[Travelandtourism] Eliminating braille to your clients.

Mon Jun 6 18:45:13 UTC 2011

I am not thinking narrow minded I am concerned that they were offering a service and then took it away.

I brought this up because we are the NFB, I myself don't really care, I don't like being read to when others don't need to be read to.

That they are saying that they asked other blind people what they would like, and the NFB is one of the organization that emphases on the use of braille,

Again, in the travel industry I look for everyone including my clients that are blind since myself I am also blind, I may not want braille, but my clients do. They should have it if they need it.

So more and more people are learning it, and we are fighting to have our kids read it and use it, so it is not narrow minded.

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: Cindy Handel<mailto:cindy425 at verizon.net> 
  To: NFB Travel and Tourism Division List<mailto:travelandtourism at nfbnet.org> 
  Sent: Monday, June 06, 2011 2:26 PM
  Subject: Re: [Travelandtourism] Eliminating braille to your clients.

  Cheryl,

  You're taking a very narrow view.  As I said to you, privately, Braille is 
  desirable.  But, sadly, only a small percentage of blind people use Braille, 
  these days.  So, maybe you need to talk with a wide demographic of blind 
  people to see what they prefer and not just go with your personal wants and 
  desires.

  Cindy
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com<mailto:cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>>
  To: <web_cruise_comments at rccl.com<mailto:web_cruise_comments at rccl.com>>
  Sent: Monday, June 06, 2011 12:13 PM
  Subject: Re: [Travelandtourism] Eliminating braille to your clients.

  Now myself in determining whether or not this so, to me and my clients this 
  is a determining factor between you and other cruise lines that are offering 
  it to there clients upon request.

  Let's just say, I will not be sailing myself on Royal any longer for taking 
  this stand, because the last time I heard the National Federation of the 
  Blind, SATH (Society for Accessible Transportation and Hospitality), which I 
  belong to both organizations were never asked about this, when you mentioned 
  referencing when checking with blind people

  SATH, in fact, recently had our cruise on Navigator of the Seas back in 
  January and nothing was brought up then either.

  So you are talking to a person, like you said have asked blind people what 
  they want, and in a world of braille, this is not acceptable

  I do hope I can get a contact name and address of the person or persons that 
  made this decision with RCCI, so that we can write them, and try to change 
  their minds.

  Leading the Way in Independent Travel!

  Cheryl Echevarria
  http://www.echevarriatravel.com<http://www.echevarriatravel.com/<http://www.echevarriatravel.com%3chttp//www.echevarriatravel.com/>>
  631-456-5394
  reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com%3Cmailto: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<mailto:web_cruise_comments at rccl.com%3Cmailto:web_cruise_comments at rccl.com>>
    To: cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com<mailto:cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com<mailto:cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com%3Cmailto: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<mailto:cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com%3Cmailto:cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>>
    Sent:  6/1/2011 11:21:39 AM
    To:  "Echevarriatravel email" 
  <reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com%3Cmailto: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/<http://www.echevarriatravel.com%3chttp//www.echevarriatravel.com/>>
    631-456-5394
    reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com%3Cmailto: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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