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

[fairbourne]

We have 40 days to go 😃

I'm battling breast cancer and this is a small get away in between finishing chemo and surgery. It's on the Carnival Victory. It's our Victory over Cancer Cruise 😀

 

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Sabrinaswack - sending you our warmest wishes from across the seas on your path to Victory, and early Bon Voyage! :D

[DUTRAVEL]

Dianne, that is so weird. Colombia NEVER asked Horton to wear a muzzle and NEVER asked for a fee. One of the ships crew members took Horton to the inspection, maybe that's why no demands were made.

 

As I've said, it all depends on whose the inspector. And, since I wasn't present, maybe they didn't want to force the issue. Who knows!

 

 

It does seem like we are at the whim of whoever is in charge that day. In Guatemala a man in a military uniform inspected Henri's teeth, fur and feet. We were told that she did not need to be inspected in Costa Rica. When we tried to get off the ship our seapass cards dinged and we had to go back to have her inspected - they looked at her from across the room and said we were free to go. I think it changes day to day - maybe hour by hour!

 

Dianne

[sabrinaswack]

Sabrinaswack - sending you our warmest wishes from across the seas on your path to Victory, and early Bon Voyage! :D

Thank you so much!

 

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[sabrinaswack]

I hope you enjoy your cruise - you deserve it!

 

Dianne

Thank you so much!

 

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[wizard-of-roz]

It does seem like we are at the whim of whoever is in charge that day. In Guatemala a man in a military uniform inspected Henri's teeth, fur and feet. We were told that she did not need to be inspected in Costa Rica. When we tried to get off the ship our seapass cards dinged and we had to go back to have her inspected - they looked at her from across the room and said we were free to go. I think it changes day to day - maybe hour by hour!

 

Dianne

 

This is why it's so important that we keep our cool. I know that the "inspectors" will NOT release the ship to allow other passengers off until they've cleared any SD's or other issues first. So, I NEVER want to be a source of discontent for anyone.

[rangeley]

I always got a permit to go to half Moon cay. I don't know if we needed it or not. Last cruise we were told we had to get the Bahamas permit even if we weren't getting off the ship. That has changed from the year before. I think they just make it up as they go along.

Also we found Western Caribbean much more of a pain. They made me bring the dog down every island we stopped at. Never had to do that before.

 

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[rangeley]

We are always talking about the potty boxes at CCI. Actually found a pic from team training. Wex was only 2 and my son Lee was 23. My son is actually 33 today. How time flies.

 

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[wizard-of-roz]

It does seem like we are at the whim of whoever is in charge that day. In Guatemala a man in a military uniform inspected Henri's teeth, fur and feet. We were told that she did not need to be inspected in Costa Rica. When we tried to get off the ship our seapass cards dinged and we had to go back to have her inspected - they looked at her from across the room and said we were free to go. I think it changes day to day - maybe hour by hour!

 

Dianne

 

So frustrating!!!! :(

[wizard-of-roz]

We are always talking about the potty boxes at CCI. Actually found a pic from team training. Wex was only 2 and my son Lee was 23. My son is actually 33 today. How time flies.

 

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Cindy, what a great picture. You must have fallen madly in love with this handsome, big boy [Wexy] ! You already loved the human one! Wexy's face has NO gray hair......Amazing, how quickly that time flew by. Had Lee met his future love at this time?

Thanks for sharing the pix with us.

[rangeley]

Cindy, what a great picture. You must have fallen madly in love with this handsome, big boy [Wexy] ! You already loved the human one! Wexy's face has NO gray hair......Amazing, how quickly that time flew by. Had Lee met his future love at this time?

Thanks for sharing the pix with us.

No Roz met her 7 yrs later. I remember we picked him up at the ferry. He came to CCI for the day to meet Wex. When he got in the van Wex was on the back bench. When sat down and Wex put his head on Lee's lap. Lee was in love! It was great!

 

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[wizard-of-roz]

No Roz met her 7 yrs later. I remember we picked him up at the ferry. He came to CCI for the day to meet Wex. When he got in the van Wex was on the back bench. When sat down and Wex put his head on Lee's lap. Lee was in love! It was great!

