Royal Caribbean banning emotional support animals

You beat me to it. That's another joke!

I hope karma doesn't bite you.

Acutally, I'm not sure that cruse ships fall within the parameters of the Air Carriers Act and that is why Royal Caribbean can deny emotional support dogs on their ships. Some of the airlines are now requiring a letter from a doctor stating the dog owners mental state that requires the need to have the dog fly with them....what is funny is now there are those doctors (???) who are now on line offering these letters.

Agree..ships not covered so they can make this choice. You can also get fake ID online..many websites but thats another story!

Here is my issue. People who need service dogs have real issues. People who have “emotional support” animals have, in my opinion, mental issues. I am allergic to animals. I love them but they make me itch and sneeze and have breathing problems. If airlines ban peanuts, and more people are allergic to dogs and cats than nuts, why must I put up with these “emotional support” animals?

Legitimate Registered Service Animals are one thing and an absolute necessity for those needing them. People using the system to transport their animals free of charge or avoiding having to pay for care of their animals while they travel is another. I cannot imagine trying to evacuate an aircraft/vessel in an emergency with ponies, dogs, cats, rabbits, and whatever that are not trained service animals. So, does the pony get to go down the aircraft slide first, tear it up with it's hooves, and render it useless for the 150 plus people onboard?

I fully agree that emotional support animals should not be allowed on cruises. However, why would we think RCCL/Celebrity would be any more likely to enforce this than other rules they have made? Half the posts on this forum are complaints about rules they set but then refuse to enforce because of their fear of offending a handful of passengers.

I do not liked ESA’s , especially pit bulls. There are just to many tragic stories about this breed of animal.

Sw Air will take cats....dogs...mini horses...but limits others

 

https://www.wfla.com/national/southwest-airlines-allowing-miniature-horses-on-its-planes-as-service-animals/1378326421

Mini horses?!

Sure hope there is a mini-horse on my next SW flight!

Sure hope there is a mini-horse on my next SW flight!

Wilbuur! Do I get to go along? You have to be a child of the 50's-60's to get this.

Wilbuur! Do I get to go along? You have to be a child of the 50's-60's to get this.

No problem Mr. Ed.;)

We saw the same exact thing on our last Equinox cruise a few months ago

Great! Last month on Equinox a couple pushed a dog around in a baby stroller. Ridiculous! Saw this in a dining venue to boot.

At many public pools and waterparks in our area, they close the summer season with a "Doggie Splash" where you can bring your pet to swim along with you. After that, they drain and clean the pools. Maybe Celebrity should consider doing that the week before a ship is scheduled to go into drydock! I can see it now, instead of leaving a towel or flip-flips on a lounge to save it all day, you'd just let your pit bull guard it for you.

Mini horses?!

The following post only applies to service animals. If you go back to post # 19 I posted a link to US Justice Department directive. The only animals that qualify as Service Animals are Dogs and under certain circumstances miniature horses. Nothing else.

Next time I fly I’m going to take my wife as my support person, that way she can fly for free.

To be honest in the UK I had never seen or heard of an emotional support dog until I read CC.

Sorry, to me it is ridiculous. GOOD decision RCI and hope that other US lines follow. Looking on from outside the USA we have often said 'Only in America' (no offense) and are glad that someone 'over the pond' has seen sense.

 

Just to make it clear --- we have nothing other than the utmost respect for Guide Dogs for the Blind in the UK (know one very well .. woof) and Hearing Dogs for the Deaf etc as well as recognised dog support - what you would call service dogs in the US I imagine

 

I find that some people just take advantage and have read about the so called ES Dogs with open jaws. Unreal.

 

We have pets that we stress about leaving at home but they stay at home ---- well, in the K - E- N - N- E- L- S --- shhhhh

 

PS Hubby has just suggested that folk "take a teddy bear" If needs be --- sorry, made me laugh and I couldn't agree more. My 2 small ones come along every year .... but they stay in the cabin !!!

What a great post, Presto2!

Have truer words ever been spoken?

I'm from the US, and I find myself shaking my head daily at the number of dogs in the supermarket, department stores, restaurants etc. Some are in strollers, some in grocery carts, some just walking along beside their owners.

I am in full support of service animals (commonly dogs) who are invaluable to those with disabilities.

I don't hate animals. I have a pet cat and love her immensely. I have volunteered at my local humane society for going on 6 years now. But, pets have their place--for cats that typically means indoors at home.

Dogs have a slightly wider latitude--home, backyard, being walked around the neighborhood, local park, RV vacation, etc.

I have to say--here in Florida, at least--you kind of have to bite your tongue about this issue... Or you might find yourself at odds with friends or neighbors.

Recently, our neighbor asked my DH if he could drop her at the airport on his way to work since it's on his way. He said yes, of course, as we are friends with her and her DH.

When she got in DH's car with her dog wearing a red vest, DH was like, "Why's he wearing that?"

Without shame the first, she said, "I bought it online so he doesn't have to stay in his case and can sit on my lap on the plane."

DH was speechless.

What a great post, Presto2!

 

Have truer words ever been spoken?

 

I'm from the US, and I find myself shaking my head daily at the number of dogs in the supermarket, department stores, restaurants etc. Some are in strollers, some in grocery carts, some just walking along beside their owners.

 

I am in full support of service animals (commonly dogs) who are invaluable to those with disabilities.

 

I don't hate animals. I have a pet cat and love her immensely. I have volunteered at my local humane society for going on 6 years now. But, pets have their place--for cats that typically means indoors at home.

 

Dogs have a slightly wider latitude--home, backyard, being walked around the neighborhood, local park, RV vacation, etc.

