Kiddiecakes

:eek: OK, So I contacted the USDA in Gainesville and they sent me a ton of forms and told me these had to be filled out for Hoover to go on cruise. I went to the vet office and they said no, they filled it all out but I had to do it 7 days prior to the cruise then drive two and a half hours to Gainesville to have them sign off on the vet certificate. So I had to take Katelyn to Gainesville so I stopped by Gainesville office as the forms they sent were out of date. They stated the only stop that required a titer test for Hoover was Grand Turk and it would cost about 500.00 by the time testing was done, etc. So we talked about it and decided that we would take turns getting off ship and leave Hoover on board with one of us at all times so we don't have to spend that kind of money. Then she says we only need to come up to Gainesville if we do Grand Turk but the Bahamas portion does not need to be certified by them. The vet says yes it does. And it needs to be done two days prior to us leaving. I swear I am not incompetent nor am I a complete idiot, why can't I just get a straight answer? I do know I need to send in the Bahamas request, but all the others are ok. Does someone meet you at the pier when you have the service dog to check records? Or do you carry them with just in case? Do you go someplace specific? Why do I feel like I am doing this completely wrong?

Hi Guys!

 

Ok, so I contacted the USDA and asked for information about the service dog stuff and told them where we were headed. They sent me a form for each place we are planning to enter. Even and they even told me an old form for the Bahamas. I don't know why they sent it since obviously there is a new form, but anyway as I am going through the Grand Turks paperwork, there is an entry fee of 50.00? Does that sound correct? Is there entry fees for the ports?

Yes, that helps. We got the ocean suite because it was cheaper than getting two rooms and slightly bigger for us wit the dog. I will have to see if they will put his box there on the veranda. I wonder what size bag did Roz bring? I don't know if Hoovy is going to like the pellets but we will give it a shot and see in another month. Sometimes, once he has seen and felt something, he is perfectly fine with it.

 

I agree with the water. I just can see us pull up luggage, twenty gallon jugs, a dog, a bag a dog food and his own packed bag. Good grief, they will tell us to turn around and go back home!LOL!

 

I did get a response back from one of the tours Kate wanted to take. They are more than happy to accommodate her! One less thing down. I am hoping this helps her realize that it may take a little prep work, but she can still do everything she wants and have Hoovy by her side. We both feel better after reading on how other people take the service dogs on cruises and have a great time, that we can pull this off without fear that something will happen to Hoovy. I think we just have to get past this initial first time cruise and we will be OK.

I totally agree. I have contacted some tours through trip advisor and I hope they get back to me. She can't do the beach thing so she likes going on historical tours so I am hoping she can do those. We are telling her she can go everywhere and she shouldn't back away from doing something because she has an illness. I am hoping this cruise will show her just that. I admit though, I am worried about taking him off the boat, but he is really obedient and well mannered so I am not worried about that. More worried about stray animals, issues with paperwork and people not being respectful to the fact he is a working dog.

Thank you for the information. Things got a bit out of hand so I am just now sitting down and trying to get all the information down and where and when I need to go. I found a form for Grand Turk but not the other places. I will go back and look. I had forgotten I had gotten responses before. I guess I need this cruise more than I thought! HAHA! How about excursions, did you have any issues with bringing dogs on a guided tour?

Ok, My daughter Kate will be bringing Hoovy on our cruise Oct. 17th. She has had a whopper of a time lately and we are looking forward to actually going on this cruise. So I contacted Carnival about her bringing him. They told me they would have the pellets. Do they say anything if you add mulch and when you pack it and you go through security. Hubby wants me to bring gallon jugs of water for him too. UGH. Hello, but I can't picture this being realistic. Does everyone bring water. Carnival just changed their policy and you can't bring on bottled water, but can bring nursery or distilled water. I am assuming the service dog is an exception, but does anyone use the ships water? We would always use bottled at any port.

 

So Hoovy will need a one year rabies shot for sure because I got him a three year which isn't excepted. Where do I go to find out the requirements for each port?

Thanks for the info!

