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

[Miki_moto]

2 hours ago, Wendsong said:

I'd like more information about this, too. Where did you find this? The luggage delivery takes stuff from your home and back, so you have to pack everything ahead of time.  Does this mail drop deliver directly from the web site to the mail drop and then to the ship? My boy only eats dry food, but it might be good to have water and non-caffeine drinks ordered and delivered as well. 

 

They deliver items from Amazon or any other mail order store.  What port are you looking at for a delivery such as this?  

 

And yes, I'm wondering if I can get a liquor store to deliver a crate of wine to the ship!  ;-)

 

 

[Mavis and Me]

Can SD handlers NOT get paperwork for certain ports if they don’t plan to get off the ship? Is that even an option? Thanks!

[Kaik9s]

26 minutes ago, Mavis and Me said:

Can SD handlers NOT get paperwork for certain ports if they don’t plan to get off the ship? Is that even an option? Thanks!

I’ve been informed by cruise lines that it doesn’t matter if your getting off in the port or not, the requirements are for the ship to declare any animals on board and so they are required to show the health certificates and any other required documents etc for each port the ship enters. Hope this helps, I’d rather be over prepared with all required documents than chance it. 

[HenryKisor]

If your ship is stopping anywhere in the Bahamas, you MUST have an import permit for your service dog even if you are not getting off the ship. You will not be allowed to board if you do not have this permit.

[Wendsong]

4 hours ago, Miki_moto said:

They deliver items from Amazon or any other mail order store.  What port are you looking at for a delivery such as this?

When you say "they", to whom are you referring? I will be leaving from Ft. Lauderdale, end of March 2020, Island Princess.

[muffyn]

On 11/6/2019 at 11:26 AM, Caribbean Chris said:

 

 

 

It appears that in the case of the Bahamas, your regular vet is sufficient. On the permit, it says that in a couple of places that the dog should be presented to a (underlined) LICENSED Veterinarian 48 hours before arrival.  The vet has to put their license number on the 48-hour examination form.

 

 

ok question, how do you see a vet within 48 hours of being in the bahamas if you dont go there till end of cruise?

[Caribbean Chris]

4 hours ago, muffyn said:

ok question, how do you see a vet within 48 hours of being in the bahamas if you dont go there till end of cruise?

 

As previously posted, several people here have advised that it was impossible because of their pre-cruise travel logistics to meet that 48 hour requirement, but they saw their vet as close as they could before leaving home without having any problems on arrival in The Bahamas.

 

If you can, see the vet within 48 hours before your ship sails.

[Caribbean Chris]

9 hours ago, Mavis and Me said:

Can SD handlers NOT get paperwork for certain ports if they don’t plan to get off the ship? Is that even an option? Thanks!

 

Get it if you can because if you had to leave the ship in an emergency, it might create extra problems.

 

Some ports like St. Kitts & Nevis have very stringent paperwork (TWO $$$$ blood titer tests) that make it very difficult or costly to get a permit. Barbados, Jamaica, and several others are problematic. In those cases, I have advised the ship in writing with my paperwork when I boarded that I did not plan to take the dog off the ship.

 

They enter it into the documentation. If you decide to get off there, your key card will make a noise and you will be stopped to talk to the nearest ship’s officer who makes sure there’s not a dog at your side.

[Miki_moto]

8 hours ago, Wendsong said:

When you say "they", to whom are you referring? I will be leaving from Ft. Lauderdale, end of March 2020, Island Princess.

 

Crew Mail Services - https://www.crewmailservices.com

 

They are in both Ft. Lauderdale and Southampton.  I’m sure there are other businesses that offer similar services.  FedEx and UPS might be worth looking into.  

[Miki_moto]

3 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

 

Get it if you can because if you had to leave the ship in an emergency, it might create extra problems.

 

Some ports like St. Kitts & Nevis have very stringent paperwork (TWO $$$$ blood titer tests) that make it very difficult or costly to get a permit. Barbados, Jamaica, and several others are problematic. In those cases, I have advised the ship in writing with my paperwork when I boarded that I did not plan to take the dog off the ship.

