Handicap accessibility - Our experience - 12/15-1/5 Viking Sun

We recently returned from the Miami to Los Angeles portion of the world cruise. For those who have some mobility issues, we highly recommend Viking Oceans. It was our best cruise thus far!!! We've cruised with Holland, Princess, Azamara. Viking is our favorite line now, and we're forever spoiled!

My husband can walk, but not for long distances. His balance is also poor due to a stroke several years ago. I made several inquiries about bringing his scooter, and was told no. It is a small, compact, lightweight scooter (35 pounds). However, we saw more than 3 scooters while onboard. One scooter user said he was given the 'okay' by Viking when he told them his scooter was narrower than his wheelchair. I'm not sure why we were told 'no'. We ended up bringing his transfer chair. And I'm glad we did. The hallways seemed narrower than other cruises we have been on - perhaps they're the same. The hallways do have railings which could make the hallways seem narrower, but my husband found them very helpful when he did walk. Large scooters simply would not work, but small ones seem doable IF one is able to do some walking and move their scooters in and out of their cabin. Even with a transfer chair, he found it helpful to get out of the chair and walk the hallway when the housekeeping carts were in use. I did notice one couple who kept both their scooters outside their door (on the couple of times I was on that floor). I thought this was a big 'no no' due to safety reasons.

We requested a shower chair/stool, but apparently they ran out. When the ship was rockin and a rollin, I brought in a balcony chair. That worked. But not easy. When the seas were calm, my husband would use a towel on the shower floor to aide with traction.

We loved the fact that every deck had elevator access. Even the top decks and walk-around promenade were wheelchair accessible with automatic doors. Smooth transitions too - no big lip to go over. There were ramps to the mid-ship pool too. The handicap bathrooms (in public areas) were really nice and so helpful to those with 'challenges'.

The only area that proved challenging was the area around the Wintergarden. No automatic doors there, and the doors were narrow.

We were very careful in choosing our excursions. There weren't any 'slow walking' groups.

Sometimes the ramp off/on the ship was very steep. Too steep for my husband to remain in his chair. So being able to walk seems important in choosing this line. However, one employee did say there is a different area they can use for those who are wheelchair bound. We just didn't need it.

If (when) we take another Viking Oceans cruise, we'd most likely bring the transfer chair rather than the scooter. The scooter is narrower, but the transfer chair allowed us a bit more flexibility.

Please feel free to ask questions and I'll be happy to respond.

Caroline

I agree with you as to their being helpful but when the ramp is steep, it’s difficult. My walker folds and weighs very little so I was able to fold mine and put in the corner of the room.

thank you for the thorough review. my husband has trouble walking great distances as well. we took a viking river cruise and he essentially stayed on board for most days because the distance to get to the bus/charter for excursions was too far to walk. we don't have a wheelchair or transfer chair or scooter. can you tell me what it was like when you got off the ship - was the bus or transportation nearby or a fair walk? we are thinking of just hiring our own excursions versus the viking offerings. thanks for any insight you can offer!

thank you for the thorough review. my husband has trouble walking great distances as well. we took a viking river cruise and he essentially stayed on board for most days because the distance to get to the bus/charter for excursions was too far to walk. we don't have a wheelchair or transfer chair or scooter. can you tell me what it was like when you got off the ship - was the bus or transportation nearby or a fair walk? we are thinking of just hiring our own excursions versus the viking offerings. thanks for any insight you can offer!

To get to the buses in June, it wasn’t far but I do have a walker. My walker is from Sweden so it’s great on cobblestones and beaches. It’s also very light

thank you for the thorough review. my husband has trouble walking great distances as well. we took a viking river cruise and he essentially stayed on board for most days because the distance to get to the bus/charter for excursions was too far to walk. we don't have a wheelchair or transfer chair or scooter. can you tell me what it was like when you got off the ship - was the bus or transportation nearby or a fair walk? we are thinking of just hiring our own excursions versus the viking offerings. thanks for any insight you can offer!

It varies. Just like River varies. Every port different. Some just at the end of the gangplank while others are quite a walk away.

