Accessibility at Vidalumi

The standard we build against

We target the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1, Level AA. That is the level referenced by most public-sector requirements in the United States, and it is the level our automated checks are configured to enforce.

Targeting a standard is not the same as meeting it everywhere. We have not had an independent audit, and we do not claim full conformance.

What we check, and when

Accessibility checks run as part of our build, not as an occasional review. Two sets of them:

• Every component test runs an accessibility engine over the markup it renders. A new violation fails the build, so it cannot reach the site.
• A browser-based suite loads the home page, search, a port guide, a ship page, a sailing page, the About page, the packing-list page and the booking request form, and checks each one in both light and dark mode. Colour contrast is checked against the colours actually painted on screen.
• Separate checks cover things an automated scanner cannot see: that the first press of Tab reaches a “Skip to main content” link, that the booking form keeps keyboard focus inside it and hands focus back when it closes, and that every control on the home page shows a visible focus indicator.
• Dark mode is checked on equal terms with light mode. Our dark theme changes every surface colour, so a light-mode result says nothing about it.

What we know is not right yet

We would rather tell you this than have you find it:

• Nobody has tested this site with a screen reader. Everything we know comes from automated checks and from reading our own markup, and neither substitutes for a person using assistive technology to book a cruise.
• Automated checks find only part of what matters. They are good at missing labels, empty buttons and low contrast, and they cannot judge whether a heading structure makes sense, whether alternative text describes the right thing, or whether a sequence of steps is followable.
• The browser-based suite covers a sample of pages, not all of them. Pages behind sign-in, the admin tools, and less-visited pages are covered only by the component-level checks.
• We have not verified the site at 200% zoom or 400% reflow, and we have not verified it end to end with voice control.
• Our interactive map of port locations is a third-party component and we have not established how well it can be operated without a mouse. Everything the map shows is also available as text on the same page.

Telling us about a problem

If something on Vidalumi does not work for you, email info@vidalumi.com and put “Accessibility” in the subject. Tell us the page, what you were trying to do, and what happened. If you use assistive technology, knowing which one and which browser helps us reproduce it.

A person reads that address and will reply within one business day. If the fix is going to take longer than that, we will say so and tell you what we are doing instead in the meantime.

If you would rather not wait for a fix to plan your cruise, say so in the same email and a travel specialist will do it with you directly.