 

I have to say--here in Florida, at least--you kind of have to bite your tongue about this issue... Or you might find yourself at odds with friends or neighbors.

 

Recently, our neighbor asked my DH if he could drop her at the airport on his way to work since it's on his way. He said yes, of course, as we are friends with her and her DH.

 

When she got in DH's car with her dog wearing a red vest, DH was like, "Why's he wearing that?"

 

Without shame the first, she said, "I bought it online so he doesn't have to stay in his case and can sit on my lap on the plane."

 

DH was speechless.

When you say nothing, you become an enabler.

The few service dogs we have seen on cruise ships were very well behaved, as were their human companions.

We would be happy to be on a cruise with them anytime.

 

You may have been on ships with them and not even noticed them because they are usually on the floor by their owner's feet in theaters and lounges, and under the table in restaurants.

It is a shame that the people with fake "emotional support" animals create a bad impression and cause problems for those with true service animals.

Yes!!

That's it exactly.

Sad that people are abusing the system with "fake" service animals (emotional support/comfort/anxiety animals--whatever), because this behavior makes for even tougher acceptance for truly disabled people who need that service animal just to get about in their daily lives.

Just to be clear, I know there's a real need for support animals for veterans suffering from ptsd, abuse victims etc. Not bashing them. Only against fakers who just want to take Fido along.

I would never fake needing a service animal or misuse handicapped parking spaces etc.

I'm appreciative that such is available to those that need them...

And thankful not to need them myself...

Thus far...

When you say nothing, you become an enabler.

Agreed...

But sometimes you have to pick your battles.

IMHO DH did the right thing. Saying something wouldn't have changed anything in this instance.

I'm sure you don't go around chastising friends and neighbors on everything they do that you don't agree with either.

We were on a transatlantic two years ago. There was a lady who was wheeled onboard in her wheelchair with an emotional support dog......The dog had a little vest labeled emotional support....it looked like a brown poodle. She was in the handicapped sky suite down the hall from us. She hobbled with her Cane all over the ship for the 16 nighter to Rome and was wheeled off by staff in each port. When we got to Rome, the first day we were walking down the Via Veneto and there she was in hiking boots with a backpack walking her dog with no vest.......Suddenly she was cured.....it must have been a miracle cruise.......Like the flights between NY and Florida.......They load 25 wheelchair passengers and 15 of them walk off the plane when we land.......Miraculous! ;) :D:D:D

We were on a transatlantic two years ago. There was a lady who was wheeled onboard in her wheelchair with an emotional support dog......The dog had a little vest labeled emotional support....it looked like a brown poodle. She was in the handicapped sky suite down the hall from us. She hobbled with her Cane all over the ship for the 16 nighter to Rome and was wheeled off by staff in each port. When we got to Rome, the first day we were walking down the Via Veneto and there she was in hiking boots with a backpack walking her dog with no vest.......Suddenly she was cured.....it must have been a miracle cruise.......Like the flights between NY and Florida.......They load 25 wheelchair passengers and 15 of them walk off the plane when we land.......Miraculous! ;) :D:D:D

Wrong post

I see no reason support animals shouldn't be registered, licensed and actually trained, as true service dogs are. I can also see no reason anyone who truly needed one wouldn't be glad to go through the process. Refusing to do this, or getting some fake certification should disallow the pet.

.

There is no such thing as legitimate registration or licensure for service dogs in the US, and no specific training standards by any governmental body. There is an organization that has put out some training standards, and most SDs use them, but they are just recommended standards.

Agreed...

 

But sometimes you have to pick your battles.

 

IMHO DH did the right thing. Saying something wouldn't have changed anything in this instance.

 

I'm sure you don't go around chastising friends and neighbors on everything they do that you don't agree with either.

Being on the board of our association has caused me to have some issues with neighbors. We do have a policy about cleaning up after your pet, for instance. I've had to impose $100 fines on neighbors that just won't follow rules & let their pets mess& just leave it there. Not a pleasant task, but if people won't follow rules, there can be consequences. We have a few smoker friends & that's caused issues with tossing butts, which are dirty & can cause fires. We don't have any friends who use any animal for support/comfort or special service.

Term “emotional support” gets abused too. Emotional support = I get upset because my dog is at home/kennel. I worked at an animal hospital and we had people all the time trying to figure out how to get their dogs labeled for “emotional support”.

Wouldn’t ADA regulations be irrelevant on a Maltese registered ship sailing in international waters? I mean, if the company wants to see proof of registration of a true service animal, then so be it.

What would be the situation when the cruise finishes in another country? Even a registered service dog would NOT be getting off in Australia, that’s for sure!

Celebrity abides by many US laws including ADA and USPublic Health Standards.

Here’s the true test to find out if a dog is truly a service animal....and it really works.

 

Talk to the owner and admire the dog. Say how wonderful it is when service dogs allow folks to be independent and how amazing it is that dogs can be trained for so many support activities. Ask what kind of support their dog provides...and pause to wait for the answer. Ask how it was trained? How much does a service dog cost? Etc

 

The owners of true service dogs love their animals as part of the family and are happy to talk about them. The frauds start to clam up and get nervous...they shut you off.

 

Try it...,you’ll be shocked at how many owners almost panic if you ask about their precious fifi...

 

 

 

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Really? I agree with the new policy...however, I would find your questions highly personal and none of your business.

On another note...years ago, I was on line waiting to check in and the gentleman in front had a parrot on his shoulder. The parrot kept saying "Hi Sweetie". He claimed it was his support animal. He was still arguing when we moved on.