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Now live at www.nclu.co.uk the course is designed to provide agents with the necessary knowledge of NCL’s facilities and policies to confidently sell cruise to disabled passengers. Course information includes a guide to fleet-wide facilities for guests with limited mobility, hearing and sight impairments, as well as advice on how NCL can accommodate guests with dietary or medical equipment needs. The course concludes with top tips for agents when booking disabled guests.
Video footage of NCL’s facilities is also included online, as are downloadable resources such as forms to help agents make requests for guests with special requirements. Agents can also read customer reviews of ship facilities as well as advice from the Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality (SATH).
Andy Wright is managing director at Accessible Travel which specialises in holidays for disabled, wheelchair and elderly guests and was involved in the creation of the module. He commented, “Any vehicle that raises awareness on accessible travel is welcomed by us. We know first-hand that this is an area which has often been neglected so it’s great that NCL is addressing this with a proactive approach. Meeting the needs of disabled travellers goes deeper than product knowledge alone but this is certainly a step in the right direction.“
NCL is further investing in accessible facilities on new ship Norwegian Epic, launching in 2010, where all public lounges, restaurants, shops, entertainment venues and information desks have been designed to be wheelchair friendly and 42 staterooms will be fully accessible, with features such as grab rails in the bathrooms, sinks and toilets, wheel-in showers, raised beds, adjustable hanging rods in wardrobes and extra wide doors for easy access. Extra wide passageways and designated accessible locations in the gym, spa and bars will all feature.
The current fleet has up to 27 wheelchair accessible staterooms per ship with facilities such as grab bars, ramps and Braille signs on doors.
Stephen Park, general manager, NCL UK added: “From agent feedback and working with Accessible Travel we understand some agents may lack confidence in booking disabled customers because of either a lack of product knowledge, or they may be uncomfortable asking customers quite specific questions about their needs.
“We want to help break down these barriers by giving travel partners easy access to the information they need to provide the right cruise to the right person regardless of their requirements.”
Agents completing the course by 28 August 2009 will be automatically entered into a prize draw to win a 4-night Western Mediterranean cruise on board Norwegian Gem.
Further accessible information is also included in NCL’s recently launched 2010 & 2011 Freestyle Cruising brochure which includes details of oxygen therapy, wheelchair seating and storage for diabetic treatments.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
