[Travelandtourism] New updates and webinar training with Norwegian Cruise Lines

[cheryl echevarria]

Good morning everyone:
Lately I have been posting information for our many travel partners on this list, Remember, this list is for everyone, consumers who love and want to travel, advocate for better services from the suppliers (meaning, airports, airlines, tsa, cruise lines, disney, etc.) and for the travel professional. 
No matter what you hear on the news sound bites, or that the travel agent field is going away of the dinosaurs, as President Obama has mentioned many time, which his own personal secretary has to arrange these things as well for him, even though he has to travel using Air Force One, his staff etc. the government has a contract with a certified travel agency, which I am in the process of trying to get with my business so I can bid for a contract.
Anyway, with the latest information and upgrades on websites, webinars, etc for the consumer and the travel professional I will be posting these things here.
And give you updates of what is going on with the different issues. Like Disney's Websites. 
Anahit LaBarre has done a wonderful job of getting back to Mark Jones about her findings, I am also working on my end, and Maurice and some others are always working on the issues pertaining to the screen readers, etc on the accessibility.
I have also once again contact Mark Jones about our program the, NFB Nonvisual Accessibility Web Certification, that way, Ann Taylor and her team down in Baltimore can assist in this area as well.
Now, as many of you know, since finding out that Norwegian Cruise Lines and the Blind Community, has had issues with them in the realm of accessibility, and one of my first projects with them as a travel professional and advocate back in 2009, was to get in contact with the cruise lines, and have had dialogue and a friendly partnership with them since.
There are 2 new webinars for us travel professionals that will be happening next week.  So if you are a travel professional, whether or not on your own, with a host agency, or working at a brick and mortar agency.
You can participate in these webinars.  They will go over the new booking engine updates, this is 2 fold issues one to learn the enhanced booking engine so you can book your clients in a timely manner instead of calling to them. 
Second, when they update things, sometimes the accessibility goes into the garbage. So if you have time on December 9th from 3-4pm Eastern Time, they are doing Booking Freestyle Groups, and on December 11 from 3-4:30PM Eastern Time they are doing Bookncl.com 101
To register for these events.
go to www.bookncl.com and sign in, you must be registered with Norwegian Cruise Lines for this, again, for travel professionalsgo to the Training Center Tab and scroll to find NCL U, again you need to be registered with NCL U as wellgo to the Library Tab scroll to find useful toolsOnce on this page, scroll to find Bookncl Enhancement WebinarsBoth Webinars are listed there and you need to register separately for each one.If you cannot access any of this, please post on this talk list, so we know what is going on. 
I have been trying since the NFB Nonvisual Accessibility Web Certification, came out, but they haven't taken the piece of the pie yet.  
We also need to know which website you as the agents need help with, such as GDS Systems, supplier websites, airlines websites
As well as you the consumer, we don't know what works or not if you aren't giving us feedback.
Thank you.
Cheryl Echevarria, PresidentNFB Travel & TourismNational Federation of the Blindwww.nfbtravel.orginfo at nfbtravel.org631-236-5138

 

Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY StateLeading the Way in Independent Travel!
Cheryl Echevarria, Ownerwww.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations at echevarriatravel.com
 Take the stress out of this year’s holiday shopping with NFB’s Bid for Equality national online auction: Black Friday, Nov. 29, to Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3. View our must-have donations and register to make your Bid for Equality. The future is in your bid! Echevarria Travel has partnered with Braille Smith. www.braillesmith.com for all her braille needs.  Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama