Anyone experienced taking their dog in the kennels on QM2?

We are booked with our dog on the QM2 travelling from NYC to Southampton in September. Has anyone any experience of this that can tell us more? We have received some info from Cunard and spoken to Robert who deals with the kennel queries but I'd love to hear a personal account from anyone that has done this..:)

I have taken my dogs 8 times. I could write volumes on the experience and all positive. To start though please put any worries that you may have aside. It is an excellent service. My dogs love it. Some dogs do get a bit nervous at first but after the first two days they will get into the routine. The two Kennel masters will do what it takes to keep the dogs happy. My two dogs know the Kennel Masters and upon seeing them in the terminal they get all excited and forget about me! I can answer any specific questions you might have.

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I have taken my dogs 8 times. I could write volumes on the experience and all positive. To start though please put any worries that you may have aside. It is an excellent service. My dogs love it. Some dogs do get a bit nervous at first but after the first two days they will get into the routine. The two Kennel masters will do what it takes to keep the dogs happy. My two dogs know the Kennel Masters and upon seeing them in the terminal they get all excited and forget about me! I can answer any specific questions you might have.

 

 

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Thank you tag1000! One of my concerns is that my dog is quite elderly now, doesn't see or hear well and (and apart from when he's needed veterinary treatment or groomed) is not used to spending time in a kennel. Many might say...why are we taking him on the QM2 then...but we are relocating back to the UK to live and I don't want to risk flying him back so this is the preferred option. I have bought some pheromone spray for the kennel hoping that will help.

Do you receive a specific boarding time to enable quick boarding with your dogs, we are a month away but haven't heard anything yet? :)

Hi! My dogs have never been in a Kennel except for the QM2 and my dogs is older (now 15). This is a much better option than flying. I have met people who have flown their dogs and that seems to have been a horror show. There is lots of time to visit(8am to 10am; 11 to 12 noon; 3pm to 6pm and 8pm to 8:30). I have seen some dogs who at first don't like being in a Kennel but they start to make fellow friends and all the playing tends to tire them out.

Boarding for the kennels starts at 12 noon. In NYC you enter the terminal and have your passport checked then security. The dogs don't go through the metal detector. Someone will usually direct you to an area where they check the dog papers. Then you will check in. They bring you to the front of the priority line.

The Kennel Masters are usually waiting to escort you to the kennels or you might have to wait until they return from boarding other dogs. The Kennel Masters will bring you to the kennels and they help you settle in. This probably takes an hour from entering the terminal to arrival in kennels. It is all very efficient.

Then you have to leave while they collect other dogs. The dogs are usually very noisy in the kennels during the first day. At 5pm the visiting starts all in time for the sail away. The dogs get to walk around the deck and you get to enjoy the view!

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Also...explains to the Kennel Masters about your dog's vision and hearing. The two Kennel Masters will take care of your dog and any concerns you will have. From my experience they are quick to develop and build rapport with each dog and owner and do their best to make everyone comfortable.

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Also...explains to the Kennel Masters about your dog's vision and hearing. The two Kennel Masters will take care of your dog and any concerns you will have. From my experience they are quick to develop and build rapport with each dog and owner and do their best to make everyone comfortable.

 

 

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Much appreciate all the info and reassurance

tag1000! many thanks. :)

Thank you tag1000! One of my concerns is that my dog is quite elderly now, doesn't see or hear well and (and apart from when he's needed veterinary treatment or groomed) is not used to spending time in a kennel. Many might say...why are we taking him on the QM2 then...but we are relocating back to the UK to live and I don't want to risk flying him back so this is the preferred option. I have bought some pheromone spray for the kennel hoping that will help.

Do you receive a specific boarding time to enable quick boarding with your dogs, we are a month away but haven't heard anything yet? :)

sammyboots, I suspect that your faithful pal will do well on the voyage. And I compliment you on your care and concern - but I'm not sure that pheromone spray is a good idea since it might effect all those in the kennel. Please consult Cunard.

Best wishes,

Salaica

sammyboots, I suspect that your faithful pal will do well on the voyage. And I compliment you on your care and concern - but I'm not sure that pheromone spray is a good idea since it might effect all those in the kennel. Please consult Cunard.

 

Best wishes,

Salaica

:)

Thank you for your concern Salacia however I have already contacted Cunard about this and they said to discuss it with the kennel staff on board. I would never consider doing anything without first consulting the staff. It was bought with the intention of giving it to the kennel staff to use for my dog if they required it. It was recommended to me by my dog's Veterinary Dr as used by many of the better airline agents for transporting animals to help calm them. I like to be prepared for all eventualities and as it was recommended, I thought I would take some with me. :)

Sammy, You certainly have done your homework. I am confident you and your dog will have a great crossing. I plan to retire in a few years and my husband and I are considering an extended European vacation at that time. Our dogs would join us, most likely via QM2. So please post about your experience after your crossing. There aren't many posts here about the kennels and I am sure I'm not the only one who is curious. Here's to a stress free relocation for you and your dog!

Sammy, You certainly have done your homework. I am confident you and your dog will have a great crossing. I plan to retire in a few years and my husband and I are considering an extended European vacation at that time. Our dogs would join us, most likely via QM2. So please post about your experience after your crossing. There aren't many posts here about the kennels and I am sure I'm not the only one who is curious. Here's to a stress free relocation for you and your dog!

