DUTRAVEL

I have not sailed on Carnival with my Service Dog. I sailed on Carnival's sister line Princess in January and Princess was very welcoming (I feel as though Celebrity basically tolerates my Service Dog's presence). Princess places the relief box in a crew stairwell near your cabin. That may be what Carnival means by "an out of the way location." My Service Dog doesn't have any issue with the indoor area - she recognizes that the box is where she is supposed to go. If your Service Dog won't use an indoor relief box, I would think they would be able to accommodate you by moving it outside somewhere. I have found that it is basically useless to talk to the Access Department ahead of time as issues with the relief box have been decided on a case-by-case basis by ship management (and policies vary even on ships within the same cruise line). This is definitely the best place to get information on cruising with a service dog.

I love this story about your life with Iain so much. Thanks for sharing - I’m glad you ended up with your true love Dianne

Just returned home from the APEX Transatlantic and have already missed the first five pages! I had several lemon tarts in your honor. Sorry to report that Eden lunch no longer had the brownies and chocolate chip cookies (at least on the APEX). Henrietta as usual will be reading your adventures on this sailing to me. Say hi to Iain for us. Dianne

He was fine - I’d say middle of the road. Not super exciting, but not annoying.

Tim Bolton

It’s all good!!!

We are currently on the Apex TA and have eaten at Eden twice. I thought the Risotto starter was very good and hubby liked the Mulligatawny Soup. I had the lobster casserole both nights - delicious!

Currently on the Apex. During this sailing they have moved the Classic Entrees to their own box on the side of the menu and have removed the upcharge Filet and Lobster. The appetizers have not changed - only two non Classic appetizers and no salads other than Caesar.

Apex is docking in the Azores today (although an hour late).

I was concerned about that too when I took my Service Dog to Panama, but there were no issues disembarking in Ft Lauderdale.

You won’t go to the Vet (USDA certified) to get the paperwork done until the last possible date so that everything is timely. All of the places you mentioned require different paperwork (except the Mexican ports). When I took a Panama Canal cruise I didn’t bother getting the Consulate Seal for Panama - think I would have had to fly to Los Angeles to do that. I can’t remember whether it was for Honduras or Costa Rica that my Service Dog also needed a tapeworm treatment. Your itinerary is challenging. I am traveling and don’t have my resources with me but I think Grand Cayman requires a rabies titer and permit in addition to the applicable health certificate. Caribbean Chris knows a lot more about the Caribbean islands than I do and will have more information. I don’t know if you can skip the rabies titer if you don’t get off the ship in Grand Cayman. Even though you are visiting a private island, I believe that you will still need a Permit for Belize. You have a lot of paperwork to get together in a short amount of time. I would put a spreadsheet together with the requirements and due dates for each country which you can find on the USDA pet travel website.

I’m traveling right now so I don’t have my resources in front of me. I’m pretty sure the Air Carrier Access Act doesn’t explicitly say anything about whether or not supplies and equipment for your Service Dog are consider medical equipment (which must be allowed for free). Some carriers do allow it, but that is a voluntary accommodation. Here’s the link to the ACCA: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-II/subchapter-D/part-382 I always get the paperwork for every country we are visiting even if I’m not planning on getting off the ship. I don’t want any hassles in the event we have to leave the ship in an emergency. The paperwork for Mexico is just an International Health Certificate form 7001 (which no longer has to be endorsed by the USDA). I’m sure your son’s service dog will do great! I was very nervous when I took my first cruise with my service dog eight years ago, but I have learned to be polite but firm with what our needs are and things have always worked out. The number one thing I would say is to make sure your dog can use a relief box with mulch. Have a great cruise!

Yes, OBC credited back almost immediately.

Looking forward to following along!

Yes, as I said they have different deals.

AMEX and Chase have different deals with Priority Pass. It’s is not at all unusual to see a sign that says AMEX Priority Pass cards are not being accepted while you can still get access through the Sapphire Reserve.

I've just started using it at restaurants also. At SFO you can go to Lark Creek or Yankee Pier and get a good meal. It comes in handy now that most US Carriers aren't offering lounge access for domestic flights even when you are flying in first class.

We have had a some Spare The Air Days, but the smoke is not nearly as bad as it was a couple of years ago.

Thank you for your great review Jim! Henrietta and I enjoyed following along and seeing new places. You are headed home to lovely fall weather in the Bay Area. Dianne

OMG - you are so right, you can't make this stuff up! Why is it so hard to make an accessible relief box with a decent filler?

Go to the USDA website for information on specific requirements for each country you want to travel to (there is a drop-down menu for each country). link: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel/take-pet-to-foreign-country You can also find helpful information on https://www.pettravel.com/passportnew.cfm. If there is a conflict with the USDA website, defer to the USDA website. My biggest tip would be to make sure that your husband's guide dog is comfortable using a 4 x 4 relief box and can "go" on a variety of surfaces. The relief boxes most commonly contain mulch.

Yes, because my dog was trained and provided to me by Canine Companions.

No, sorry they don't do testing or certification for dogs that are not provided through their program.

It is always a little daunting to take your first cruise with a service dog. I have taken several transatlantics and Honolulu to Vancouver with my service dog and do not worry too much about any heath issues. You will need to have your dog examined by your vet to obtain the appropriate paperwork and that will help you to know your dog is in good health. The only different thing I do for long trips is to get antibiotics from my vet in case I need to treat a bladder infection until we can get to a vet.

If the hotel offers a shuttle they are required to either offer accessible transportation or pay for an accessible taxi (or provide tranportation at the same cost of the shuttle). Ask to speak to the hotel manager. I am attaching a PDF that you can send to the manager that outlines their obligations. Accessible Ground Transportation final2019.pdf