Are dogs allowed on any cruise ship???

[Coral]

Gosh, I understand how miserable be around an animal will make you. People have to look out for their own health.

 

I would hope that anyone with a service animal is considerate and asks you before they sit next to you if you mind or if you have allergies.

 

Personally - I think this is asking too much. Would you like to ask everyone around you a question every time you sit down in public? With my mom being visually impaired - she doesn't always know if people are next to her. She tells her dog to find her a seat and the dog takes her to an empty seat.

 

As stated in the previous post - if someone is allergic, they by no means are being rude by saying so (as long as it is done politely on both parts).

[Andar]

Gosh, I understand how miserable be around an animal will make you. People have to look out for their own health.

 

I would hope that anyone with a service animal is considerate and asks you before they sit next to you if you mind or if you have allergies. I don't take any offense at all and would much rather a person let me know so I can sit elsewhere. You shouldn't have to get up and move!

 

However, if someone is blind or so focused on getting in the seat, sitting where there is leg room or near an exit, or that they are not aware of you they may not ask (or if they are just oblivous). In that case I think you should said something like,

 

"excuse me, I am going to move, due to my allergies".

"I would like to sit next to you, unfortunately, I have to move because of my allergies"

"It isn't anything you did, but I am going to move now as I have allergies"

 

 

Coral, I do not think it is asking too much if the person with the SD is aware and able to see.

 

I did say above, that if the person w/sd doesn't ask due to not being able to see the person , for whatever reason, it is perfectly okay to get up. :)

 

Again, just being as respectful as possible will be wonderful.

[Coral]

Coral, I do not think it is asking too much if the person with the SD is aware and able to see.

 

I did say above, that if the person w/sd doesn't ask due to not being able to see the person , for whatever reason, it is perfectly okay to get up. :)

 

Again, just being as respectful as possible will be wonderful.

 

I disagree. Imagine you having to ask every time you sit down in public? People with disabilities are not second class citizens - they have a right to sit wherever they want with out asking permission first. If the person next to them has a disability - I hope they would politely indicate such and that one of the two will decide to move. If done politely - I doubt there will be any problems.

 

Personally - I think everyone could experience "for a day" what it is like to have a disability. If they did - they would realize what those with disabilities face every day of their life. I speak from experience - I lost the use of my right arm for 2 years and boy was it an eye-opening experience for me. I consider those with disabilities heros as they face many challenges in their life that many of have no clue about and they do it with dignity.

[Nicki61]

I think I am going to contact IAMS or PURINA to have them sponsor a cruise for people and their dogs.

[shankiko]

I think I am going to contact IAMS or PURINA to have them sponsor a cruise for people and their dogs.

My boys and I will happily cruise with you.

Shankiko

[Ethel5]

I disagree. Imagine you having to ask every time you sit down in public? People with disabilities are not second class citizens - they have a right to sit wherever they want with out asking permission first. If the person next to them has a disability - I hope they would politely indicate such and that one of the two will decide to move. If done politely - I doubt there will be any problems.

 

Coral-wouldn't it be lovely if those who drown themselves in perfumes would ask about allergies before they sat down?

[CruizBlooz]

I definitely have seen a few dogs on cruise ships myself. :D

[Andar]

I was on the cruise with the 26 service dogs. Never did I see them all at once. When we did see them they were not at all in the way.

 

I am related to Andar, and was traveling with her and 5 others. (7 of us)

 

Do all those people who want to talk to and ask questions of those with service dogs treat all the other passengers the same - NO -.

It is a natural draw for those who love animals, but just try to treat those with the service dogs as you would anyone else.

 

Being in close proximity and seeing the interruptions was really an eye opener - at first it seems fun to talk about your dog - not so much about your inabilities. After being overwhelmed with the interest everyone has, I have a new appreciation for what anyone with a service dog goes through.

 

Everyone who says they would love to have their dogs with them on a cruise. How about you all try keeping your dog with you 24 - 7. You cannot just "let them out" to run - to relieve themselves - or to do anything. Take along everything you need for them (including water for them to drink)

 

I miss my dogs when I travel, but would not want all the work involved to take them. Especially after seeing how much is involved.

 

Darcie once told me, "I would rather have all my abilities back and not take the dog", She and my brother have always had dogs and in the past kenneled them when they traveled.

