BelizeanArmyWife

22 hours ago, DUTRAVEL said:

Just a heads up that beginning July 14, 2021, there is a temporary suspension for dogs imported from countries that the CDC considers high risk for dog rabies. These rules apply to all dogs, including puppies, service animals, and emotional support dogs. These rules also apply whether you are (1) just visiting the United States with your dog, (2) importing dogs into the United States, or (3) traveling out of the United States and returning with your dog after a temporary visit, such as a vacation or holiday, or for shopping or visiting friends and relatives. See links for a list of the applicable countries.

 

Dogs from high-risk countries may be imported only with CDC’s advance written approval (CDC Dog Import Permit), including dogs imported from a country NOT at high risk if the dogs have been in a high-risk country during the previous 6 months. To request advance written approval, you must follow the instructions at How to Apply for a CDC Dog Import Permit and send an email to CDC at CDCanimalimports@cdc.gov, at least 30 business days (6 weeks) before you intend to enter the United States. Requests cannot be made at the port of entry upon arrival into the United States. Dogs that arrive from high-risk countries without advance written approval from CDC will be denied entry and returned to the country of departure at the importer’s expense.

On 6/9/2021 at 11:40 AM, Caribbean Chris said:

Barb is right - you need to start by checking out the APHIS Pet Travel country rules for Bahamas (Coco Caye), St Maarten, and St. Thomas (this last one is found under "traveling state to state" as Virgin Islands. Service dogs aren't pets but they still have to meet the same regulations for import to another country. Cruise lines rarely know anything about this topic when you call them.

 

All you have needed for St. Thomas in the past was a basic Form 7001 health certificate signed by the vet which you need anyway for any cruise. The cruise line will expect you to produce this at check-in with the rabies certificate.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/library/forms/pdf/APHIS7001.pdf

 

Everything may have changed post-Covid, so there's no way to predict what we will all encounter. If your vet is not a USDA-accredited vet, you may want to find one where you live who may be familiar with the paper work. 

 

Many of us have taken our dogs to the Bahamas in the past, and it required your filling out a form (see APHIS to print a copy)  to fax (you can fill out the form yourself without involving the vet yet), then awaiting a reply and a permit to bring the dog in, including a final visit to your vet within a 48 before departure to have the vet sign another form. Note that in the past, Bahamas waived the fee of $10 for service dogs, so you need to include a note or letter saying that is the case, and a return fax number. Here was info someone posted a while back:

 

 "I faxed the import form with a cover letter to the Director of Agriculture to 1-242-325-3960 and emailed it to Deandra Delancey at deandradelancy@bahamas.gov.bs.  Then I followed up with her about a week later at 1-242-397-7450.  She is extremely nice.  She is the top veterinarian there."

 

I know Coco Caye is a private island, but people on this thread were told by a cruise line a few years ago that The Bahamas required the cruise companies to be sure the passenger had the permit, even for private islands, even if you weren't getting off with the dog, so cruise lines started looking for it at check-in. I've obtained it two or three times. There was also a commercial service you can use that will get the permit for a fee. I don't know if anybody here has used him or not. I'm considering doing it next time I go in November.

https://www.bahamaspetpermit.com/

 

As far as St. Maarten, their rules changed and required that the health certificate not only be signed by a USDA accredited vet, but also sent or taken to a regional USDA APHIS vet (federal official) to countersign (sort of a hassle and at your expense, of course, if you have to send it by overnight mail). So the last time we went to St. Maarten, I didn't bother getting the permit figuring we wouldn't get off the ship. Funny surprise - the ship staff called the day before arrival at the island and said we were approved to take the dog off. So I guess the port officials were satisfied with the general Form 7001 without their special form. Their rules:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/health-certificates/non-eu/st-maarten-dog-cat-ferret.pdf

 

Let us know how it all works out!

 

@Caribbean Chris thank you so much for the info. I’ll be getting the permits for Bahamas and St Thomas but for St Marteen we Aren’t getting off. 
 

@DUTRAVEL I had no idea about this. Thank you so much I’ll be looking into it. I have a lot of homework to do 

Hello all, Hopefully someone can help me.... we will be traveling with my hubs and daughters service dogs in December on Royal caribbean to coco caye (Royals private island), st Marteen, and st Thomas. I just got the info on documents that’s needed to travel with them and I have no idea if we really need them if we only plan to get off at coco caye. We’ve been to Jamaica on Royal never got off and didn’t need the info, and we’ve been to RC’s private island Labadee and got off without a problem. Has anyone traveled with service dogs to those three locations?? Any info would be great thank you

Note: I did call And no one can give me accurate answers 😑😞

On 12/7/2019 at 7:09 AM, dmccadden said:

Ok looks like Royal is going to come through for us, many thanks to them!

Yayyyy thank goodness 

39 minutes ago, g8rjeff63 said:

 

I'm in the same situation for a 2021 cruise in late March.  No where on my RCCL emails does it say I'll be autocancelled if I haven't chosen an option by the 24th.  Where did that date come from?  Does it say that on your email(s)?  Is that November 24th?

 

Also, has anybody asked for two side-by-side 2-bedroom Royal Suites as an alternate solution? To me that's a downgrade due to loss of a large balcony with jacuzzi and the loss of the large living/dining room.

When I called them back to find out about my options they told me I have until the 24th before they auto cancel and give me a refund. I didn’t as for two 2bedroom grand suites because of course like what you said that wasn’t the purpose of booking the 4bedroom villa. I think they really dropped it on this suite. 

32 minutes ago, dmccadden said:

Thanks sound like the jr suite would work, they have not offered this to me, I think it is because I only have 7 people booked how many do you have?

 

Also recently on a RC FB page another cruiser is going through the same thing and they only offered her ocean view balconies no suites at all not even compensation because they said no suites are available for her sailing. If anything and you don’t see anything fit to your liking talk to resolutions team they’ll help 

31 minutes ago, dmccadden said:

Thanks sound like the jr suite would work, they have not offered this to me, I think it is because I only have 7 people booked how many do you have?

 

It’s 11 of us. 5 in my immediate family and 6 in my extended 

2 minutes ago, Tulsacoker said:

@BelizeanArmyWife, seems like the first and last deals are pretty good.

It does sound good. I’m Just not sure what the rest of the family think yet or my hubs. We are having a meeting about it this weekend since it’s hubs that paying for it all. 

I was booked in the 4bd villa suite for December 2020. I got my call

last Wednesday with the following offers. Take up all the junior suites they are replacing the villa with, Upgrade to the royal suite for my immediate family and I and they’ll put the rest of my family in grand suites nearby, cancel my entire booking without penalties, book on another ship with another itinerary without penalty, or go on vision of the seas 10 days in the royal suite and the rest of my family in other suites scattered. I haven’t made up mind yet what I want to do but we have until the 24th to decide before auto canceling.