Dog On Board....help!

[wizard-of-roz]

Hi,

We'll be taking the Star out of L.A., in November. I've posted before and got some information but now that I've actually spoken with my TA and she in turn has received some information from "guest services" at NCL; things are changing!

We are taking my service dog with us for an 8 day cruise. She has been on Celebrity before and they took amazing care of her; supplying us with a "potty box" and cedar mulch and even a "dog walker" if we wanted it! I refused the walker, since she and I are connected, practically at the hip, I take care of ALL of her needs and she takes care of me!

- NCL is providing the box, I must bring the mulch with me - and the TA said that if someone is more "needy" we may have to give up our handicap room for them. I, of course, would give up the room, if someone more needy than I required it but I just thought that it was a bit intrusive on her part to suggest this!

- Tell me I'm just being small minded????:(

Now, I'm supposed to drag around 2 bags of mulch because NCL will only provide "shredded newspaper or sand!" My service dog has been trained to "never" go to the bathroom in sand, mainly because we love the beach so much and we're always there, I didn't want her to abuse this part of my life. And, well you can just use your imagination about the newspaper!

Mulch is the "toilet of choice" for most service animals and the easiest to ask them to do their toileting on, when in strange environments and apparantly Celebrity "gets it!" What's up with NCL?

If you guys have any suggestions about carrying the bags of mulch or maybe my expectations of NCL and how to handle this, I would really appreciate it!

Love & Licks,

Roz & Brenda (The Hearing Dog)

[electricron]

Treat the bags of cedar mulch like checked-in baggage. Hang a baggage tag on them and leave them with the porter on the pier. It'll arrive at your room eventually.

Make sure NCL knows both of you are arriving, and when will be a great help.

[ImpulsivePuppy]

y'no, this is definately a first for me.

 

I think I would write a firm yet respectful letter to the management of NCL describing your need for mulch to be provided and why and visibly cc it to an advocacy group that represents the disablility you have. I would also mention that Celebrity came through for you with this as well. In the letter I would request that a representative from NCL contact you directly to inform you how they will provide for your request. I would give them a couple of ways to get in touch with you such as phone, number, email, address, etc. Good luck and please let us know how this works out.

[candydane]

y'no, this is definately a first for me.

 

I think I would write a firm yet respectful letter to the management of NCL describing your need for mulch to be provided and why and visibly cc it to an advocacy group that represents the disablility you have. I would also mention that Celebrity came through for you with this as well. In the letter I would request that a representative from NCL contact you directly to inform you how they will provide for your request. I would give them a couple of ways to get in touch with you such as phone, number, email, address, etc. Good luck and please let us know how this works out.

I agree. Getting your TA out of the middle of this issue may be much more productive. Some are good at working with the cruise line and passengers in special situations, but many are not. All too offen they only do a minimum amount of checking before giving you the "easy" answer so they can move on to something they'd rather do.

[seahorse]

Wizard,

 

Your TA had no right to tell you this:mad: You are entitled to that room. You are disabled. You need the space for your companion and that should be put in your record that your cabin is not to be changed.

 

As far as the mulch goes........call Customer Services and insist that they provide it for you.

[wizard-of-roz]

Wow! You guys have given me the courage that I obviously lacked! I am calling "guest services" when I finish this and I will insist that they provide the mulch and I will tell them what my TA told me about "leaving the room for a more handicapped passenger!" :o

I really did not want to "schlep" the bags of mulch with me and I don't want to have to worry about losing my cabin either!:(

Once again, "Saved by The Boards!":p

- "I am woman hear me roar!"

Roz

[biszmom]

I was on the 04/15/06 sailing of the Pride of America. There was a passenger with a service dog on this ship. I ran into him a couple of times. I never asked him how the ship accomodated him and his dog. But, you could maybe ask NCL if they have any information on this available. Good luck!!!!!!

[lvtotrvl1]

I think the poster has a right to question NCL's policy...but don't shoot the TA. Sounds like she was repeating what the cruiseline told her, which is information her customer should know.

 

To the OP..I hope everything works out for you and you and your buddy have a wonderful trip!!!!

[seahorse]

I think the poster has a right to question NCL's policy...but don't shoot the TA. Sounds like she was repeating what the cruiseline told her, which is information her customer should know.

 

To the OP..I hope everything works out for you and you and your buddy have a wonderful trip!!!!

 

TA`s are not parrots........if you are a good TA you know what your client needs and deserves and fights for the client.

 

I would never NEVER let a res. agent tell me this and me say nothing.

[lvtotrvl1]

I totally agree with you. the agent should fight...maybe she did and got nowhere? We don't know this from the OP. I just like to have all the facts before placing blame on someone or something.

[shoreguy]

Wow! You guys have given me the courage that I obviously lacked! I am calling "guest services" when I finish this and I will insist that they provide the mulch and I will tell them what my TA told me about "leaving the room for a more handicapped passenger!" :o

I really did not want to "schlep" the bags of mulch with me and I don't want to have to worry about losing my cabin either!:(

Once again, "Saved by The Boards!":p

- "I am woman hear me roar!"

