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

[wizard-of-roz]

2 hours ago, Miki_moto said:

 

I’m not willing to put myself out to make things easy for the cruise line so I’ll have to see where they put the box.  It isn’t as if Cunard doesn’t have decades of experience dealing with dogs onboard - at least on the Queen Mary 2!

 

The balcony would be a handy place for the box but if I can get something manageable near our stateroom I think that would be the best option.

I so agree with all you've said!

[wizard-of-roz]

Carnival uses a metal 4x4 box filled with bark [placed on your veranda]  - HAL uses a 4x3 wooden box filled with sod [usually on an outside deck, forward [Once they placed it on our veranda] -  Princess uses a cardboard-like 4x5 box filled with wood shavings [placed in a stairwell near my cabin [Once it was placed on my veranda.] - Celebeity uses a 4x4 wooden box filled with some sort of mulch [placed on a forward deck.]  - NCL uses a 4x4 wooden box filled with cyprus mulch [placed in a crew closet down the hall from our cabin.]  Oceana uses a 4x4 wooden box filled with mulch [placed on our veranda.]  Costa uses a 4x4 wooden box filled with mulch [placed on our veranda.]  I have not taken Disney or RCL with my Service Dog, maybe someone else can attest to their potty box care!

 

One day, this will be consistent.  The cruiselines will treat our canine partners as well as they treat us.  There will be a priority placed on the appropriate placement of the potty box, the filler and our dogs treatment in general.

 

To the cruise staff and officers who have treated me and my Service Dogs with the deserved respect and dignity, thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart.  You are the reason that I continue to cruise and enjoy my days at sea with my service partner.

Edited April 23, 2019 by wizard-of-roz

[Miki_moto]

8 hours ago, wizard-of-roz said:

Carnival uses a metal 4x4 box filled with bark [placed on your veranda]  - HAL uses a 4x3 wooden box filled with sod [usually on an outside deck, forward [Once they placed it on our veranda] -  Princess uses a cardboard-like 4x5 box filled with wood shavings [placed in a stairwell near my cabin [Once it was placed on my veranda.] - Celebeity uses a 4x4 wooden box filled with some sort of mulch [placed on a forward deck.]  - NCL uses a 4x4 wooden box filled with cyprus mulch [placed in a crew closet down the hall from our cabin.]  Oceana uses a 4x4 wooden box filled with mulch [placed on our veranda.]  Costa uses a 4x4 wooden box filled with mulch [placed on our veranda.]  I have not taken Disney or RCL with my Service Dog, maybe someone else can attest to their potty box care!

 

One day, this will be consistent.  The cruiselines will treat our canine partners as well as they treat us.  There will be a priority placed on the appropriate placement of the potty box, the filler and our dogs treatment in general.

 

To the cruise staff and officers who have treated me and my Service Dogs with the deserved respect and dignity, thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart.  You are the reason that I continue to cruise and enjoy my days at sea with my service partner.

 

I agree Roz, it would be nice to know what to expect ahead of time!  

 

I’ve decided to take a wait-and-see attitude.  If by some miracle the box is on my balcony (it’s their policy NOT to put it there according to the form letter they emailed me) AND there’s still room for us to sit out there, I’ll thank them kindly.  But if it gets stinky, I’ll have to get them to move it.  If I can’t get out on the balcony I’ll have to ask them to move the box.

 

If it’s close to our cabin but in an area I can’t manage, I’ll discuss options with the crew.  At that point I think it’s better off closer

inside then a long trek outside - or my DH thinks so and he’s the one who would be doing ‘potty patrol’ at that point!

 

Thanks for all your replies.  

 

[allies_daphne]

17 hours ago, mmarq1992 said:

 

On the Disney Dream, it was a large plastic box lined with absorbent potty pads and sod on top

We had the same on the Dream, and the potty pads were changed out daily, but not the sod.  We only did a 4 day, so probably not necessary.  We picked up our own solid waste and brought it back to our cabin verandah since there was no trash receptacle for it at the potty station.  Our stateroom host discarded it multiple times a day from the verandah.  We have a 'walking pooper' so he struggled with that in the potty box.  We have been working on this with him at home the last few months, and he's getting better, but till 'misses' the box at times because of this. We will have extra potty pads we will place around the box on our next cruise so the decking around the box does not get contaminated in any way.  We are doing a 14 night in November, so hopefully he is much  more comfortable with using the box.  Going to take a piece of turf as Roz has suggested, and cut the drainage holes in it and use it in case there are any ports where they can't get fresh sod.  Special Services says this can sometimes be an issue on longer cruises, but that they should have enough on board from San Diego to take us all the way through.

