Stop bringing non-service animals on ships

Since businesses are too afraid to do anything about this growing problem, I wish people would be respectful enough to STOP bringing their pets on ships. You do a major disservice to people who genuinely require the assistance of a trained support animal and already have enough struggle in life. Your "fur baby" that is not a trained service animal does not belong on the ship, period. If you are too cheap to pay for pet boarding, don't take a cruise. If you can't handle being apart from your pet, work out that issue. You may think it is cute to push your dog in a stroller or dress it in an outfit, but the rest of us laugh at you, not with you. The crew is there to provide services to guests, not to clean up after your pets. Please be considerate of those with genuine needs and other guests. It's okay to leave your dog home, they'll go plenty bonkers when you return anyways. Pets in restaurants is particularly disgusting. I am an animal lover but there is a time and place, and a cruise ship is wholly inappropriate for your pets.

Bad morning?

Bad morning?

Not at all.

Consider it a PSA

Since businesses are too afraid to do anything about this growing problem, I wish people would be respectful enough to STOP bringing their pets on ships.

I'm guessing if they're bring non-service pets on-board, they're not capable of that respect.The responses should interesting though.

The dog issue has gotten out of hand everywhere. At least where I live. People bring their dogs into the grocery store, the mall, Target, and even inside dental offices and some restaurants. They don’t even bother trying to claim they are service animals.

The unwritten rule here is that if the dog is well behaved and doesn’t bark, then everybody looks the other way. I’ve gotten used to it, but at the same time feel it’s a little obnoxious.

More annoying to me personally are the people who come to other people’s homes with their dogs in tow, as though they are their children, without asking if it’s ok. I’ve had to start putting out invitations that say, “no dogs please,” every time I have a function at my home, otherwise, several dogs show up with their owners.

Not everybody likes being around dogs all the time, and not everybody thinks it’s adorable that you treat your dog like a human being, and talk to it like a baby. And I especially hate the dog hair. I avoid visiting those of my friends who have gone blind to how dirty their homes are because of their dogs (or have just given up cleaning up after them), and if I can’t avoid it, I have special clothes I wear so I don’t ruin my nice ones.

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I'm guessing if they're bring non-service pets on-board, they're not capable of that respect.

You are right; if they had that capability they'd have thought of a better solution before their travels.

Businesses, by law, can't do anything about it. It isn't so much the 'service' animal status that gets abused, as the 'emotional support' ones.

If a business ever does try to curb it, they get raked over the coals in social media, actual media, and review bombed on places like yelp.

I don't know the solution. Some people have a genuine need. It could certainly be made more difficult to get, but even a doctor's note is meaningless. There are many out there without ethics that will gladly sell their signature.

On radiance, I saw a dog in a stroller all dressed up for formal night.

At least they should write a law requiring the service animal be licensed.

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Businesses, by law, can't do anything about it.

Hmm. They can't discriminate against a person with a service animal.

Royal should simply add a $250 cleaning deposit to all guests, refundable after the trip. Tie that to a guest conduct and responsibility policy. If a pet does its business outside of provided areas you forfeit the cleaning deposit and if it continues to happen you could be put off the ship. For a genuine service animal that is trained to use provided relief areas this will not be any issue. But for the self-entitled who let their dogs crap anywhere and make the crew clean up, they'll forfeit their $250. May make them think again about bringing a pet onboard when they have no genuine need.

At least they should write a law requiring the service animal be licensed.

There is, it's just trivially easy to get. Go online, lie on a questionnaire, pay the fee, done.

On radiance, I saw a dog in a stroller all dressed up for formal night.

 

At least they should write a law requiring the service animal be licensed.

 

 

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[emoji23] At least they followed the dressing guidelines

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[emoji23] At least they followed the dressing guidelines

 

 

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Hmm. They can't discriminate against a person with a service animal.

 

 

 

Royal should simply add a $250 cleaning deposit to all guests, refundable after the trip. Tie that to a guest conduct and responsibility policy. If a pet does its business outside of provided areas you forfeit the cleaning deposit and if it continues to happen you could be put off the ship. For a genuine service animal that is trained to use provided relief areas this will not be any issue. But for the self-entitled who let their dogs crap anywhere and make the crew clean up, they'll forfeit their $250. May make them think again about bringing a pet onboard when they have no genuine need.

Does the dog get a place in the lifeboat?

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What’s the proper dress code for pets in the MDR? Is it enforced? [emoji12]

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Does the dog get a place in the lifeboat?

 

 

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Sure, owners lap

The dog issue has gotten out of hand everywhere. At least where I live. People bring their dogs into the grocery store, the mall, Target, and even inside dental offices and some restaurants. They don’t even bother trying to claim they are service animals.

 

The unwritten rule here is that if the dog is well behaved and doesn’t bark, then everybody looks the other way. I’ve gotten used to it, but at the same time feel it’s a little obnoxious.

