The accessible travel industry continues to expand, providing those with physical and sensory disabilities an increasing selection of opportunities for everything from leisurely sea cruises to eco-friendly explorations of lost cultures.
While the Americans With Disabilities Act (and similar regulations in other countries), prompted access to hotels, restaurants, airlines, and ships, many operators now design packages just for disabled and senior travelers.
Access Eco Tours Offers Trips to Mexico
Access Eco Tours offers the disabled and seniors eco-conscious expeditions to Playa del Carmen in the Mexican Caribbean, where travelers can experience nature as well as local cultural. Tours are geared toward small groups, but individuals are welcome. The tour operator is Stefanie Baeker, who is a native of Germany’s North Sea Coast, a popular green tourism destination. She now lives in Riviera Maya. Her work as a low-vision information specialist with tourism expertise and a strong interest in Mayan history inspired her to create Project Mayan Encounter.
National Federation of the Blind Oregon-Alaska Cruise
The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) offers a seven-night Alaska cruise aboard the Norwegian Cruise Line Star. The ship features all-you-can-eat food with 11 restaurants and 24-hour room service; nightly entertainment, including Broadway-style productions, comedians, and concerts, a state-of-the-art spa; activities for all ages, and many quiet areas to relax.
The Alaska itinerary cruises past spectacular glaciers so close you can hear ice breaking; 7,000-foot snowcapped mountains overlooking the sea; and wildlife, including whales, seals, bear, and moose. The trip provides an opportunity to ride the White Pass and Yukon Railroad that operated during the Yukon Gold Rush.
Departs Seattle Saturday, September 5, 2009 and returns Saturday, September 12. Price: $654 for an inside cabin; $824 for ocean view cabin with picture window; and $1,184 for ocean view cabin with balcony. Rates are per person based on double occupancy and do not include taxes and port fees (c. $395), and are subject to change until paid in full. A $275 per-person deposit (of which $250 is refundable by the June 5, 2009 payment deadline) is required; discounted third and fourth person rates available upon request. Call Kim Howell (800.480.7405) at Travelfax for reservations.
Atlantic Cruise Offers from Accessible Travel & Leisure
British-based Accessible Travel & Leisure specializes in cruises that accommodate all travelers, including those who are blind, in wheelchairs, or mobility impairments. The operator's 2009 specials include:
- A three-day cruise from Southampton (June 25, 2009) to Le Havre on the NCL’s Norwegian Jade; £314 for two adults sharing inside accessible cabin; upgrades and discounts may apply.
- A 14-night Atlantic and Mediterranean cruise (June 28, 2009) aboard NCL’s Norwegian Jade from Southampton. Stops include: Barcelona, Cannes, Livorno, Gibraltar, and Lisbon, among others. Prices from £1,369 per person for two adults sharing an II Grade inside adapted cabin; upgrades and discounts may apply.
- A 12-night cruise aboard RCI’s Jewel of the Seas leaving from Harwich May 17, 2009. Stops include: Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, and St Petersburg. Prices from £875 per person for two adults sharing a Q Grade inside adapted cabin.
Accessible travel options increase month by month, and are becoming more specialized and varied as tour operators reach out to the disabled.
Andrew Leibs - Andrew Leibs is Suite101’s Feature Writer for Accessible Recreation. He is a longtime chronicler of the disability movement with ...
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