[Nfbf-l] FW: for guide dog users, information on bringing your dogs on the 2014 State Convention of the NFB of Florida

Sat Feb 2 14:00:55 UTC 2013

Good morning all,

As most of you know, Cheryl Echevarria is the travel agent working with our
affiliate on our 2014 cruise convention. I asked her to write something for
those of us who are considering whether or not to take our guide dogs with
us on this cruise. The following is her response. I could not send it
sooner, as I was out of town and computerless...imagine that! If you have
further questions after reading the information, please email or call her.
Her contact info is in her email.

If you have something to say on this topic which you feel would benefit
other guide dog users, feel free to post it, especially on the FLAGDU list,
or the other lists for that matter.

Have a super Super Bowl weekend!

Sherrill

-----Original Message-----
From: cheryl echevarria [mailto:cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, January 25, 2013 10:22 AM
To: Sherill Obrien; Dwight Sayer
Subject: Flagdu members interested in bringing there dogs on the 2014 State
Convention of the NFB of Florida

Good morning President Sherill O'Brien and members of FLAGDU

I am also sending this to the Chairman of the Cruise Committee Vice
President of NFB of FL, Dwight Sayer.

I will not be at the NFB of FL state convention this year, but I will be at
the National Convention, and I welcome all of you if it doesn't conflict
with the NAGDU meeting to come to the Travel & Tourism meeting which will be
held July 2nd from 1-4pm, for Q&A, as well as to listen to our guest panel
which at the present time I have Mark Jones, Director of Access for both
Disney Theme Parks and Resorts. The other 2 I am waiting on is Cathy Vazquez
from Norwegian Cruise Lines, Manager of Access, and also someone from
Beautiful Accessible Barbados, which they work closely with the tourism
board of Barbados.

I will also be available to FLADU to do a teleconference or you each may
call at anytime to chat.

As a member of NAGDU and NYAGDU, as well as, having taken Maxx many times on
cruises, and let me tell you he loves all the attention from the staff and
crew, yes some are a little afraid of dogs, you will always have that, and
many times when we cruise there are others on board as well, the last time
we cruised in October, there was a gentleman who has Muscular Dystrophy who
we met his wife on the ship has a black lab as well. We have become good
friends.

This brings me to something else before I start talking about bringing the
dogs on the cruise.

I have held separate space on the cruise, which I will be in attendance, as
well as, my wonderful husband and partner if you have ever met, Nelson, at
the National Conventions. He will also be hosting this great event and also
be a volunteer to those that need it.

Again, I have held separate space on the same cruise to which I am doing it
as a fundraiser, and calling it friends and family of the NFB of Florida,
everyone gets the same rates as the rates for the convention.  Anyone can
book, an NFB member or not, blind or sighted, etc, so tell your friends and
family about it, and depending on how many people we got to book that can
mean anywhere from $400 if all 16 staterooms are booked upwards.

Now let's get to the nitty gritty of bringing your dog on this cruise or on
any cruise.

First of all the cruise ship will supply relief areas not only near your
stateroom floor you are on and on both side of the cruise ship, and I am not
saying everyone knows what that means, but on each floor that has staterooms
(hotel rooms), there are to sides of the ship that has these rooms, so there
will be at least 2 boxes in a safe area, on a cruise ship, for those that
have been on or not, and some may not like where they are positioned.
Norwegian recommends when they are on your stateroom level of the ship, that
they put them in the area where the staff has there own elevators and
stairwells, they are very well air conditioned and very roomy, depending on
the number of dogs will determine the size of the boxes that are put there,
if you were listening to Echevarria Travel Show which is on the WTOE Radio
Network, and please read all about us in the Feb 2013 Braille Monitor that
President Joe Ruffalo has put in it about all 4 shows that air on Wednesday
Nights and produced through the Northeast Chapter of the NFB of NJ. Okay a
little plug there. In any case, I had on my January 2, 2013 show Mr. Andrew
Garnett, CEO/President of Special Needs Group, that does all the relief
boxes for all the cruise lines. As well as wheelchair/scooter/oxygen rentals
and more.

You do not pay for the boxes, the cruise lines arranges for this.

The other boxes will be placed near the General Session Areas, possibly
outside.

The reason for not putting the boxes outside is because if it is windy, the
stuff in the boxes will fly away. It is not like being at a hotel if it is
windy and  stuff flies around you can just sweep it up. The boxes have the
same materials that we use at our conventions.

You must bring your own bags, but the staff will clean out the boxes at
least once a day, if that particular area you are going to needs to be done
more, let me know and I will make sure the staff will take care of it. There
will also be a trash can near the boxes as well.

