It should be noted that with the coming of age of the Baby Boomer generation, the demand for accommodations for people with Special Needs has increased. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the cruise industry. Cruise lines have recognized the needs of the Special Needs cruiser but they will build and make available only so many staterooms as according to the laws of the nation and the laws of commerce. Because of the limited number of staterooms available, we at On Tour Travel, Inc. recommend that people who require Special Needs staterooms plan their cruise vacation as far in advance as possible so as to insure you do get the accommodations you want and need. A year in advance is not to early to book your vacation cruise. In other words, the early bird gets the stateroom.

The European Union will launch a major study that will identify and analyze the barriers which prevent people with disabilities from making full use of public buildings, transport and services. The “European Accessibility Act” legislation should be ready by the end of 2012. The EU will be working on setting global standards for people with disabilities and will be working with other countries including the United States which implemented the “Americans with Disabilities Act” in 1990. Another important development is that the European Union has recently concluded the process of ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This is the first comprehensive human rights treaty to be ratified by the EU as a whole. All the EU’s 27 member states have signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and most of them (16) have already ratified it.

EUROPEAN TOURING FOR TRAVELERS WITH MOBILITY ISSUES.

Five of the most famous cities in Europe that are accessible to travelers with disabilities are London and Berlin with Venice, Rome, and Paris being a bit less accessible but still friendlier than most.

Many London museums and tourist attractions including boat tours are wheelchair friendly. Public transportation such as buses and taxies have wheelchair ramps. Westminster Abby, the National Gallery, the Imperial War Museum, and the British Museum are among the many London attractions that are user friendly. Like London, Berlin was rebuilt after WW II with the idea to provide more access to people with mobility issues. The Reichstag, the Jewish Museum, the Pergamon Museum, and the Museum of the Wall at Checkpoint Charlie are among the many attractions available to wheelchair tourists. The #100 and #200 bus lines are particularly useful for tourists and most buses are accessible. Much of Paris is the same as it was in the 1800’s. Many of the cities hotels and museums are in these old buildings and they have not been upgraded to make them accessible. However, there are fully accessible museums such as Musee d’Orsay, the Jewish Art and History Museum, The Louvre, and the Pompidou Centre among others. The less than user friendly list includes the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Musee Rodin to name a few. Venice has several areas of the city that are accessible. The best way to get around the city is with the Vaparetto boats. The difference in height between the dock and the boat is generally less than the height of a curb. Rome is somewhat more difficult. The city is known as the city of the seven hills for a reason. Cobblestones and steep inclines on many streets leave some of the most famous attractions like the Spanish Steps, the Palatine Hill, and the Borghese Gardens out of easy reach for wheelchairs. However, the Vatican,, the Roman Forum and the Coliseum are disabled friendly. Public transportation in Rome is generally not user friendly.

These cities and more are offered as shore excursions by the major cruise lines. Not all of the shore excursions may be available to people with mobility issues. Trust us, your travel agents, to find the best available tours and shore excursions designed to make your vacation experience the best it can be. It is always best to do your research well in advance before vacationing in any foreign country and always use a travel agent (that would, of course, be us.) that understands your special needs.In addition to cruises, there are land tours, resorts, and many other options available to provide you and your whole family or group a wonderful vacation experience. It is a big wide world out there and there is no reason why people with mobility issues and special needs should not enjoy it like every one else