Accessibility & support

How we can help you if you’re travelling by air

If you have a disability or reduced mobility, you’re entitled to support, commonly known as ‘special assistance’, when travelling by air.

Your right to special assistance applies when:

• You fly on any airline from an EU airport

• You fly on an EU registered airline to an EU airport

This means airports and airlines must provide help and assistance, which is free of charge, to ensure you have a stress-free journey.

Special assistance is available to anybody who may need help to travel such as the elderly, people with a physical disability, such as wheelchair users, and those who have difficulty with social interaction and communication, such as those with autism or ADHD.

Help is available from the moment you arrive at the relevant helpdesk at the airport and can cover:

• Your journey through the departure airport.

• Boarding the aircraft and during the flight.

• Disembarking the aircraft.

• Transferring between flights and travelling through your destination airport.

If you would like us to arrange any assistance at the airport or on the aircraft, please let us know at the time of booking, or if you've already booked and now need to notify us of any special requirements please contact a member of our Travel Needs team on 0808 239 4775. Please provide at least 48 hours’ notice if you require assistance.

Assistance points

When you arrive at the airport you’ll need to make your own way to one of the assistance points in the terminal. Airports must have assistance points at various places in the airport boundary – this may include drop-off points, car parks, train stations and bus terminals. Our meet & greet staff at the check in area can help direct you to the appropriate location, if asked.

Travelling with a carer

Airlines may decide that for safety reasons you must travel with a carer, which could mean a travelling companion of your choice who is able to provide the assistance you require.

Safety information

Airlines are responsible for communicating essential information about a flight in accessible formats. If you require a personal or alternative type of safety briefing it is important that you notify us in advance so this can be arranged.

Travelling with mobility and medical equipment

If you use a mobility aid such as a wheelchair or scooter, you’ll need to give us some information in advance about the equipment, including its make and model. This will be passed on to the airline to ensure that it is loaded and stowed safely during the flight and is not a fire risk.

Some airlines may have restrictions relating to what equipment you can take and how much - these can vary depending on who you fly with. Please contact us so we can look into any restrictions for you.

Many airlines will want to see a medical certificate if you’re taking large quantities of medication. You must have a certificate if you’re taking more than 100ml of medicine in liquid or gel form through security.

Using oxygen on your flight

You should be able to use supplementary oxygen if you need to. As airline policies vary, some will provide oxygen for you to use free of charge but some may charge a fee.

If an airline allows you to bring your own oxygen (usually contained in a Portable Oxygen Concentrator - POC), in most cases there will be no charge for this. However, as all airline policies differ please check with us at the time of booking. If you've already booked and now require the use of oxygen, please contact our Travel Needs team on 0808 239 4755.

Hotel accommodation

Hotels can vary in terms of the facilities they offer to guests with reduced mobility or another disability.

It's therefore essential that you discuss your requirements with one of our travel advisors at the time of booking. They will be able to check the tour suitability for you to ensure you make the right choice.

If a particular room type, such as an adapted room or a room with a walk-in shower, is required as a result of any disability, we’ll contact the hotel to check if such a room is available and endeavour to secure it for you where possible before you commit to a booking. Please note that an extra cost may apply if an adapted room is only available in an upgraded room type.

Titan tour managers and the hotel staff are unable to provide any level of personal care. Therefore you may choose to travel with a companion who can provide the assistance you need. Please be aware that both we and our suppliers reserve the right to request that you travel with a companion where we consider it necessary for safety or operational reasons.

Each of our tours has been given a rating from 1 to 4, with 4 being the most strenuous. You’ll see these ratings within the holiday details both in our brochures and on our website. It’s really important that you contact us before booking if you are in any doubt regarding the suitability of a tour. Please use the following information as a guide: Our suitability and pace guide has been designed so you can easily choose the right holiday for you. Please contact us if you have any doubt as to your suitability for our escorted tours, and we can discuss further with you about making the right decision.

Grade 1:        Leisurely 

Our slowest and most leisurely tours. You’ll only need to unpack once as our holidays in this grade will be based at just one hotel for the entire holiday. A combination of fascinating included excursions and free days makes this ideal for those seeking a relaxed experience. Inclusions may consist of sightseeing tours, visits to museums, landmarks and cultural sights, as well as gentle boat cruises or short train journeys. We’ll aways include rest time after each included activity. 

A minimum requirement for included tours is being able to embark and disembark coaches, trains and boats without assistance, walk unaided at a steady pace or stand up to 30 minutes at a time, negotiating steps, and uneven, but mainly flat ground, including cobbles. You can opt to remain and the hotel and enjoy the facilities if you prefer. 