[allies_daphne]

On 2/9/2019 at 6:08 AM, Caribbean Chris said:

 

I’ve been thinking the same thing - May try to use the titer more than once after the Hawaii cruise. My late brother had a house on the beach in Grand Cayman which we haven’t visited since getting my dog. His widow is always trying to get us to go again, and it’s just an hour’s flight for us.

 

Good work by prevailing with sod instead of kitty litter! We had that once - on a 16-hour overnight ferry to Newfoundland last year - and Raylene refused it, just like  Henri did. Long night.

 

It’s like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates - you never know what you’re going to get.

Chris,

I know you've posted before about having a port in GC and not getting off, and having the vet write on the health certificate that you were not disembarking, but I can't find the actual post.  When you did this, did you still need to go to the APHIS office in Gainesville to get that certificate signed, or was that waived since you weren't disembarking?  We are doing the same, but GC comes as the next to the last stop on our 14 day cruise, and we are leaving from San Diego, so need some travel time on the front end.  I know we don't have to get the titer in this case, but still have the Prazaquantil administered.  We were just hoping if we didn't have to get it signed in Gainesville, we could leave out a day earlier than planned to San Diego.  Colombia is the only  other port that requires an APHIS signed certificate, but they allow it to be done electronically, so that one is not an issue.  I have the template for Mexico for the vet to fill out/sign, so that completes all our port stops.  Unfortunately, Special Services on DCL has been sub-par with information, basically telling me they will follow whatever GC's Dept of Ag states is the guideline.  

 

Any help/info would be appreciated :).

Denise

[mmarq1992]

48 minutes ago, allies_daphne said:

We had the same on the Dream, and the potty pads were changed out daily, but not the sod.  We only did a 4 day, so probably not necessary.  We picked up our own solid waste and brought it back to our cabin verandah since there was no trash receptacle for it at the potty station.  Our stateroom host discarded it multiple times a day from the verandah.  We have a 'walking pooper' so he struggled with that in the potty box.  We have been working on this with him at home the last few months, and he's getting better, but till 'misses' the box at times because of this. We will have extra potty pads we will place around the box on our next cruise so the decking around the box does not get contaminated in any way.  We are doing a 14 night in November, so hopefully he is much  more comfortable with using the box.  Going to take a piece of turf as Roz has suggested, and cut the drainage holes in it and use it in case there are any ports where they can't get fresh sod.  Special Services says this can sometimes be an issue on longer cruises, but that they should have enough on board from San Diego to take us all the way through.

 

They’ve changed a bit since you sailed! There is a garbage can, with poop bags stored above in the potty area, you can see part of it on the left of this picture!

[rangeley]

We have had all different potty boxes and placements. The last few cruises we have had the box on our balcony. I'm not sure if the balcony on our upcoming cruise will be good.

We have also had the "wind tunnel" on Celebrity, and the sawdust which is just ridiculous. We also had a crew area which the door was so heavy it took all my strength to get it open. Not sure what we will get this time. But I should get moving on it since its a month away.

 

Yesterday we tried on Wexlers life jacket to make sure it fit. 

[rangeley]

Changing my profile pic hurts 😭🐾💔

[Caribbean Chris]

2 hours ago, allies_daphne said:

Chris,

I know you've posted before about having a port in GC and not getting off, and having the vet write on the health certificate that you were not disembarking, but I can't find the actual post.  When you did this, did you still need to go to the APHIS office in Gainesville to get that certificate signed, or was that waived since you weren't disembarking?  We are doing the same, but GC comes as the next to the last stop on our 14 day cruise, and we are leaving from San Diego, so need some travel time on the front end.  I know we don't have to get the titer in this case, but still have the Prazaquantil administered.  We were just hoping if we didn't have to get it signed in Gainesville, we could leave out a day earlier than planned to San Diego.  Colombia is the only  other port that requires an APHIS signed certificate, but they allow it to be done electronically, so that one is not an issue.  I have the template for Mexico for the vet to fill out/sign, so that completes all our port stops.  Unfortunately, Special Services on DCL has been sub-par with information, basically telling me they will follow whatever GC's Dept of Ag states is the guideline.  

