Cruise - Suitable for Motor Impairment?

Almost two years ago, Marion suffered a complicated fracture of her ankle and is still dealing with certain limitations today. On the one hand, there are difficulties with walking up stairs, and on the other hand, she experiences pain in the joint after just a few hundred meters. Under these circumstances, is a cruise a suitable vacation? Definitely YES!

On the ship, everything you need is concentrated - like in a city center - on a few decks. Restaurants, shops, cafes, bars, hairdresser, wellness, fitness studio, entertainment, and even a travel agency, gallery, and casino, not to mention medical care. However, one should not underestimate the distances. The Sol is one of the smaller ships with a length of 250 meters. Nevertheless, several kilometers of walking distance can quickly add up in a day. Psychologically cleverly designed, you can never see the entire length of the ship from any point. Instead, it's always about turning a corner, so everything is divided into manageable 'bite-sized' pieces.

We avoid staircases and always use the elevators. If we slow down people because of 1 or 2 decks, you may hear a 'stupid' comment. But we have learned to ignore that, and on bad days, we may even respond. When walking, we don't maintain the pace of most fellow travelers. That's why we're used to walking to the side rather than in the middle and always looking for the next opportunity to take a short break.

It becomes more problematic when leaving the ship. In the ports, the path always leads in loops through various buildings. So, hundreds of meters quickly accumulate until you reach the exit. From there, it often takes at least 30 minutes to get to the city. However, there is always the opportunity to take a taxi or a shuttle bus.

AIDA also offers a wheelchair service. This involves providing a wheelchair and two staff members who can assist the person in question, for example, from the ship to the taxi stand. The service is usually free of charge but must be requested and available in advance.

We have developed a kind of 'division of labor' for ourselves. Marion focuses more on ship life, while I take care of the excursions. A concept that works for both of us.