One Traveller Mobility & Accessibility Advice

Overview

Our holidays are not physically demanding, but you do need to be capable of a certain amount of unassisted walking to enable you and your fellow travellers to fully enjoy the experience. As a general rule, if you can walk one mile and climb two flights of household equivalent stairs unassisted and at a normal pace, then you should be able to manage most of our holidays’ itineraries.

We also require that guests can take full personal care of themselves. This includes punctuality, personal hygiene, self-awareness, and the ability to manage themselves without assistance.

In general, for safety reasons, we require that all guests can cope reasonably with the demands of the holiday arrangements, without assistance from our Tour Manager or fellow travellers. Please make sure that you fully understand the level of activity and ability required to comfortably complete the holiday on which you are booking. If unsure, contact our team for advice before proceeding further.

If you feel you may struggle to comfortably complete a holiday with us independently, you should consider bringing along a full paying travelling companion to help with any physical needs.

Our holidays are not well suited for guests with strollers or mobility scooters but bringing along a stick for support at times is by all means acceptable.

Booking your One Traveller holiday

For guests with visual impairments, you can book your One Traveller holiday by phone. If you are hard of hearing, you can of course book your One Traveller holiday online.

As part of the holiday booking process, you will have the opportunity to tell us about any special needs or requirements you may have. These will be noted on your booking and shared (where necessary) with our suppliers including airlines, hotels, and transport providers.

To ensure our suppliers can properly plan for your arrival and look after you, it is important that we know in advance of any special needs or requirements you may have. It is also important that our Tour Manager is aware of any factors that may impact upon your ability to fully participate in our holiday. You may also wish to tell us about any medication you are taking with you, if this is important.

How we keep in touch

All your holiday documents are available by post or email and in large print on request. You can view our website in large font format by using the accessibility options at the top of the page (displayed as an Aa symbol). Our friendly office team are on hand six days a week to discuss any questions over the phone and help you on your way to that big holiday adventure.

Our included holiday itineraries and daily excursions

Every One Traveller holiday includes a full program of included daily excursions in which you will explore the areas around our base hotel. On any holiday, there may be uneven footpaths or cobbles to negotiate, as well as steps, slopes, and the need to board various modes of transport. Handrails, lifts, and step-free access may not always be available, particularly at historical places of interest. It is also worth keeping in mind that different countries can have vastly differing attitudes towards public health and safety compared to the UK.

On some days of the holiday itinerary, you will notice a Footsteps Symbol. This shows at a glance which excursions will require more walking, steps, or negotiating rough terrain. These days may involve considerably more exertion and your participation should be considered carefully before commencing. Our Tour Managers and / or local guides will always be on hand to offer advice.

Where the footsteps symbol applies during one of our UK*, European or cruise holidays, you may wish to take the opportunity to remain at the hotel or on board our ship, where you can relax and enjoy the surrounding facilities. Alternatively, you may decide to travel with the group to their destination, but while away the time in a local café or more leisurely place of interest. Again, our Tour Managers and / or local guides will always be able to suggest something for you to make the most of your day.

The touring nature of our longer, worldwide holidays mean they are generally more active. We move about a lot more, basing ourselves in more than one hotel during our travels around our destination country. This means it can be more difficult to sit out of an excursion completely. During these holidays we also advise you to also consider how you would adjust to being in a different time zone, as well as potentially extreme differences in climate compared with the UK.

*Excludes UK touring holidays

The role of a One Traveller Tour Manager

Our Tour Managers are ever-present, staying in the same hotel(s) as the group and travelling with you on each day of your holiday. They are always on hand to ‘keep the show on the road’ and will take care of airport and hotel check in arrangements.

Your Tour Manager will be able to offer plenty of advice about upcoming excursions and you may wish to have a quiet chat with them if you have any concerns. Do bear in mind that they are there for the whole group and cannot offer any level of one-to-one support such as pushing wheelchairs, carrying luggage (they will have their own), or offering personal care.

If our Tour Manager feels that a member of their holiday party may struggle with the activity scheduled for that day, they have the authority to ask that person to remain at the hotel to enjoy its facilities and surroundings.

Holiday types

You can embark on a number of different types of holiday with One Traveller. Each has its own characteristics. The following is meant for general guidance purposes only and you should always consult the specific details of your chosen destination before deciding if it is right for you.

Once you have booked your holiday, we strongly advise you to have an in depth look at the confirmation paperwork you will receive from One Traveller and to contact us as soon as possible if you have any concerns about what the holiday may entail.

UK holidays – Our domestic holidays are usually shorter, less physically demanding, and ideal for guests who enjoy exploring at a leisurely pace. However, on some of the guided city tours and excursions, you will be required to be on your feet for at least 90 minutes which will include periods of standing and/or climbing flights of stairs. Many of our UK holidays visit historical landmarks and attractions, which may feature cobbled streets, steep steps, and very limited access for those less able-bodied.