 

Any help/info would be appreciated :).

Denise

 

No, I have not sent/taken my 7001 to Gainesville to be endorsed when we stated on the form that the dog would not disembark in the Cayman Islands. No Cayman permit involved, so nothing for them to endorse - I had my accredited vet sign 7001 and that was the end of it. We’ve done this several times, most recently for our April 7 cruise. (None of our other ports required endorsement.)

 

I’m curious about why you would have to have praziquantel administered if you are not going ashore with the dog in Cayman? Maybe for Colombia?

 

My vet also issued and signed Mexico’s Option B (which as you know is their template text printed on the accredited vet’s letterhead, filled in by the vet). Mexico Option B does not require endorsement, but the issuing vet must be accredited by the USDA.

 

 

[Caribbean Chris]

17 minutes ago, rangeley said:

Changing my profile pic hurts 😭🐾💔

 

Awwww. Makes me sad...but at the same time happy to see young Oakland donning Wexler’s life jacket so proudly. Ready to set sail and do a good job!

[wizard-of-roz]

5 hours ago, Miki_moto said:

 

I agree Roz, it would be nice to know what to expect ahead of time!  

 

I’ve decided to take a wait-and-see attitude.  If by some miracle the box is on my balcony (it’s their policy NOT to put it there according to the form letter they emailed me) AND there’s still room for us to sit out there, I’ll thank them kindly.  But if it gets stinky, I’ll have to get them to move it.  If I can’t get out on the balcony I’ll have to ask them to move the box.

 

If it’s close to our cabin but in an area I can’t manage, I’ll discuss options with the crew.  At that point I think it’s better off closer

inside then a long trek outside - or my DH thinks so and he’s the one who would be doing ‘potty patrol’ at that point!

 

Thanks for all your replies.  

 

Every dog has their own potty habits.  Bless their little hearts!  We ask them to do the most unnatural things.......such as going potty in a box, in the weirdest places.....Be patient, it will all work out, you'll see!  

 

If I don't see a receptacle near the box, I leave the knotted, closed potty bag near the box......they will have to discard it.  Don't bring the filled bag back to your cabin.  They need to see the bags laying near the box and provide the proper waste disposal container.  Sometimes they are so slow in doing the right thing!

[wizard-of-roz]

2 hours ago, rangeley said:

Changing my profile pic hurts 😭🐾💔

I'm sorry!  I know, and do understand!  As you can see.......I NEVER changed my sweet Brenny's picture.  I couldn't do it.....I just couldn't! Every time I started to do it, I cried and cried....actually, I still do!  You do what makes you feel comfortable, there are no rules about any of it! 🐾 

[allies_daphne]

2 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

 

No, I have not sent/taken my 7001 to Gainesville to be endorsed when we stated on the form that the dog would not disembark in the Cayman Islands. No Cayman permit involved, so nothing for them to endorse - I had my accredited vet sign 7001 and that was the end of it. We’ve done this several times, most recently for our April 7 cruise. (None of our other ports required endorsement.)

 

I’m curious about why you would have to have praziquantel administered if you are not going ashore with the dog in Cayman? Maybe for Colombia?

 

My vet also issued and signed Mexico’s Option B (which as you know is their template text printed on the accredited vet’s letterhead, filled in by the vet). Mexico Option B does not require endorsement, but the issuing vet must be accredited by the USDA.

 

 

Chris,

 

Thank you for this information!  It helps tremendously!  The Prazaquantil is for Colombia (although GC requires it too, as you know, along with the titer).  If I may ask, how soon prior to embarkation day did you get your GC 7001 completed?  Did you stay with the 14 day window they require, even though you did not disembark there?  We are asking, because GC falls on Day 12 of our cruise, but we leave out of San Diego, and need to travel from Florida with a few days lead time, which essentially means we have to see the vet the morning we leave, and it ties us to have to fly to San Diego in this instance (our plan was to drive, as the cruise ends in Galveston, and I have family in Texas - we planned to spend a few days prior to cruise in Texas, leave our car there, fly to San Diego, and have familly bring our car to the port in Galveston on the day we arrive back).  We return the weekend before Thanksgiving, so airfare is insanely high at that time, and we can save $$ and have a little more flexibility if we drive, but the 14 day window for GC was leading us to believe this wasn't really an option, even if we were not going to get off there.  In hindsight, we would have been smarter doing a westbound cruise, where GC and Colombia fell at the beginning of the trip.  

