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Which river cruise lines best for slow walkers?


mlbcruiser
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Last summer we did our first river cruise with Emerald Waterways on the Rhine River. I had read that they had gentle/slow walker tours in the ports. The first true walking tour had both groups but the slow walker group finished first! Their guide was funnier and everyone in that group really loved him. Whereas in my group, the lady just went over far too many mundane details and talked to long so that tour finished later than the slow walker tour!

 

Gate 1’s River cruise information is the same for every single river and cruise. It says their walking tours last 3 to 4 hours and are moderately active. I would think that on a tour that long there would be times when there may be a bench nearby or some place for a few to sit while the guide is talking. Or perhaps a stop for a beverage or, like in our case last year, cake! I am aware that you can’t use a scooter on a river cruise boat. That’s fine, and my husband was able to handle the steps on the boat and can handle a flight or so of steps, and can step up on curbs, etc. so I would love to hear from anyone who may not always be able to handle a 3 to 4 hour moderately active walking tour who has been on a Gate 1 River cruise. Also any suggestions for other mid range to budget river cruise lines that would be suitable would be welcome.

 

Thanks for any info!

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You might want to go with a river cruise line that doesn't include shore excursions, and plan your own. On example is Teeming: https://www.teemingrivercruises.com/

 

Last spring I went on an AMA cruise and there was a man who had had a stroke and used a cane aboard, but had brought a lightweight scooter with him. He used this ashore with the crew totting the scooter to shore for him while he laboriously climbed up and down the stairs required to cross other boats to/from shore. It was a little scary going on some of the "slow walker" tours with him as the scooter was fairly tippy on cobblestones, and he and his wife turned back part way through some of the walks that we took. They could have done the same with a manual wheelchair (not a transport chair) if she had been able to push his chair for him. For bus trips, he was able to load the scooter into the luggage bay of the bused used by AMA.

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In my Viking River cruises - three of them - the Viking people divided the cruisers into three

"families" the third being the slowest (which I was a member) - and the families would board the same buses and walked together as a group.

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  • 1 month later...

I was barely able to talk my husband into using a scooter on board what was at that time still the largest cruise ship in the world, Harmony of the Seas. Even then, only on the ship. No way would he agee to a wheelchair. I know, I know 🙄, but . . .! Thanks for the info everyone.

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Interesting info about the scooter and the river cruises. I called at least 4 lines and they told me I couldn't bring my Travelscoot onboard because it has a lithium battery. Funny, because I take it on the plane.

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  • 5 months later...

 Somehow I missed some of the earlier posts. Maybe when cruise critic was revamping. Anyway, I have wondered about the scooter issue because I know there are some pretty light weight scooters around. My husband definitely would not need one while on a river ship and I don’t think he would let me push him around in a wheelchair.  Besides that  i’m afraid the chair would be so heavy that traveling with it might be prohibitive. I would love some more definitive information on which lines will allow  scooters to be brought on board. OzNaiNai, who did you contact that was able to give you permission? I assume you had it in writing when you boarded?  I know the sidewalks and many buildings are not accessible in Europe but it would no doubt add some mobility on land for my husband.   Although he handled some pretty long distances walking when we did that Rhine cruise on Emerald in 2017, his ability to walk those distances is not quite as strong as it was at that time. So keep the tips and info coming! Thank you for everyone who posted. 

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14 hours ago, mlbcruiser said:

  I would love some more definitive information on which lines will allow  scooters to be brought on board. OzNaiNai, who did you contact that was able to give you permission? I assume you had it in writing when you boarded? 

Hi, I haven’t been on the cruise yet, booked for 31/3/19, Basel to Amsterdam. I booked through a travel agency who specialises in Cruises. It was the agent who got the Ok from Viking on the provision that it is not used on the ship and that I carry it on and off the ship myself and store it in our cabin.

 

the Travelscoot weighs 15kg and folds very small. So no problem complying. I do know of someone who has been on 4 Viking river cruises and also someone who has been on Avalon with their Travelscoot’s I also know of someone who did a river cruise with a Smartscoot. Haven’t heard of any other type of scooter used as my info comes from the Travelscoot Facebook group.

 

im going to ask the agency to get the permission in writing so I can take it with me just in case the ship was not informed that I had permission.

 

im travelling with my Dad who uses a walker, I’m not sure at the moment if we will take Dad’s walker or hire a Travelscoot for him, or just share mine. (Travelscoot’s main office/shop in Munich rents them) His mobility scooter is too big to travel with

 

I only asked for permission to bring one though, so would have to get the Ok from Viking for each of us to have one, but I don’t think it will be a problem as long as we take care of everything ourselves and don’t ask staff for help.

 

I did get some feedback from Gate1 and AmaWaterways about using scooters, their position was can’t be used on the ship, must be able to be carried by the passenger on and off the ship and tour buss. Must be small enough to store in the cabin. Pretty much what I got from Viking. They don’t encourage, in fact seem to discourage their use but if the passenger takes responsibility, doesn’t seek help from staff and it won’t be a hindrance to other passengers they will allow them.