 

They enter it into the documentation. If you decide to get off there, your key card will make a noise and you will be stopped to talk to the nearest ship’s officer who makes sure there’s not a dog at your side.

 

Watching this with interest.  Our Panama Canal Cruise stops in many places but Jamaica seems to require the most prep.  

 

Question - should I do all the required testing if I’m not getting off the ship?

 

[rangeley]

I have never done paperwork if we do not plan on getting off the ship. I have heard that Carnival, I believe, is the cruise line that insists you do paperwork for all islands no matter what. 

[rangeley]

I think I asked but has anyone been to Amber cove, Dominican with their dogs? 

[Caribbean Chris]

26 minutes ago, rangeley said:

I think I asked but has anyone been to Amber cove, Dominican with their dogs? 

 

Not me. 

 

[Caribbean Chris]

Some islands like Jamaica make it almost impossible to get a permit. I don’t believe it is true now but last time my itinerary stopped there, they had some requirement  that your dog had to have been born in England or Ireland to be eligible for a permit. They have tests now I’ve never heard of anywhere else. 

Edited November 22, 2019 by Caribbean Chris

[Miki_moto]

Jamaica seems especially difficult:

 

https://www.micaf.gov.jm/content/guidelines-importation-dogs-and-cats-jamaica-animals-diseases-importation-control-amendment

 

They seem to have check lists for their checklists.  I will be arriving from England (we hold a valid EU/UK Pet Passport) but that doesn't appear to help.  

[rangeley]

Is this the correct Bahamas form! I noticed no fax number on it. 

 

 

Edited November 22, 2019 by rangeley

[Mavis and Me]

2 hours ago, rangeley said:

Is this the correct Bahamas form! I noticed no fax number on it. 

 

 

This is similar to the one that I just sent. I chose the other one because it seemed more current and required a little more information. I will see if I can attach a copy of mine.  Hopefully you will be able to see and read it!

[rangeley]

6 minutes ago, Mavis and Me said:

This is similar to the one that I just sent. I chose the other one because it seemed more current and required a little more information. I will see if I can attach a copy of mine.  Hopefully you will be able to see and read it!

 

Thank you. I finally found the correct one. Done and sent on the first try. 

[DUTRAVEL]

The one Mavis and Me posted is also the one I used.

 

Dianne

[allies_daphne]

11 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

 

Get it if you can because if you had to leave the ship in an emergency, it might create extra problems.

 

Some ports like St. Kitts & Nevis have very stringent paperwork (TWO $$$$ blood titer tests) that make it very difficult or costly to get a permit. Barbados, Jamaica, and several others are problematic. In those cases, I have advised the ship in writing with my paperwork when I boarded that I did not plan to take the dog off the ship.

 

They enter it into the documentation. If you decide to get off there, your key card will make a noise and you will be stopped to talk to the nearest ship’s officer who makes sure there’s not a dog at your side.

I literally just got off a repositioning Cruise through the Panama Canal today (San Diego to Galveston).  Our stops were Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Cartagena, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.  We did one template for all the Mexico ports, an electronic endorsement for Colombia and an IHC for Grand Cayman, stating we would not be disembarking in that port.  We were not asked for any paperwork in Cabo or Puerto Vallarta, and no inspection.  2 days prior to arriving in Colombia, despite having the appropriate IHC and proof of rabies etc....  we were notified Colombian officials wanted to do their own inspection prior to debarkation.  We had to pay a $75 inspection fee and a $35 port fee, all in cash, just to get off.  They walked up to us in the lounge where we were waiting and basically told us we were good to go - no actual inspection, just pay their fee to get off.  We won’t do that again.  
 

We were also required to have an inspection in Cozumel, even through our earlier Mexico ports asked for no paperwork and no inspection.  
 

The best advice I can give, is to be over prepared.  Also know that special services and guest services for your cruise line probably isn’t well versed in matters of paperwork or port procedures.  This was definitely a learning experience for us. 
 