 

Yes there will always be those that take advantage, and those that are not as considerate. But I observed Darcie asking "are you allergic" and other questions before sitting next to people, and when others were sitting near us. Making sure they knew the dog was there. (otherwise you would not see her)

 

Patti

 

Coral, I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this point. I live with my disabilities and my wonderful service dog everyday. The cruise was wonderful and at the same time an exhausting experience.

 

However, I always tried to be respectful of others and ask if there was anyone in the group with allergies. I appreciate that this might not be possible with more severe visual deficits, but as long as I can be polite to accomadate others I think I should, after all, I hope they would be polite and try and accomadate me.;)

[2forcrooz]

My wife & I were on Celebrity's Summit from LA to Hawaii in Feb 2006 and there was an elderly lady with a charming bald dog regularly strolling round the decks on the sea days. An unusual sight but a great talking point. The lady either owned a chunk of Celebrity or she was a super platinum cruiser as the cruise staff couldn't do enough for her. She and her dog were lovely.

[Andar]

My wife & I were on Celebrity's Summit from LA to Hawaii in Feb 2006 and there was an elderly lady with a charming bald dog regularly strolling round the decks on the sea days. An unusual sight but a great talking point. The lady either owned a chunk of Celebrity or she was a super platinum cruiser as the cruise staff couldn't do enough for her. She and her dog were lovely.

 

Your post made me think of the Xolo dogs - very unusual- I guess one was just offered to Obama as a puppy as they are hypoallergenic. :)

Here is an excerpt from an article on the web:

 

Characteristics

• There are two types of Xolos - hairless and powder puff, the latter of which usually ranges from a short velvet-like coat, like Toaster, to a lot of long fur! Coated Xolos are not hypo-allergenic, but generally do not shed much if they are short coated. Except maybe at the vet’s office.
  Xolos exude extraordinary body heat because of their lack of body hair (or short coat and naked belly) and can act as a sort of living hot water bottle for sufferers of chronic muscle pain.
  
• Heating pad temperature: is similar to a mild to moderate heating pad. Toaster is not as hot as Pink, but Toasty enough! For typical use, I have her around my neck about 20-45 mins.
  
• The “naked/hairless” hairless is naturally hypoallergenic, odorless, and flealess, making excellent pets for anyone with asthma or allergies. La Rosita (Pink) is Toaster’s female hairless of her first and only litter in 2002.
  
• Heating pad temperature: similar to a moderate to high heating pad. For typical use, I have her around my neck about 15-30 mins. Except when she won’t get off.
  
• Xolos are highly intelligent and intuitive. Calm but alert, they do not bark without reason. They usually bond with one person and are extremely devoted, making them excellent service dogs. Toaster’s grandson who was placed with a woman with FMS in California named him Shadow-take a guess why?
  
• Xolos come in three sizes: Toy (La Rosita/Pink) Miniature (Toaster), and Standard (not featured).
  

[Laurab23]

I think I am going to contact IAMS or PURINA to have them sponsor a cruise for people and their dogs.

 

Count me in!

Laura

[burm]

You would certainly get a lot of attention walking a Xolo dog. The canine version of the Sphynx cat.

[oz cleopatra]

I know a guy diabetes and the dog has been trained to lick him when his blood sugar is down and he needs a shot. Don't ask me how he knows....

[Andar]

I know a guy diabetes and the dog has been trained to lick him when his blood sugar is down and he needs a shot. Don't ask me how he knows....

 

Some research suggests the body puts off a chemical smell (rather sweet smell)

 

With seizure dogs, they first thought the dogs detected a change in the brain waves. Recent studies, where they induced seizures while hooked up to monitors showed the dogs alerted BEFORE the brain waves made any change. So again, now they are thinking the body must send a chemical smell before a seizure.

 

I know with my dog, she knows I am going to have trouble before I do. That was the case at a comedy show on our last cruise.

[jaynak]

My wife & I were on Celebrity's Summit from LA to Hawaii in Feb 2006 and there was an elderly lady with a charming bald dog regularly strolling round the decks on the sea days. An unusual sight but a great talking point. The lady either owned a chunk of Celebrity or she was a super platinum cruiser as the cruise staff couldn't do enough for her. She and her dog were lovely.

