Wheelchair access at Ports - Mediterranean

[GraC]

Hello,

Anyone have experience with an electric wheelchair at any of the following ports (below)? I know there is a lot of cobblestone,  but can an electric wheelchair get off the ship and explore.

Are their required shuttles from the port? Known stairs getting off the ship to the port city? 

I'm interested in the Mediterranean Odyssey Cruise and I know in older cities it might be tricky, but is it possible I can get to the port towns? 

Any other tips for electric wheelchair users on this cruise or one like it?

 

Marseille, France
Monte Carlo, Monaco 
Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy
Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
Naples, Italy
Corfu (Kérkyra), Greece
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Split, Croatia
Venice (Chioggia), Italy

 

Thanks so much for your help.  I appreciate it! 

[GraC]

I am finding some good info on...https://www.sagetraveling.com/ about some of the ports... Sharing the site here too. A few of the ports do require a shuttle to get out of the port, which doesn't look to accommodate an electric wheelchair. One of the reviews for Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy did say it's possible to roll "walk" out the port, but could be 3km. Good info to know in advance. Some of the other ports look a bit easier to get out of. 

As long as my chair is charged well, I'd be OK with a long "walk". 🙂

[Azulann]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 I think you will get more responses if you  post your questions about electric wheelchair and cruise ports on this Cruise Critic Forum:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/114-disabled-cruise-travel/

 

[CDNPolar]

The first thing I would do is EMAIL tellus@vikingcruises.com and indicate in detail your situation.  Give them the type of wheelchair, the size of wheelchair, whether you also have and use a transfer chair, etc.

 

Why?  Whether you are sailing on Viking Ocean or Viking River, the first obstacle is getting that wheelchair on and off the ship.  Very few gangways are flat or ramps.  Many are stairs and can be quite steep.

 

I agree about posting in Disabled Cruise Travel forum, but first let's make sure you can get on and off the ship before investigating the cruise ports.

 

You may have significant issues as ships do not conform to the same accessibility standards as we expect in many countries around the world.

[KBs mum]

The main issue is the ramp to get off the ship, it is steps, not a slope.

There are areas on the ship you may have problems in, the accommodation corridors are narrow, access is based on a transport chair width. Also the accessible rooms and toilets are ADA compliant rather than the higher European and British standards. 

The crew are not guaranteed to be available to help you get on and off the ship or buses, in Europe accessible transport is available, but lifts are not built into every bus as standard.

Most of the historic areas will have cobbles, some wheelchairs are fine on these, some aren't. There is no definate answer about accessibility. 

European accessibility legislation requires adaptations where feasible, given the historic infrastructure, so access is not guaranteed. 

Google Streetview is the best resource to see what the ground surfaces are like

[TayanaLorna]

On a recent Italy, the Adriatic and Greece cruise which includes some of your ports and a pre cruise extension to the Umbria region, there was a woman who had a mobility scooter.  I was amazed to see how much she did and what excursions she took.  Her scooter was stored in the cargo area under the bus.  She was able to walk some as we saw her scooter parked outside their room in the Castle we stayed at in Perugia.  But she managed the hilltop towns we visited, going over cobblestones, Venice, Olympia, she got to the top of the Acropolis hill and we even saw her at the Krka Waterfalls.  Many of the places were a lot of walking for everyone and our guides would tell the group what the walking was going to be like and offer to arrange a taxi to get the mobility challenged to the next place/church/square without the 20 minute uphill walk.  Once in a church there were 2 steps up to a room where the guide was to give an extensive explanation of the frescoes, they brought a ramp so she could motor up.  I don't know if she arranged all of this ahead of time but the service and accommodation she received was amazing.  There was also a 94 year old gentleman using trekking poles accompanied by his daughter who tore something in her knee right before the cruise and was using crutches.  They also did these excursions but sometimes acceoted the taxi rides.  In the past I would say Europe is really hard, yes cobblestones, stairs, no railings, uphill walks.  I am 73, 2 hip replacements, fractured a vertebrae in my back and I use trekking poles.  Now I say, do the research and requirements to bring your mobility device, question the logistics of the excursions for you and go for it.