Trying to be kind and sweet with this post. I am thankful for our continued health and we are traveling now while knees, hips, and joints work well. But when we can’t travel independently we will hopefully be gracious enough to stop. There are 3 or 4 scooters on our WC. They have not seemed to be much of a problem on board....but 20 or 30 would pose a terrible traffic jam. If you need a scooter find a cruise line that welcomes them. We have been impacted by significantly handicapped individuals during excursions. Viking should be able to deny these individuals access to some excursions. They are Not safe and the detract from our experiences. I sure hope Viking can figure this out. If my excursion to Petra is shortchanged because we are waiting to load wheelchairs and Wobblies who will have difficulty with the heat and long walks, I will be unhappy.

Trying to be kind and sweet with this post. I am thankful for our continued health and we are traveling now while knees, hips, and joints work well. But when we can’t travel independently we will hopefully be gracious enough to stop. There are 3 or 4 scooters on our WC. They have not seemed to be much of a problem on board....but 20 or 30 would pose a terrible traffic jam. If you need a scooter find a cruise line that welcomes them. We have been impacted by significantly handicapped individuals during excursions. Viking should be able to deny these individuals access to some excursions. They are Not safe and the detract from our experiences. I sure hope Viking can figure this out. If my excursion to Petra is shortchanged because we are waiting to load wheelchairs and Wobblies who will have difficulty with the heat and long walks, I will be unhappy.

I’m only 60 and unfortunately, I injured my back after spinal surgery and from exercising, I injured my hip by tearing tendons and muscles. Fortunately , I only need to use a cane and walker. So I hope you never have these injuries but if you do, I hope that you will be as welcomed as I was on my midnight cruise in June on the Star. So I hope you continue to have good health so you don’t need help in the future.

I don't understand why Viking does not have a "gentle walker's" group on the ocean cruises like they do on the river cruises. I am sure there would be enough people to join that group to make it worth having.

We had one very unhappy man on one of our excursions who had a very hard time keeping up because the terrain was very hilly and the cobblestones very uneven and bumpy, and he was very upset that the tour guide would not slow down to his speed. He would have been much happier in a slow/gentle walking group where he could have toured at his own pace instead of trying to keep up with the rest of the group.

I don't understand why Viking does not have a "gentle walker's" group on the ocean cruises like they do on the river cruises. I am sure there would be enough people to join that group to make it worth having.

 

We had one very unhappy man on one of our excursions who had a very hard time keeping up because the terrain was very hilly and the cobblestones very uneven and bumpy, and he was very upset that the tour guide would not slow down to his speed. He would have been much happier in a slow/gentle walking group where he could have toured at his own pace instead of trying to keep up with the rest of the group.

Totally agree, you must know your limitations. I pushed myself and lost a pint of blood from my leg injury. Would I still have pushed myself, hell yea.

I was under the impression that Viking only allowed wheelchairs, but not scooters on the ocean ships. I wouldn’t mind so much but we have on more than one occasion been the victim of reckless driving. [emoji33]

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Shore Excursion group say it is too hard to have slow groups when there are so many excursions....but I think they are aware of the concerns on both sides of this issue and are trying to figure it out.

Shore Excursion group say it is too hard to have slow groups when there are so many excursions....but I think they are aware of the concerns on both sides of this issue and are trying to figure it out.

That's good to know. I guess enough people have made comments on their evaluation cards that they are evaluating the situation.

Hateleavingthecats;

Are you able to push a transfer chair? If so, I’d encourage you to look into purchasing one. They’re maneuverable, compact and got us ‘out and about’ more than without. Even if you only used it while onboard, you might find it helpful getting around. I’d suggest finding one that has the largest front wheels in addition to large back ones. They do have a tendency to stop on the smallest of rises or lips. So some caution is needed. Pulling it backwards helps get over those small hurdles.

Pick your tours carefully. I spent a lot of time reading about the various ports and what to expect. I cancelled one tour because it seemed too challenging for my husband. But overall, it went well. We’re also getting to the point where taking private excursions would be best. But on our cruise, outside private tours were quite limited due to our ports of call. It would be beneficial for all if Viking Oceans offered slow walking tours - at least for the popular included ones.

I totally agree with deec and h20tstr. Viking Ocean really needs a slow walking group. It is not fair to able bodied people on the tours to have to wait for those who are not, and to have to wait for walkers, etc, to be loaded, and it is also disconcerting for those who are not able bodied to realize that they are holding up an entire group because of their special needs. I'm sure that they would rather be in a slow walking group and know that they are not inconveniencing others. I've had a knee replacement and many broken bones, etc, so I am empathetic to both sides. I'm also not ancient (63). (some days it feels ancient). Even if Viking had to have a smaller bus (Avalon did this on our 3 river cruises) for the slow walkers, it would be worth it for everybody.