 

Our vet is UDSA accredited, so we are good for the English/Spanish template letter for Mexico, which is 3 of our 5 port stops.

[wizard-of-roz]

3 hours ago, rangeley said:

We have had all different potty boxes and placements. The last few cruises we have had the box on our balcony. I'm not sure if the balcony on our upcoming cruise will be good.

We have also had the "wind tunnel" on Celebrity, and the sawdust which is just ridiculous. We also had a crew area which the door was so heavy it took all my strength to get it open. Not sure what we will get this time. But I should get moving on it since its a month away.

 

Yesterday we tried on Wexlers life jacket to make sure it fit. 

Oakland's face says it all!  He knows he's wearing a mighty heroes gear!  Thank goodness, life goes on!!!!!!  It's a good thing that our broken hearts aren't visible, what a story they would tell!!!!!

[Caribbean Chris]

1 hour ago, allies_daphne said:

Chris,

 

Thank you for this information!  It helps tremendously!  The Prazaquantil is for Colombia (although GC requires it too, as you know, along with the titer).  If I may ask, how soon prior to embarkation day did you get your GC 7001 completed?  Did you stay with the 14 day window they require, even though you did not disembark there?  We are asking, because GC falls on Day 12 of our cruise, but we leave out of San Diego, and need to travel from Florida with a few days lead time, which essentially means we have to see the vet the morning we leave, and it ties us to have to fly to San Diego in this instance (our plan was to drive, as the cruise ends in Galveston, and I have family in Texas - we planned to spend a few days prior to cruise in Texas, leave our car there, fly to San Diego, and have familly bring our car to the port in Galveston on the day we arrive back).  We return the weekend before Thanksgiving, so airfare is insanely high at that time, and we can save $$ and have a little more flexibility if we drive, but the 14 day window for GC was leading us to believe this wasn't really an option, even if we were not going to get off there.  In hindsight, we would have been smarter doing a westbound cruise, where GC and Colombia fell at the beginning of the trip.  

 

Our vet is UDSA accredited, so we are good for the English/Spanish template letter for Mexico, which is 3 of our 5 port stops.

 

To clarify, we did not take the dog off in Grand Cayman, so did not get ANY paperwork related to that island and therefore, the 14 days was not relevant, nor any of their other requirements such as praziquantel tapeworm treatment. 

 

We only got the generic USDA health certificate form 7001 we always get for any cruise. And in the box with “consignee,” listed my name. Under that was “cruise ship passenger, Holland America Line Nieuw Statendam, roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale to ports: (listed) . Then it said “animal will not disembark in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, or in Grand Cayman Island.”

 

We got the 7001 on a Friday before we sailed on a Sunday. Most of the time we get it a week or two before. It’s valid for 30 days.

 

And, as mentioned, we had the Mexico letterhead form. The port official looked that over along with the generic 7001. We also had the Bahamas permit since we got off in Half Moon Cay.

 

Edited April 23, 2019 by Caribbean Chris

[HenryKisor]

Praziquantel is for tapeworm. The USDA APHIS health certificate for Colombia doesn't specifically mention tapeworm or other parasites, although it does say the dog must be free from infectious disease. Is this something new, or was the vet just being extra careful?

[DUTRAVEL]

5 hours ago, rangeley said:

Yesterday we tried on Wexlers life jacket to make sure it fit. 

 

Oakland has the same look Henri gets - what is she putting on me now?

 

Wex may not be your profile picture, but he will always be in your heart.

 

Dianne

[allies_daphne]

1 hour ago, Caribbean Chris said:

 

To clarify, we did not take the dog off in Grand Cayman, so did not get ANY paperwork related to that island and therefore, the 14 days was not relevant, nor any of their other requirements such as praziquantel tapeworm treatment. 

