Cruising With A Service Dog....everything You Ever Wanted To Know!

[Saiayoko]

16 minutes ago, DisneyKidsDad said:

Thanks!  Did you have any issues with stray dogs while you were walking around?

With Peach, we had no trouble, although there were a few stray cats and dogs that we saw. None of them bothered her though. 

[wizard-of-roz]

On ‎11‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 2:36 PM, Algebralovr said:

We have SNOW!!!!!

It started this morning, before 9am, with light flurries, and has snowed most of the day.  I came home mid-morning to work from here the rest of the day.  We've had to take a couple of play breaks.  Using a pink ball, so that it shows up against the fluffy white wet stuff.  I throw, Scooter retrieves.  Repeat.  He has had to dig it out of mounds of snow a few times.  

What!!!!!!  It looks like so much fun.  I'd love to play in the snow.......We still have high winds, lots of smoke and the fires are not contained.  There brush fires that are erupting along our freeways and being dowsed immediately.  There are only so many outlets here in L.A. and most of them are surrounded by brush and trees.  I wish it would rain......as does everyone else.  As I write this I'm looking out the patio doors and the wind is still blowing all the windmills around and the mobiles hanging on the patio are going crazy! 

 

Your snow looks so welcoming right about now!

[wizard-of-roz]

On ‎11‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 2:50 PM, Saiayoko said:

I went to Havana, Cuba with my service dog Peach back in June and I think I forgot to post pictures..... So here are a few of the good ones! 

Peach, you are quite a cutie.  It sounds like you had a wonderful cruise.  Where did they place the potty-box?

[wizard-of-roz]

1 minute ago, wizard-of-roz said:

Peach, you are quite a cutie.  It sounds like you had a wonderful cruise.  Where did they place the potty-box?

Thanks so much for sharing these wonderful pictures of Peach.

[Saiayoko]

8 hours ago, wizard-of-roz said:

Thanks so much for sharing these wonderful pictures of Peach.

Of course! I love taking pictures of her. They put the potty box near the running track, but also out of the way of it in a shady spot. It was perfect for her. 

[Algebralovr]

11 hours ago, wizard-of-roz said:

What!!!!!!  It looks like so much fun.  I'd love to play in the snow.......We still have high winds, lots of smoke and the fires are not contained.  There brush fires that are erupting along our freeways and being dowsed immediately.  There are only so many outlets here in L.A. and most of them are surrounded by brush and trees.  I wish it would rain......as does everyone else.  As I write this I'm looking out the patio doors and the wind is still blowing all the windmills around and the mobiles hanging on the patio are going crazy! 

 

Your snow looks so welcoming right about now!

 

I'm so sorry about the continued fired and winds.  I was watching the news this morning and was amazed.  I hope you get some rain soon.  

[rpclmc]

Hopefully, this is my last question before my first cruise with Halo in a week.

 

The Bahamas does not require the Aphis.  It does not appear Carnival requires it.  Do I get one just in case?  Or just have the vaccination records, the permit to import from the Bahamas and the health certificate (that I am getting Saturday, we leave Sunday)?

 

Linda and Halo

[Algebralovr]

The APHIS 7001 is the USDA interstate health certificate.

Call the USDA service center for your area and ask if you need it signed by them to visit the Bahamas.  If they say yes, then go to the vet TODAY or TOMORROW morning and then the USDA service center immediately afterwards.  

 

If the USDA service center says it doesn’t need to be signed by them, then your vet will fill it out and give it to you and you are good.  For example, Canada doesn’t require it to be counter signed by the USDA vet.  The local vet is sufficient.  Celebrity still wanted that form plus a copy of the rabies certificate and their own service dog agreement signed.  They simply didn’t need the USDA vet to countersign it.

 

I was told to always get it about a week before leaving.  That gives sufficient time to get to the USDA vet.  I’m lucky that the service center is only 90 minutes by car away, so long as the right person is in the office.