I totally agree with deec and h20tstr. Viking Ocean really needs a slow walking group. It is not fair to able bodied people on the tours to have to wait for those who are not, and to have to wait for walkers, etc, to be loaded, and it is also disconcerting for those who are not able bodied to realize that they are holding up an entire group because of their special needs. I'm sure that they would rather be in a slow walking group and know that they are not inconveniencing others. I've had a knee replacement and many broken bones, etc, so I am empathetic to both sides. I'm also not ancient (63). (some days it feels ancient). Even if Viking had to have a smaller bus (Avalon did this on our 3 river cruises) for the slow walkers, it would be worth it for everybody.

What is your hurry ? ! You and I are on a 141 day cruise . Please give everyone a break and slow down . The sights you are so eager to see will still be there when you arrive . Just think if you had to switch places with someone in a wheelchair, how long would you last? Most Likely not Long! Also a River Cruise is completely different from a Ocean Cruise - on a river cruise you stop Most Times in the middle of a city . On a world(ocean ) cruise you may and we have docked in commercial ports with no/little facilities for the able body folks, much less small buses for the folks in need ! I take my hat off to the folks who have disabilities, go for it and don’t let anyone put you down for your disabilities.

I am not fortunate enough to be on your world cruise...I still work full time and am currently recovering from a serious surgery that I had just before Christmas. I am simply responding to what other people said. I'm extremely empathetic to folks with disabilities..I am in the health care field. I was simply trying to say (not very successfully obviously) that it benefits both the able bodied and those not so to have separate groups...that way everyone is comfortable. I have enjoyed your posts and pictures and hope to continue doing so. I am sorry I offended you.

I am not fortunate enough to be on your world cruise...I still work full time and am currently recovering from a serious surgery that I had just before Christmas. I am simply responding to what other people said. I'm extremely empathetic to folks with disabilities..I am in the health care field. I was simply trying to say (not very successfully obviously) that it benefits both the able bodied and those not so to have separate groups...that way everyone is comfortable. I have enjoyed your posts and pictures and hope to continue doing so. I am sorry I offended you.

Thanks for the reply, you didn’t offend me and I hope you are recovering well ! I just think everyone should slow down and enjoy what you have . Remember at a blink of an eye, you or someone you love, could be forced to live in that wheelchair everyone hates ! Enough Said ! Get Well !

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Eaches,

God bless you! I am only in my 50s but I have Multiple Sclerosis and am in a wheelchair the majority of the time. Why I don’t want to slow anyone down, some of these comments seem like I should stay home, not live a life, and prepare for death. I just wanted to thank you for your comments. I wouldn’t wish this disease on anyone but I’m still alive! Again, God bless you.

Thanks for the information about accessibility on the cruise. I am also surprised to hear that Viking Ocean doesn't have "leisurely" walking groups like one of our Viking River cruises offered. My mom walks fine but she isn't super speedy and has to be careful on stairs. Being able to join the leisurely group made her feel less pressured for speed (she was far from being the slowest) and it gave me more time to take pictures so I didn't mind the slightly slower pace.

It does seems strange that Viking was able to offer leisurely groups in a number of cities on a river cruise (where there are less than 150 passengers) but doesn't do that on their ocean cruises. With 900+ passengers, it would seem easier to justify offering a slower walking group option for the included excursions, at least, even if the excursions still weren't wheelchair/scooter compatible. Perhaps we just had an exceptional Cruise Director who went beyond the typical Viking policies. The other Viking River cruise we took only had a slower group option in one or two cities (and it seemed to be a "no stairs" rather than "leisurely" in focus).

It's good to know my mom will be able to take it easy on her knees by avoiding stairs on the ship. In November we'll take our first Viking Ocean cruise. Thanks and happy cruising!

Maybe Viking doesn’t offer the slow-walking tours because they would be swamped with takers! I can walk just fine at this point in my life, but I’d much prefer a slower speed so I could take pictures and just soak up a place. I’m much less interested in dashing around in order to cram as many sights as possible into the time.

Of course, DH and I would end up on different tours because that’s exactly what he wants to do!