Denise

[DUTRAVEL]

36 minutes ago, allies_daphne said:

2 days prior to arriving in Colombia, despite having the appropriate IHC and proof of rabies etc....  we were notified Colombian officials wanted to do their own inspection prior to debarkation.  We had to pay a $75 inspection fee and a $35 port fee, all in cash, just to get off.  They walked up to us in the lounge where we were waiting and basically told us we were good to go - no actual inspection, just pay their fee to get off.  We won’t do that again.  
 

 

 

The same thing happened to us in Cartgena - prior to arriving in port we were told they wanted an inspection fee. Since it was 90 degrees and 90% humidity and we thought that the fee was ridiculous, we told them forget it and didn't get off in that port. 

 

Dianne

[Miki_moto]

Our  Panama Canal itinerary:

Any advice will be appreciated!

 

I’m not too concerned about staying onboard; Cunard’s excursions don’t seem to extend to wheelchair accessible transport.

 

I’m already worried about getting my power chair over to England.  I’ve had too much experience with airlines damaging my chairs.  😞

Southampton 

Hamilton Bermuda 

Port Canaveral

 

Fort Lauderdale 

 

Montego Bay - 

 

Limon

 

Panama Canal 

 

Puerto Quetzal

 

Cabo San Lucas - tendered - stay on ship!

 

San Francisco
 

[rangeley]

So I noticed Amber cove, Dominican wants a USDA endorsement which we have never done with any  of our cruises. They accept a digital one. How does this work? I don't even know where to start. Does my vet send this or do I? Email? I'm clueless. 

[Wendsong]

19 hours ago, Miki_moto said:

Crew Mail Services - https://www.crewmailservices.com

 

They are in both Ft. Lauderdale and Southampton.  I’m sure there are other businesses that offer similar services.  FedEx and UPS might be worth looking into.  

I looked into this and the actual delivery to the ship for passengers is somewhat complicated. Here is the email I received:

 

"Our delivery service is primarily for crew but we can certainly accommodate a delivery for you as we have done multiple times in the past for other guests. However, we do not have access to the ship and would normally deliver at the terminal by crew shuttles.

"Having worked on cruise ships before, I am familiar with on-board processes. If you are travelling with a service dog, you might have already been in touch with the special needs department. Through them, you could potentially request the help of an on-board team to collect the items on your behalf. You may also inform them of our special delivery and we could possibly leave your packages with the Guest Port Services who has a team taking care of your luggage upon arrival.

"We would however have to be expected for them to accept the packages for you.I would suggest you reach out to that department and inform them of our delivery and they will certainly guide you and tell you where the package must be delivered. We'll be happy to follow their instructions. Feel free to copy us in your communication."

 

I am always concerned when one side puts the responsibility on someone else. Many times, neither takes responsibility in case of failure. If anyone has actually used this service to get dog food or other items ordered directly from Amazon, etc., on board, please let me know what the logistics were.  Meanwhile, I will contact Guest Port Services and Princess' access dept. Thanks
 

[Caribbean Chris]

2 hours ago, Wendsong said:

I looked into this and the actual delivery to the ship for passengers is somewhat complicated. Here is the email I received:....

...I am always concerned when one side puts the responsibility on someone else. Many times, neither takes responsibility in case of failure. If anyone has actually used this service to get dog food or other items ordered directly from Amazon, etc., on board, please let me know what the logistics were.  Meanwhile, I will contact Guest Port Services and Princess' access dept. Thanks
 

 

IMHO, It sounds too risky to rely on. If the issue is having enough dog food for a two week cruise, I recall people posting here that some airlines allowed them to check an extra bag with the dog’s necessities at no cost. Then you could use porters. Tipping or even an extra bag fee would probably be cheaper than sending the food.

 

If a dog is already being fed one of the higher quality dog food brands, it’s good news because it is more concentrated protein and less bulky grain filler which equals fewer cups of food per feeding. Pricey, but the dog may have fewer digestive issues which really matters on a trip.