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

[S.S. Cruisers]

Just now, S.S. Cruisers said:

I can hardly contain myself.  I hope I can post a picture.  We want you to meet Wendi's Soaring Rockford.  AKA: Rocky for short.  We pick him up Saturday!  I will get better pictures then. ❤️ 

He is a Silver Lab.  

[Miki_moto]

41 minutes ago, S.S. Cruisers said:

He is a Silver Lab.  

Oh my goodness, he’s so cute!  How old?

[S.S. Cruisers]

He will be 7 or 8 weeks old this Saturday when we pick him up.  Was so excited forgot to ask.  We were just inquiring, because they didn't have any pups left, right now.  They have a litter coming in August and 2 in September which would have been pawfect timing for us.  The guy called, sent a text and an email, the next day saying that the people that had reserved him had backed out, so SCORE, we get him.  

 

I just realized I attached the same photo.  Wonder if I can delete one of them?  Will try. 

[S.S. Cruisers]

Well it looks like it deleted the whole second post, which is ok. His name isn't set in stone. They are using the Disney characters for the parents.  Wendi is from Peter Pan (I had forgot that) and I wasn't quite clear on what he said dad's name is.  It sounded like Soar or Zor, but don't find either when I google the characters.  Will wait until I see the papers.  Might change it to Wendi's Soaring Silver Rockford.  That sounds better.   

Edited July 22, 2019 by S.S. Cruisers
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[wizard-of-roz]

1 hour ago, S.S. Cruisers said:

Well it looks like it deleted the whole second post, which is ok. His name isn't set in stone. They are using the Disney characters for the parents.  Wendi is from Peter Pan (I had forgot that) and I wasn't quite clear on what he said dad's name is.  It sounded like Soar or Zor, but don't find either when I google the characters.  Will wait until I see the papers.  Might change it to Wendi's Soaring Silver Rockford.  That sounds better.   

Congratulations Nancy and family.  He's such a cutie and a very lucky boy to have such a loving family.

 

What are you going to call him for short?

[Plant]

He's so cute!  

[S.S. Cruisers]

9 hours ago, wizard-of-roz said:

Congratulations Nancy and family.  He's such a cutie and a very lucky boy to have such a loving family.

 

What are you going to call him for short?

His name is not carved in stone, except for the "Rockford" Rocky for short.  We will have to mess around with including mom and dad's name to his AKC name.   We shall see.  Who knows what his actual nickname will be.  I'm  thinking Precious Pup! ❤️

 

[krene]

Hi everyone

We are taking a cruise on Royal Caribbean in December to the Bahamas this will be our first ever cruise with my husbands service dog and I'm overwhelmed with what has to be done and when ? I know my first step has to be a microchip as his current chip is not a iso 15 digit . thank you for any help

[lindaler]

You are in the right place to get help. I never thought I could do it alone with a service dog and now a short 60 days later, after all these great people helped me, I will be leaving in five days for 14 days in Alaska. Chavela has learned to use a cat box, who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks. And if this works like it should we will be cruising again. These people have helped with what forms we needed, what she should be used to for potty boxes and other great suggestions. She has almost a whole suitcase for herself what with the artificial turf and more than 14 days of food, her sweaters and blankets, and other important things. But I think we are ready and thanks to these brave people we will face the obstacles with the knowledge of years of experience shared with us. 

[rangeley]

23 hours ago, S.S. Cruisers said:

I can hardly contain myself.  I hope I can post a picture.  We want you to meet Wendi's Soaring Rockford.  AKA: Rocky for short.  We pick him up Saturday!  I will get better pictures then. ❤️ 

Oh Nancy he's beautiful!!!! Cant wait to see him grow up. 

[wizard-of-roz]

3 hours ago, krene said:

Hi everyone

We are taking a cruise on Royal Caribbean in December to the Bahamas this will be our first ever cruise with my husbands service dog and I'm overwhelmed with what has to be done and when ? I know my first step has to be a microchip as his current chip is not a iso 15 digit . thank you for any help

Congratulations, you will love cruising with your Service Dog.  

 

The Microchip is a great start since you really should not be traveling in any venue without one.

 

Check with guest relations when you get to the ship and check on where the box is located.  If you're unhappy with it, this is the time to let them know.

 

You will find what is needed for Bahamas on the page before this.  

 

Just remember to make a few copies of your paperwork so that you can hand one off at registration without having to wait for them to make copies.  You also may be contacted via your cabin phone to come down to a lounge at the first port so that an Immigration official can examine your dog.  Don't forget to bring a set of all your paperwork to hand them.

 

I say this a lot.......Give yourself lots of time to get from one place to another on and off the ship.  Do allow other's to pat your dog after they've asked.  Some folks will even want to take pictures of your dog.  That's up to you.

