be helpful. One of out smarter moves was breakfast in the Vatican, which included early access to the Vatican Museum. Our group of 30 people had 25 minutes or so in the Sistine Chapel to ourselves.

 

Many museums offer discounted admission not to the disabled individual but to their aide, with proof of disabling condition. We used my disabled parking placard since the US doesn’t produce any identification card with the international symbol for disability. We had a letter if needed, but it was in English and wanted to be respectful of the countries we visited and not have things lost in translation.

 

Upon seeing me, it is really obvious that I have mobility issues. I don’t think we ever actually showed documentation, but always had it available.

Thank you so much for your response and information! The breakfast in the Vatican sounds lovely! Did you say I would book them right through the Vatican? I did read on either the Vatican website or on the CC disability board that there are certain areas in the Vatican that prohibit the use of a scooter and that I would have to transfer to a manual wheelchair that they would provide for free if there was one available. Do you know this to be true? If so I might be better bringing my own transport wheelchair that my husband would have to push. Unfortunately that would make rest room breaks a lot harder to do independently..

[FOPMan]

Vatican tickets and tours can be booked directly through the Vatican Museums’ sire, https://m.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani-mobile/en.html, as well as indirectly from various outlets.

 

I don’t know their current practice regarding scooter transfers. At the time I was there I was mostly using a rollator (about 8 years ago). A couple of friends were at one of the breakfasts a few weeks ago, bug they don’t use equipment.

 

At least some of the hoo-on-hop buses in Rome and Barcelona have ramps.

[Ski Mom]

18 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

 

What you wrote is a bit confusing.  (The first is probably just wording, but where you wrote: "In Rome I would like to see the Vatican and the Colosseum and Venice looks like it maybe do a Rome at night tour by  private car tour", I'm not sure what you are asking about regarding Venice.)

 

But mostly, you wrote that you planned to take "private escorted tours".  (We almost always do this, so we can set the pace and also decide more specifically what we do - or do *not* - want to see.)

So I don't understand your concern about no interest in full day tours or "getting In and out of an SUV or hiking around ruins".  IF you are doing private escorted tours, one of the big advantages is that YOU get to choose the itinerary, the timing, and the activities (assuming the private guide agrees this is "possible", of course).

 

Venice is likely to be the most challenging, so you'd want a guide who is specifically experienced with mobility-challenged or wheelchair travelers.

When we were in Venice, we were quite surprised (and really pleased!) to see, on the top (2nd or 3rd?) floor of a museum, a group that included quite a few people in wheelchairs.

I have some mobility difficulties, so our guide had already helped us with a well hidden elevator in the building, so no doubt that group was using the same or other elevators in that building.  (For someone who didn't know, there would be no indication that there was any elevator anywhere in the building.)

 

But there *will* be issues with the many small bridges over the many little canals.

I'd suggest starting early, finding an appropriate private guide who is experienced guiding travelers with disabilities/in wheelchairs/etc., and then not only setting up a workable schedule/agenda, but --> find a hotel that is situated where you can get to the other touring routes.

 

My recollection is that some of the larger water vehicles can load at dock level, and can accommodate wheelchairs, but please *doublecheck*.  Again, your guide should be familiar with this, and thus how using those can help you avoid the little bridges, and also access as much as possible of the city.

 

We took a water taxi from the airport to our hotel that was right on the Grand Canal.  Alas... it was at a *very* low tide time, so the dock of the hotel was, er, considerably higher than we had expected.  So, let's just say that several others "helped DH to shove me up and out" of the water taxi on to the hotel dock.

NOT the most graceful entry, to put it mildly!  😳

DH was probably trying very hard not to laugh too loudly...

 

And I overestimated my stamina the first day.  It was SO exciting to be wandering through Venice that I sort of lost track... and suddenly it was... "Uh, I can't go much further at all!"

Our guide asked me if I could get to [pointing to a nearby spot], and then she called a water taxi who showed up and took us back to the hotel!  Whew!  (And... the tide was much higher then, thank goodness!  🤭 )

 

The bottom line is that the wheelchair group was obviously getting around Venice well enough to get to that museum, somehow.  And there must have been enough accessible to make the entire trip worthwhile. You might want to search for guides that are experienced with visitors using wheelchairs.  Apparently it's not impossible!

 

GC

Thank you so much for your response and information. You are right about my post being misleading. I tried to correct it but it was too late I meant to say I would like to see the Sistine Chape and the Basilica while in Rome. I’m not planning on doing any excursions in Venice it’s just that my cruise ends there and I am definitely showing my lack of knowledge because after talking a closer look at the itinerary the cruise terminal is actually in Ravenna not Venice. Celebrity made that a little confusing to a newbie in Italy like me! Any way due to time constraints if I choose the September 17th date I would not be able to extend my stay in Venice. As far as an all day excursion it’s my fatigue level which is the worst part of my MS and I never know when it going to hit me . It could be the weather because heat and humidity are draining to me or like I said climbing in and out of a vehicle or let’s face it the longer the excursion the more likely I will have a need for not only a rest room break but finding an accessible restroom. I have read that a lot of the ruins are not very wheelchair or scooter friendly and that of the two that Herculon was more accessible. I think I would like to just see the beautiful coast and the quaint towns and maybe have lunch in one and save the history for the museums I hope to visit. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond and sharing your experience with the water taxi. I’ve been in situations like that myself! Maybe not the most graceful way to do things but at least I manage to do things that I love. I always try to research and be prepared ahead of time, but we both know that sometimes the best day plans can go wrong too! I have traveled a lot but never to Europe and this is so overwhelming to plan and MS is a progressive and unpredictable condition that I never know when my mobility will decline to a point where I’m in a wheelchair full time . Right now I can transfer from a wheelchair to a vehicle with difficulty, but I can do it, but it might be in my future to here to book a vehicle with a wheelchair lift . 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ski Mom]

25 minutes ago, FOPMan said:

Vatican tickets and tours can be booked directly through the Vatican Museums’ sire, https://m.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani-mobile/en.html, as well as indirectly from various outlets.

 

I don’t know their current practice regarding scooter transfers. At the time I was there I was mostly using a rollator (about 8 years ago). A couple of friends were at one of the breakfasts a few weeks ago, bug they don’t use equipment.

 

At least some of the hoo-on-hop buses in Rome and Barcelona have ramps.

Thank you for the link! That helps a lot!