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

cheryl echevarria cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
Fri Jun 18 17:43:15 UTC 2010


Cindy: I am a member of NFB, NAGDU, and GDF, I am also the travel agent of 
record, so yes I am the one booking the trips.

I am totally sorry you feel that way Cindy.

I guess I shouldn't be a travel agent either, or have learned braille, or 
maybe the ADA shouldn't have be created and that we should all go back to 
the days of putting blind people in insane asylums.

Just to give you a heads, up I am not being rude but direct, as President 
Anil Lewis says about us New Yorkers.

I lost my vision in 2001, I also lost my kidneys in 2001, so 30 years ago 
there wasn't much hope for either being blind or getting off of dialysis or 
if you were lucky enough to have dialysis, which my grandfather didn't, I am 
also lucky enough to have someone to donate a kidney to me and not wait for 
someone to die and wait 8-10+ years for a kidney.

Or maybe I should have never came to the NFB after learning how to be 
independent again, with using a cane, and going back to school, to become 
the first blind student to graduate from Brandford Hall Institute in Medical 
Insurance Specialist and billing and coding to which I still do.

I feel sorry for you that you don't things can change. I realize a lot of us 
are skeptical on these things especially if he have parents or friends and 
family that tell us things don't change. I am glad that they do, I wouldn't 
probably have my guide dog, or be the Treasurer of the Long Island Chapter 
of the NFB, or running for the V.P of the Diabetic Division here in NY.

yes things change, or the rest of my family would have all been killed if my 
grandfather wasn't born in this country, I can go on and on.

change happens every day, and being and NFB member for shame on you for 
thinking that things don't.



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: "Cindy Handel" <cindy425 at verizon.net>
To: "NFB Travel and Tourism Division List" <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, June 18, 2010 12:32 PM
Subject: Re: [Travelandtourism] Reasons Why I Will Never Sail on NCL Again


> Peter, I'm wondering if it was the nationwide group of dog guide users who
> chose NCL or if it was the travel agent.  Unfortunately, Cheryl doesn't 
> seem
> exactly impartial, despite concerns of people who have actually cruised 
> with
> NCL, or tried to.  It would be nice to believe that they've completely
> changed their attitude.  But, after a pattern of discrimination and poor
> treatment over nearly 30 years, I really doubt that they've all of a 
> sudden
> become completely dog guide and blind person friendly.
>
> Cindy
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "NFB Travel and Tourism Division List" <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2010 11:44 PM
> Subject: Re: [Travelandtourism] Reasons Why I Will Never Sail on NCL Again
>
>
> Good evening everyone,
>
>     If a nation-wide group of guide dog users chose NCL as its cruise line
> of choice perhaps you would do well to learn to start trusting others in 
> the
> blind community and believing that like other travel entities cruise lines
> can change their ways and become more accommodating. If I would you I 
> would
> stop recycling messages from years ago, and reserve my spot on this cruise
> assuming that is still possible. You will be better informed from 
> first-hand
> experience.
>
> Peter Donahue
>
> ----- 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 Work" <Wendy.David at med.va.gov>
> Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2010 9:03 PM
> Subject: [Travelandtourism] 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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>
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