Accessible shore experiences.

Accessible shore experiences are a category of our shore experiences program that are wheelchair-accessible. They have been selected and adapted for guests who use a wheelchair primarily, though if spaces are available nearer to departure, they may be offered to guests using other walking aids such as a walking frame. Via these excursions, you can enjoy the freedom to explore ashore accompanied by a companion, knowing that our team has assessed your shore experience for accessibility in advance.

Destinations to explore.

Accessible shore experiences are available in a wide range of incredible destinations, and will begin with the word ‘accessible’ on My Cunard. Like any other shore experience, they are available to book up to 365 days before departure.

If you have reduced mobility or use a walking aid but are not a wheelchair user, please note that a range of leisurely shore experiences are also available. These offer a slower, more relaxed pace; to find them, simply use the ‘low activity’ search filter when browsing shore experiences in My Cunard. The various activity levels for every individual shore experience are also stated in ‘Important information’. 

Accessible shore experiences are offered in destinations where there is an adequate supply of suitable transportation. Some smaller or more remote ports may not provide suitably equipped vehicles. However, we are continuously working with our local providers to source and invest in suitable transport, so please check back from time to time if you’re interested in exploring a particular port.

Getting ashore.

When choosing your voyage, please bear in mind that it may not be possible for wheelchair users to get ashore at ports of call. At the majority of ports visited by our ships, we deploy a short ramped low-level gangway, commonly referred to as the ship’s brow, to give all wheelchair users easy access to shore.

We do our very best to make sure that all guests can get ashore in as many ports as possible, although there will be times when it is not possible to deploy the ship’s brow. This is normally due to ports with a large tidal range, where a relatively shallow ramp may unavoidably become too steep to use safely during the course of the day with tidal movements. Some examples of ports with a large tidal range (but not an exhaustive list) are Bilbao, La Coruña, Le Havre, La Rochelle, Lisbon, Zeebrugge, Malaga, Cadiz, Madeira, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Boston, Halifax, Portland, Quebec and San Francisco. This policy is in the interest of guest safety.

Planning and availability.

Our shore experience descriptions set out to offer practical advice based upon our operating practice. You can find the full range of shore experiences on My Cunard, by logging in once you have booked your voyage using your booking reference. We would strongly advise you to read the descriptions to make sure that your chosen experience is suitable for your individual personal requirements. We use our best efforts to obtain appropriate transport although it is not always possible for us to secure fully accessible vehicles.

Please note that - due to applicable safety requirements, the design of the ship or port infrastructure and equipment - in certain ports of call it may not be possible for us to offer a shore experience program suitable for guests who are not able to board a coach via the steps. Please be aware that in consideration of health and safety, tour providers/coach operators reserve the right to refuse transportation to any guest who is unable to negotiate the steps of the coach independently*. Taxis are usually available for hire close to the ship’s berth, should guests wish to travel independently**.

*This does not apply to lift coaches for full-time wheelchair users.

**Subject to local Covid-19 guidelines at the time of travel.

More information.

Please check My Cunard, once you have your booking reference, to view shore experiences available on your voyage. Simply search for shore experiences meeting your criteria, and select 'Important information' to find more details.

Please also refer to our other pages on tender ports, mobility ashore and other accessibility topics.

If you have any questions about accessibility on your voyage, please contact accessoffice@cunard.com.