Royal Caribbean Announces First TV Channel At Sea Dedicated To Autism Programming

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Oct 01, 2015, 10:00 ET

MIAMI, Oct. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Caribbean International will be the first in the hospitality industry to offer complimentary on-demand access to exclusive content from The Autism Channel onboard most of its ships. Starting in late October 2015, this new offering enhances the cruise line's highly successful Autism Friendly program, designed to provide inclusive cruise vacation experiences for families living with autism and other developmental disabilities.

The Autism Channel is a streaming television service providing information and resources to families and professionals supporting and improving the lives of people with autism spectrum disorders. Educational and entertainment programming on The Autism Channel ranges from a look inside the daily lives of several families with children on the spectrum, to interviews with medical and legal professionals.

"The Autism Channel is delighted that Royal Caribbean has chosen to make this valuable content available on many Royal Caribbean ships. For every one person on the autism spectrum there are six more persons directly impacted by that person. Complimentary access to The Autism Channel's exclusive content will benefit many Royal Caribbean guests and bring more awareness to Autism," said Jeffrey A. Kasky, president, The Autism Channel.

Some of the programs available for viewing are:

I Am Autistic with Daniel Heinlein – Diagnosed with Asperger's as a teenager, Daniel Heinlein talks about autism with doctors, researchers, and others on the spectrum.
Dr. Judy – A board-certified developmental and behavioral pediatrician, Dr. Judith Aranson-Ramos, MD talks about early diagnosis and treatment for people on the spectrum.
Real Look Autism – From renowned executive producer Mary Beth Marsden, an unfiltered look at ASD children and their progress.
Direct From Autism Service Dogs America – Follow a therapy dog's journey from selection through life as a working dog.
The Rocket Family Chronicles – A mockumentary about the life and times of Rocket, an on-the-spectrum filmmaker and his unique family.
Cooking with Jana – Gluten and Casein free cooking with Chef Jana McMahon, featuring easy to make recipes low in allergens.

Complimentary on-demand access to The Autism Channel will be available in all staterooms onboard Quantum, Oasis, Freedom, Voyager and Radiance-class ships on LED flat-panel interactive televisions. Programming will be initially offered in English as well as closed captioned for guests who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Royal Caribbean International was the first cruise line to become certified Autism Friendly by Autism on the Seas™ the leading travel organization catering to vacationers with autism and other developmental disabilities in February 2014. As part of its program, Royal Caribbean has introduced autism friendly services including sensory friendly movies, an autism friendly toy lending program, and social story (downloadable from RoyalCaribbean.com/AutismFriendly), and all youth staff from the cruise line's award-winning children's program are provided autism awareness training. The training will be extended to other members of the staff and shipboard crew as part of their job-specific training.

About Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean International is an award-winning global cruise brand with a 46-year legacy of innovation and introducing industry "firsts" never before seen at sea. The cruise line features an expansive and unmatched array of features and amenities only found on Royal Caribbean including, jaw-dropping, Broadway-style entertainment and industry-acclaimed programming that appeals to families and adventurous vacationers alike. Onboard, guests are catered to with the cruise line's world-renowned friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service by every staff and crew member. Royal Caribbean has been voted "Best Cruise Line Overall" for 12 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers Awards.

The cruise line sails 23 of the world's most innovative cruise ships to the most popular destinations in Bermuda and the Caribbean, Europe, Canada and New England, Alaska, South America, Asia, and Australia and New Zealand. Media can stay up-to-date by following @RoyalCaribPR on Twitter, and visiting RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com. For additional information or to make reservations, vacationers should call their travel agent; visit RoyalCaribbean.com; or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN.

About The Autism Channel
The Autism Channel is currently available free via Roku and Panasonic Viera Connect Smart TVs with other set-top boxes and smart TVs to come soon. The Autism Channel programming is of interest to the 16 million in the United States, and the 500 million+ in the world affected by a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder. For more information on The Autism Channel, visit www.TheAutismChannel.tv.

SOURCE Royal Caribbean International