 

keep a copy if the 7001 and your rabies certificate with you at all times. I made a photo copy that I shrunk down and fit the health certificate, rabies certificate, CGC and PAT certificate from our trainer all on one paper that I keep with me.  Just make another copy when it gets ratty.  Last time we flew, when I was asked for documentation, I said, “you mean this?”  It let the airline agent off the hook.  Sad what the fakers have done to us.

[rpclmc]

2 hours ago, Algebralovr said:

The APHIS 7001 is the USDA interstate health certificate.

Call the USDA service center for your area and ask if you need it signed by them to visit the Bahamas.  If they say yes, then go to the vet TODAY or TOMORROW morning and then the USDA service center immediately afterwards.  

 

If the USDA service center says it doesn’t need to be signed by them, then your vet will fill it out and give it to you and you are good.  For example, Canada doesn’t require it to be counter signed by the USDA vet.  The local vet is sufficient.  Celebrity still wanted that form plus a copy of the rabies certificate and their own service dog agreement signed.  They simply didn’t need the USDA vet to countersign it.

 

I was told to always get it about a week before leaving.  That gives sufficient time to get to the USDA vet.  I’m lucky that the service center is only 90 minutes by car away, so long as the right person is in the office.

 

keep a copy if the 7001 and your rabies certificate with you at all times. I made a photo copy that I shrunk down and fit the health certificate, rabies certificate, CGC and PAT certificate from our trainer all on one paper that I keep with me.  Just make another copy when it gets ratty.  Last time we flew, when I was asked for documentation, I said, “you mean this?”  It let the airline agent off the hook.  Sad what the fakers have done to us.

I have checked about the USDA vet signing it.  That is not required by the Bahamas and the USDA vet won't even sign it if not required.  I was just wondering it I should get it for the ship with my vet signing it.  I will just do that.  I keep a file folder of Halo's documentation on me at all times, just in case.  I have never been asked for anything, but the fakers are making it so I want to cover us if needed.

 

Linda and Halo

[HenryKisor]

By all means have your vet fill out and sign a 7001 whenever you leave the United States. The ship will expect it as well as a rabies certificate. Having documentation of any kind often helps when you encounter hostile or ignorant officialdom. In our upcoming book Chris and I recommend getting a 7001 no matter where you go, whether or not it is endorsed by an APHIS official. It might help you get your dog back into the U.S., too, if a shirty ICE agent decides to be difficult. You never know, and an excess of paperwork does not hurt.

 

 

[Caribbean Chris]

I arrange for an exam and have a form 7001 USDA APHIS Health Certificate (issued and signed by my local Veterinarian) each time I take a cruise. She is accredited by the USDA.

 

I get it even if the ship is only visiting US and Canadian ports, because

a) cruise lines and airlines expect to see it at check-in; and

B) on arrival back in the US, my dog has at times been examined by an agriculture official and her papers have been scrutinized.

 

Sometimes for certain countries you also have to have the 7001 countersigned and endorsed by a “federal authority,” a USDA government-employed veterinarian who works at one of the regional USDA APHIS service centers. Correct, they won’t countersign certificates if the destination country doesn’t require endorsement.

[wizard-of-roz]

I'm so glad that Peach had a good placement of her box.

 

I totally agree with having the Aphis 7001 Form for whatever traveling I'm doing with my Service Dog.  It answers so many of the questions that most Immigration officials want to know about my dog.  [Remember, that Mexico wants the words on the form to be spelled out...no abbreviations.]  I also understand that they are changing their requests daily.  Just have everything you can about yourself and your dog.  Leave nothing to their imagination.  Be as clear and concise as you can.  ALWAYS make sure that your dog is on his best behavior when the officials are meeting with you! 

 

I, too, keep a folder of all of Horton's paperwork and make a full copy of everything [MicroChip Info., Permit from CCI [which has a picture of Horton and me on it], Membership Card from the IAADP, Aphis 7001 Form, most recent Vet Check], I give a full copy to the ship [registration]; the Purser's Desk [Guest Services, onboard the ship] and one for the Immigration/Agricultural Inspector before going into any specific port.

 

I NEVER like to be kept waiting because anybody wants to make a copy of my paperwork and they have to find a copier.  Never going to happen.  I hand them a full copy of everything.  It saves so much time!