 

Hi 2 for - I guess we were on the same cruise - except I said previously in this thread >>>>>On our Summit cruise 2006 there was a lady with a wizened up little rat-terrier dog-like animal that went everywhere with her - including walking the decks for hours at a time>>>>> I guess I don't remember her being quite as charming as you do :) No matter , it was sure a great cruise - dogs or not!!!!!

[Andar]

Hi 2 for - I guess we were on the same cruise - except I said previously in this thread >>>>>On our Summit cruise 2006 there was a lady with a wizened up little rat-terrier dog-like animal that went everywhere with her - including walking the decks for hours at a time>>>>> I guess I don't remember her being quite as charming as you do :) No matter , it was sure a great cruise - dogs or not!!!!!

 

Here is a serious question for cruisers without service dogs.

 

How has cruising on ship with servie dogs impacted you personally?

 

I hope the answers may educate me as a service dog owner. :)

Thanks

[Colo Cruiser]

Here is a serious question for cruisers without service dogs.

 

How has cruising on ship with servie dogs impacted you personally?

 

I hope the answers may educate me as a service dog owner. :)

Thanks

 

 

Legitimate service dogs don't affect me at all, ones that dress up like clowns are irriatating, or should I say the owners are out of control. :eek:

[TM]

Patti, we were on the same cruise, and for the record there were only 7 service dogs sponsored by the travel agency. Bailey was dog # 8. This was our 3rd cruise traveling with these dogs, many who we have traveled with in the past. I have nothing but high regard for the dogs and their owners. I can't even begin to image what it must be like to navigate a cruise ship without the gift of sight. We were also notified all three times by our travel agent that service dogs would be on board, in the event of allergies, also in plenty of time to change if necessary.

[Travelrd]

i was on the cruise with darcie and patti. personally, i couldn't wait to meet bailey and only hoped she would like me. well, bailey and i got along very well. she's a wonderful dog and takes excellent care of darcie. in fact, one afternoon, we were playing trivia and just out of the blue bailey nuzzled darcie to let her know she needed to take her medication. how she knew that is beyond me but i sure was impressed.

whenever i would see a service dog without it's saddle on, i would politely ask the owner if i could pet the dog and would also speak to the owner about their dog and the cruise. i met some very nice people that way. i love dogs and its hard for me to keep my hands off them but i understand that when they are working, i would be a terrible distraction so i know to just leave the dogs alone.

 

for gosh sakes, all people have to do is be polite to one another. how difficult can that be?

 

i miss bailey. and i miss darcie too. we had so much fun on the cruise i would cruise anytime with her, her family and bailey.

[tequilasunrise]

I know a guy diabetes and the dog has been trained to lick him when his blood sugar is down and he needs a shot. Don't ask me how he knows....

 

If he gives himself a shot for LOW blood sugar he'd probably only do it once....that could and probably would kill him. Insulin shots are for HIGH blood sugar.:p (unless you're talking about glucagon, but by the time you need that, it wouldn't take a dog to tell you---he'd be unconscious).

 

Don't believe anything else he says.......sounds like he's pulling a fast one on you. Does he use this to bring his dog to fancy gatherings?

[Andar]

i was on the cruise with darcie and patti. personally, i couldn't wait to meet bailey and only hoped she would like me. well, bailey and i got along very well. she's a wonderful dog and takes excellent care of darcie. in fact, one afternoon, we were playing trivia and just out of the blue bailey nuzzled darcie to let her know she needed to take her medication. how she knew that is beyond me but i sure was impressed.

whenever i would see a service dog without it's saddle on, i would politely ask the owner if i could pet the dog and would also speak to the owner about their dog and the cruise. i met some very nice people that way. i love dogs and its hard for me to keep my hands off them but i understand that when they are working, i would be a terrible distraction so i know to just leave the dogs alone.

 

for gosh sakes, all people have to do is be polite to one another. how difficult can that be?

 

i miss bailey. and i miss darcie too. we had so much fun on the cruise i would cruise anytime with her, her family and bailey.

 

ahhhhhhh, thanks David it was so nice to finally meet you. Isn't the CC boards amazing? We sure had a great time on our cruise and met such wonderful people.