 

Be careful in the dining room and in the lounges, allow lots of space for your dog to lay down.  DON'T LEAVE YOUR DOG IN THE CABIN ALONE!

 

If you have any specific questions, please don't hesitate to ask.  Most importantly, have fun!

[krene]

sorry if im being a pain another question I have is  our only international port is the Bahamas and I know they require the permit but do I need the international health certificate at the us ports to get thru security going and coming home ? thank you 

[puppycanducruise]

On 7/22/2019 at 3:09 PM, S.S. Cruisers said:

I can hardly contain myself.  I hope I can post a picture.  We want you to meet Wendi's Soaring Rockford.  AKA: Rocky for short.  We pick him up Saturday!  I will get better pictures then. ❤️ 

 

I hope he's as smart as he is cute.

Have a great life together. 

[wizard-of-roz]

5 hours ago, krene said:

sorry if im being a pain another question I have is  our only international port is the Bahamas and I know they require the permit but do I need the international health certificate at the us ports to get thru security going and coming home ? thank you 

Yes.   Unless something has changed, you need the Aphis 7001 form to be filled out by your Vet.   It's a certificate for international travel for small animals going into a foreign country via airlines/cruise ships.  It tells a story about your dog in terms of their up-to-date immunizations and condition of their; skin/fur/eyes/ears, and use of HeartGuard/Advantix and whether they've been spayed/neutered and information about their MicroChip.  

 

I'm glad they ask for this.  For those who try to pass their pets as Service Dogs, this form asks the right questions and insists that the licensed Vet sign it.  It deters the fakes away.

Edited July 24, 2019 by wizard-of-roz

[Caribbean Chris]

14 hours ago, krene said:

sorry if im being a pain another question I have is  our only international port is the Bahamas and I know they require the permit but do I need the international health certificate at the us ports to get thru security going and coming home ? thank you 

 

(You aren't a pain at all. Everybody here asks questions and we all have learned from each other.😀)

 

I agree with Roz - I always get a Form 7001 from the vet, even for cruises that only include US and Canadian ports, for three reasons.

 

One, the cruise lines expect to see paperwork at check-in, and a 7001 health certificate & rabies vaccination certificate are the basics. Two, when you return to a US Port of Entry, you might someday be taken to a room for the dog to be inspected by a Dept. of Agriculture official - and if you can produce those basics, you should be on your way soon. I’ve only had that happen once, at the Miami cruise port, but it DOES happen. Three, sometimes an airline check-in clerk will ask you for health records. This happened when we were flying home from St. Croix, a U.S. Territory which has a customs & agriculture pre-clearance for departing flights. 

 

Note that we’ve driven into Canada and back to the US numerous times (and walked across at Niagara Falls), and border agents on both sides have barely glanced at the dog, and never asked to see any dog-related papers. But cruise lines and airlines have their own procedures.

[Cruising Is Bliss]

On 7/23/2019 at 11:50 AM, lindaler said:

You are in the right place to get help. I never thought I could do it alone with a service dog and now a short 60 days later, after all these great people helped me, I will be leaving in five days for 14 days in Alaska. Chavela has learned to use a cat box, who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks. And if this works like it should we will be cruising again. These people have helped with what forms we needed, what she should be used to for potty boxes and other great suggestions. She has almost a whole suitcase for herself what with the artificial turf and more than 14 days of food, her sweaters and blankets, and other important things. But I think we are ready and thanks to these brave people we will face the obstacles with the knowledge of years of experience shared with us. 

I've been wondering how to pronounce your dog's name? We're midship on deck 3 so will probably see each other around. I know not to talk to a working dog but I'd like to be able to say hi if that's OK and there's an appropriate time for that.

[wizard-of-roz]

2 hours ago, Cruising Is Bliss said:

I've been wondering how to pronounce your dog's name? We're midship on deck 3 so will probably see each other around. I know not to talk to a working dog but I'd like to be able to say hi if that's OK and there's an appropriate time for that.

This is absolutely lovely.  lindaler, you've already made a friend onboard.  Please do allow for some patting of Chavela after your fellow passengers have asked first.  The public is so fascinated by a highly trained Service Dog and are very curious.  

 

"Cruising is Bliss", thank you for your interest!

[wizard-of-roz]

lindaler & Chavela, I want to wish you a hearty Bon~Voyage.  Have fun, have a foo-foo drink for all of us.

 

Give yourself lots of time to get from venue to another.  Be careful in the shops on board, there's not lots of room for Chavela to maneuver around.  

 

If you need help while on board don't hesitate to go to the Passenger Services Desk and get your needs met.  If you feel you're not getting what you need, as to speak with the Hotel Manager.  Every ship has one and they want you to be happy!

