[Travelandtourism] Would like your feed back of the Conference Call with Cathy Vazquez on Norwegian Cruise Lines tonight

[Margo and Arrow]

I enjoyed the call as well as the one with Mark Jones.  

I think Kathy V. does have the interest of people with disabilities deeply in her heart.  

I was surprised that signage hasn't played a more important part in making things accessible but bet it will now.

thanks, Cheryl, for getting these folks onto the calls.

Margo and Arrow
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: cheryl echevarria 
  To: travelandtourism 
  Sent: Monday, April 30, 2012 9:00 PM
  Subject: Would like your feed back of the Conference Call with Cathy Vazquez on Norwegian Cruise Lines tonight


  Tonight's call was very enjoyable, and I was very happy that Cathy Vazquez, Access Department Manager of Norwegian Cruise Lines was able to be on the call with us.


  As stated in the past, I have been working since 2009 to make things better for people who travel, especially cruising.


  When I first had did a fundraiser group cruise for NAGDU back in 2009, and posted that I was doing the fundraiser on Norwegian, like Former President, Don Gilmore, said at Convention back in Orlando, it almost shut down the nfbnet, he was almost correct on that.


  I got everything from what are you crazy, don't you know that we sued them, or don't you know that the Stigel's had there honeymoon on Norwegian, and couldn't go because they didn't have a sighted person going with them.


  Or the best one, they don't allow guide dogs on there cruises.


  Well, I have to say that may have happened back then, but today they are the best.  I cannot even get access people from places on land to talk to me, and Norwegian, you can speak to all the way to the CEO Kevin Sheehan, Executive Director of Sales Andy Stuart, Vice President of Sales Camille Olivere, and Access Department Manager Cathy Vazquez.


  Thank you Norwegian.


  I want to hear from those of you who were on the conference call tonight, and I hope that more of you will be on the calls in the future, to ask the questions, that you want answered.


  They are working hard to make sure everyone has a great time when they cruise.


  I want to also recommend to people that when you are either working directly with a travel agent or a cruise lines, a resort, any place you are going, if you plan on having a good time with no issues, that you let people know that you are blind, what you need, if anything, if you are bringing your dog, or need an accessible stateroom for a wheelchair, or whatever it is that they know, if they don't know how can someone like myself or the cruise lines, make you life better if we don't know.


  Whether disabled, allergies, special meals, etc.


  WE need to know this.


  Have a great night all.


  Sincerely,




  Cheryl Echevarria, President
  Travel and Tourism Division
  National Federation of the Blind
  631-236-5138

  Leading the Way in Independent Travel! Cheryl Echevarria http://www.echevarriatravel.com 631-456-5394 reservations at echevarriatravel.com For daily updates read our blog at http://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com