We want to thank each and every one of you for your continued loyalty and trust and the opportunity to help plan your vacations. We are so blessed to be able to work with you and travel with many of you. Your friendship means the world to us and we cherish the memories we have built together. We wish all of you the happiest of holidays filled with family, friends, laughter and joy. May 2019 bring you health, happiness and new adventures.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Where We're Going...

Are You Coming With Us?

Our 2019 European Adventure, June 14 - 26, on Celebrity Reflection from Dublin to Amsterdam has two cabins available but act fast if interested. We are having overnight stays in Dublin and Cork as well as Paris. We also visit the ports of Bruges, Dover, Belfast and Liverpool. This is an extraordinary itinerary.

Our friends in Western Washington state are doing an Alaska Cruise on RCCL's Ovation of The Seas August 23, 2019. This is for their Ataxia Support Group and is currently open to all with Ataxia throughout the country. Please call if interested in getting more information.

Room for one or two is available on our amazing New Zealand land trip, March 28 - April 16, 2019. See both North and South Islands and be charmed by the nicest people you will ever meet.

*ONLY 1 ROOM REMAINS!!!

(2 people sharing or 1 single)

Hawaiian Island Cruise is being offered once again on NCL Pride of America. Sailing round-trip Honolulu October 26 - November 2, 2019. Details are now on our web site. We have very limited availability. We will offer three nights pre-cruise stay in Honolulu. Come experience the Aloha Spirit with us.

I am in the process of putting together a land trip to Israel. I am working on details now for this trip. Our visit will be multi-cultural but will lean more towards Jewish Heritage. Date will be early May, 2020. Please let me know if you are interested.

SOUTH AFRICA 2019 IS NOW OPEN FOR RESERVATIONS

Depart USA October 11 and return October 26, 2019

Please visit our website and click on Group Trips for itinerary and pricing.

Please note that we have only 4 accessible rooms still available. Only 12 lucky travelers will get the opportunity to be on this trip! Our preference is that everyone travel with a companion.

We also request that everyone travel with your own mobility equipment as we will not be renting equipment.

We will begin scheduling Group Trips for 2020 in January, 2019.

Complete details for all trips on our website www.easyaccesstravel.com

Cruise Ships & Straws

Please be aware that all of the major cruise lines now ban plastic straws on their ships. I am sharing this information with you because I realize that many of you need to use straws for beverage consumption as a result of a disability and/or medical condition. It has been proven that our obsession with plastic products is extremely damaging to our environment and especially to our beautiful oceans.

Please be prepared to bring your own straws with you on your next cruise. Some cruise lines offer straws on request but be prepared in case the ship you are on does not. Preferably, you can buy reusable straws or paper straws. Help keep our oceans clean and safe for its inhabitants.

Learn more....

Just Returned...Inaugural of Celebrity Edge

After attending Cruise Planner's Convention celebrating 25 years, we were invited to sail on Celebrity Cruise Lines newest addition, Celebrity Edge. The name is perfect as this ship is certainly on the cutting edge of design and technical innovation.

A brand new cruise terminal at Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale is home to the Edge when she spends winters sailing the Caribbean. Late spring and Summer will find her in Europe. Embarkation and debarkation have been streamlined using facial recognition and avoiding lines. Someone meets you with an IPad and before you know it, you are onboard!

Celebrity Edge is an amazingly beautiful ship from every vantage point but she is a little "edgy" and may not be for everyone. The entertainment in the main theater was not my taste as I prefer more traditional shows. However, it was loved by many and the performers were certainly talented.

My favorite thing on the ships were the beautiful staterooms. They have a new category called Infinite Veranda and I stayed in an accessible one. The balcony has sliding doors to the outside and then there are windows which you can operate with a push button or even from an app on your phone (while lying in bed!). It gives the illusion of being part of your stateroom and increases the size another five feet. There is a blackout shade that also operates via pushbutton or app. It was simply lovely and I could definitely enjoy spending time there! Hate to be negative, but I need to be honest with all of you. Therefore, I must tell you that the attached shower seat in the roll in shower was way too small. So small that I would not risk transferring to it. My room steward was able to bring in a transfer bench for me to use but I feel that this issue must be addressed. As a member of their Disability Advisory Board, I quickly let them know and I'm waiting to be told what the solution will be. What a shame to have this problem on a brand new ship. It would have been so easy to avoid this.

Celebrity Edge should be commended for their outstanding efforts regarding the environment and using products that are 100% recyclable.

Special Needs at Sea Introduces

White Glove Service

Important information for all of you that rent scooters and wheelchairs for your cruise vacations. SNG (Special Needs Group) is now offering White Glove Service at several ports of embarkation. What does this mean?

Instead of getting your mobility equipment in your stateroom, an SNG White Glove Ambassador will meet you at the terminal and deliver your scooter or wheelchair to you. The ambassador will then answer any questions and go over proper operation and use of the equipment. This service should go a long way to eliminate problems that clients have during their cruise. Most problems arise because clients don't read the information that comes with every piece of equipment. They don't charge equipment every night and simply fail to follow proper guidelines. This new personalized service should be a great step forward in keeping all equipment functioning properly for the duration of the client's vacation. It will also help facilitate the client's ability to board the ship and to immediately start having fun!

Read more about White Glove Service

Do you have a travel tip you'd like to share? Send it to us debra@easyaccesstravel.com and it may be in the next newsletter.

Sincerely,

Debra Kerper 

(951) 202 2208 

debra@easyaccesstravel.com