Don’t Live in a World of Isolation: Travel Inspiration from Accessibility-Friendly Travel Agents
- May 5
- 6 min read
First Aid for the Blind talks with clients every month who are scared and nervous about vision loss. They fear they will never be able to leave the house again, and they worry that they can’t navigate their community without sight.
These feelings are completely understandable, but we want everyone in the blind community to know they can push past those limits and still explore the world! People like Julie Flaherty and Katie White, travel agents who specialize in accessible travel (especially for blind and low-vision folks) can help.
Julie owns a Cruise Planners travel agency with her husband. She got into the travel industry years ago as she planned her own family vacations on an affordable budget. She built a list of friends, family members, and acquaintances who trusted her knowledge on travel-related subjects.
Julie says her career choice was practical. “We have a herd of children, Mama needs a vacation every year, and my husband is cheap,” she said.
From the beginning, Julie had experience working with special needs travel, as some of her friends and family members required wheelchairs. Then, in 2019, Julie was diagnosed with macular degeneration. She spent her time in COVID isolation learning Braille and reconfiguring her life. As a travel agency owner, she had to learn how to make an industry that is primarily visual work for people without vision.
“I became an expert by happenstance. Now it's my life,” she said.
Today, Julie is operating a thriving business and traveling about once a month herself. She leads groups, keynotes presentations across the world, and heads off to Disney World (her favorite place) to enjoy some solo travel.
Julie’s Cruise Planners business works with all kinds of clients who are looking for all kinds of adventures across the globe. She said about 45 percent of her clientele need accessibility accommodations in some form, from CPAP machines to wheelchair rentals. She estimates about 15 percent are visually impaired, like she is.
Julie said she knows who to ask when people need wheelchairs, scooters, live audio describers, large-print and black-and-white menus, and more, whether her travelers are on a cruise or tour or staying in a hotel or all-inclusive resort.
“Certain things have to be in place, or should be put in place,” said Julie. “Sometimes people just don’t know what to ask for.”
That’s a sentiment that Katie has faced with clients in her business, Magical Moments Vacations.
“Because everything in this industry is aimed at those who are sighted, there’s not as much audio or tactile resources,” said Katie. “Knowing what the options are for blind and low-vision people is important. A lot of places have options, but they don't make it easy. They don't make it clear what the availability of accommodations are, which is the gap I'm trying to fill."
Katie is a sighted travel agent with a focus on cruises and Disney and Universal Orland Resorts. She was raised by blind parents, and her husband is also blind.
“I quite literally grew up in this community, so I thought I could fill the gap,” said Katie. “Not a lot of agents specialize in accessible travel.”
Katie’s job is to make sure her clients have whatever accessibility accommodations they need on their trips, whether that be audio description services to complimentary Wi-Fi to utilize apps like Be My Eyes. She also tries to make a lasting impact on the industry by encouraging clients to leave honest feedback in surveys.
“Some companies are striving to be accessible, taking what people say and acting on it - Royal Caribbean and Disney, for example,” she said. “Other companies are going the opposite route. It’s good to be in-the-know in the travel industry.”
Likewise, Julie uses her extensive knowledge and experience to help her manage expectations for her clients. She can discuss with them different accessibility levels in different situations, from equipment availability to stamina of the traveler. For example, she noted that Europe has adopted more Braille and audio resources, but the spaces are often physically tighter.
Still, she’s seen improvement. Julie noted that many monuments in Greece are now getting ramps for wheelchair users. She found her favorite accessibility feature – an audio description player on a lanyard – at Giant's Causeway in Ireland.
“We have to be innovative because people don't always adjust to us,” said Julie, adding that we would all be better off if we, as a society, “accept people who they are, how they are, and where they are. Accessibility matters every day because the things that make things more accessible, they help everyone.”
Julie noted one story about traveling with a friend in Santorini. They wanted to see the views of the island from the top of a hill, but options were limited for her friend, who had mobility limitations. They were able to use a tram and finally reached the top where they sat at a restaurant all day, the owner letting them stay for hours to enjoy the view.
“It was the best part of the day,” said Julie. “That's what you can get when you accommodate and accept people.”
For her part, Katie wants to encourage blind folks to reach out to professionals for help preparing for a trip.
“I would tell people who are nervous about traveling to reach out to an agent,” she said. “That's literally their job to make it accessible and make it easier for you to travel."
Katie also recommends group tours, which can offer a sense of comfortability when multiple people request accommodations together. The sense of unity is so strong that Katie has built friendships with people who have joined her on multiple trips, like the Bahamas and Alaska!
On the recent Alaskan cruise, Katie was able to act as a guide for a group of more than 50 people, with about half being blind.
"It was a lot of work, but it was really, really fun. We had a great time,” Katie said. “We had an amazing audio describer come on board to help with a performance. It was a really neat experience to close my eyes and ‘see’ what was happening at the show.”
Her group also made memories driving bumper cars and participating in a skydiving simulator. Then, they did a hands-on excursion together with sled dog puppies, with Katie noting that “it was cool to see everyone's immersion into the experience.”
Like Katie, Julie is doing her part to make the travel more accessible for all people. She is often educating the travel industry on a few key lessons:
It’s normal to want to be self-sufficient, but don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Accessible accommodations help everyone.
Learn how to advocate for yourself.
Blindness looks different for everyone.
Push past comfort zone. Julie said, “Sometimes it's taking one step and realizing, ‘Wow, that wasn't too hard. I can do that again. I'm not going to run a marathon, but I can take 25 steps, and that's more than yesterday.”
Julie lives by a mantra: The only constant is change. This piece of wisdom can apply to anyone feeling stuck in their blindness, whether they want to travel the world or just around the block.
She said, “I'm not who I was yesterday. I hope I'm better, even a little bit. I'm not who I'll be tomorrow. The best way I know how to do is to step out of my comfort zone and go meet people, even if it's an adventure in my own neighborhood. I want to make the world smaller. I refuse to make my world a world of isolation.”
If you would like to work with either of these agents, their information is below. Katie is currently running a group cruise to Hawaii this fall, and Julie is planning group cruises to Alaska this summer and Japan and Korea in 2027 (her fliers are below).
Katie White:
Julie Flaherty:
317-340-8801
First Aid for the Blind hopes that all blind and low-vision folks have the confidence and tools they need to live life to the fullest. That’s the goal of our work. If you need anything from our team, email us at admin@faftb.com. You never know – maybe we’ll meet you next on a cruise ship one day!
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