How it's plain sailing when luxury cruising is inclusive

On a voyage around some popular European destinations, Carrie-Ann Lightly enjoys a universal premium experience

- Carrie-Ann Lightly

Room service arrived just after sunrise. The door slid open with the push of a button – no reaching, pulling or strain. I rolled out onto the balcony still wrapped in a blanket and watched the sky shift to pink and gold. Pastries, fruit and smoothies waited on a tray. Everything I needed was already there. That’s what luxury looks like when you're a disabled traveller. I don’t look for excess; it’s ease that’s most important.

Cruising is often promoted as one of the most accessible ways to travel, but accessibility alone doesn’t equal luxury. Accessible travel is too often defined by what’s “possible” rather than what’s pleasurable.

Usually, travel starts with a checklist: Have I sent the access email? Do I need to explain my wheelchair measurements again? Have I triple-checked the itinerary? But on a supported cruise aboard P&O’s Arvia, hosted by Limitless Travel, something unexpected happened. I stopped bracing for unexpected accessibility issues because everything had already been thought through.

The two-week sailing departed from Southampton and visited ports in Spain and France, including Barcelona, Málaga, Toulon and A Coruña. I travelled with my husband, Darren, as part of a small hosted group, supported throughout by Limitless’s care team. The company works in partnership with P&O Cruises to coordinate adapted transport, accessible cabins, tailored excursions and personalised care packages - making sure disabled guests can experience everything the ship and shore have to offer, without the stress.

What ‘accessible luxury’ really means