Grade 2:        Easy going 

Our holidays in this grade will stay in between one and three locations, usually with multiple nights in each location. Itineraries include a mix of included activities and free time to relax or explore on your own. These holidays are perfect for those who want to take it easy but also want to enjoy longer-day excursions, including guided walking tours, that really get to the heart of the destinations you’ll visit. There’ll usually be rest time after an included activity (please refer to the itinerary). 

You’ll need to be able to walk unaided for up to one hour on walking tours, negotiating steps, gradients and uneven ground, particularly cobbles. Tours with safari elements may be in this grade and you’ll need to be able to embark and disembark safari vehicles without assistance. Safaris will normally have early morning starts, but we’ll ensure regular rest stops are in place. 

Grade 3:        Active traveller 

A good level of fitness is required. You’ll be staying in multiple locations on your escorted holiday, in destinations around that world that have varying standards and climates. From cold and icy to hot and humid, you’ll need to be comfortable in a variety of conditions. 

Some activities will take all day and may include extended walking tours. We may also have activities on consecutive days. Terrain will vary dependant on your destination and could be rough, especially when exploring archaeological sites, national parks or coastal areas. 

We’ll also include free time for you to recharge or to explore independently, and we’ll always include rest breaks on longer activities. You’ll need to be able to undertake several hours of activities each day on varied terrain, with prolonged periods of standing, and there’ll be some early starts and later finishes and consecutive one-night stays. These holidays are not suitable for those with significant mobility issues, although you may be able to abstain from activities on certain tours if you choose to do so. Small ship cruises also fall into this category due to the steep steps onboard, the requirement to walk across ships when in dock; and the included walking tours. 

Grade 4:         Adventurer 

Some of our most active holidays are at this grade. Similar to Grade 3, these holidays may also include areas of sustained higher altitude. If you enjoy active holidays and are prepared to be on your feet walking and standing for extended periods on potentially challenging terrain, including longer walks and hikes, then this grade is suitable for you.   

Some destinations may be relatively remote, meaning support might be a little further away. There’ll be free time too, but the focus on these tours is to see more and do more. Be prepared for an increased number of early starts and later finishes, and more one-night stays on consecutive days. 

Please note: This is a guide only. Please be aware that for each level you should also be comfortably able to manage the requirements set out in the lower levels. For cruising, this guide refers to the onboard experience and included excursions only.

Embarkation assistance, onboard facilities and information regarding mobility aids, medical equipment and assistance dogs

If you have a disability or reduced mobility, you are entitled to support under Regulation 1177/2010 when travelling by sea and inland waterway.

This section outlines the accessibility of cruises on Titan Travel tours. Please read through the applicable sections carefully. If you’re booking a fly-cruise, please also refer to our travelling by air page for information. It is your responsibility to inform us if assistance is needed. If you need to notify us of any special requirements, please do so at the time of booking. If you've already booked, please make sure you notify us no later than 48 hours before departure by calling our Travel Needs team on 0808 239 4755. Every effort will be made to cater for your requirements. However, there will be some instances where a passenger should be accompanied by a fare-paying travelling companion who is capable of dedicating the time and attention needed to ensure the required care is received. For safety reasons, there are certain types of assistance that cannot be offered.

Assistance that is not offered:

• Carriage of passengers up and down gangways in ports other than embarkation and disembarkation ports.

• Assistance in using personal hoists.

• Any level of personal care.

• Routine daily care of assistance dogs including but not limited to feeding, exercise and sanitary needs.

It's important that you discuss your needs with us prior to booking so that we’re able to assess your individual circumstances and inform you if a travelling companion is required. Failure to notify us of any requirement for disability assistance may result in denied boarding, or curtailment of the cruise.

MS Serenade 1 / MS River Discovery II - Embarkation and disembarkation

The assistance available for embarkation includes:

• Assistance with baggage check-in and its transfer to the cabin.

Due to local conditions e.g. river water levels and/or mooring adjacent to another ship in some locations, you may be required to negotiate a steep gangway and/or steps. If you are unable to make your own arrangements to get on and off the ship, you may be required to remain on board.

River cruising

It is important to be aware that most river vessels and small ships don’t have lifts, and the stairs between decks can often be steep. Some excursions involve a fair amount of walking, sometimes over uneven surfaces. Please also note that on river cruises it's common for two or more ships to moor alongside each other at a berth, and on these occasions you'll need to walk through the other vessels when embarking or disembarking. We’re not able to confirm in advance when this will be the case.

