MIAMI, Dec. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Expanding its
commitment to making a cruise vacation more accessible for
everyone, Carnival Cruise Line has become the first cruise operator
to be certified "sensory inclusive" by KultureCity, a leading
nonprofit organization dedicated to accessibility and inclusion for
individuals with sensory needs and invisible
disabilities.
The rollout of the program started in October and all of
Carnival Cruise Line's South
Florida-based ships are certified, with the balance of the
fleet scheduled to be completed by March
2020.
As part of a comprehensive fleetwide training program, hundreds
of guest-facing team members, including guest services personnel
and youth staff, have been trained to understand and help adults,
youth and children with sensory related questions or needs relating
to conditions such as Autism, ADHD, Down syndrome, PTSD,
etc.
In addition, KultureCity sensory bags are available for check
out for the duration of the cruise and contain a variety of items
to help calm, relax and manage sensory overload. Items
include comfortable noise cancelling headphones (provided by Puro
Sound Labs), fidget toys, and a visual feeling thermometer
(produced in conjunction with Boardmaker), as well as a KultureCity
VIP lanyard to help staff easily identify guests.
These measures have proven to be helpful in the more than 450
landside venues like stadiums, arenas and amusement parks that have
partnered with KultureCity. Since the program has been
implemented aboard the first wave of Carnival's ships, feedback
from guests and their families has been overwhelmingly
positive.
Once on board, guests should inquire at the Guest Services desk
to inquire about borrowing a sensory bag and any other
accommodations that are available.
Informational videos featuring actor Christopher Gorham, a member of the KultureCity
board of directors, designed to create greater awareness among all
guests, are playing on in-stateroom televisions on the line's six certified
ships and will expand across the fleet as the program rolls out to
other ships.
"Carnival Cruise Line and KultureCity share a heartfelt
commitment to acceptance and inclusivity. Working together,
all of our guests can maximize their enjoyment and be the truest
versions of themselves during their time on board," said
Vicky Rey, Carnival's vice president
of guest care and communications and the company's ADA
Responsibility Officer.
"We're proud and grateful to partner with Carnival Cruise Line,
offering guests with sensory needs an opportunity to more fully
enjoy their vacations and create wonderful memories with their
friends, families and loved ones. We appreciate Carnival
Cruise Line for taking this important step in making their
vacations accessible to everyone," said Dr. Julian Maha, co-founder, KultureCity.
In addition to the KultureCity certification, Carnival will be
the first cruise operator to complete an additional special
needs certification program offered by the International Board of
Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards
(IBCCES).
The IBCCES program includes 17 continuing education units (CEUs)
of training in a variety of special needs, such as Autism, Down
Syndrome, mobility issues, and various other disabilities.
Additionally, Carnival's youth staff have different resources on
hand to help soothe, calm and entertain children participating in
our youth programs, such as weighted vests, conversation cards,
sensory games and other aids. Myron
Pincomb, board chairman of IBCCES: "It has been a pleasure
working with the Carnival team. Their unwavering passion
to go above and beyond to create the best experience possible
allows guests of all abilities to 'Choose Fun'."
"Carnival Cruise Line is to be commended for training their
staff about autism and offering sensory bags that will enable
individuals with autism and their families to have an enjoyable
cruise," Dr. Temple Grandin, a renowned autism advocate and author
and one of the first individuals on the autism spectrum to document
the insights she gained from her personal experience with
autism.
To obtain more information on the KultureCity program, please visit the Guests with Disabilities
page on Carnival.com.
To learn more about Carnival Cruise Line, visit Carnival.com.
For reservations, contact any travel agent or call 1-800-CARNIVAL.
Carnival can also be found on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and
YouTube.
Journalists also can visit Carnival's media
site, carnival-news.com or follow the line's PR
department on Twitter at twitter.com/CarnivalPR.
For additional information on KultureCity, please visit
kulturecity.org.
About Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line, part
of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is
"The World's Most Popular Cruise Line®" with 27 ships operating
two- to 16-day voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Bermuda, Europe, Australia, New
Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. The line currently has two
new ships scheduled for delivery – Mardi
Gras in 2020 and an as-yet-unnamed ship in
2022. Carnival Cruise Line is certified as a Great Place to
Work.
About KultureCity
KultureCity is a leading non-profit
recognized nationwide for using their resources to revolutionize
and effect change in the community for those with sensory needs
including those with autism, PTSD
and more. Since the program's inception, KultureCity has created
over 450 sensory inclusive venues in four countries, as well as
made special events such as NFL Pro-Bowl, NFL Super Bowl and MLB
All Star Weekend sensory inclusive. KultureCity has won many
awards for its efforts: NASCAR Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award
in 2017, finalist for the 2018 Stadium Business Award for the
Cleveland Cavaliers' Quiet Space Sensory Room at Quicken Loans
Arena and the 2018 Clio Sports Silver for social good in
partnership with Cleveland Cavaliers/Quicken Loans Arena. Recently,
KultureCity was awarded one of the World's Most Innovative
Companies for 2019 by FastCompany.
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SOURCE Carnival Cruise Line