Do RCCL excursions feature regular bathroom availability?

[CuseJeff44]

Or do the coach buses have them? Specifically referring to an upcoming cruise in the Mediterranean. A family member has a medical condition and needs access to a restroom fairly regularly (every couple hours max). Do the coach buses have bathrooms? Do the attractions? 

[Clarea]

They generally arrange for periodic bathroom breaks.  Talk to the excursion people onboard as soon as you board and ask for those details.

[papaflamingo]

What excursions are you planning? Everyone I've been on has had bathroom availability at some points, but it can be a bit limited.  So it really depends on what excursion and where it is.  

We have rarely had a bus with a bathroom on it.  So I wouldn't count on that.  

[CuseJeff44]

We haven’t selected yet. Trying to think around her needs. Rome, Nice, Florence, etc. 

 

ive been on a similar itinerary before and my recollection was that most tourist sites had a restroom of some kind but it’s been 17 years so figured I’d ask 

 

figured As much re the bus. Was hopeful but dubious 

Edited October 29, 2019 by jlabramo

[Merion_Mom]

A private excursion will pretty much guarantee you what you need. 

[Clarea]

1 minute ago, jlabramo said:

We haven’t selected yet. Trying to think around her needs. Rome, Nice, Florence, etc. 

 

ive been on a similar itinerary before and my recollection was that most tourist sites had a restroom of some kind but it’s been 17 years so figured I’d ask 

 

figured As much re the bus. Was hopeful but dubious 

 

You may want to consider private (non cruise line) excursions where you have more control of the itinerary.

[CuseJeff44]

12 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

A private excursion will pretty much guarantee you what you need. 

By private do you mean a third party or specially a third party that we book by ourselves? 

[Paulette3028]

26 minutes ago, jlabramo said:

Or do the coach buses have them? Specifically referring to an upcoming cruise in the Mediterranean. A family member has a medical condition and needs access to a restroom fairly regularly (every couple hours max). Do the coach buses have bathrooms? Do the attractions? 

I can't personally speak for Mediterranean itineraries, but will share my personal experiences for others who are curious, as the title of this post is more generic regarding bathrooms. 

 

On most of our excursions where the bus/van was merely transportation to a destination where we would be staying for hours before boarding another bus/van to return to the ship --- there usually wasn't a bathroom onboard.   The destination did have facilities. When we sailed our New England/Canada trip when we did a 'HopOn/HopOff' excursion the bus did not have a bathroom, but all the destinations we chose to get off at, did.  A difficult location for bathrooms was Boston, which we traveled around on our own.  We visited Fenway Park (on the tour they have bathrooms, but only at the beginning of the tour), took the  "T" Service to other historical sights we wanted to see.  After Fenway we stopped into a Target nearby to use the bathroom before getting on the train.  At the historical sights there were facilities, but the coffee shops, etc all had signs for 'customers only'.  There were no 'public restrooms' otherwise.  When we had a long excursion (meaning a long drive to a destination), with a guide telling us about the local area, the coach bus that we were on did have a bathroom. Then the destination also had facilities.     99% of our excursions have been booked through Royal.

 

Just putting in my 2cents.

[Homosassa]

Be prepared if the toilet arrangements are for using the public bathrooms (clean and well maintained). Many will have a fee; usually one Euro. There will either be an attendant collecting the fee or a turnstile.  

 

I suggest either having Euro notes in a small denomination  that can easily be broken for a stockpile of 1 Euro coins or a stash of 1 Euro coins.

 

Also, be prepared for the toilets, even in the women's facilities, not to have toilet seats. Strong quad muscles are useful. 

 

Specifically,for Florence, Italy, there will be a public facility in the tourist building at the Piazza Del Duomo. There is a machine that will exchange a Euro note for the coins.

 

Tourist sites that charge an entrance fee will usually have public bathrooms without a fee.

 

Otherwise, be prepared to become a customer at a cafe to be able to use the bathroom.

[matj2000]

I was just in Italy in June.

 

Public restrooms are non-existent.

 

 

[OnTheJourney]

HA!!!  Great question and one that I'm increasingly concerned about (being mid-60s 🙂  We were on one excursion in Samana (some sort of mangrove / cave exploration thing). Nice enough excursion - but - wow - I think we went the entire time - basically 6-7 hours - without a bathroom break. They took us right from the ship onto a small boat to get to the part of the island where the activities were being held, and unless I missed an announcement, I don't recall any facilities (MAY have been something in the small boat, I'm thinking, but if so it sure wasn't mentioned much if at all).  Have never been so glad to get back to the ship. All that being said, as the baby boomers continue to cruise into their older age, etc. I think all the cruise lines are becomingly increasingly sensitive to this and virtually every excursion we've been on provides a bathroom stop at least every few hours. 

[OnTheJourney]

32 minutes ago, matj2000 said:

I was just in Italy in June.

 

Public restrooms are non-existent.

 

 

Say what???  I just googled this and...you're right....also not many toilet seats. JOY!!  Can hardly wait to get there year after next. :0\

[matj2000]

3 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

Say what???  I just googled this and...you're right....also not many toilet seats. JOY!!  Can hardly wait to get there year after next. :0\

 

In Pisa the only place with a restroom was the Mcdonald's .

 

If you didn't buy anything you had to pay to use it.

 

There was actually a guy sitting in the hallway with a cash register.

 

And a long line...

[Merion_Mom]

13 hours ago, jlabramo said:

By private do you mean a third party or specially a third party that we book by ourselves? 

 

Use the ports of call forum here and find private tour operators, and book your own private tours.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/8-europe/

 

[Bookworm1985]

There are bathrooms in Europe but they are few and far between, and most require some sort of payment to use. They also tend to have long lines from my experience. If you come across one, GO! You don’t know when you next chance will be.

[OnTheJourney]

30 minutes ago, Bookworm1985 said:

There are bathrooms in Europe but they are few and far between, and most require some sort of payment to use. They also tend to have long lines from my experience. If you come across one, GO! You don’t know when you next chance will be.

 

LOL...the cardinal rule of traveling in general - never pass up the chance to use a restroom since you never know when the next time might come. 

[Ashland]

The only place I have found to usually have no toilet seats was in Asia...."squatty potties"...however even in that country look for the handicapped stall (some have a sign on them that says maimed" these will usually be western style toilets. Always have your own TP and hand wipes with you.

[OnTheJourney]

This is good advice!  Have read similar in the CC threads dealing with travel in China. 

[Milwaukee Eight]

My two cents 

 

We have taken lots of Royal Excursions and NOT one bus had a lavatory. Restroom availability in the Mediterranean is much different than the US. A majority of public restrooms have a fee associated with use and they don’t have a change machine. As far as Men’s room goes, it’s about 50/50 if there is a seat. It was told to us that Europeans believe Men should take care of their sit down business at home and not in public.