[Travelandtourism] Eliminating braille to your clients.

[Wendy David]

I would like Braille to remain an option for those who request it 
specifically.  It is a deciding factor for me whether or not to choose a 
specific cruise line/ship.
Thanks,
Wendy David

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
To: "travelandtourism" <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 06, 2011 8:44 AM
Subject: Re: [Travelandtourism] Eliminating braille to your clients.


>
> Here is the response from Royal Caribbean, what information would you like 
> me to forward to them.
> Leading the Way in Independent Travel!
>
> Cheryl Echevarria
> http://www.echevarriatravel.com<http://www.echevarriatravel.com/>
> 631-456-5394
> reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com>
>
> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel 
> CST-1018299-10
>
> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Absolute Cruise & Travel, 
> Inc.
>  ----- Original Message ----- 
>  From: web_cruise_comments at rccl.com<mailto:web_cruise_comments at rccl.com>
>  To: cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com<mailto:cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
>  Sent: Monday, June 06, 2011 11:39 AM
>  Subject: RE: Eliminating braille to your clients.
>
>
>  Hello,
>
>  We are required to provide auxiliary aids and services to provide 
> effective communication for guests with visual services.  Auxiliary aids 
> and services provide an extensive list of accommodations that include 
> braille, large print and qualified readers.  After feedback from our 
> guests and onboard teams, we now offer qualifed readers.  Our guest 
> relations staff will contact each guest once onboard and review what 
> information is needed and the best way to provide this information to the 
> guest, since accommodations and needs can vary from one guest to another. 
> For example, we may read information in person or over the phone.  This 
> new personalized service will ensure that our guests with visual 
> disabilites will have easy and convenient access to information.  We have 
> tested this new process and it has gotten good reviews.  We appreciate 
> your comments, and we will consider them as we review our accessibility 
> program.
>
>  Best regards,
>  Access Staff
>  GM
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  [THREAD ID:1-USR8IH]
>
>
>
>  -----Original Message-----
>
>  From:  cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com<mailto:cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
>  Sent:  6/1/2011 11:21:39 AM
>  To:  "Echevarriatravel email" 
> <reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com>>
>  Subject:  Eliminating braille to your clients.
>
>
>
>
>
>  Good morning Royal Caribbean:
>
>  My name is Cheryl Echevarria, and I am a travel partner with 2 Major Host
>  Agencies and that I have booked with you for the last 2 years especially
>  for the  braille services that you offer myself, who happens to be blind
>  and my clients  who are blind.
>
>  I just found out about my client that will be sailing in July from your
>  access department yesterday, after I sent them forms indicating over 2
>  weeks ago  that they will be needing brailed menus and daily itineraries,
>  that Royal  Caribbean will not be offering braille any longer, and that
>  each passenger who  is requesting such services will be offer a person
>  assigned to them to read all  printed information for them.
>
>  To me that seems quiet unfair, as well as a step back in the wrong
>  direction. My question is why should the blind community have things read
>  to  them while the sighted passengers can have access to documentation 
> any
>  time  anywhere?
>
>  I would like some kind of written explanation as to why this is 
> happening.
>
>  Back on April 6, I had a conversation with Mr. Orlando Soto, Corporate
>  Guest Relations after one of my clients who had issues not only on your
>  ship  when they had requested braille for the March sailing and it was
>  approved, that  RCCI said that they don't offer it, when the braille
>  printer was broken, as well  as not offering tours of the ship, to which
>  was said that RCCI in your own words  was violating the “Transportation 
> for
>  Individuals with Disabilities: Passenger  Vessels” rule (49 CFR Part 39).
>
>  Has something changed since March of this year, if so, I would like in
>  writing as to why.
>
>  I appreciate your getting back to me as soon as possible.
>
>
>
>  Leading the Way in Independent Travel
>
>  Cheryl Echevarria
>  http://www.Echevarriatravel.com<http://www.echevarriatravel.com/>
>  631-456-5394
> 
> reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com>
>
>
>
>  Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel
>  CST-1018299-10
>  Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Absolute Cruise  and Travel,
>  Inc.
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