 

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Awwwww! Those magic moments that stay in our memory banks and linger there for us to pull them out at trying and loving times!!! :hearteyes:

Lee, had no idea what life had in store for him. And Wex got a great new family ♥

[wizard-of-roz]

Happy weekend everyone. To all our friends in the gulf cities I hope that Hurricane Harvey doesn't hit you too hard. Horty and I will say a big prayer for all of you. :*

[trudle]

Trudy!!!! When are you coming on another cruise with us? Wexler might not be going on to many more.

 

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Wish it were tomorrow. We are going on a Thanksgiving cruise this year. Don't know how many more we will go on either. I think of you often.y

[rangeley]

Wish it were tomorrow. We are going on a Thanksgiving cruise this year. Don't know how many more we will go on either. I think of you often.y

We think of you too Trudy! I wish we were going tomorrow too. Unfortunately not until January. ☹️

 

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[DUTRAVEL]

We are always talking about the potty boxes at CCI. Actually found a pic from team training. Wex was only 2 and my son Lee was 23. My son is actually 33 today. How time flies.

 

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Great picture - look how young Wex looks! Same boxes at CCI in Santa Rosa.

 

Stay safe this weekend everyone - especially anyone in the path of Hurricane Harvey.

 

Dianne

[fairbourne]

We are always talking about the potty boxes at CCI. Actually found a pic from team training. Wex was only 2 and my son Lee was 23. My son is actually 33 today. How time flies.

 

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Oh my ...... I just love this photo. I don't think these labs and lab/retriever crosses ever lose their wee worried wrinkly faces! Adorable! :D

[wizard-of-roz]

Well, we hit 112 degrees yesterday and that was in the shade......No, I do not live in Death Valley but it sure feels like it.

My poor Horty........He's so unhappy. There's no way he can walk on the concrete, asphalt or any other outdoor surfaces. We are staying in air conditioning [thank goodness] and, he's using his potty box in the garage and on the patio, only!

I hope that all of you are keeping safe from the rain & flooding in Texas and now in Louisiana and the heat waves that are hitting the north and the south. We can't do much about the weather, except try to avoid it and console each other!

My heart goes out to everyone whose been displaced...Please know that we are all thinking about you and sending our love and prayers your way. :*

[Algebralovr]

Poor Horton!

Will he wear shoes? I make Scooter wear them in the worst of the summer and in winter when there is salt on the ground.

 

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[wizard-of-roz]

Poor Horton!

Will he wear shoes? I make Scooter wear them in the worst of the summer and in winter when there is salt on the ground.

 

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For precisely 32 seconds, then he thinks I've put them on for him to take off and tear-up ASAP!

Horton is a 2 year old bad boy in a 8 year old dog's body!!!!!

[HenryKisor]

Has anyone here attempted to book a cruise on Ponant, the French super-luxury line? Their PR person told me yesterday that the line doesn't allow service dogs, even though some of its cruises call at U.S. ports on the Eastern seaboard.

[wizard-of-roz]

Has anyone here attempted to book a cruise on Ponant, the French super-luxury line? Their PR person told me yesterday that the line doesn't allow service dogs, even though some of its cruises call at U.S. ports on the Eastern seaboard.

 

Does this cruise line actually embark at a U.S. port or do they simply "visit" a U.S. port? If not, they really DO NOT have to follow our ADA requirements and certainly not any regulations set down by the act itself.

I would voice my displeasure at any cruise line that visits the U.S. and doesn't serve a segment of our society that have a lot of dollars to spend!!!!!

Who needs them!!!!! :( We have a lot of wonderful choices in cruise lines that think that serving us is important to them! :D

[HenryKisor]

Roz, the federal courts have held that cruise ships that call at US ports ARE subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act on their cruises. This includes service dog rights. I just looked it up on the DOJ website.

[wizard-of-roz]

Roz, the federal courts have held that cruise ships that call at US ports ARE subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act on their cruises. This includes service dog rights. I just looked it up on the DOJ website.

 

Be careful with the "language"......what does "call" at a U.S. port mean? As opposed to disembarking from a U.S. port. I promise you that if someone tried to push the point with this cruise line they will have a myriad of attorney's to protect them with the language. They get away with NOT having to abide by the ADA and having to reconstruct their bathrooms or availing handicapped cabins to the public and providing door ways and walk ways that will allow a wheel chair to pass through, not to mention allowing a Service Dog to board their ships.