 

I am sort of in the 'debriefing', stage now since it was Bailey's first cruise.

What was really helpful, what can I do better in the future, hence my question about how service dogs impact others. My goal is for us to be considerate travelers. So if people have hints or suggestions, I am all ears.

 

I guess I just don't understand the spitefulness of some people towards service dogs. I personally don't like being around people smoking, but as long as it doesn't impact me, I ignore them and stay out of the smoking area. Accommodations have been made for smokers on cruises as with service dogs for the least impact to other passengers.

 

Tequilasunrise, I am sure the poster did not have medical training. They just knew the service dog was a diabetic service dog and the owner needed a shot. Give them a break. :rolleyes:

Here is a link to a non-profit organization for diabetic service dogs:

http://www.dogs4diabetics.com/

[Tinwoman]

What a scam! The dog just has to be well behaved to get this "certification"? :eek: It seems that there is one thing missing: what does this dog DO for its owner that warrants the "service dog" moniker?!

 

I've seen dogs with these vests and I've wondered, since the person with them wasn't blind and the dog wasn't a typical service dog breed, what was the dog doing? Now I know... their owner was a boob who cannot live without taking their little shmookums everywhere, including markets.

 

There really should be a low-cost governmental certification program that would ensure that true service dogs can be easily identified and provide penalties for those that flaunt the ADA.

 

Yes, yes, yes, people are totally taking advantage of the ADA scenario.

Until they decide to recertify these animals on a yearly basis and keep to a standard, it will keep happening.

SA owners tend to let their animals get by with more and more as time goes by and the animal becomes more a pet then anything.

There need to be laws governing these animal and yearly certification.

What is next, service monkeys on board, service pigs, ponies. come on.

[sailinglisa]

If he gives himself a shot for LOW blood sugar he'd probably only do it once....that could and probably would kill him. Insulin shots are for HIGH blood sugar.:p (unless you're talking about glucagon, but by the time you need that, it wouldn't take a dog to tell you---he'd be unconscious).

 

Don't believe anything else he says.......sounds like he's pulling a fast one on you. Does he use this to bring his dog to fancy gatherings?

 

If his blood sugar is getting too low, he can give himself a shot of glucagon to raise his blood sugar..........and yes you can use glucagon before you get to the point of unconsciousness. Done that many times at the facility I work at......on doctor's orders. You have no idea how brittle a diabetic the owner is or what his doctor and him have worked out over time to meet his needs.

[jaynak]

Here is a serious question for cruisers without service dogs.

 

How has cruising on ship with servie dogs impacted you personally?

 

I hope the answers may educate me as a service dog owner. :)

Thanks

 

Darcie - cruising on a ship with a 'service dog' on board didn't impact me one little bit!!! - as I said "it was sure a great cruise with or without dogs!" If you NEED your dog along who would any of us be to complain? I think the whole controversy here is between NEED and WANT. If someone just wants their dog a long, then yes that impacts me (only in the way that it annoys me and would lead to the next thought of what if everyone brought their dog along). But truthfully, I never did step in the place where the little hairless fellow did his business nor did he 'dine' with us - and he didn't seem the least bit nasty... so no, he didn't bother me personally.

 

Good luck with your situation and I hope you both enjoy your cruise :)

Jayna K

[Andar]

Darcie - cruising on a ship with a 'service dog' on board didn't impact me one little bit!!! - as I said "it was sure a great cruise with or without dogs!" If you NEED your dog along who would any of us be to complain? I think the whole controversy here is between NEED and WANT. If someone just wants their dog a long, then yes that impacts me (only in the way that it annoys me and would lead to the next thought of what if everyone brought their dog along). But truthfully, I never did step in the place where the little hairless fellow did his business nor did he 'dine' with us - and he didn't seem the least bit nasty... so no, he didn't bother me personally.

 

Good luck with your situation and I hope you both enjoy your cruise :)

Jayna K

 

Thanks Jayna, you should never step in anything of the dogs as they are trained to relieve themselves only in designated places (on the ship it would be the relief box set up for them -in our cruise it was out of passengers view in a crew only area). You are much more likely to step in spilled soda or drink from a passenger ;)

BTW my dog does get re-certified, every 3 years is the requirement for her.