Service dog

[zarajoy]

Hi

We will be traveling on Princess enchanted cruise ship in November 2022

we will have our service dog with us

Can anyone please give us your experience or any information with traveling with your service dog

which ports were you able to get off at with SD and what did you need ?

Anything would be help!!

thank you 

Linda

[marden1970]

Hi zarajoy,  if you look under Special Interest Cruising and then under Disabled Cruising there is a whole thread on cruising with a Service Dog.  Good luck and happy cruising.
 

 

[GeezerCouple]

16 minutes ago, zarajoy said:

Hi

We will be traveling on Princess enchanted cruise ship in November 2022

we will have our service dog with us

Can anyone please give us your experience or any information with traveling with your service dog

which ports were you able to get off at with SD and what did you need ?

Anything would be help!!

thank you 

Linda

 

Welcome to CC!

 

Here is a link to cruising with a service dog:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/551529-cruising-with-a-service-dogeverything-you-ever-wanted-to-know/

 

It starts years ago, so you may want to browse the first few pages and then jump to more recent posts.

 

GC

[Flatbush Flyer]

44 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

Welcome to CC!

 

Here is a link to cruising with a service dog:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/551529-cruising-with-a-service-dogeverything-you-ever-wanted-to-know/

 

It starts years ago, so you may want to browse the first few pages and then jump to more recent posts.

 

GC

Perhaps most importantly, check with your cruise line as to whether “service dogs” are prohibited. Some lines do prohibit them - particularly on itineraries embarking outside the U.S.

[ldubs]

2 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Perhaps most importantly, check with your cruise line as to whether “service dogs” are prohibited. Some lines do prohibit them - particularly on itineraries embarking outside the U.S.

 

I cannot imagine a cruise line anywhere that would prohibit working service dogs.   Let us know who they are so we can avoid them in the future.  

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

I cannot imagine a cruise line anywhere that would prohibit working service dogs.   Let us know who they are so we can avoid them in the future.  

Correct me if I’m wrong but I distinctly remember that O, at least years ago, did not allow dogs claimed by their owners to be “service” animals except on a case-by-case consideration of a formal request with evidence that the animal in question was truly a bona fide “service” animal. I also seem to remember some ADA legal challenge regarding ships embarking from the US.

 

 

[ldubs]

3 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Correct me if I’m wrong but I distinctly remember that O, at least years ago, did not allow dogs claimed by their owners to be “service” animals except on a case-by-case consideration of a formal request with evidence that the animal in question was truly a bona fide “service” animal. I also seem to remember some ADA legal challenge regarding ships embarking from the US.

 

 

 

I don't know.  I looked just now and see that Costa only allows seeing eye dogs.  O apparently allows them but has prerequisites outside of American ports where ADA would not apply.  

 

Well, I wouldn't likely take a Costa cruise anyway.  😀

[Heidi13]

14 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

I cannot imagine a cruise line anywhere that would prohibit working service dogs.   Let us know who they are so we can avoid them in the future.  

 

It also depends on the country, as many countries have stricter rules and certification requirements for service animals than USA.

 

In Canada, they cannot prohibit a certified service animal, which is trained by an organisation or specialised person, in accordance with the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations, from travel.

 

However, if the animal is not trained in accordance with that regulation, it is deemed as an uncertified emotional support animal and is treated as a regular pet. In Canada you can also check the service animal's certification.

[ldubs]

Just now, Heidi13 said:

 

It also depends on the country, as many countries have stricter rules and certification requirements for service animals than USA.

 

In Canada, they cannot prohibit a certified service animal, which is trained by an organisation or specialised person, in accordance with the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations, from travel.

 

However, if the animal is not trained in accordance with that regulation, it is deemed as an uncertified emotional support animal and is treated as a regular pet. In Canada you can also check the service animal's certification.

 

No no, I'm talking about real working service dogs.  Forget the emotional support ones in the baby buggies.  

 

What I read about Oceania is that the owner must agree to be 100% responsible for the service dog and it must have a pet passport, which I didn't even know existed before now.    