If you have a disability or reduced mobility and are considering a river cruise, please discuss this with your travel advisor at the time of booking.

Adapted cabins

There are no adapted cabins on board MS Serenade 1 or MS River Discovery II.

MS Serenade 1 has a lift between the Chopin and Mozart decks. A chair lift is available from the Chopin deck up to the sun deck.

Hearing and/or visual impairment

It is recommended that a blind or visually impaired passenger travels with a companion.

Mobility aids - including wheelchairs & mobility scooters

To ensure that the crew can cope in an emergency situation, the number of passengers who require a wheelchair to be booked on any cruise is restricted for safety reasons.

Wheelchairs are not available for loan on board or for use during excursions. Anybody that requires the use of a wheelchair must provide their own.

Please note that if you arrive at the ship with a wheelchair and have failed to declare that you’re bringing this with you, and no wheelchair spaces are available, then you’ll be denied boarding on the grounds of safety.

Things to note if bringing a wheelchair or mobility scooter on board

• Wheelchairs or mobility scooters must be stored within your cabin when not in use and must never be stowed in corridors as they are considered an emergency escape route.

• Crew members are not able to carry passengers up or down the gangways; this is a risk to both crew and passengers.

• On occasion, it may be concluded that the gangway presents too much of a risk to put wheelchairs or mobility scooters ashore. On these occasions you may need to remain on board.

• You must be able to manoeuvre yourself or have a travelling companion who can assist you.

• Tour coaches may not be able to accommodate wheelchair users, or carry mobility scooters.

Walkers, rollers and other mobility equipment

If you need to bring any other mobility equipment on board, please make sure you let us know at the point of booking. This equipment must be stored within your cabin when not in use and must never be stowed in corridors as they are considered to be an emergency escape route.

Excursions

All of our river cruises and excursions are regarding as level 1 in our pace guide.

We also grade each of our optional excursions, so that you can make an informed decision as to which suits you best. Please ask your travel advisor at the point of booking for further details. In some ports, tour coaches may not be able to accommodate wheelchair users or carry mobility scooters. Please inform us if you require the use of a wheelchair while on tour so that we can check if there’s suitable transport available in that port before travel. We’ll also be happy to arrange private transport if you’d like to explore independently instead. If you are in any doubt over the suitability of any excursions, please contact our Travel Needs team on 0808 239 4755, or speak to your tour managers on board.

Information relating to airport transfers and UK travel to get you to your departure point

Here, you’ll find information relating to the various transport options that may be involved in your holiday. If you’re in any doubt about the suitability of any transport please contact us. It's important to inform us if any elements of your chosen holiday may present difficulties to you so we can do our best to provide the assistance needed. In some cases it may be advisable that you travel with a companion who can provide the assistance you need, and we and our suppliers do reserve the right to request that you travel with a companion where it is considered necessary.

VIP door-to-door travel service

We will make sure a suitable vehicle is arranged, as long as you let us know of any mobility limitations at the time of booking. If you plan to take a wheelchair, scooter or any other mobility aids or medical equipment, please make sure you inform us as soon as possible. Please note there is a small step into most MPVs.

Rail Travel

If you have a disability or reduced mobility, you are entitled to support under Regulation 1371/2007 when travelling by rail.

Eurostar

If your holiday includes travel by Eurostar, please see the Eurostar website for information.

Once you've had a chance to look at this, please contact us if you need to make any assistance arrangements or need to discuss your requirements further.

Coaches

While we always try to use the most comfortable, well-equipped vehicles for our excursions, we are often limited by what's available in a particular destination. So regrettably, if you're unable to manage the steps onto a coach or other vehicle, you will not be able to join the excursion. This is due to the variety of vehicles used dependent on destination. In addition, as the vehicles used for excursions differ from place to place, there may be restrictions as to what mobility aids can be carried.

Although we do try to provide coaches with toilets on board wherever possible, we regret that this facility cannot be guaranteed. It is also possible that, in certain parts of the world, the toilet may have to remain locked at the discretion of the driver where disposal points are not easily accessible. Regular stops are made on every tour for the comfort of all on board.

The included excursions will be detailed on the tour page online or in the brochure and we’ll send you details of additional excursions (and their pace rating) along with your first Holiday Confirmation. If you're in any doubt as to the suitability of the excursions, please contact us and we’ll be happy to discuss these with you.