Onboard Celebrity Reflection for its Crystal Awards cruise last week, host agency KHM Travel Group took the opportunity to offer tips for travel advisors whose clients are among the 25% of the US population that has some kind of disability, and to highlight two of the industry’s best inclusion and diversity programs—one by KHM and one by Celebrity and its sister brand, Royal Caribbean.
A new award this year, for “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Action,” went to travel advisor Amy Garner, and the new DE&I Supplier Award went to Celebrity. An eye-opening tour of the Reflection with Amy and Ron Pettit, RCCL’s director of disability inclusion and ADA compliance, pointed out the many touchpoints on the ship that most people don’t even notice, but that make sailing easier for many guests. They include:
The Royal Caribbean/Celebrity contact center for travel advisors has a staff of 45 available to answer questions and make arrangements.
All ships have at least two pool lifts. You can arrange with Guest Relations to meet you at the pool and they will be there to help you.
The Spa Café has a variety of food options for guests with specific dietary needs.
There are ramps throughout the ship and in some cabins. Some cabins have ramps leading to the balcony.
All venues have tactile and Braille signage.
Camp at Sea is autism-friendly, and like the ship in general, it tends to be quieter and less crowded than the kids programs on Royal Caribbean ships—making Celebrity a good choice for children with autism. Celebrity also is working to bring on Autism on the Seas, a respite service that gives caretakers a break.
On Celebrity ships, the Sunset Bar is multilevel so you can belly up with the rest of them.
For clients who use CPAP machines, Celebrity provides extension cords and distilled water; the newer ships have outlets near the bed.
The Reflection Theater has spots for people in wheelchairs and their guests at the front and back, and double-wide seats for those who need more room.
There are low tables at “iconic spots” around the ships, including tables for Texas Hold Em, blackjack and roulette at the casino, at Celebrity’s Martini Bars, at Boleros on newer Royal Caribbean ships, and at the Guest Relations and Shore Excursions desks.
There’s an accessible treatment room in the spa, with a massage table that lowers to wheelchair level.
And here’s a couple of tips from Pettit for travel advisors working with customers with disabilities:
Have them buy a Sunflower lanyard, available online and at most airports, so suppliers are aware they may need a little extra attention without the client having to say anything.
If you wonder about the correct words to use, follow the client’s lead. Royal Caribbean takes a people-first approach – “I have a client in a wheelchair” – rather than leading with the disability, “I have a wheelchair-bound client.”
When speaking to the client, don’t ask what they have. Ask what they need.
At KHM, meanwhile, Amy Garner last year created a library of resources on DE&I travel, going beyond the usual to include traveling as a single mom or a solo female – “all those niches that need a little extra support,” she told TRO.