[XBGuy]

OP indicates that she is traveling on the Enchanted Princess.  

 

I have personally seen service dogs (multiple) on various Princess cruises.

 

An overview of Princess policies regarding service animals can be found at the Princess web site under "Accessible Cruising."  Here is the link

 

https://www.princess.com/learn/faq/pre-cruise/prepare-for-your-cruise/?accordion=accessible-cruising

 

Presumably, OP has already read that and has posted here asking for others' experiences.  Her question regarding ports is interesting.  It might be helpful if she would come back and summarize the itinerary for her November cruise.  If she is traveling to the Caribbean, information regarding Greek ports may not be as helpful.

 

[Essiesmom]

Enchanted Princess is doing southern and eastern Caribbean in Nov.   EM

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, ldubs said:

No no, I'm talking about real working service dogs.  Forget the emotional support ones in the baby buggies.

What Andy is saying is that while in the US there is no requirement for a true service dog to have any documentation, or specialized training, in Canada, if a dog that a family discovers "signals" when their son's blood sugar is low, and declares that dog as a service dog (which under the ADA it is), were to try to travel in Canda, it would be considered an ESA, not a service dog.

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, ldubs said:

What I read about Oceania is that the owner must agree to be 100% responsible for the service dog and it must have a pet passport, which I didn't even know existed before now.

Most countries require a pet passport when bringing any animal into the country.  It takes the place of the previously required quarantine period.

[LHT28]

Best to contact the cruise line  they can tell you what is required & what ports will allow the service dog  to go ashore

 

On one cruise   the lady was not allowed to take her service dog ashore  fortunately her DH  was with her  so she could go ashore to guide her

I believe it was Jamaica  but not sure

 

[Ferry_Watcher]

I have seen more than a few service dogs at Seattle's Pier 91 that I honestly wondered about, but they all were allowed to sail.  We did have a passenger show up with a dog that was not expected (all  service dogs traveling must be pre-registered beforehand with the cruise lines).  The dog did sail but only after a delay of a couple of hours while the ship and their corporate people worked it out.  In Seattle, passengers traveling with service dogs are directed to the Pier Coordinator who reviews the dog's paper work.

[ldubs]

4 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

What Andy is saying is that while in the US there is no requirement for a true service dog to have any documentation, or specialized training, in Canada, if a dog that a family discovers "signals" when their son's blood sugar is low, and declares that dog as a service dog (which under the ADA it is), were to try to travel in Canda, it would be considered an ESA, not a service dog.

 

Aw, I missed that (Sorry Andy).  

 

In my state specific training is required for a dog to be a service dog.  The law distinguishes between service dogs and the so called emotional support dogs.  The latter do not have to be accommodated.  Unfortunately, like you say,  there is no certification.  All that can really be done is to ask if the dog is needed for a disability and what it is trained to do.   

[chengkp75]

9 hours ago, ldubs said:

In my state specific training is required for a dog to be a service dog.

I've read some articles from the California agencies dealing with service dogs, and their wording is very similar to the ADA.  The animal must be trained to do a specific service for the disabled person, but that training can be performed either by the disabled person or a third party, and there are no standards that must be met for this training.  As I've noted, I've seen stories of dogs that spontaneously learn to alert or signal, or guide a PTSD sufferer to a calmer setting.  These are considered to be "trained" to do this function, and therefore allowed both under the ADA and California law.  To the best of my knowledge, a state cannot pass a more restrictive law than the pertinent federal law.

[LHT28]

big  discussion a couple of years ago about how easy it was to get  "Fake" documentation  for  service dogs

You can buy the harness/vest on Amazon

 

Some dogs you see on the ship clearly are NOT trained service dogs  😉

 

[ldubs]

5 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

I've read some articles from the California agencies dealing with service dogs, and their wording is very similar to the ADA.  The animal must be trained to do a specific service for the disabled person, but that training can be performed either by the disabled person or a third party, and there are no standards that must be met for this training.  As I've noted, I've seen stories of dogs that spontaneously learn to alert or signal, or guide a PTSD sufferer to a calmer setting.  These are considered to be "trained" to do this function, and therefore allowed both under the ADA and California law.  To the best of my knowledge, a state cannot pass a more restrictive law than the pertinent federal law.

