Service Animals on Celebrity Ship?

[yoj13]

Like two previous posters, we were also on the March 2013 sailing of the Eclipse. This dog was not a service animal based on its behavior. We sat in the MDR a few tables away from it. The woman did have it in a stroller, but the dog ate from the table, with the waiters bringing food on regular plates. Whenever the waiters sang Happy Birthday to anyone, the dog went nuts barking and growling.

To us, this was unacceptable.

 

Like you, we were also guests of Celebrity on the Eclipse Transatlantic. I spoke with Graham about these animals and he said if the relevant 'Doctor's note' was submitted, there was nothing they could do other than allow them to be there.

He went on to say, under no circumstances should they be in the diningroom and when I said they are allowed in, he said nothing and basicly shook his head.

I did not encounter the poodle growling but the yorkshire terrier was on the table in select dining across from us. It was in a tartan doggy bag which was on the spare seat on a table for 4. (3 guests and the dog) The waitress passed by this table with plated food and the dog barked, snapped and only her expertise in handling plates saved the spillage of food. She did indeed get a real fright.

Every time I saw the terrier it was being carried with one of the bathroom towels wrapped around its nether regions!!!!

And as for the people whose dogs have fouled various areas and walked away, words fail me.

[tlk1013]

I've cruised for many years and various cruise lines. Have to admit that Celebrity is my favorite and has my loyalty. I was shocked to see two dogs on the April TA. The one dog was obviously a well trained service dog assisting a lady on a scooter. The dog was at her side and extremely attentive....very well behaved. The shock to me was the small white dog that was being fed from the table in the Oceanview Cafe. The couple had the dog in a baby stroller but would feed it throughout their meal. This was bizarre! Only saw this dog one time but was not very pleased.:confused:

[Glenndale]

I haven't read the whole thread, but the thought of a dog having been in my cabin, sitting on upholstery, peeing/soiling on carpet, possibly sleeping in/on bed persuades me that Celebrity is not the cruise line for me any longer.

This thread has been a real eye opener, a true service dog, properly trained is not a problem, having a pet around the ship, eating in the dining room, sitting on chairs, sitting on the table :eek:, words fail me.

Currently at elite level, I am unlikely to travel with them again.

[cle-guy]

He went on to say, under no circumstances should they be in the diningroom and when I said they are allowed in, he said nothing and basicly shook his head.

.

 

This is a problem with X - staff training......Certainly the CC host should be well aware of the rules, which clearly allow the animals in all dining spaces.....this is an example of a staff member simply trying to appease the customer in front of them and not actually following policy, policy of which as I noted earlier, prohibits animals of all types, including service animals, from coming into the UK. Graeme is one of those whom I asked about the animals and that policy and never got a proper reply from. Also asked the Suite concierge Fabian and never received a reply. His reply after he "checked" was that service animals are allowed to cruise, however when I inquired as to why the X website and Accessibility department both told me no dogs allowed on ships entering the UK, I never got a further reply. This response and lack of further response lends more evidence that staff just o or say anything that will appease the customer in front of them, and not actually figuring out the correct response.

 

I really wanted the answer for my aunt who hates to fly yet wants to visit fiends in London, so she can take any necessary measures needed in advance of of the trip if needed, cross on Eclipse, stay a week then back on Queen Mary and drive back to florida. We tried this this year, and X said no dogs at all on the Eclipse crossing are allowed, which is still what is noted on the website today. X does not have proper DEFRA permits and licenses to bring animals into the UK by sea, only Cunard does.

[dkjretired]

I haven't read the whole thread, but the thought of a dog having been in my cabin, sitting on upholstery, peeing/soiling on carpet, possibly sleeping in/on bed persuades me that Celebrity is not the cruise line for me any longer.

This thread has been a real eye opener, a true service dog, properly trained is not a problem, having a pet around the ship, eating in the dining room, sitting on chairs, sitting on the table :eek:, words fail me.

Currently at elite level, I am unlikely to travel with them again.

 

Do you think any of the other lines are any different,if so that is quite naive.

[ghstudio]

This is a problem with X - staff training......Certainly the CC host should be well aware of the rules, which clearly allow the animals in all dining spaces.....this is an example of a staff member simply trying to appease the customer in front of them and not actually following policy, policy of which as I noted earlier, prohibits animals of all types, including service animals, from coming into the UK. Graeme is one of those whom I asked about the animals and that policy and never got a proper reply from. Also asked the Suite concierge Fabian and never received a reply. His reply after he "checked" was that service animals are allowed to cruise, however when I inquired as to why the X website and Accessibility department both told me no dogs allowed on ships entering the UK, I never got a further reply. This response and lack of further response lends more evidence that staff just o or say anything that will appease the customer in front of them, and not actually figuring out the correct response.