I am going to print it out and get everything started. I think it will take me that long to get all the paperwork done! :D

I am so sorry you have to go through all that. We (kind of) have Matt under control and start a new treatment in April. Katelyn is all over the place. I am still figuring out how to get her formula for the g tube, a suitcase for her meds and the dog stuff plus room for all our stuff! We haven't traveled in a couple of years but after this last year, I know how important it is to take the time to do a vacation. She has met so many kids that are sick like her or worse and we count our blessings every day! She actually enjoyed the cruise a couple of years ago because there was no pressure to do anything, she got to read her kindle, and just chill when she needed to. She didn't feel like she ruined anything for the rest of us. We keep the excursions pretty low key that if she isn't feeling the greatest, that is ok! The important thing is to keep giving her the message that she controls the illness not it controlling her and she can still do things with some adjustments. I may be doing a ton of leg work in the background but nothing beats the smile on their faces when we accomplish something! God bless your family and I hope you get to travel again someday soon.

OK here we go a huge THANK YOU!! I am so overwhelmed it is not funny. I don't want anyone to have a pity party for me, but here is the situation. I am traveling with a son with Asperger's Autism and JRA, then the chronically ill daughter with a paralyzed stomach and POTS. so having one service dog was ok, but now I think we will have two service dogs if the other passes service dog training prior to our trip. This is the plan and here are my questions. We are trying to book a Carnival cruise Oct 17. It will be going to Half Moon Cay,St. Thomas, San Juan Puerto Rico, and Grand Turk. Where do I get the info on what I need? I got the three year rabies shot so do I have to get a one year rabies for those po4rts that don't accept the three year? Where do I get an international certificate? When I book an excursion, do I tell them I have a service dog also? Do they charge you? Hoovy uses mulch and is OK with it, not his favorite so if I can get sod, I will attempt it. I do not have any worries with Hoovy as he is such an AWESOME dog. Tess(coincidentally, is the name of President Hoover's wife, is a dog that we are fostering. Also a German Shepard and somebody chained her up and left her to starve. We took her last week to be evaluated as a service dog for my son and she passed inspection. She is now in training. In two weeks she has learned sit, shield, down and doesn't bark! I am sooo proud of her. They are part of the family ROZ, I totally get it, I just need to have some moments with my daughter. It has been a rough couple of years and we need this like no tomorrow. I want her to see she can experience everything even with her illness. We did a cruise with them in 2013 and it was the absolute best vacation ever! We were able to relax and she was able to go to her room when she wasn't feeling well and rest up. We have only had Hoovy since October, we still have a lot to learn. She also stresses out when he isn't with her so I thought this was a way to compromise but if you guys can help me get him on the ports with her, she will be over the moon and so will he! Thank for all the advice!

Thanks for the replies! No, if we had our way, Hoovy would go EVERYWHERE with us. We have never left him. The reason why we were contemplating leaving him in the room, crated and locked is because we are new to this service dog thing. If I don't do something correctly and this dog gets put in quarantine or something, I have no idea what we would do. Our daughter has been chronically ill for four years now and frankly we are burned completely out. We just finished a three different hospital visit in a week and a half. Life is way too serious right now and it will take every penny we have to go on the cruise. We went on a cruise in 2013 and we got to spend time together and laugh and see things we have never seen. She just got a pacemaker in Jan in her stomach and this time, she might be able to do some stuff with water that she couldn't do last time. Hoover wouldn't be able to participate in that. I don't mind not participating but I don't want to stay in a cabin with him and miss out on a moment with her. She doesn't even want to think of leaving him here so I don't know what to do. I am just trying to find some sort of compromise that works for all of us. By the way her dog is an 85 pound German Shepard. We would never put Hoovy at risk to be stolen. We discussed getting a lock for the crate, hiring somebody to stay with him(not sure how that would work unless I brought someone along). I tried to get answers on what I would need from different ports and that was just a mess. If she can take him on the ports, we will gladly bring him but I need someone that really knows what they are doing to help me because I am way overwhelmed. I also contacted cruise line about how to order grass and still no word from them. Not to mention, the stories we have heard about dogs entering ports and horrible issues happened. Hoovy has become her life line and I would do anything to keep them both safe. My mom says if it is this much stress, don't go, but in all honesty this is the only way I get a break and can relax too. Kate asked for this so we want to make it happen so any advice, is soo greatly appreciated!

Hi Everyone! Questions! My daughter is 15 and just got her service dog in October. She desperately wants to go on a cruise and take Hoover. I can't seem to get an answer from anyone concerning leaving her service dog aboard when she goes to ports. We prefer not to take him off ship. Can you leave him in a crate in the cabin? I know you can't leave him alone in the room without a crate or can they keep him somewhere ?