I'm a firm believer in standing up for your rights, that said, I also am a firm believer in knowing, thoroughly, what those rights are and under what laws I will be protected with them. I will fight like a pit-bull for myself and anyone else if I know I can win the fight with my rights to back me up!

That said, if I'm on a foreign ship or country that does NOT have to abide by the ADA then I really do not have a dog in the fight-So to speak! I know I have to back away and make a decision as to whether I will enter that country or travel on that cruise ship.

[HenryKisor]

Roz, here is the language from the 2015 U.S. v. Carnival Cruise Lines settlement (my boldfacing). "Operating in" seems to cover embarkation, disembarkation, calling at, etc. I've got a message in to the Department of Justice for further clarification. Meanwhile, Ponant's PR firm, with which I'd been dealing, sent me an uh-oh-we'd-better-check-with-Ponant's-customer-service-and-legal-department message. In the project I'm working on, I've discovered that many of the initial responses are from lower-level factotums who don't know jack about the issue. This happened with a couple of the smaller super-luxury cruise lines, and once I reached management the tunes changed. Incidentally, Lindblad, as luxurious a small-ship line as there is, seems to have the friendliest view of service dogs of all.

 

• The Company is a public accommodation because it is a private entity that owns, leases (or leases to), or operates a place of public accommodation, i.e., cruise ships operating in United States' waters or those of its territories. 42 U.S.C. §§ 12181(6), (7) and 28 C.F.R. § 36.104. Accordingly, the Company is subject to the requirements of Title III of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12181-12189, and its implementing regulations at 28 C.F.R. Part 36.
  

[wizard-of-roz]

Roz, here is the language from the 2015 U.S. v. Carnival Cruise Lines settlement (my boldfacing). "Operating in" seems to cover embarkation, disembarkation, calling at, etc. I've got a message in to the Department of Justice for further clarification. Meanwhile, Ponant's PR firm, with which I'd been dealing, sent me an uh-oh-we'd-better-check-with-Ponant's-customer-service-and-legal-department message. In the project I'm working on, I've discovered that many of the initial responses are from lower-level factotums who don't know jack about the issue. This happened with a couple of the smaller super-luxury cruise lines, and once I reached management the tunes changed. Incidentally, Lindblad, as luxurious a small-ship line as there is, seems to have the friendliest view of service dogs of all.

• The Company is a public accommodation because it is a private entity that owns, leases (or leases to), or operates a place of public accommodation, i.e., cruise ships operating in United States' waters or those of its territories. 42 U.S.C. §§ 12181(6), (7) and 28 C.F.R. § 36.104. Accordingly, the Company is subject to the requirements of Title III of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12181-12189, and its implementing regulations at 28 C.F.R. Part 36.
  

 

Okay, now, how badly do you want to board their ship?

In a post, many years ago, I told all of you about a Souplantation restaurant that refused to let Brenda in. I asked to use their phone [i didn't have a cell phone at the time] so I could call 911 and have the police handle the managers ignorance to the ADA laws. I waited 2 hours in the lobby of the restaurant [because there was a huge accident on a nearby freeway and the police went there first], with Brenda laying at my feet.

Easily, I could have left but I'll be darned, I wasn't going to let this ignorant man keep me from entering because I had a Service Dog. Finally, at the door, I saw 2 policemen. I approached them and told them what happened. I started to get teary-eyed [i was tired, hungry and so, so frustrated!] One of the policemen took Brenda's leash and asked the hostess to bring the manager to him. The policemen approached the manager, with Brenda in tow, and said, "anytime you see this woman and this dog, you are to allow them into this restaurant!" I was seated and ate dinner [i didn't eat too much because all I really wanted to do was go home!]

I contacted the restaurant the next day, wrote them a letter and when we returned 2 weeks later, I was told that the manager had been fired.

Pick and choose your battles. If you feel strongly that your rights are not being observed, fight for them......Me, I would tell this cruise line about all the money that I spend cruising, all my friends that do the same and let them know that we will NOT BE BOARDING any of their ships until they abide by the ADA.

My friends and family call it a "Roz Letter!"