Accessible shore experiences
At P&O Cruises, we want to ensure there are no barriers stopping you from seeing the world and enjoying unforgettable experiences at our many wonderful destinations. If you are a wheelchair user, our accessible shore excursions are a range of activities that have been designed to accommodate your needs. This means you have the freedom to explore more places in a safe way, and if you're travelling with companions they can join you too.
Are you looking to take in some ancient ruins or soak up some awe-inspiring views from a mountain top? Perhaps you want to experience the best local cuisine on offer or simply go shopping for quirky souvenirs for the folks back home. Whatever shore excursions takes your fancy, you can rest assured our team has carefully planned your trip in advance.
And although our accessible shore experiences are specifically wheelchair friendly, if there are extra spaces nearer to departure, they may be offered to guests using other walking aids such as a walking frame.
More destinations for you to explore
Our accessible cruise excursions are available at many of our ports, allowing you to explore some of the most desirable locations in the world without having to worry about restricted access. We offer wheelchair-friendly experiences in ports where there is a sufficient supply of suitable transportation to do so. However, at some of our smaller or more remote port stops we may not be able to provide this.
And although we can’t guarantee the possibility of accessible activities at every destination, our team is striving to increase the availability of these experiences wherever we can. Please check back from time to time if you’re interested in exploring a particular port that currently doesn’t suit your requirements.
Booking your accessible shore excursion
You can book your accessible shore experiences at My P&O Cruises. Places that offer wheelchair-friendly activities will begin with the word ‘accessible’.
If you have reduced mobility or use a walking aid but are not a wheelchair user, please note that a range of suitable shore excursions are also available. To find them, simply use the ‘low activity’ search filter when browsing shore experiences in My P&O Cruises. You can find out more about the various activity levels for every individual experience in the 'Important information' section.
Accessibility getting ashore
We always do our very best to make sure that all of our guests can comfortably get ashore at as many ports as possible. However, there may be times when accessibility for wheelchair users simply isn’t possible. At the majority of our port stops, we deploy a short ramped low-level gangway, better known as the ship’s brow, to allow wheelchair users easy access getting ashore. You should bear in mind that where ports have a large tidal range, it will be unsafe for us to deploy our ship’s brow if there are tidal movements during the course of the day.
As disappointing as this is, this is purely in the interest of your safety. Some examples of ports with a large tidal range include Bilbao, La Coruña, Le Havre, La Rochelle, Lisbon, Zeebrugge, Canary Island ports, Hamburg, Boston, Halifax, Portland, Quebec and San Francisco.
In the event that your pre-booked accessible shore excursions has to be cancelled due to a port’s tidal range, your purchase will be automatically refunded. If you have any questions about our refund policies, please visit our FAQ page.
Planning your shore experience
Once you have booked your holiday, you can find the full range of accessible shore excursions available to you on My P&O Cruises – simply log in using your booking reference and search for your options. Here, you can read through the descriptions of your preferred shore experiences to check they are suitable for your requirements.
We ask you to bear in mind that due to health and safety requirements concerning the design of the ship, port infrastructure and equipment, it may not always be possible to offer our cruise excursion programme. It is also worth noting that our tour providers/coach operators will reserve the right to refuse carriage to any guest who is unable to negotiate the steps of the coach independently – but this does not apply to lift coaches for full-time wheelchair users. In many cases, taxis for hire are usually readily available close to our ship’s berth, should you wish to travel independently*.
Our accessible shore experiences have been designed with your needs in mind. They allow you to truly immerse yourself in local cultures and enjoy some of the best experiences a destination has to offer. If you have any questions about accessibility on your holiday, please visit our FAQ page.
*Subject to local Covid-19 guidelines at the time of travel.