Accessible River Cruises

[Host Jazzbeau]

Cruise Critic has a new article:

A Guide to Accessible River Cruises

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1959

[SOShrink]

Welcome back from France Jazz and Jazzbelle and thanks for the wheelchair-accessible info. My wife is not wheelchair-dependent but is a wheelchair-user when standing in long lines or having to walk long distances due to various medical conditions. So, for our Tulip&Windmill cruise in April, I am thinking of renting a simple wheelchair in Amsterdam for the week. She wouldn't need it to embark or get around the ship. Therefore, I could fold it up and without fuss get on and off the ship or easily stow it under the bus. I can't see this being a problem in most of the towns and cities or at Keukenhof. The biggest obstacle would be cobblestone streets. Am I being naive and can we hear from others who have experienced this?

[Got2Cruise]

Welcome back from France Jazz and Jazzbelle and thanks for the wheelchair-accessible info. My wife is not wheelchair-dependent but is a wheelchair-user when standing in long lines or having to walk long distances due to various medical conditions. So, for our Tulip&Windmill cruise in April, I am thinking of renting a simple wheelchair in Amsterdam for the week. She wouldn't need it to embark or get around the ship. Therefore, I could fold it up and without fuss get on and off the ship or easily stow it under the bus. I can't see this being a problem in most of the towns and cities or at Keukenhof. The biggest obstacle would be cobblestone streets. Am I being naive and can we hear from others who have experienced this?

 

 

We just purchased for my father in law a folding wheelchair by manufacturers DRIVE. It has big fat rear tires so it might work on the cobblestones. It's a little more sturdy than a simple transport chair. It comes with it's own case. It cost less than $200. Probably less than it would cost you to rent one in Amsterdam. You can use google to find.

[JVilleGal]

these cobble stone streets are a killer for even able bodied folks!

[JVilleGal]

just a sample of a couple.

[Got2Cruise]

And in Amsterdam there are the tram tracks in the streets plus the speeding bicycles

[purduemom1]

[ATTACH]363109[/ATTACH]these cobble stone streets are a killer for even able bodied folks!

 

Especially when some of the cobblestones are missing!

[Shebely]

We found Amsterdam to be difficult to get around in, not only for the reasons listed abive, but because of the congested walkways. We have no difficulty walking.

[JVilleGal]

Today we arrived in Vienna and are rafted to 2 other ships. This means to get off the ship and to shore we have to climb up, over, down the stairs of each of the ships in order to get to shore. There is no other way to do this and the cruise ships have no control over where they dock. The port authorities direct each boat where they dock. Advance knowledge of rafting would not be possible as the river conditions cause many ships to be in unplanned ports.

 

Our ship (Avalon Illumination) does have an elevator between decks. Of course the elevator can not go to the top deck. Our cabin is 225 sq ft and roomy but there would be no room for a wheel chair or even a walker except possibly under the bed.

 

The buses are also Not accessible.