 

Thanks.  I'm far from an expert. I wasn't aware of the training loophole. No wonder there is so much abuse.   I think it fair to say a state could not shortcut the Fed law.  

[CPT Trips]

13 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Thanks.  I'm far from an expert. I wasn't aware of the training loophole. No wonder there is so much abuse.   I think it fair to say a state could not shortcut the Fed law.  

It’s not a “loophole.” Service animals provide very specific activities to assist the human they work with. It would be extremely difficult to develop enough standards for the specific training that is needed for the different tasks that an animal needs to perform for various types of disabilities. 

 

 

[Elaine5715]

On 10/16/2022 at 5:49 AM, chengkp75 said:

I've read some articles from the California agencies dealing with service dogs, and their wording is very similar to the ADA.  The animal must be trained to do a specific service for the disabled person, but that training can be performed either by the disabled person or a third party, and there are no standards that must be met for this training.  As I've noted, I've seen stories of dogs that spontaneously learn to alert or signal, or guide a PTSD sufferer to a calmer setting.  These are considered to be "trained" to do this function, and therefore allowed both under the ADA and California law.  To the best of my knowledge, a state cannot pass a more restrictive law than the pertinent federal law.

This is correct.  I just had a conversation with an older man who said he "trained" his dog to alert when his blood sugars drop and that he no longer tests himself.  I could only shake my head.  

[ldubs]

10 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

It’s not a “loophole.” Service animals provide very specific activities to assist the human they work with. It would be extremely difficult to develop enough standards for the specific training that is needed for the different tasks that an animal needs to perform for various types of disabilities. 
 

 

I thought it pretty clear that I am referring to those who abuse what is a very remarkable support system -- particularly on a cruise ship.   We would all agree what those dogs are capable of is incredibly impressive.   I'm not sure I completely agree that certification is not possible.  Though, along that line,  it is notable that hospitals recognize the therapeutic value of bringing dogs in for a visit.   

[Elaine5715]

10 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

It’s not a “loophole.” Service animals provide very specific activities to assist the human they work with. It would be extremely difficult to develop enough standards for the specific training that is needed for the different tasks that an animal needs to perform for various types of disabilities. 

 

 

Actually, it isn't.  It is just very expensive.  Guide dogs for people who are blind  (Leader Dog is a trademarked) are trained both in general and in specific ways for their person.  This "loophole" was created out of misguided pity and the fanciful notion people can train their dogs. There are few dogs out of every hundred that are trained to basic commands (watch how dogs walk ahead, not at heel).  Service dogs need to be constantly trained and drilled to keep up skills.  Police K-9s are successful every day with either an actual find or a simulated find.  

[CPT Trips]

If memory serves it wasn’t the pity and fanciful notions of “well meaning” TAB people that that led to certification of service animals not being required. The self advocates that worked closely with legislators and regulators well strongly opposed to creating a certifying bureaucracy that would make obtaining a service animal even more difficult and expensive. 
Several people that I met through a local independent living center have successfully trained their service animals. Some from puppies, others after “outside” obedience training and evaluations. 
Almost all dogs that live in homes are emotional support animals.

[Elaine5715]

Just now, CPT Trips said:

If memory serves it wasn’t the pity and fanciful notions of “well meaning” TAB people that that led to certification of service animals not being required. The self advocates that worked closely with legislators and regulators well strongly opposed to creating a certifying bureaucracy that would make obtaining a service animal even more difficult and expensive. 
Several people that I met through a local independent living center have successfully trained their service animals. Some from puppies, others after “outside” obedience training and evaluations. 
Almost all dogs that live in homes are emotional support animals.

The same advocates immediately sought exemptions for what was a beloved pet yesterday to an service dog/Emotional support animal that was nor longer subject to pet fees/fly free or any restrictions for public access.   A true service dog from a nationally known agency (Paws for Cause, Leader Dogs, etc) cost thousands and comes with a new dog since service dogs have a "retirement age".