Another thing, I know like Maxx even at state or national convention etc, it
will take him maybe a day or so to go, some dogs do but some dogs don't.
Also since this is a short cruise we will be at a port every day.  Please,
being a graduate where the dogs break, busy, or whatever word you use for
the command to have the dog go, don't use the grass areas or the trees, etc.
have them go on the street or cement. In the Nassau, when we have the all
clear to go off the ship, we are docked and you can go off the ship in the
cemented area of the port and take doggie to the bathroom, make sure you
bring room key when doing so it will let you back and forth on the ship, and
if you are going out on your excursion carry all paperwork including the
paperwork that is asked for below, the customs officers walking around will
ask to see them once you are out of the dock area.

When we arrive for Great Stirrup Cay, we are tendered, which means there
will be boats that come from the island to take us to the beach area.  See
the rest of the e-mail for more information.  You do not need passports or
any other paperwork when going to Great Stirrup Cay (It is Norwegian's own
private island in the bahamas)

Please make sure you clean up after you dogs, if there is an accident and
they all happen, get a staff of the ship to know right away, we are not the
only people who are going to be on the ship, and we don't want others
stepping or slipping in it. Just let us know, and we will take care of it.

Another thing. Great Stirrup Cay (which is pronounced like the word key) is
a beach day, if you do not want to bring your dog to the beach (you cannot
leave dog unattended in your room at anytime, this is the cruise lines
policies and also NAGDU's policy) this is the day to not go, plenty of stuff
to do on the ship as well, plus a little note if you are not going off the
ship, the spas offer discounts, and the pool areas and other areas are a
little more quiet.

But they have barbecue and water sports and just beach stuff at Great
Stirrup Cay. I have taken Maxx, and put him on a blanket and he is fine, he
doesn't like the water, so he doesn't go in. So I go in and Nelson watches
Maxx, or if we are traveling with others, they usually tell us they will
watch Maxx and we go for a swim or something.

You came and go as many time as you like, so long you are back on the ship
with everyone else.

The other port is Nassau, Bahamas

I have taken Maxx to the Atlantis many times since there is a day pass to
the Atlantis, and tours of the island etc.

When cruising whether it is to a US port or not, you need certain documents
for your dog, I have the paperwork for the Bahamas for those that need it.

You will need to make sure all the shots are up to date, and the ship and
the Bahamas needs a USDA Health Certificate from your vet, 10 days prior to
stepping foot in the Bahamas, not 10 days prior to sailing. If you do it to
soon, the Bahamas will return the permit application which is free by the
way, but they have certain guide lines.

Some vets call it a passport for your dog, but it is the same thing. I will
send you the application to you via mail or e-mail and you need to take that
to the vet have him or her fill it out and do the health certificate, not
all vets can do it, you need to ask. If they don't you can ask your guide
dog school or the vet who does do it. The ship will need this information as
well. So once all paperwork is complete you send it back to me and I will
forward it to the ship.  You do not need to let me know at time of booking
that you are bringing the dog, I know this is a decision and if you decide
you are and that the last minute you aren't that is fine, but if you are not
sure you have until 90 days prior to sailing to decide, because they have to
contact the special needs group to make sure we have a full count of how
many dogs are coming and how many relief areas they will need.

Some fast answers:

NO! You do not need a Wheelchair accessible room for you and your dog, you
can get to adults and a dog in your room safely, we need to have the
wheelchair accessible rooms for those that need them and they are limited.

NO! You do not have to know at time of booking that you are bringing your
dog if you are definitely coming, but if you are definitely bringing the dog
I need to know 90 days prior to cruising.

NO! You cannot have the relief box in your room if you have a Balcony.

NO! You cannot leave your dog unattended in your stateroom at any time.

Yes! You need to bring the dogs food, water bowls, doggie bags to pick up
poop, etc. Just like you would if you are going anywhere.

Yes! Please let us know if there are issues with the boxes and if there are
accidents.

Yes! If you decide the last minute you do not want to bring your dog that is
fine.

For more questions, just ask

Sincerely,

Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY State

Leading the Way in Independent Travel!

SNG Certified - Accessible Travel Advocate!

Cheryl Echevarria, Owner
http://www.echevarriatravel.com
631-456-5394
reservations at echevarriatravel.com
http://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com

2012 Norwegian Cruise Line University Advisory Board Member.

Affiliated as an independent contractor with Montrose Travel
CST - #1018299-10
Echevarria Travel and proud member of the National Federation of the Blind
will be holding a year round fundraiser for the http://www.NFBNY.org after
Hurricane Sandy and other resources. Any vacation package booked between
November 6 2012-November 6, 2013 and vacation must be traveled no later than
12/30/2014 a percentage of my earnings will go to the affiliate.  Also is
you book a Sandals for couples or Beaches for families and friends resorts
vacation, $100.00 per booking will go to the affiliate as well.  You do not
need to be a member of the NFB.org, just book through us.