Baltic Cruise with a Toddler and a Wheelchair.

[Santa, Redditch]

We are booked on Silhouette next July from Southampton to St Petersburg. My wife uses a powered wheelchair a lot of the time so we are in a disabled cabin and our daughter is in the cabin next door with her husband and their (what will be) 16-month-old baby.

Most ports are European so I am assuming that a wheelchair and a baby will not have any major problems, but St P. is the one that is giving me headaches.

I have been in contact with Alla Tours who seem to have a good rep, and I am confident that they can sort something out for us, but I would appreciate any and all advice. We are there for three days, and my ideal ATM is to book a two-day tour for all of us and then we oldies can babysit while the younger ones DTOT.

I looked at the forum sections that should be relevant but they seem poorly supported.

Bob

[Garfield, Waterlooville]

Not sure if you're aware but St Petersburg is a venue for WC games in 2018.
10th and 14th July pencilled in for semi final and third place playoff.
Regards
Garfield

[Cooke, Ashby]

It is a few years since we visited St Petersburg and, as I recall, the disabled are not well catered for. Your tour company are the best source of advice as to which tours are suitable.

[annie, Glasgow]

It is a few years since we visited St Petersburg and, as I recall, the disabled are not well catered for. Your tour company are the best source of advice as to which tours are suitable.

I associate many European cities with cobbled streets - buggies and wheelchairs??

Annie

[Topdeck, London]

Alla provides the tour for friends with a regular wheelchair.

Not everywhere is accessible

I can ask them for their schedule and issues they had, seeing them Monday

[Happy, Wolverhampton]

We used Alla Tours and their communication, service, organisation and knowledge was first class. Have a fantastic time.

[Neil Down, Southampton]

As, it seems, most have already said you would be right to be aware that St Petersburg is not too wheelchair friendly. So by using a very good company, like Alla, you stand the best chance of being well advised and looked after but I am pretty sure that there will be some sites which will be unavailable to you and very awkward for a pushchair.

Having said all that I wish you well and I think that a report of your experiences would be extremely worthwhile especially if you prove us doubters wrong .....Neil

[busy lizzie, barnstaple]

I am also disabled and use a scooter. We visited St. Petersburg last year and did a two day tour with a company called MaltiBalti tours who were absolutely fantastic. I really cannot fault them. We had a car solely for our use and our driver, Michael, was amazing. We did not queue anywhere, he always managed to get me to the best viewing areas, I really felt like royalty. A golf buggy was organised for us at the Peterhof Palace. We were also taken to parts of St.Petersburg not normally on the tourist route. They were a little more expensive than some other companies, but having spoken to fellow cruisers think we had excellent value for money. I hope you enjoy your trip.

[Haworth, Wokingham]

If you are planning to visit the Hermitage, lots of steps and I dont remember seeing any lifts.

Gardens at the Peterhof should be OK

John

[Mrs M]

If you are planning to visit the Hermitage, lots of steps and I dont remember seeing any lifts.

Gardens at the Peterhof should be OK

John

The Hermitage has ramps, wheelchair lift facilities and lifts. It may not be totally accessible but the majority of the building looked to be so.

[Haworth, Wokingham]

The Hermitage has ramps, wheelchair lift facilities and lifts. It may not be totally accessible but the majority of the building looked to be so.

Thanks for the clarification

John

[Peanut, Halifax]

I am also disabled and use a scooter. We visited St. Petersburg last year and did a two day tour with a company called MaltiBalti tours who were absolutely fantastic. I really cannot fault them. We had a car solely for our use and our driver, Michael, was amazing. We did not queue anywhere, he always managed to get me to the best viewing areas, I really felt like royalty. A golf buggy was organised for us at the Peterhof Palace. We were also taken to parts of St.Petersburg not normally on the tourist route. They were a little more expensive than some other companies, but having spoken to fellow cruisers think we had excellent value for money. I hope you enjoy your trip.

We are going to St Petersburg next year and i am also disabled and taking a wheelchair so really useful information, thank you

Santa of Redditch, hope you have a lovely holiday

Michelle

[Santa, Redditch]

Thanks for all the useful responses. From all that I have read so far, I am well aware that St P. is far from wheelchair friendly and I am already in discussion with Alla.

The toddler will probably be on her father's back in a carrier rather than a pushchair.

We were on Britannia to Norway this year - our first time with a wheelchair and it worked really well. We even managed the rail trip at Flaam. Of course, there is a lot more planning to do, but it seems to me that St P. is the one needing the most notice (and the costliest)

As far as the toddler is concerned, I have seen suggestions of taking a paddling pool as she won't be allowed to swim. Is this really practical? What are the cots they provide like?

[Guy, Ormskirk]

I have never seen a paddling pool on a ship. I can see a few issues though, how would you fill it and empty it? Were would you want to situate it?

It is a shame she can't swim but that seems to be the policy on quite a few lines, hopefully there will be plenty of other attractions for her...Carol

[Santa, Redditch]

That was exactly why I asked. I saw one report where they had it on the balcony, but that was in the Caribbean - I guess that they just didn't put much water in. Another one said they took it to the pool area and used it there which seems more sensible, but I can imagine the looks they got from some of the other pax.