 

the guy who travelled on 4 river cruises with his Travelscoot was rejected 3 times before he eventually succeeded in getting permission to bring his Travelscoot on the cruise. He had to send photos and lots of info on the size weight etc of the scooter.

im lucky he did the hard work as Viking are now familiar with the Travelscoot.

 

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 Thank you very very much for this information! We had considered doing a river cruise that started or ended in Budapest but I didn’t pursue it due to concern over whether or not that would be just too much for my husband. Didn’t want him to end up staying on the ship the entire tine!  Obviously to rent one would not be as easy as when cruising on an ocean going ship as the rental companies deliver scooters to those ships.   Would you happen to know if you have to actually go to Munich to pick one up at their office or if they can be obtained in any other city or delivered to a hotel?  ( sorry about so many questions!) It would be wise for us to purchase a travel scoot for my husband in the long run but getting him to agree to it and to spend the money would be a whole campaign in itself if you get my drift.  🙄  We generally do at least one ocean going cruise a year and paying to rent a scooter all the time eventually will  probably add up to more money. At the same time, I don’t relish the idea of bringing along the scooter and battery since as it is I am the one handling the luggage and so on when we travel and handling every aspect of every trip and activity.  I think the battery must be carried onto the plane, correct? I wonder how heavy they are?  However I guess it would be worth it.   I really really appreciate all of this information and hope I can put it to good use. I’m sure others who have seen your post will be helped as well. Thanks so much for taking the time to post! I’m not a big Facebook user but I ought to check out the Travelscoot you mentioned.Hope I can find it!  Oh,  if you don’t mind, please post your experience when you do the river cruise and use the scooter in ports. It would be very helpful. Thanks again.

Edited by mlbcruiser
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2 hours ago, mlbcruiser said:

 Thanks so much for taking the time to post! I’m not a big Facebook user but I ought to check out the Travelscoot you mentioned.Hope I can find it!  

 

I suggest you simply google Travelscoot and plenty of sites worthy of exploration will appear.

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3 hours ago, mlbcruiser said:

 Thank you very very much for this information! We had considered doing a river cruise that started or ended in Budapest but I didn’t pursue it due to concern over whether or not that would be just too much for my husband. Didn’t want him to end up staying on the ship the entire tine!  Obviously to rent one would not be as easy as when cruising on an ocean going ship as the rental companies deliver scooters to those ships.   Would you happen to know if you have to actually go to Munich to pick one up at their office or if they can be obtained in any other city or delivered to a hotel?  ( sorry about so many questions!) It would be wise for us to purchase a travel scoot for my husband in the long run but getting him to agree to it and to spend the money would be a whole campaign in itself if you get my drift.  🙄  We generally do at least one ocean going cruise a year and paying to rent a scooter all the time eventually will  probably add up to more money. At the same time, I don’t relish the idea of bringing along the scooter and battery since as it is I am the one handling the luggage and so on when we travel and handling every aspect of every trip and activity.  I think the battery must be carried onto the plane, correct? I wonder how heavy they are?  However I guess it would be worth it.   I really really appreciate all of this information and hope I can put it to good use. I’m sure others who have seen your post will be helped as well. Thanks so much for taking the time to post! I’m not a big Facebook user but I ought to check out the Travelscoot you mentioned.Hope I can find it!  Oh,  if you don’t mind, please post your experience when you do the river cruise and use the scooter in ports. It would be very helpful. Thanks again.

 

Travelscoot and Smartscoot are the most lightweight travel mobility scooters. I have a Travelscoot so that’s the one I know. 

 

The scooter including battery weighs 15kg, the battery is lithium, and marked suitable for flying it weighs 2.4kg (5.25lb).

this is the website if you want more info

https://www.travelscoot.com/

 

i know many use the Travelscoot or Smartscoot on ocean cruises as they are small and fit through the narrow cabin doors.

the USA distributors of Travelscoot also rent them. I don’t know much about this as I live in Australia.

I’ve been looking for a s/h one to buy for my Dad, but they get snapped up quickly whenever I’ve  seen them advertised on Gumtree (Craig’s list). Don’t know if I need to pick up a rental in Munich or if they deliver, plan to ask them soon.

i bought mine specifically because it is easy to travel with.

i lift my Travelscoot into the back of my Honda Jazz (Fit), on days when my back is bad, I remove the battery and seat to make it even lighter to lift. I think the seat and yoke weigh about 3.5kg, so the frame then weighs less than 10kg around 9kg or 20lbs

 

i initially looked at a Luggie folding mobility scooter but they weighed more, cost more and had a much lighter load limit.

 

Hope this info helps, I have no association with Travelscoot apart from owning one. From my research I think everything I said about the Travelscoot applies to the Smartscoot too.

Edited by OzNaiNai
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Thanks for the very helpful info. I mentioned to my husband today about the possibility of bringing one on a river cruise. Then he started saying that he thought he could handle the walking on his own. What he thinks and what ends up being practical are two different things. At  any rate, it still might be something we could take advantage of eventually.  I am a confirmed carry-on bringer and get into my carry-on for all sorts of things during a flight.  Other people manage to bring those batteries so I know I can, too! Thanks!

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