I have been on three cruises and have always requested accommodations ahead of time.
However, they often have not been provided for me. Often times, the crew doesn't understand what an ALD is or what alerting devices are available.
When I have been on cruises, I have written letters and have asked for the following:
scripts for evening performances
song lyrics for songs
captioning for live theatre performances and entertainment
ALD (assistive listening device) for all theatre performances and entertainment
access to plug in my FM unit into the sound mixer in the theatre
having a sound technician familiar with ALDs and how to use them
all announcements written on a blackboard or other type of board
ALD for all songs
vibrating alarm clocks in the cabins
TTY phone in the cabins
staff familiar how to use TTYs
visual/tactile door alerts
in the dining room, written menu of the day's specials
captioning on the TVs, especially the news
international symbol of accessibility
notification and alerting system
brochures with proper signage, such as the international symbol of communicative accessibility
ALD on all tours and entertainment
written material on what is being said on the loud speakers
hearing aid compatible telephones with loud amplification
visual/tactile alerting for emergencies
visual/tactile alerting system for the telephone
staff trained on all of the above
Please remember that captioning will benefit more than those who are hearing impaired:
non-English speakers can benefit from captioning as well.
Thank you for considering the needs of deaf and hard of hearing people. Since the numbers of those with hearing loss is growing and many are seniors, it makes sense to accommodate them as best as possible.
Sandy Spekman
South Orange, New Jersey