 

We only got the generic USDA health certificate form 7001 we always get for any cruise. And in the box with “consignee,” listed my name. Under that was “cruise ship passenger, Holland America Line Nieuw Statendam, roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale to ports: (listed) . Then it said “animal will not disembark in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, or in Grand Cayman Island.”

 

We got the 7001 on a Friday before we sailed on a Sunday. Most of the time we get it a week or two before. It’s valid for 30 days.

 

And, as mentioned, we had the Mexico letterhead form. The port official looked that over along with the generic 7001. We also had the Bahamas permit since we got off in Half Moon Cay.

 

We do not plan to disembark in GC.  We can't anyway.  Their guidelines stipulate that if you pet has been in Mexico within 10 days of coming into Cayman waters you cannot disembark.  That really isn't a factor though, because we would not have gotten off in Cayman anyway - too many restrictions, and their guidelines state that they can detain or destroy the animal as they see fit.  Too much of a risk to get off there.  Since DCL Special Services was not all that helpful, and encouraged me to reach out to the Ag Depts of the places we would be porting, I reached out to GC and explained we did not plan to get off on the island, and wanted to clarify the 14 days prior to travel clearance (with hopes they would say we could get the clearance 14 days prior to sail date vs. 14 days prior to arrival in GC).  I received the following reply from a consulate at the Dept of Agriculture:

 

Good morning,

 

If your dog will not be disembarking the cruise ship and the cruise ship did not stipulate that you will need an import permit while you are in the Cayman Islands water, then we only require the following requirements as a minimum:

 

·             Proof of current rabies vaccination

·             Proof of a USDA certified vet health certificate issued within 14 days of entry into Cayman Islands waters, including administration of approved tick and tapeworm products as per the attached requirements (see attached temple for the vet to complete)

 

The dog will not be allowed to leave the ship unless able to meet our requirements in full as per the attached. I also wish to reiterate that should any emergencies occur while in Cayman Islands waters, the dog would not meet our requirements to disembark the ship.

 

Based on this reply, I took it to mean we still had to do the Prazaquantil treatment, and that the vet clearance visit had to be within 14 days of the ship entering Cayman waters - hence my dilemma of that port being on Day 12 of a 14 day cruise.  Meaning, I would have to get the vet clearance 2 days before sailing from a port all the way across the country from me.  

 

I did reach out to DCL Special Services again, because when I spoke to them in February, they were assisting a cruiser on the Westbound PC cruise from Port Canaveral who was traveling with a service dog, and also did not plan to get off in GC.  I was hoping there was some first hand information he could share about their experience with paperwork etc... but I have not gotten a response yet.  

At the end of the day, we'll have to make a decision what to do based on all the information we've gathered, so hearing from other cruisers who have foregone getting off in GC, and their experience with forms and paperwork helps with that decision.  It's good to hear you didn't have any issue.

[S.S. Cruisers]

On 4/23/2019 at 9:49 AM, rangeley said:

 

Yesterday we tried on Wexlers life jacket to make sure it fit. 

Fits great and you look mavalous, Oakland! 😘  

Edited April 26, 2019 by S.S. Cruisers
Change color of text

[S.S. Cruisers]

On 4/23/2019 at 10:33 AM, rangeley said:

Changing my profile pic hurts 😭🐾💔

I know,  😥 but look at that handsome little man! 

[wizard-of-roz]

On 4/23/2019 at 10:33 AM, rangeley said:

Changing my profile pic hurts 😭🐾💔

I know it does.........I'm sorry! 💔

[wizard-of-roz]

♥️  Have a good weekend everyone  ♥️

[rangeley]

Don't know if everyone heard, but Host Walt passed away. 😢

[Caribbean Chris]

I’m so sorry to tell everyone that I just read a post by Host Anne on the Holland America forum advising the sad news that Host Walt has passed away. 

 

Edit - Cindy, we read the news at the same time.

 

Edited April 29, 2019 by Caribbean Chris

[wizard-of-roz]

10 minutes ago, rangeley said:

Don't know if everyone heard, but Host Walt passed away. 😢

Oh!  No!  He was such a great guy and would comment on our thread a lot!  I'm so, so sorry to hear this news.  I wish his family sincere condolences.