European holidays – Mobility recommendations on our holidays within Europe can vary depending on the destination. There will usually be at least a couple of days where guests will be required to walk over a mile at a time. Like our UK holidays, we often visit ancient landmarks and historic places of interest such as castles, churches, and monasteries, which were constructed well before the advent of modern accessibility standards. These days are denoted in our brochure by a footsteps symbol. Guests may prefer to enjoy their hotel and its surroundings on these days if it proves a more comfortable option.

Worldwide holidays – Our worldwide holidays are some of our most active holidays and will include more walking within many different environments and over all kinds of terrain. These holidays will usually feature several days that will have the footsteps symbol noted against their itinerary. We strongly recommend that our guests travelling on these holidays read the itinerary thoroughly before travelling and make the Tour Manager aware of any activities or tours they may find difficult.

Ocean and river cruises – Although these can be slightly more leisurely holidays, we still recommend all guests are able to walk one mile and climb two flights of stairs unassisted and at a good pace. Our river cruisers will not always have lift access and stairways can be quite steep.

These holidays will also involve walking along the ship’s gangway and the possibility of tender transfers from ship to shore in some ports. Please be aware that it is known for two or more river cruisers to moor alongside each other at a berth. On these occasions it may be necessary to walk across the other vessels when embarking and disembarking.

The cruise operator will always have their own mobility and accessibility guidelines, which should be considered in addition to those offered by One Traveller.

For ocean cruise holidays with One Traveller for which Fred.Olsen is the cruise operator, you can read more about assistance on offer here: fredolsencruises.com/legal/mobility-policy

Other cruise operator mobility guidelines are available from us on request.

Holidays by train - On Eurostar there is no weight limit for your luggage but you should be able to carry and lift your bags safely. Each bag can be up to 85cm long at its widest point.

You must be able to carry your luggage onto the train in the UK and to our coach when you disembark. Elevators and slopes are generally available at all stations.

Before considering a One Traveller holiday by train, you may wish to read Eurostar’s special assistance information, here: eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/travel-planning/accessibility

Airports, airlines, and holiday transportation

We can organise airport assistance for any guests with mobility issues. This is a free service offered by the airport or railway station and must be arranged prior to departure. We advise you to contact One Traveller at least seven days before departure if you require such assistance.

We understand some guests worry about navigating airports and prefer to have assistance in place to reduce any stress involved in travelling to the departure gate. If you feel that you may struggle walking from the check-in counter to the gate, please do note that the distance to the gate is usually no greater than one mile - the distance we recommend guests can walk unattended on all our holidays. This should hopefully stand as a benchmark for you.

Please be aware that we cannot guarantee a specific seat on your flight. Requests made to One Traveller in advance of your departure such as having extra leg room, being closer to a toilet, or for a window or aisle seat will be passed to the airline for consideration but this may not be successful.

For holidays departing from Heathrow Airport, you can read more about special assistance on offer here: heathrow.com/at-the-airport/accessibility-and-mobility-help

For holidays departing from Gatwick Airport, you can read more about special assistance on offer here: gatwickairport.com/at-the-airport/passenger-services/special-assistance/

For holidays departing from London City Airport, you can read more about special assistance on offer here: london-city-airport-guide.co.uk/disabled-facilities

For regional and international flights with British Airways, you can read more about special assistance on offer here: britishairways.com/en-gb/information/disability-assistance/how-to-request-assistance

Mobility guidelines for other airports and airlines are available from One Traveller on request.

All One Traveller holidays include travel on private hire coaches. Typically, these will not have been adapted for wheelchair or buggy access and may involve steep steps to climb on board and disembark.

Many holidays also include different modes of transport during the itinerary, including (but not limited to) trains, boats and 4x4 vehicles. These can prove difficult for guests with reduced mobility.

Accommodation

Our hotels are chosen based on their overall standards and location. Each will vary in age, layout, facilities etc, so we strongly suggest you contact us before you travel if you have any concerns.

We are happy to pass on any requests you may have to our hotels, although such requests cannot always be guaranteed. Typically, this may involve us requesting a walk-in shower in your room (instead of a shower over the bath), a room on the ground floor or close to a lift, or an in-room fridge to store medication. Please note that adapted / disabled rooms do not form part of our contracted room allocation and may only sometimes be available on request. These may also incur an additional charge which we will advise you of.

Where porterage is available, it is generally included in most hotels we visit, although guests must be able to take responsibility for carrying their own luggage when required.

If you have any concerns regarding how your mobility, fitness, or general health may impact your participation on one of our holidays please contact us on 01760 722011 or email info@onetraveller.co.uk. A member of our team will take note of your request / questions and we will endeavour to come back to you in detail as soon as possible. Our offices are open Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:30 and Saturday 09:00 to 16:00.