 

I really wanted the answer for my aunt who hates to fly yet wants to visit fiends in London, so she can take any necessary measures needed in advance of of the trip if needed, cross on Eclipse, stay a week then back on Queen Mary and drive back to florida. We tried this this year, and X said no dogs at all on the Eclipse crossing are allowed, which is still what is noted on the website today. X does not have proper DEFRA permits and licenses to bring animals into the UK by sea, only Cunard does.

 

If one wants to pursue the purportedly illegal bringing of dogs to the UK, I am sure that pictures sent to the proper authorities would stop this from happening...extremely quickly....or perhaps it's worth a call from the ship to the proper authorities so they can meet the ship and the dog first hand. There are some rules that can be overridden by those on the ship. Creating a situation where Celebrity is legally in violation of the law is obviously not one of them.

Edited May 11, 2014 by ghstudio

[Caribbean Chris]

I'm looking at the Celebrity form passengers with service dogs must sign and present at the pier. It specifically states that service dogs may NOT sit on furniture nor eat at dining room tables."....Expected to "behave properly" ...and a cleaning fee may be added to your shipboard account if necessary, etc.

 

I'm furious at these passengers with fake service dogs as described in this thread and wish Celebrity stiffened it up a bit...to require signatures that if you violate these policies, you'll be removed at the next port of call.

 

These people are antagonizing others and creating ill will for those who follow.

 

As Roz points out, real service dogs never eat at the table and are basically invisible at the handler's feet. No food items nor even training treats from the handler are ever given in any restaurants, per my training, so the dog does not perceive this as an eating opportunity, and settles right away. If the dog so much as lifts her head and sniffs the air as food arrives at the table, she is told "leave it" and immediately returns to her settled position by my feet.

[4774Papa]

On one X cruise I saw a passenger feeding his service dog from the MDR table at lunch.

There has to be a way to screen a real service dog from the fakes and punish those that ignore the rules.

[ghstudio]

On one X cruise I saw a passenger feeding his service dog from the MDR table at lunch.

There has to be a way to screen a real service dog from the fakes and punish those that ignore the rules.

 

It requires confrontation....on the ship, because Celebrity is limited as to what they can ask before an animal is allowed on board. Shipboard personnel are very wary of any confrontation and will bend over backwards not to cause a scene or cause a problem....but that's where the change has to occur.

 

IMHO, the only way change will occur is if the pain of not causing a scene is worse than causing one. Bring a legal case in the UK (or better yet, take a video of a dog eating off the table in the MDR and send it to the TV station) and the rules would cause almost an instant change. Sending pictures/videos to the Florida Health Department and making sure the newspapers get copies would also cause some instant focus from HQ. (note: it's likely that the folks in HQ don't have anything staring them in the face on this issue....This is one case where a picture is worth thousands of words....look at that cute little white dog in the MDR sitting on a chair being fed in the MDR. Short of that, we are probably stuck with the occasional pet.

[keesar]

A previous poster mentioned "doctor's note". Now that is a joke. Some doctors write notes for "companion dogs". Not service dogs but for people benefiting from a companion.

 

On our last cruise, there was a legitimate service dog on board. The dog was invisible during the cruise. Then there was this yapping chihuahua who came to the dining room regularly. Person said it was a service dog. Ate in her lap and yapped and yapped. Give me a break!

[Glenndale]

Do you think any of the other lines are any different,if so that is quite naive.

 

I have never seen a service animal, let alone a pet dog on board any ship in over 40 cruises.

If you wish to call me naive that's your prerogative, but really there is no need to try and disparage my remarks by name calling. :rolleyes:

 

I certainly avoid hotels that allow pets and would not frequent a restaurant that allowed animals on the upholstery in the dining room.

As to being allowed on a dining table...

Maybe you do things differently in the US but public health regulations in the UK would not allow this.

 

Cunard allows animals on board but they are kept in kennels.

[ghstudio]

I have never seen a service animal, let alone a pet dog on board any ship in over 40 cruises.

If you wish to call me naive that's your prerogative, but really there is no need to try and disparage my remarks by name calling. :rolleyes:

 

I certainly avoid hotels that allow pets and would not frequent a restaurant that allowed animals on the upholstery in the dining room.

As to being allowed on a dining table...

Maybe you do things differently in the US but public health regulations in the UK would not allow this.

 

Cunard allows animals on board but they are kept in kennels.

 

I would be shocked if Cunard required a service animal kept in a kennel....that would be in complete violation of US law and Cunard services US ports.

 

You apparently are not familiar with service dogs....service dogs are not pets and they are found in restaurants, airplanes, restaurants in the US giving freedom to those who are disabled and unable to enjoy any quality of life without them. Even a hotel that does not allow pets must (and does) allow service dogs in any room and in restaurants. No, not on chairs or tables, not soiling the floor, not barking...but they are there doing their job. I suspect the UK laws are very similar.

