To the U S Access Board
Baby Boomers will soon begin taking cruises in large numbers; and due to having listend to loud music and other factors a larger percentage of that segment of the population will have some degree of hearing loss than ever before. They will begin comparing what the various cruise lines offer in terms of assistive listening systmes and other access measures.
I support all of the requests made by the Hearing Loss Association of America, but want to particularly emphasize training for cruise personnel and and tour guides. I am hard of hearing and recently took a river cruise in a foreign country(American company: Grand Circle Tours). I paid a very large amount of money for the tour guides, but could never understand what any of them were saying. It does not even cost anything to train on board personnel and Guides to keep microphones below their faces, so that their lips are always visible.
I know that I will not take another cruise until more is done to make the
trips accessible. Please take steps to ensure that cruise ships/tours
become more accessible to hard of hearing travelers.
Sincerely,
Nancy Rosenberg
Houston, Texas