[wizard-of-roz]

On ‎11‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 10:15 AM, rpclmc said:

Hopefully, this is my last question before my first cruise with Halo in a week.

 

The Bahamas does not require the Aphis.  It does not appear Carnival requires it.  Do I get one just in case?  Or just have the vaccination records, the permit to import from the Bahamas and the health certificate (that I am getting Saturday, we leave Sunday)?

 

Linda and Halo

Bon~Voyage Linda & Halo.  Have a wonderful cruise and when you come home please stop by and tell us all about your adventure.

[wizard-of-roz]

Happy, healthy weekend everyone.

 

Our winds are gone, for now.  The fires are 50% contained.  Our beautiful hills, flora and fauna will need years to recover.  Some of our friends have lost their homes and we are aoo heartbroken for them. 

 

I send my love and best wishes to everyone who had endure this horrible time.  Driving to the beach will be very difficult for a very long time.

[HenryKisor]

Back in 2007, when Roz started this thread, she rated the five or six cruise lines she'd sailed with her service dogs . . . in order. It would be fun if we all did the same now, and perhaps would be useful in picking future cruises.

 

I'll start.

 

No. 1 for everything: Holland America. But HAL is the only cruise line I've ever sailed, so . . .  Anyway, I've been pleased with the locations of the relief boxes (either forward on the promenade deck or aft on Deck 2 under an overhang) on the five cruises I've taken with the line. I've also been pleased with the helpfulness of staff, etc, and the general attitudes of most passengers toward service dogs.  I really need some comparisons with other cruise lines, though.

 

Just remembered I sailed Princess once, back in 1981 or thereabouts. It was the original Royal Princess, and the TV series was being filmed on that ship during the cruise. The only negative I carried away was that most of the passengers seemed so old. But I was just 41 and what did I know then about being a senior citizen. Didn't have a service dog at that time, either.

[bobbijooneal]

My husband and I have cruised about 6 times with his Seeing Eye Dog, Brody. Five with Carnival. Once with Royal Caribbean.  Our experience with Carnival has always been wonderful. They have been very accommodating and helpful with our seeing eye dog. They have gone way overboard and are always very friendly. 

 

Our one experience with Royal Caribbean was so aweful I cried and wanted off the ship. We were stopped going into the dining room the first night as they weren’t sure our dog could enter.  We had encounters with security, admin and others....all were unpleasant. The main desk couldnt tell us where the relief area was and didn’t really care.  It was so bad we will never go back although many of the other guests on the ship said that that cruise was one of the worst they too had been on.  Maybe they were having a bad week but it scared us from booking with them again. We sent in a review and comments and never heard from anyone.  

[Algebralovr]

I’ve only been on one cruise with my SD.  I uploaded an image regarding where Celebrity puts the relief box.  My only real complaint about any of my cruises with them.  

 

 

[HenryKisor]

19 minutes ago, Algebralovr said:

I’ve only been on one cruise with my SD.  I uploaded an image regarding where Celebrity puts the relief box.  My only real complaint about any of my cruises with them.  

 

 

Algebralovr, I can't seem to find the image . . . where did Celebrity put the relief box?

 

[Saiayoko]

I've only been on Royal Caribbean with Peach. The cruise staff were all very nice with her, and her relief box was in a good spot. No complaints there! 

 

We are going on a Carnival cruise next month, so we'll see how it goes. 

[Algebralovr]

On 10/26/2018 at 4:23 PM, Algebralovr said:

I drew in where Celebrity put the box on the Solstice, and where others have said they've had them on other S-Class ships.  

The wind tunnel is the little hallway next to the theater.  There is a door to go backstage in the area where the box ends up.  Any time the ship is underway, the wind tunnel has a quite stiff breeze.  The area where they put the box is also used as storage for floor cleaning equipment.  This is on deck 5.  Definitely not an accessible location, either.  There is a good sized lip to step over to get from the deck into the wind tunnel.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, HenryKisor said:

Algebralovr, I can't seem to find the image . . . where did Celebrity put the relief box?