[Glenndale]

I would be shocked if Cunard required a service animal kept in a kennel....that would be in complete violation of US law and Cunard services US ports.

 

You apparently are not familiar with service dogs....service dogs are not pets and they are found in restaurants, airplanes, restaurants in the US giving freedom to those who are disabled and unable to enjoy any quality of life without them. Even a hotel that does not allow pets must (and does) allow service dogs in any room and in restaurants. No, not on chairs or tables, not soiling the floor, not barking...but they are there doing their job. I suspect the UK laws are very similar.

 

I am perfectly cognisant of service dogs, please do not presume to lecture me.

Service dogs would not be fed from the table, allowed on chairs or dining tables.

If you had read my initial post you would have read that 'I have no problem with service dogs'.

I made it clear that I was referring to 'pets' which if accounts are to believed, are being allowed on Celebrity ships due to US legislation.

[NLH Arizona]

I have never seen a service animal, let alone a pet dog on board any ship in over 40 cruises.

If you wish to call me naive that's your prerogative, but really there is no need to try and disparage my remarks by name calling. :rolleyes:

 

I certainly avoid hotels that allow pets and would not frequent a restaurant that allowed animals on the upholstery in the dining room.

As to being allowed on a dining table...

Maybe you do things differently in the US but public health regulations in the UK would not allow this.

 

Cunard allows animals on board but they are kept in kennels.

I've seen true service dogs on both Celebrity and Crystal, both guide dogs.

 

The health regulations are the same here in the states, that is why people have to turn in these idiots to the health department, so they can stop them from this type of behavior.

[cle-guy]

If one wants to pursue the purportedly illegal bringing of dogs to the UK, I am sure that pictures sent to the proper authorities would stop this from happening...extremely quickly....or perhaps it's worth a call from the ship to the proper authorities so they can meet the ship and the dog first hand. There are some rules that can be overridden by those on the ship. Creating a situation where Celebrity is legally in violation of the law is obviously not one of them.

 

I'm not at all interested in reporting anyone for wrong doing. I AM interested in learning what the correct procedure is, but so far no one at X has been able to help me with that. No doubt the animals were allowed of the ship in the UK, and all passengers were as well.

 

In fact the fact that the animals were let ion, leads me to believe the X website is in error, or someone had to do a lot of arguing on arrival. I also older f since customs clearance happens ON SHOIP, maybe they left the animal behind for that process, and simply walked off the ship without any customs scrutiny...

 

If there is no regulation against it, then update the X website. However the UK customs website supports the fact that animals even service animals, can only enter the UK by Sea on Cunard, they can arrive by air on almost any air carrier, and by land as well. UK used to require a 6 month quarantine, but that was waived several years ago. I've had a staff member I had to relocate to the UK with her pet dog, and we had to make several vet visits, microchip the dog etc. in the US before flying in, then there were no issues. However the UK Customs website says s animals by sea can only come by Cunard.

 

If there is a fee to pay, a license to secure, additional health inspections, or additional paperwork to prepare, that is the information I am seeking from X, but so far to no avail.

 

Just really wish for properly trained staff which includes training staff to answer "You know, I am not sure, let me look into it and get back to you" rather than make an excuse up on the fly.

[Glenndale]

I've seen true service dogs on both Celebrity and Crystal, both guide dogs.

 

The health regulations are the same here in the states, that is why people have to turn in these idiots to the health department, so they can stop them from this type of behavior.

 

Hi, as I said, I've never seen one on a ship in over 40 cruises but they do a great job.

 

I suspected that the regulations would be the same, but as you say someone has to make a stand against this unacceptable practice of allowing 'pets' on board.

 

It is a pity that the medical practitioners who 'authorise' these animals don't seem to be answerable to any regulatory authority, they bring disrepute on their profession.

[hulamoon]

The UK, Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia are rabies free. There are numerous hoops to jump through for a dog, service or not to enter these places. Having up to date rabies and extra shots, verified titers, tattoos or microchips verified are a few of those hoops.

[cle-guy]

[/b]

 

 

It is a pity that the medical practitioners who 'authorise' these animals don't seem to be answerable to any regulatory authority, they bring disrepute on their profession.

 

Thing is, in the US, a doctor's note isn't even needed. An establishment can only ask 2 questions:

1) is it a service animal?

2) what service does it provide?

 

They may NOT ask for proof or any other verification of the animal's status. No special vest is needed or anything. Just the word of the person with the animal saying yes it is a service animal and providing an answer as to what service it provides is all that's necessary under the law and ADA regulations in the USA.

 

Some people do go get a doctor's permission note to make things easier with establishments that insist, against the law, on further documents, but papers are not even needed. An establishment requiring this kind of proof is open to fines under the ADA regulations, though many smaller firms are not aware of this.

