Italy and Greek Isles cruise in May,2020

[Jersey Cruisers]

My wife and I along with my daughter and son and well will be doing an Italy and Greek Isles cruise on May 17th 2020. I'm totally dependent on a mobility scooter. We have traveled in Europe before but I was healthy then and it wasn't a problem. Most of the excursions I looked at with 

Royal Caribbean are either sold out or very expensive. I have been looking at sagetraveling.com and they have some great sounding tours. But the fewer people that go on it the more expensive it is. I posted this message on the roll call page and I figured I'd posted here in the unlikely possibility that someone reading this is disabled and going on that cruise. Although you don't have to be disabled to go on it. I also would like any tips at all regarding travel in the following areas: Rome, Sicily, Athens, any of the Greek Islands, Ephesus, and Naples. I believe some of the ports use tenders. Does anyone know if the tenders can accomodate a mobility scooter? I will probably have a rented wheelchair also but I don't know if tenders are easier with a wheelchair. I would greatly appreciate any and all tips regarding the above. 

Thanks, 
Bob

[Essiesmom]

Santorini is a tender port, and you will not be able to go ashore there.  Mykonos might be a tender port although there is one docking position.  Two ships there during the day, you would be competing   with NCL dawn for the dock.  EM

[raindropsalways]

Unfortunately, my memory is not as good as it once was and due to computer problems, I dumped all my old trips. Regardless, I do remember a few things. I did check your itinerary and noticed that you will be sailing in and out of Rome.

I would suggest that you spend a few days or at least a couple days in Rome before the cruise. Their ho ho bus has space for one mobility device. You could basically see all of Rome in two or three days. From Rome it is an easy train ride to Civitavecchia (departure port). It was just a short distance from the train station to the shuttle buses to ship. If I recall correctly, Royal Caribbean docks close enough that one can scoot to the ship. With four of you, a private transfer might be less expensive. For two of us, the train was the most economical.

 

Ruth and I traveled to most of the places before “accessible vehicles” were in, thus we based our plans on anything that could transport our scooters. In Ephesus I found a source that would transport our scooters so we visited a local museum and mountain village. I had visited the Ephesus Archaeological Museum when I was still playing able bodied and it really was not something for mobility scooters. However I do believe that it is very possible modifications may have been made making it accessible. Definitely worth checking out.

 

Athens if fairly accessible. Ruth and I took a taxi into town and the metro back to the port. We both had been to the Acropolis, thus did not venture up there. I do not know if the elevator is working or not. They built the elevator the year they hosted the Special Olympics. Accessing the metro was a running leap due to the gap. However we were informed that there was a ramp in the first car. People are wonderful everywhere, others on the metro helped us getting in and out.

 

Naples is fairly accessible. Depending on what you want to see in town, you should be able to either scoot to and from or use public transportation. I've never had and desire to see Pompei, thus no idea of what would be involved.

 

I think Messina is the port we got rained on; more like a continuous cloud burst that would not stop. We were using the local ho ho bus and gave up and went back to the ship... two mighty wet gals regardless of the fact we both had excellent rain gear.

 

On an overall basis, we found transportation that could transport our scooters. At the time of our visits, “accessible” vehicles really did not exist. However, from what I have seen in more recent times, any company with an accessible vehicle is rather pricey. We both used the small travel scooters, thus they would fit in car trunks or in a van without too much effort. Yes, we gave driver a couple extra dollars for handling our scooters and still do. My experience has been that most tour companies with the “accessible” vehicles charge an out-rages price. If you can get in and out of a vehicle on your own, I'd suggest just asking if source can transport your scooter. Also, most shuttle buses now offer limited space for mobility devices or at least a few in their fleet that can.

 

If you are flying out the same day you disembark, there was not any train service directly from Civitavecchia to the Rome airport. We had a very late departure, thus took the train to a small community south of Rome with many sights. Visited all the sights and took the evening train to the airport.

 

If you decide to book any trains in Italy, please use Trenitalia. https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html. If you are already there, just purchase them at the station. Do not use Rail Europe or any of the American companies. There mark-up beyond real.