 

We're here for you if you need any help!

[lindaler]

5 hours ago, Cruising Is Bliss said:

I've been wondering how to pronounce your dog's name? We're midship on deck 3 so will probably see each other around. I know not to talk to a working dog but I'd like to be able to say hi if that's OK and there's an appropriate time for that.

Thank you, we will meet if not before, at the meet and greet. Her breed is pronounced show low it's queen tlee.  But it's easier to just say show low (xolo). So many ask that I printed up cards that say that and a little about her breed and what a service dog does.

 

[lindaler]

Thank you Roz. We will be driving all day tomorrow and visiting family for a few days before the cruise.  It might be good because it will break up our routine gradually with things she is used to. it's the location of the potty box that worries me most.  I really hope we don't have audiences while she does her stuff. It's amazing the people who watch at Wal-Mart when she goes on command.  I turn around and someone is pointing about 50% of the time. Roz, you say they will move the box closer to our end of the ship? We are both getting older and an early morning hike to the distant end of the ship sounds daunting.

[lindaler]

So I made this up because I get stopped all the time about Chavela. Do you think it’s too much? Sometimes I’m just exhausted and others we are heading for doggy box. 

Edited July 25, 2019 by lindaler

[wizard-of-roz]

7 hours ago, lindaler said:

Thank you Roz. We will be driving all day tomorrow and visiting family for a few days before the cruise.  It might be good because it will break up our routine gradually with things she is used to. it's the location of the potty box that worries me most.  I really hope we don't have audiences while she does her stuff. It's amazing the people who watch at Wal-Mart when she goes on command.  I turn around and someone is pointing about 50% of the time. Roz, you say they will move the box closer to our end of the ship? We are both getting older and an early morning hike to the distant end of the ship sounds daunting.

FIRST:  Make sure Chavela has had a chance to go potty before you enter the cruise terminal.

SECOND:  After you board go directly to the Passenger Services Desk and ask where the box has been placed.  Go to the box, if you're unhappy i.e. you think it's too much of a walk from your cabin, it too exposed to the elements, it's difficult to traverse the doors, hallways, it's too small, etc.  You can insist that they move it to where it's best for you.  There is NO HEALTH LAW that states the box can not be placed on your veranda, if you have one.  If you're on Princess insist they place it in a stairwell.

THIRD:  Go to the dining room and speak with the Matre d' to make sure that your dining room experience will be a pleasant one.  You want to be placed against a wall/ rail or under a window so that Chavela can be placed against it for safety.  You don't want to place her under the table, there's too much of a that she'll be stepped on.  Talk to your servers and make sure they're aware that your dog is there and they should be careful.

 

Once Chavela's issues are all settled you're ready to truly enjoy your cruise!

[lindaler]

Thank you.  I have the list and will go right down your list.  I will bring one roll of fake grass that she is used to as we go on instead of leaving it in the suitcase. Also enough for her dinner with bowl.

[Miki_moto]

Our box was initially placed on deck 5.  My cabin was on deck 8.  A visit to the Purser’s sorted that out.

 

I queued up in a long line to get my table sorted; what a waste of time!  Next time I’ll just go for dinner and sort it out then.  

 

I should add that I’ve had to do that when I cruised without my dog; using a power wheelchair makes most table locations undoable.  Those that are doable seem purpose built for cruising with a dog.

Edited July 25, 2019 by Miki_moto

[wizard-of-roz]

16 minutes ago, Miki_moto said:

The box was initially placed on deck 5.  My cabin was on deck 8.  A visit to the Purser’s sorted that out.

 

I queued up in a long line to get my table sorted; what a waste of time!  Next time I’ll just go for dinner and sort it out then.  

 

I should add that I’ve had to do that when I cruised without my dog; using a power wheelchair makes most table locations undoable.  Those that are doable seem purpose built for cruising with a dog.

I hear you about that feeling of "waste of time".....I waited until the evening to deal with the table on my last cruise and it was a long line and a very frustrated crowd of tired travelers to stand behind.  I really give the Matre d' and his staff a lot of credit, they handled Horton, me and our needs very well.

 

There was a server who literally climbed the walls to get away from Horton.  His fear of my big black boy was so extreme they actually had to move his serving station to the other side of the dining room.  When he would see us coming during the afternoon tea or in the buffet area at lunch time he would physically run in the other direction, pushing people out of his way.  I NEVER was able to diffuse his fear of Horton for the whole 14 days.

 

And, then there's the staff who went out of their way to touch and be near Horton.  You never know!

 

That said; ALWAYS be aware of the folks who are deathly afraid of dogs.  Be mindful of them and if you can, give them lots of space and stay clear of them.

Edited July 25, 2019 by wizard-of-roz