 

 

Here you go, Henry.  

[HenryKisor]

Thank you! Now I remember.

[wizard-of-roz]

Henry, what a great idea.....It seems like such a long time ago when Brenda, Morey and I ventured out onto the Celebrity Summit back in 2005.  They had absolutely no idea what to do with my Service Dog.  They placed the box exactly where Algebralovr documents in the drawing.  It was far away from our cabin, through doors that were impossible to open when the ship was moving, because of the winds.  If the crew were washing down the deck it became slippery to walk on.  We had a huge veranda but did not think of asking them to move the box.  If I had a "do-over", I definitely would go directly to the Hotel Manager and request the box be moved!

 

Our next cruise was onboard the Diamond Princess;  the box was placed on deck 7 where the smokers would go and throw their butts into the box.......they thought it was a huge ashtray.  This happened on a Carnival cruise too; Brenda burnt her paw, I complained, we got a free cruise and it was NEVER placed on an outside deck again!

 

NCL:  The box was placed in a crew mop closet, near our cabin, under a laundry sink.  It was the best box I have ever seen, with the most easy to use mulch.

Carnival:  A cardboard box with artificial turf, placed on an outside deck, far from our cabin.....it took a few complaints, big mistakes and on all subsequent Carnival Cruises the box has been placed on our patio.  The boxes are made of some sort of metal, filled with hard pellets but always in the right place [I cover the pellets with the artificial turf that I bring along.]

Princess:  The box was placed far from our cabin, I complained, they moved it to a hallway that only the crew uses and then finally placed it in the stairwell, near our cabin, it's filled with wood shavings from their woodworking dept.

Costa:  The box was placed on our veranda, filled with dirt.  The Steward wanted to walk Brenda for us and was upset that I picked-up the solids.

HAL:  The box was placed on our veranda, filled with mulch.

Silversea:  The box was placed on our veranda filled with kitty litter......ugh!  Brenda tracked it into the cabin every time she used it.  They changed it to mulch at the first port stop.

Edited November 19, 2018 by wizard-of-roz

[Caribbean Chris]

I’ve sailed three lines with the dog. Holland America has been the best, with definitely the least hassle and tension when something needed changing. Filler has always been grass sod, which my dog likes best.

 

Celebrity is Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. Box filler (we sail out of Florida) has never been the grass sod I request because their access information says in print that it can be provided, and the other fillers have often been terrible. Once we had an anti-dog, cold response from the officers, another time a super-friendly reception from the captain on down with helpful staff. But the location has always been bad - either a corner on the open, wet, exposed, forward deck with high winds & heavy doors on a Millennium-Class ship, or via a wet, exposed forward deck to the Solstice-class ships’ “wind tunnel.” 

 

The last Line was Marina Atlantic, an overnight ferry Nova Scotia to Newfoundland. The big ship had a walk-in stainless steel box with a layer of kitty litter housed in the same room as caged pet dogs who whined and looked pitiful. My dog refused to use it, and she was really glad to see grass 16 hours later.

[lonelysable]

On 11/15/2018 at 1:15 PM, rpclmc said:

Hopefully, this is my last question before my first cruise with Halo in a week.

 

The Bahamas does not require the Aphis.  It does not appear Carnival requires it.  Do I get one just in case?  Or just have the vaccination records, the permit to import from the Bahamas and the health certificate (that I am getting Saturday, we leave Sunday)?

 

Linda and Halo

I sent in my money for the import permit to Bahamas back in February and have not received anything and they are not answering me my emails What did you do to get it?

[rpclmc]

6 hours ago, lonelysable said:

I sent in my money for the import permit to Bahamas back in February and have not received anything and they are not answering me my emails What did you do to get it?

I didn't send money.  I was told service dogs don't have to pay the fee, I was willing to but didn't need to.  I faxed the import form with a cover letter to the Director of Agriculture to 1-242-325-3960 and emailed it to Deandra Delancey at deanradelancy@bahamas.gove.bs.  Then I followed up with her about a week later at 1-242-397-7450.  She is extremely nice.  She is the top veterinarian there.

 

Linda and Halo