Last year, Vacations To Go launched
a new department to help travelers with disabilities find suitable cruise
ships. We introduced the first comprehensive, ship-by-ship guide to facilities,
services and amenities for travelers with special needs, plus search tools that
highlight the best rates on the most accommodating ships.
Today, I'd like to introduce you to Ron Pettit, Access Manager at Royal
Caribbean. In his prior position at Northwest Airlines, Ron was responsible
for improving the air travel experience for over 3.3 million customers with
disabilities. Now Ron's role is to ensure that passengers with disabilities
receive the accommodations and services they need on Royal Caribbean.
Ron is hard of hearing and finds his job particularly rewarding as he works to
increase accessibility for all Royal Caribbean guests.
Below, Ron talks about the state of accessibility in the cruise industry and
describes how Royal Caribbean is reaching out to travelers with special needs.
Can you give some examples of how Royal
Sure. All Royal Caribbean ships have wheelchair accessible cabins with widened
stateroom and bathroom doors, roll-in showers, shower benches, and toilet and
shower grab bars. All ships also feature lowered guest-relations counters,
lowered blackjack tables, lowered or ramped thresholds, and pool and whirlpool
lifts.
Are there any new amenities or features on the most recently launched Royal
Yes. Our Freedom-class
ships contain several new amenities, including the H20 Zone, a water park
for children where we have plastic wheelchairs for our guests to navigate this
wonderful play area. At the OnAir Club, a dedicated
space for karaoke events, we have a ramp to the stage to allow guests in
wheelchairs and scooters to participate. And, we have an accessible Junior
Suite that accommodates up to six guests.
Which itineraries are most attractive for first-time cruisers with limited
mobility?
Alaska
cruises are popular options as there is excellent accessibility in port as
well as on shore excursions. In the Caribbean, the Eastern
Caribbean may be preferable because many of the ports are
"docked," versus
Can you name some specific Royal
Sure. The Freedom-class ships and Voyager-class
ships, because they are our newest new-builds and have a lot of accessible
staterooms -- 32 on Freedom-class ships and 26 on Voyager-class vessels. And
the Radiance-class
ships, because accessible staterooms have automatic door openers, which
makes it very easy for guests in wheelchairs and scooters to get in and out.
What features does Royal
Royal
For passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing, we offer:
For passengers who are blind or have low vision, we offer:
To see special needs information for Royal Caribbean's ships, click here.
For special needs information for other cruise lines and cruise ships, click here.
To visit the main Special Needs section of our site, click here.
The Special Needs department at Vacations To Go is
open Monday-Friday from 8am to 7pm, and Saturday from 9am to 6pm, CST, and can
be reached at (800) 998-6902 or TTY Phone (800) 998-6795. It's important to
tell the cruise counselor about all special needs prior to booking so that he
or she can determine if they can be met.
We will soon start a monthly newsletter filled with tips and deals for
travelers with special needs. To subscribe for free, please click here. To
forward a copy of this newsletter to someone with special needs, please click here.
I have scanned all the sailings in the next 90 days, and
listed below are all the deepest discounts according to type of cabin.
Inside Cabins
Click here
to see all sailings offering inside cabins for at least 60% off.
Oceanview Cabins
Click here
to see all sailings offering oceanview
cabins for at least 60% off.
Balcony Cabins
Click here
to see all sailings offering balcony cabins for at least 55% off.
Suites
Click here
to see all sailings offering suites for at least 50% off.
Here are today's Top 10 Cruises, brand
new specials from the world's best cruiselines. Click
the FastDeal # for details.
1)
2) Caribbean, 7 days on Carnival,
departs
3)
4) Bermuda, 7 days on Norwegian, departs
5)
6) Northern Europe, 7 days on Costa
Cruises, departs
7) Mediterranean, 12 days on Carnival,
departs
8) Canada/New
9) Caribbean, 9 days on Princess,
departs
10) Mediterranean, 12 days on Oceania
Cruises, departs
For all last-minute cruise specials in the next 90 days, click here.
To search for discounts on cruises departing more than 90 days from now, click here.
For escorted tours worldwide, or air/hotel packages to
For hotels in the Caribbean,
Once you've found a FASTDEAL, call us toll free at 800-338-4962 (US and
Please e-mail me your comments, suggestions and questions at alanfox@vacationstogo.com
and I will respond the same day.
To send one sample copy of this newsletter to a friend, click here.
Sincerely,
R. Alan Fox
Chairman & CEO
Vacations To Go