[Travelandtourism] Disney Announces Important Information Regarding European Union Regulations

[Vicki Ratcliffe]

     I'll chime in here with a couple comments from experience.  My
preferred cruise lines are Royal Caribbean or Celebrity but in 2004, I took
a wonderful cruise on Holland America to Russia from Denmark.  Another blind
friend and I had absolutely no problem going on tours or getting around the
ship.  In 2005 I took another cruise with Holland America to the Panama
Canal with the same friend and worked with an access agent, who was
fantastic, for the trip.  We booked our tours in advance but when getting on
the ship, the lady in charge of the shore excursions told us on the third
day of the trip that we would not be able to leave the ship unless we had a
guide.  She really, I think, freaked out as to how blind people could get
around so my friend and I telephoned the travel agent and a lot of emails
were sent between the cruise line and the travel agency.  We did not need
guides but they were provided and we were able to do the tours that we had
booked.

     Now when booking a cruise, I notify the shore excursions department in
regard to the tours that I have booked and tell them that I will not need
any accommodations unless it is a kayak tour and I would need a guide.  I
print and take the confirmations received from the cruise line or shore
excursions or from the travel agent and if there is any doubt or question, I
pull out the papers which states in writing the confirmations.

     My only concern about this matter is that I would not want any company,
cruise or tour, to deny anyone access to going on a tour that a person could
very well do.

Vicki Ratcliffe