[Travelandtourism] Reasons Why I Will Never Sail on NCL Again

Fri Jun 18 12:41:04 UTC 2010

that is not what you said. If you read your original e-mail it states that 
you will tell everyone not to

Cheryl Echevarria
Independent Travel Consultant
C10-10646

http://Echevarriatravel.com
1-866-580-5574

http://blog.echevarriatravel.com
Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel CST-1018299-10

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Wendy David" <wendydav at mindspring.com>
To: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>; "NFB Travel and Tourism 
Division List" <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "Wendy David Work" <Wendy.David at med.va.gov>
Sent: Friday, June 18, 2010 8:36 AM
Subject: Re: Reasons Why I Will Never Sail on NCL Again

> Cheryl, I'm expressing why I would not, as a blind consumer, choose to go 
> on
> NCL again. I am not telling anyone else what to do or who to travel with.
> But I feel as a seasoned traveler who did everything in my power to change
> things for the better while on the cruise and afterward with the NCL
> administration, it's responsible as a fellow blind person to let others 
> know
> of my experience.  I do, however, wish you much success and as you will 
> see,
> your agency has been listed in my reference section of the
> soon-to-be-released "Sites Unseen: Traveling the World without Sight." My
> comments are informational only, I trust others will decide for 
> themselves.
> Wendy
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
> To: "NFB Travel and Tourism Division List" <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org>;
> "Wendy David" <wendydav at mindspring.com>
> Cc: "Wendy David" <wendydav at mindspring.com>; "Wendy David Work"
> <Wendy.David at med.va.gov>
> Sent: Friday, June 18, 2010 4:40 AM
> Subject: Re: Reasons Why I Will Never Sail on NCL Again
>
>
> >I am leaving this talk list how dare you. I am trying my best to own my 
> >own
> >travel agency, and you are saying that you will tell everyone not to go 
> >on
> >my cruises.
> >
> > Cheryl Echevarria
> > Independent Travel Consultant
> > C10-10646
> >
> > http://Echevarriatravel.com
> > 1-866-580-5574
> >
> > http://blog.echevarriatravel.com
> > Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
> > Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel
> > CST-1018299-10
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Wendy David" <wendydav at mindspring.com>
> > To: "NFB Travel and Tourism Division List" 
> > <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org>;
> > <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
> > Cc: "Wendy David" <wendydav at mindspring.com>; "Wendy David Work"
> > <Wendy.David at med.va.gov>
> > Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2010 10:03 PM
> > Subject: Reasons Why I Will Never Sail on NCL Again
> >
> >
> >> Cheryl et al,
> >>
> >> I am resending this post from September of 2008. I have since been on 4
> >> other cruise lines and would still decline to travel on NCL.   I don't
> >> trust
> >> they have changed that much since I traveled with them and I personally
> >> wouldn't trust the word of some one sitting in an office and not on the
> >> actual boat with you/.  I hope your experience is better, but I would
> >> definitely not risk the sort of treatment and attitude I've experienced
> >> with
> >> them twice now.
> >>
> >> Wendy David
> >>
> >> Norwegian Cruise Lines is Guide Dog Unfriendly
> >> I wanted to alert any visually impaired traveler who plans to cruise 
> >> with
> >> a
> >> dog guide to think twice before embarking upon a cruise with Norwegian
> >> Cruise Lines (NCL).  I just returned from a cruise on the Norwegian 
> >> Pearl
> >> to
> >> Alaska and was dismayed to find that the cruise line's "company policy"
> >> was
> >> to ensure that the dog guide relieves itself out of sight of all other
> >> passengers.  In other words, my dog was expected to relieve in a 4 by 4
> >> foot
> >> box in a stairwell, which back up to a flight of stairs leading 
> >> downward,
> >> and smelled terribly after the 1st day.  As there were 4 dog guides on
> >> this
> >> trip and we were provided with scarcely enough sod to cover the floor 
> >> of
> >> the
> >> box, the box, stairwell, and entire area became disgustingly reeking 
> >> and
> >> uninviting within 2 days. Though we had been promised cedar mulch that
> >> would
> >> be replenished throughout the trip, we were forced to demand the box be
> >> changed and moved, which was finally accomplished after day 5.  It was 
> >> to
> >> the testimony of the dogs that none had an accident and all continued 
> >> to
> >> work impeccably, but the 2nd-class treatment and begrudging attitude of
> >> the
> >> staff and company was discouraging.  In addition, the refused to 
> >> provide
> >> any
> >> Braille materials prior to the cruise and we had to arrange for any and
> >> all
> >> alternative formats.  I have been on 3 other cruise lines and have 
> >> never
> >> received this form of treatment or glaring lack of accommodation on
> >> Carnival, Royal Caribbean, or Holland America.  Additionally, these 
> >> other
> >> lines provide outside relief areas for the dogs, provide Braille
> >> materials,