 

Have a wonderful cruise,

Betty

 

Edited September 11, 2019 by raindropsalways

[Jersey Cruisers]

On 9/9/2019 at 9:27 PM, Essiesmom said:

Santorini is a tender port, and you will not be able to go ashore there.  Mykonos might be a tender port although there is one 0000000docking position.  Two ships there during the day, you would be competing   with NCL dawn for the dock.  EM

Sorry it's taking me so long to reply to your response. It is not great news but I appreciate the heads-up. I'm hoping there's a way with help I can at least get on to the tender, and separately bring a wheelchair. However, it appears that I will be staying on the ship at those venues which is not such a bad thing if I can visit the ports in much of the other locations 

Bob

[Jersey Cruisers]

On 9/10/2019 at 8:51 PM, raindropsalways said:

Unfortunately, my memory is not as good as it once was and due to computer problems, I dumped all my old trips. Regardless, I do remember a few things. I did check your itinerary and noticed that you will be sailing in and out of Rome.

I would suggest that you spend a few days or at least a couple days in Rome before the cruise. Their ho ho bus has space for one mobility device. You could basically see all of Rome in two or three days. From Rome it is an easy train ride to Civitavecchia (departure port). It was just a short distance from the train station to the shuttle buses to ship. If I recall correctly, Royal Caribbean docks close enough that one can scoot to the ship. With four of you, a private transfer might be less expensive. For two of us, the train was the most economical.

 

Ruth and I traveled to most of the places before “accessible vehicles” were in, thus we based our plans on anything that could transport our scooters. In Ephesus I found a source that would transport our scooters so we visited a local museum and mountain village. I had visited the Ephesus Archaeological Museum when I was still playing able bodied and it really was not something for mobility scooters. However I do believe that it is very possible modifications may have been made making it accessible. Definitely worth checking out.

 

Athens if fairly accessible. Ruth and I took a taxi into town and the metro back to the port. We both had been to the Acropolis, thus did not venture up there. I do not know if the elevator is working or not. They built the elevator the year they hosted the Special Olympics. Accessing the metro was a running leap due to the gap. However we were informed that there was a ramp in the first car. People are wonderful everywhere, others on the metro helped us getting in and out.

 

Naples is fairly accessible. Depending on what you want to see in town, you should be able to either scoot to and from or use public transportation. I've never had and desire to see Pompei, thus no idea of what would be involved.

 

I think Messina is the port we got rained on; more like a continuous cloud burst that would not stop. We were using the local ho ho bus and gave up and went back to the ship... two mighty wet gals regardless of the fact we both had excellent rain gear.

 

On an overall basis, we found transportation that could transport our scooters. At the time of our visits, “accessible” vehicles really did not exist. However, from what I have seen in more recent times, any company with an accessible vehicle is rather pricey. We both used the small travel scooters, thus they would fit in car trunks or in a van without too much effort. Yes, we gave driver a couple extra dollars for handling our scooters and still do. My experience has been that most tour companies with the “accessible” vehicles charge an out-rages price. If you can get in and out of a vehicle on your own, I'd suggest just asking if source can transport your scooter. Also, most shuttle buses now offer limited space for mobility devices or at least a few in their fleet that can.

 

If you are flying out the same day you disembark, there was not any train service directly from Civitavecchia to the Rome airport. We had a very late departure, thus took the train to a small community south of Rome with many sights. Visited all the sights and took the evening train to the airport.

 

If you decide to book any trains in Italy, please use Trenitalia. https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html. If you are already there, just purchase them at the station. Do not use Rail Europe or any of the American companies. There mark-up beyond real.

 

Have a wonderful cruise,

Betty

 

Sorry it is taking me so long to reply to your post. Thank you so much we're taking the time to share all that valuable information with me. I am certain it will be very helpful for our trip. 
Bob

[ozscotart]

re Santorini: we have been a couple of times, last time  I didn’t go ashore as I now use a scooter and decided it was too hard. The previous time I did a shore excursion to Akrotiri, this was great, although a bit of a walk the site is accessible and was very interesting. The shore excursions drop you at a small port for the coaches to pick you up.  We were then taken into Thira to take the cable car back, the walk from where the bus drops you is substantial, we stopped for a drink and a snack and then took the cable car back. I think that a wheelchair would make this trip (it would be an effort)I think the cable car will take a folding wheelchair. There will be some steps. It is extremely scenic of course. 

[roomba920]

On 10/15/2019 at 10:01 AM, Jersey Cruisers said:

Sorry it's taking me so long to reply to your response. It is not great news but I appreciate the heads-up. I'm hoping there's a way with help I can at least get on to the tender, and separately bring a wheelchair. However, it appears that I will be staying on the ship at those venues which is not such a bad thing if I can visit the ports in much of the other locations 

Bob

If you are able to get on a tender, keep in mind that excursions through your cruise line may tender at the ferry port which has buses etc that can drive up the road to the top.