This a difficult subject and my intention here isn’t to offend anyone - only to state some facts. I think that Americans are so accustomed to the ADA laws in our country that they don’t realize that Europe doesn’t have the same requirements. While Viking does target the over 55 demographic I believe they are pretty clear that the cruises are geared towards physically able adults. While they do try to accommodate people who have challenges I don’t believe they are targeting that population. Please read their policy online under FAQs “Can you accommodated Disabled Passengers”. It states: “Viking Cruises welcomes disabled guests but wishes all guests to understand that challenges will exist on board and during shore excursions. Our ocean vessels have elevators, but there may still be thresholds that could make movement difficult. Shore excursions may require movement over cobblestones or up and down stairs”. So while everyone is free to choose Viking they should understand that they may be limited with what they are able to do.

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I was under the impression that Viking only allowed wheelchairs, but not scooters on the ocean ships. I wouldn’t mind so much but we have on more than one occasion been the victim of reckless driving. [emoji33]

 

 

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My wife and I were witness to this situation on a cruise which happened to my sister, who was in our party. All three of us, in single file, on deck five were approaching the aft elevators when suddenly a large man, driving a scooter SOO fast around the elevator area that he lost control and almost turned it over (and would have) if my sis hadn't been there to break his fall !:eek: He GLARED at my sister, and SCREAMED, 'Leave me the HELL alone !!' I know all of this because I was behind her and was shocked at his rudeness. She, also was perplexed and just said too me after he sped off. 'I was just trying to help and make sure he didn't hurt himself'. Guess he didn't see it THAT way. Wonder, WHAT he'd done if my sis had just simply stood aside or kept walking, letting him turn over, with scooter on top.:rolleyes:

Mac

Whats wrong with most tours being slow walker tours? Nothing. If thats what the passengers want then it should be offered. Since slow walker tours are only on Viking river cruises right now, planning is very important for people who cannot ambulate well. While on the Star this Feb the Explorer desk staff had no idea of how most tours were conducted. Being on the same cruise 2 times in a year led me to see too many variations in how the tour guides conduct their tours. There will always be variations due to local conditions but not major differences for no reason. The forum on CC for disabilities is helpful.

This a difficult subject and my intention here isn’t to offend anyone - only to state some facts. I think that Americans are so accustomed to the ADA laws in our country that they don’t realize that Europe doesn’t have the same requirements. While Viking does target the over 55 demographic I believe they are pretty clear that the cruises are geared towards physically able adults. While they do try to accommodate people who have challenges I don’t believe they are targeting that population. Please read their policy online under FAQs “Can you accommodated Disabled Passengers”. It states: “Viking Cruises welcomes disabled guests but wishes all guests to understand that challenges will exist on board and during shore excursions. Our ocean vessels have elevators, but there may still be thresholds that could make movement difficult. Shore excursions may require movement over cobblestones or up and down stairs”. So while everyone is free to choose Viking they should understand that they may be limited with what they are able to do.

 

 

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This.

When we were researching Viking Ocean, I also came across information on the website (don't ask me where) that also stated that the number of handicap accessible cabins on Viking is deliberately limited because of the fact that one must be mobile to enjoy the various excursions. There was also a statement, that due to the steepness of the gangway in some ports or stairs on the gangway in some ports, passengers must be able to debark and embark the ship by themselves without use of mobility assisting devices (wheelchairs, scooters, walkers).

My impression from my research was so strong that Viking was targeting physically fit passengers, that my sister and I debated if we should book a Viking cruise because we both, on occasion, have an issue with a knee that is compromised due to very old knee injuries.

Yes, we booked, but both plan to pack a collapsible cane just in case we have one of those knee days.

One evening on our last cruise, my husband and I found it challenging as we walked back from dinner. The ship hit rough waters and literally threw us from side to side as we walked down the hall on more than a few evenings. I was able to laugh it off as I staggered down the hall, but we saw several physically challenged individuals, some on 02 making their way down the halls. It scared us to death and we both said to each other that when that time came for us we would not take those kinds of risk.

We too have been victims of those in scooters. Unfortunately they are dangerous when attempting to operate them on a ship that is being tossed about by rough seas. I am certainly not opposed to those with physical challenges enjoying life to the fullest...three of my children lived their lives in wheelchairs and they experienced wonderful things during their lifetime, BUT we did not do things that could cause them further injuries or cause others to be hurt.

So I'm on both sides of this conversation...but my concern is safety, both yours and mine.