Spring is in full swing and thanks to our Travel Partners we have not skipped a beat since Wave Season.
What’s Hot @ Special Needs Group
Season Features
One-Way Sailings from Vancouver to and from Seward and Whittier
Alaska Land Portions Beginning or Ending Pre or Post-Cruise in Anchorage and Fairbanks
Boston and Seattle Cruise Ports…as well as Pre and Post-Cruise
With CLIA’s Cruise 360 and Cruise Planners Mid-Year Conference behind us, next up…
GTM West, Las Vegas May 15th-18th
AVOYA Annual Conference, Long Beach 22nd-25th
Live Training and Certification of Celebrity’s Call Center in Wichita, Kansas May 21st-25th
We look forward to seeing you at one of the upcoming events.
We are pleased to be your partner and grealy appreciate your continued support in allowing us inDelivering an Accessible World®.
Keep Smilin’,
Andrew J. Garnett
President/CEO
C.A.T.A. Corner
Race to 5,000 SNG CATAs®
SNG is pleased that over 4,300 Travel Professionals have earned their SNG Certified Accessible Travel Advocate® (CATA) designation in the past 6 years.
The SNG Certificate Accessible Travel Advocate® Program is the Travel Industry’s 1st Certification program designed to equip Travel Professionals with insight to better serve the Special Needs, Disability and Mature Market segments.
Congratulations to the MSC Sales Team and CLIA Hall of Fame Inductee, Rick Sasso, who earnd CATA disgnations at their recent National Sales Meeting.
In addition, Certification jump-start Webinars can be scheduled and live/in-house training with onsite testing can be requested for large groups.
Become a Certified Accessible Travel Advocate through completing our online course; the course is composed of three interactive modules at no charge to Travel Industry Professionals. The SNG CATA program is available at www.specialneedsgroup.com/agents
Spotlight: Seattle
Seattle features two downtown terminals which are conveniently located in close proximity to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The Bell Street Cruise Terminal at Pier 66 and Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91 will serve seven major cruise lines from late April through mid-October during the present year. The Port of Seattle is the preferred choice for Alaska and Pacific Northwest sailings.
The city makes a great destination for experiencing one of America’s favorite cities prior to or following a cruise. Seattle has been recognized as a favorite by TravelandLeisure.com and CNN Headline News for its diversity in providing urban and outdoor experiences. The “Emerald City” offers shopping, delicious cuisine, microbrews, fine wines of the Northwest and of course Seattle’s famous coffee.
The Space Needle, Chihuly Gardens and Glass, historic Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market and the Seattle Aquarium are within blocks of the port. Seattle’s compactness makes for convenient touring. Within a two-hour drive from the city, tourists are exposed to America’s Pacific Northwest beauty and three national parks including the country’s most glaciated mountains in Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic.
Special Needs Group is proud to serve the city of Seattle and major cruise lines scheduled to sail from the Emerald City in 2018. We are pleased to be able to provide Kiosk service for all Holland America cruises out of Seattle as well as select Princess sailings. For more information, please visit us at www.specialneedsgroup.com.
SNG Assists Best Day Foundation Event
Special Needs Group recently provided Joy on the Beach Wheelchairs to Best Day Foundation’s event on April 21st & 22nd in Pompano Beach. The two-day event was held on the city’s public beach and pier. The Best Day Foundation enables children and young adults with special needs to build confidence and self-esteem through adventure activities which stretch their limits, expand their true potential, reinforce their achievement, & connect them with diverse populations in their community. Sam Knoeppel, the Florida Chapter Water Event Coordinator for the Best Day Foundation, indicated this year’s event was the most successful with its largest turnout and the JOBs were a “game-changer” in contributing to the children and young adults’ ability to experience the beach and ocean many for the first time.
Best Day Foundation offers special days at the beach and in the snow to children with special needs. Best Day provides back-end services, support, training, and business resources to ensure that safe, self-sufficient programs are created. The program is funded through donations, grants and sponsorships. In addition to its Florida Chapter, Best Day currently has chapters serving: Chesapeake Bay Virginia and North Carolina, New Jersey, Los Angeles County, California, Orange County, California, San Diego County California, Santa Barbara County, California and Ventura County, California.
Special Needs Group is truly grateful to able to assist in such a worthwhile rewarding event.