Thank you Whirled Peas, I think it's a topic that some of us with pets would like to hear more about. I'll have a busy few weeks moving into our new home but I'll be sure to keep a diary on board and report back once I have time. :)

Happy tails:

Happy tails:

Thank you Salacia, that's a great video and like you say, lots of happy tails! :D

Hi there, 

I started another topic thread on this, but maybe you folks will have the answer!
My dogs are travelling Southampton - New York this year. Aside from a rabies certificate and a "fit to travel" certificate from my vet here, what else do I need for entering NY state? It doesn't look like I need anything else, or to notify anyone ahead of time, but any information is useful!! 

Cheers folks!

On 2/4/2019 at 6:01 AM, micrarach said:

Hi there, 

 

I started another topic thread on this, but maybe you folks will have the answer!
My dogs are travelling Southampton - New York this year. Aside from a rabies certificate and a "fit to travel" certificate from my vet here, what else do I need for entering NY state? It doesn't look like I need anything else, or to notify anyone ahead of time, but any information is useful!! 

 

Cheers folks!

This web site will tell you about the US in general, and has a link to the NYS rules. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel/bring-pet-into-the-united-states/pet-travel-dogs-into-us

Hello I am travelling to UK 1st time via QM2 with my dog in May 2019 100 days to go - I am relocating as this is the best way to allow my dog Chewie the best way to a stress free travel - well with all my preping I can only hope. My last questions is to regards to the gratuities. it states below say $11.50 per day do I have to double that for me and my dog? or do they bill seperatly for the kennel tips? any help would be appreciated.

Gratuities

For your convenience, a daily Hotel and Dining charge will automatically be added to your shipboard account, dependant on the grade of accommodation booked as follows :-

US$13.50 per person / per day - for Queens Grill and Princess Grill accommodation.

US$11.50 per person / per day - for Britannia accommodation. 

As far as I know the Hotel & Dining  is per person but it's an interesting question ?!

Hey UKGirlyUSA.  I am also taking my dog to the UK in May after 20 years in USA. I am going on the QM2 because it is hopefully less stressful for the dog and it was also considerably cheaper than the quote I got for flying.  Are you on the May 5 crossing? 

Hi.  The automatic tip does not include your dog.  I always tip the kennel masters at the end of the voyage.   They are remarkable!

18 hours ago, Ginzinggirl said:

Hey UKGirlyUSA.  I am also taking my dog to the UK in May after 20 years in USA. I am going on the QM2 because it is hopefully less stressful for the dog and it was also considerably cheaper than the quote I got for flying.  Are you on the May 5 crossing? 

Ahhh, thats amazing! I am on May 24th Crossing I have been in the USA for 10 yrs

7 hours ago, tag1000 said:

Hi.  The automatic tip does not include your dog.  I always tip the kennel masters at the end of the voyage.   They are remarkable!

Thank you so much! great help! 

On 2/12/2019 at 8:20 PM, Ginzinggirl said:

Hey UKGirlyUSA.  I am also taking my dog to the UK in May after 20 years in USA. I am going on the QM2 because it is hopefully less stressful for the dog and it was also considerably cheaper than the quote I got for flying.  Are you on the May 5 crossing? 

Hey! I am sailing with my two dogs on the May 5th crossing! I'm also relocating -  back to Scotland after 10 years in the US. I have been furiously researching everything for about a year and a half now and it's great to find someone else on the same crossing. Is this your first time? I have probably talked poor Robert's ear off with my questions, but my dogs are elderly and have some health issues, so there is quite literally no other way to get them back home with me. If you want to talk dogs shoot me a message or find me on facebook :-)

We will likely be doing this at some point, so I appreciate the commentary. It's very reassuring.

i must say, being a dog tender on the QM2 would be a dream job!

God Bless to all of you for putting your dogs first...I wish only the best safest crossing for all of you🤗 and a little envious...I wish we were relocating to England...the Devon or Cornwall area....

Hi all! I wonder if you can help. We can’t find anywhere information on the Cunard website about booking pets onboard. We are hoping to find an availability calculator to see how often spots are available to transport our dog to the US. Anyone know where we might find this? 
Also, in you guys’ experience, how far in advance do you need to book the kennels? We’ve seen reports of around a year? We are looking to book us and our pet to travel to the US with a bit less notice, but really struggling to work out if this is possible. 
Thanks so much! 
 

Hi there. We moved our dogs in the opposite direction in May of 2019- just seeing my old posts above! Wonderful experience. I had heard the lore of it booking out up to two years in advance, but was desperate not to fly my dogs and called anyway. Just over a year out, there was one kennel space. I needed two, but the booking agent spoke with the kennel agent and he said there are cancellations very frequently. So I took the one kennel and hoped for a second. After the cut off date for final cruise payments, some slots did open up. This apparently happens a lot. People's plans change, and my guess is that with the virus a whole ton of people who had previously booked are no longer going to be sailing. My best advice is call the booking agent, they can talk to the kennel agent while you are on hold, and I also ended up emailing the kennel master a lot with questions. They were honestly fabulous. I was incredibly nervous as this was a huge move for us, I was travelling with two young children, two old dogs and about 12 suitcases, by myself. I cannot speak highly enough of the whole staff from start to finish. I also struggled to find much information about the kennels and the process before the voyage. I have a ton of photos and feel free to ask any other questions, I'll try to help best I can.