 

More annoying to me personally are the people who come to other people’s homes with their dogs in tow, as though they are their children, without asking if it’s ok. I’ve had to start putting out invitations that say, “no dogs please,” every time I have a function at my home, otherwise, several dogs show up with their owners.

 

Not everybody likes being around dogs all the time, and not everybody thinks it’s adorable that you treat your dog like a human being, and talk to it like a baby. And I especially hate the dog hair. I avoid visiting those of my friends who have gone blind to how dirty their homes are because of their dogs (or have just given up cleaning up after them), and if I can’t avoid it, I have special clothes I wear so I don’t ruin my nice ones.

 

 

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I remember having one of the best meals of my life in 1985 on the German Austrian border in a restaurant with more famous peoples pictures in the lobby than I had ever seen at that point in my life. I was astounded when a couple came in with their two poodles one of which sat in a chair next to me and the other laid under the table. The dogs were perfectly behaved the owners clearly well off. The staff and everyone completely accepting. Just another example that the world is not all like where we live. I would love to take my dog on a cruise, but can't imagine dealing with the mess of a 1000 dogs on a ship.

I do think people are special....

JC

Disney started letting dog pets stay on property for an extra fee and I think in a few years, cruise ships may do the same. It started getting out of hand at Disney and they just ended up allocating some hotels, parts of the hotel for dogs and started charging a fee.

Ha!! [emoji23]

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Dh said to charge them like a third passenger. I say Exempt from third and fourth passenger discounts. Bring a pet carrier, and give them a spot in the lifeboats.

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Doesn't matter which style, as long as they are dress dog pants.

I love my pets, but even I need a vacation from them. With that said, I can agree with the OP. These individuals are not being considerate of those that truly need a service animal. Nor are they being considerate of people with allergies. I think the idea of an extra cleaning fee would be great, but then it's not fair to those that have legitimate service animals. I hate to say it will take a mind greater than mind to come up with a solution that works.

Erika

(p.s. - LMaxwell - LOVE your pic)

Businesses, by law, can't do anything about it. It isn't so much the 'service' animal status that gets abused, as the 'emotional support' ones.

 

If a business ever does try to curb it, they get raked over the coals in social media, actual media, and review bombed on places like yelp.

 

I don't know the solution. Some people have a genuine need. It could certainly be made more difficult to get, but even a doctor's note is meaningless. There are many out there without ethics that will gladly sell their signature.

But there are no restrictions on passengers questioning the validity.

Hmm. They can't discriminate against a person with a service animal.

 

Royal should simply add a $250 cleaning deposit to all guests, refundable after the trip. Tie that to a guest conduct and responsibility policy. If a pet does its business outside of provided areas you forfeit the cleaning deposit and if it continues to happen you could be put off the ship. For a genuine service animal that is trained to use provided relief areas this will not be any issue. But for the self-entitled who let their dogs crap anywhere and make the crew clean up, they'll forfeit their $250. May make them think again about bringing a pet onboard when they have no genuine need.

Great idea, make it more expensive to bring their pets than to board them in a kennel. There are a couple of these people who take their pets into eating areas, sit them on their laps and feed them from the table. Those people should be banned from cruising for life, they do not know how to behave in the company of HUMANS.

I remember having one of the best meals of my life in 1985 on the German Austrian border in a restaurant with more famous peoples pictures in the lobby than I had ever seen at that point in my life. I was astounded when a couple came in with their two poodles one of which sat in a chair next to me and the other laid under the table. The dogs were perfectly behaved the owners clearly well off. The staff and everyone completely accepting. Just another example that the world is not all like where we live. I would love to take my dog on a cruise, but can't imagine dealing with the mess of a 1000 dogs on a ship.

 

I do think people are special....

 

JC

Well, I'd like to share three experiences to show the world is not all like where we live. One took place in a "hip" bookstore in Rehoboth Beach, DE. I was in browsing and saw that they had a small cafe area for coffee, tea, baked goods. At one table was a woman with her mid-size dog. I went to the manager at the register and told her I was pretty sure animals were not allowed in indoor food areas in Delaware. She gave me an, "Aw, we don't mind." On cue, the cute little doggie peed all over the floor. I asked the manager if they mind having to clean up since the owner made no effort to do so.

The second took place at the local Harris Teeter. There was a guy who would come in with his smallish Shepherd. No way it was a service dog. He went over to the sample area where cheese cubes were available. He grabbed a few and proceeded to feed them to the dog who licked his fingers. He then went back and grabbed a few more with his hand to feed the dog. Yummy.

A third happens regularly in stores that have shopping carts. People placing their dog in the cart. Now, there will always be that "dogs are cleaner than humans" lame defense. But you know what, I've never seen a human sitting in a cart with his anus (not cleaned after use) uncovered against the bottom of a shopping cart. A cart the next shopper may be placing produce.

There a places dogs and other pets don't belong. It's time for all of us who rightfully object to raise a noticeable, vociferous objection in the presence of owner offenders.