> >> and do not feel they have to "apologize" to the other guests for the
> >> unobtrusive presence of the dogs. Needless to say, I will not patronize
> >> NCL
> >> again and encourage those of you who wish to travel with your dog 
> >> guides
> >> to
> >> do the same.
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message ----- 
> >> From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
> >> To: <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
> >> Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2010 8:43 AM
> >> Subject: [Travelandtourism] o/t reasons why I choose Norwegian Cruise
> >> Linesfor my Group Cruises questions from the blind and especiallyguide
> >> dog
> >> users
> >>
> >>
> >> >I realize this may be off topic, but I am sending this to a couple of
> >> >lists. So hope you will be patient and learn something for the future.
> >> >
> >> > The 2 groups that I have one was for the National Association of 
> >> > Guide
> >> > Dog
> >> > Users, and one is for the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. 
> >> > so
> >> > if
> >> > you are a graduate and want to know more about either cruise or other
> >> > cruises NCL has please let me know.
> >> >
> >> > A number of you have e-mailed me that I have chosen Norwegian Cruise
> >> > Lines
> >> > over some of the others, to the point I was told I must have been
> >> > crazy,
> >> > don't you know a number of us have been on them in the past and were
> >> > treated terribly and also with our dogs.
> >> >
> >> > Again, I am sure it did happen.  But I am also sure as myself who is
> >> > blind
> >> > and has a guide dog that:
> >> >
> >> > 1. I have been on the cruise lines and had no issues at all.
> >> >
> >> > 2. A person who I know and contacted me recently, had issues with
> >> > reservations and access desk were told information that was totally
> >> > wrong,
> >> > and I just got off the phone with Ms. Cathy Vasquez, the head of the
> >> > Accessibility Department with Norwegian Cruise Lines, after tweeting
> >> > Mr.
> >> > Andy Stuart who is the Executive Vice President and Chief Product
> >> > Officer,
> >> > he does answer all tweets and if you are on twitter his twitter name 
> >> > is
> >> > nclandy, he takes all complaints and concerns very seriously, the he
> >> > gave
> >> > Ms. Vasquez, my phone no and got off the phone with her just now so
> >> > that I
> >> > can let you all know what transpired.
> >> >
> >> > 3.  IF you are blind, no you do not need a sighted person with you to
> >> > travel.  You are given tours of the ship so that you are familiar 
> >> > with
> >> > your surroundings of the vessel since each vessel is different.  For
> >> > guide
> >> > dogs who are welcome on board all NCL Ships, a designated area of the
> >> > ship
> >> > is dedicated to you dog, whether one dog on board or 100, plus the
> >> > staff
> >> > is responsible for clean up after your dog, you also have a choice of
> >> > material in the box for your dog.  The elevators and each level have 
> >> > in
> >> > Braille where you are and on the stateroom doors.
> >> >
> >> > 4. They are also dedicated to all needs of all people with 
> >> > disabilities
> >> > whether you need a wheelchair accessible stateroom which should be
> >> > indicated at time of booking because not only on NCL but all cruise
> >> > lines
> >> > they are limited.  To the type of foods or dietary needs that you may
> >> > have, etc.
> >> >
> >> > I am sending this out because I do not want to offer fundraising to
> >> > groups
> >> > or to the individual that doesn't meet all standards to everyone and
> >> > not
> >> > just us the blind.
> >> >
> >> > For shame on me if I do that, I specialize in educating the blind and
> >> > disabled, since I myself am Blind, Kidney Transplant recipient who 
> >> > was
> >> > on
> >> > dialysis and that others may need to have dialysis on any kind of
> >> > vacation. To being an amputee on some of my toes.
> >> >
> >> > Once I get the e-mail from Ms. Vasquez and all updates need I will 
> >> > post
> >> > to
> >> > all of you.
> >> >
> >> > Thank you.  Even if I am not your travel agent, and you need help 
> >> > with
> >> > these issues, let me know, the expedia and the Orbitz or 
> >> > travelocities
> >> > wont does this for you since they work for the next sale, I work to
> >> > make
> >> > sure you are all enjoying and being safe and secure on your trip, if
> >> > not
> >> > then I should not be in this business.
> >> >
> >> > Take care.
> >> >
> >> > Cheryl Echevarria
> >> > Independent Travel Consultant
> >> > C10-10646
> >> >
> >> > http://Echevarriatravel.com
> >> > 1-866-580-5574
> >> >
> >> > http://blog.echevarriatravel.com
> >> > Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
> >> > Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel
> >> > CST-1018299-10
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
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> >> > Travelandtourism at nfbnet.org
> >> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/travelandtourism_nfbnet.org
> >> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> >> > Travelandtourism:
> >> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/travelandtourism_nfbnet.org/wendydav%40mindspring.com
> >>
> >>
>
> 