 

Verification of shots and such may be required by customs and immigration, and when using public methods of transport such as airlines, trains and ships, and when traveling interstate, it's often advised and required to have an inspection by a vet within 14 days of travel.

[ghstudio]

However, the dog must follow all health laws and rules in the celebrity agreement...as far as I have heard, celebrity has never enforced their requirements nor have ships enforced the health codes for these pets.

 

You may not be able to stop the dog from boarding, but you can certainly confine it if laws or agreements are broken and if passengers object they certainly can leave the ship.

 

That's all I expect...and I think that's reasonable.

Edited May 12, 2014 by ghstudio

[dkjretired]

I have never seen a service animal, let alone a pet dog on board any ship in over 40 cruises.

If you wish to call me naive that's your prerogative, but really there is no need to try and disparage my remarks by name calling. :rolleyes:

 

I certainly avoid hotels that allow pets and would not frequent a restaurant that allowed animals on the upholstery in the dining room.

As to being allowed on a dining table...

Maybe you do things differently in the US but public health regulations in the UK would not allow this.

 

Cunard allows animals on board but they are kept in kennels.

 

I was not commenting on the dogs actions but your comment that you would not sail on Celebrity again. All cruise lines do the same thing and it is naive to believe that Celebrity is the only one.

[upwarduk]

UK used to require a 6 month quarantine, but that was waived several years ago. I've had a staff member I had to relocate to the UK with her pet dog, and we had to make several vet visits, microchip the dog etc. in the US before flying in, then there were no issues. However the UK Customs website says s animals by sea can only come by Cunard.

 

I believe dogs that are not quarantined have to be chipped prior to entry. This happens after inoculation etc. which is costly.

 

The UK, Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia are rabies free. There are numerous hoops to jump through for a dog, service or not to enter these places. Having up to date rabies and extra shots, verified titers, tattoos or microchips verified are a few of those hoops.

Edited May 12, 2014 by upwarduk

[Groovybusybee]

Whilst this doesn't help get your Aunt and service animal directly into the UK, I can confirm that other lines do carry dogs.

 

We have a home in Southern Spain and use Brittany Ferries to sail from the UK to Spain, some ships have a specific kennel deck as all dogs are allowed not just service dogs. It's a common sight to see dogs on all the cross channel crossings between the UK and Spain and France.

 

Could this be an alternative for your Aunt, a TA terminating in a European port then a quick crossing across the channel, or even Eurostar?

 

Debbie

[cle-guy]

Whilst this doesn't help get your Aunt and service animal directly into the UK, I can confirm that other lines do carry dogs.

 

We have a home in Southern Spain and use Brittany Ferries to sail from the UK to Spain, some ships have a specific kennel deck as all dogs are allowed not just service dogs. It's a common sight to see dogs on all the cross channel crossings between the UK and Spain and France.

 

Could this be an alternative for your Aunt, a TA terminating in a European port then a quick crossing across the channel, or even Eurostar?

 

Debbie

 

Good point. And I should have clarified there are different rules for US based cruises versus EU based cruises, which EU based have a few other lines (costa, carnival for example) also several ferry companies seem to be allowed, they provide separate lists for cruise ships and ferries.

[cle-guy]

I believe dogs that are not quarantined have to be chipped prior to entry. This happens after inoculation etc. which is costly.

 

Now ALL dogs must have a properly working microchip. I think the change was in 2012 if I recall. They have even listed a series of chip numbers that are not compatible with their scanning systems to ensure if you have one of those older ships, you get a new one inserted. They also allow older dogs who have tattooed identification in , I think this applies only to 2010 or prior tattooing as identification marks before chips were are easy and popular.

 

I bought a package from my vet for annual fees of $300 which includes all necessary vaccines and shots, also includes unlimited wellness checks, and certificates of safe travel as authorized by the USDA (1 triplicate form - 1 copy the vet retains, 1 given to the carrier and 1 given to me each trip) and additionally paid $80 for the microchip. Cheaper than a child!

[sassmofi]

I believe dogs that are not quarantined have to be chipped prior to entry. This happens after inoculation etc. which is costly.

 

I moved from the US to the UK almost 1.5 years ago with a pet via plane. The requirements are not very costly other than the actual air cargo costs. There were 2 vet visits for an animal that did not previously have a microchip. One to place the ISO microchip and a new rabies vaccination which must be administered at minimum 20 days prior to travel. The second visit was the fit for travel health checkup within 10 days of travel and filling out proper documentation. I then took the documentation to the USDA vet office near ORD to be signed. Total cost was at most 175 USD (2 vet visits, microchip, rabies vac, USDA vet administration fee). Titer tests are not required for approved animals with the proper vaccination when coming for the US and other EU counties (other countries outside of the EU are different).