Roz

 

You are in fact exactly the type of passenger the room was build for. Yes they are set up for those that need wheelchairs but they are also equipped for those with hearing impairment with flashing lights for the doorbell, and for alarms.

[calmac]

Not 100% sure but just looking for clarification. I thought from the OP's signature in the first post that she was deaf and her companion was a "hearing dog". If she is indeed blind, posting on these boards is a good peice of technological advancement that I was unaware that computers could accomplish nowadays. Anyways, good luck and I hope she gets her demands met. I would hope NCL would make exceptions and take good care of any passengers that require special care. Going up the NCL food chain is indeed the way to take this thing. :)

 

Being registered "blind", at least in the UK, does not necessarily mean that you can see absolutely nothing. Some people may see nothing but others do have some level of sight. I knew 2 people through my work who were both registered blind, both were computer programmers. So it would not be a "good peice of technological advancement that I was unaware that computers could accomplish nowadays".

 

I do agree with you though that the OP mentioned a hearing dog.

 

Roz and Brenda are fully entitled, in my opinion, to the "handicapped" cabin and should not have to vacate it for anyone else, however handicapped they may be.

[dwrist]

I have been thinking this through. Seeing the signature of the OP I assume we are talking with a hearing impaired person. I work with hearing impaired people. Yes there are hearing animals for use. Yes the HC cabins have the services needed for the hearing impaired. Why would you need both? Bear with me a minute please---if I was physically handicapped, which I am for now, and wanted to sail to the Mexican Reviera on the Star, and needed that cabin for my disablility, wheel chair, shower for my wheelchair and me, wider space between bed and walls, wanted to be able to sit in my wheel chair and watch TV and there are no cabins available because a person that has a communication handicap (which NCL has taken care of by allowing a dog on board to alert the person that someone is at the door, a fire (heaven forbid), the phone is ringing (and yes --tty's are portable) and so on-- which handicap is more important or deserves more ADA priorities? I work with the hearing impaired weekly and know "Deaf Culture" and the teaching that is going on. Come on all sides. Drop it and allow the person to continue to think their HC is more important than a person who's life is nearing the end and wants to make memories with their loved ones.

Wizard-of-Roz. go, enjoy your cruise but if another person has a need for your HC cabin, please allow NCL and your TA to switch you and let that other person make memories while they are able. You hearing handicap is not life threatening while theirs may well be.

[Catbiri2]

Wizard-of-Roz. go, enjoy your cruise but if another person has a need for your HC cabin, please allow NCL and your TA to switch you and let that other person make memories while they are able. You hearing handicap is not life threatening while theirs may well be.

 

She said that she would:

 

and the TA said that if someone is more "needy" we may have to give up our handicap room for them. I, of course, would give up the room, if someone more needy than I required it but I just thought that it was a bit intrusive on her part to suggest this!

 

I do agree that it was intrusive for the TA to mention this, if the situation had come up, then I would understand the TA asking if she was willing to change. Maybe though the TA wasn't sure how to politely ask if the OP was able/willing to move if the room was requested for someone who needed the accessible shower. I do agree that the OP is entitled to the room for the accessories that it has. Could you imagine having a dog in an inside cabin, and having to have a place for the dog to do its business also in that cabin.. heh. I think the HC room would have more room for more comfort. JMO

[RLP817]

I can understand the logic where as if someone with a life threatening handicap/illness might be more deserving of a HC room than lets say a person with a non life threatening disability... BUT... in my opinion... I don't think the cruise line should make those decisions on an as needed basis. If a person with a legal disablility books the cabin first then they deserve it. It's the fair way to do it.

[miami]

Others on these boards have suggested that NCL does not check to see if the person booked in a handicapped room really does need it. I am not suggesting that you do not need the room. Just that they will not check with you should another handicapped person need a cabin.

 

And I think that they should provide the mulch, do not know if you have to fly to get to the port. If they can provide sand, why not mulch.

[seahorse]

I can understand the logic where as if someone with a life threatening handicap/illness might be more deserving of a HC room than lets say a person with a non life threatening disability... BUT... in my opinion... I don't think the cruise line should make those decisions on an as needed basis. If a person with a legal disability books the cabin first then they deserve it. It's the fair way to do it.

 

My thoughts exactly. A disability is a disability. Who makes the choice who is more "worthy"? Everyone has the same "worth", no one is more deserving over another. Both have disabilities. IMO

[RLP817]

Others on these boards have suggested that NCL does not check to see if the person booked in a handicapped room really does need it. I am not suggesting that you do not need the room. Just that they will not check with you should another handicapped person need a cabin.

quote]

Good point .. maybe when someone books a HC NCL should require proof.

[Catbiri2]

My thoughts exactly. A disability is a disability. Who makes the choice who is more "worthy"? Everyone has the same "worth", no one is more deserving over another. Both have disabilities. IMO

 

I totally agree.

[RLP817]

By the way.....Wizard-of-Roz..............

 

Good Luck and have a wonderful cruise:)

[billgall9]

A phone call to "Special Services" at NCL in Miami should clear this up quickly. This is not an unusual request and they have enough lead time to provide the mulch. It is important that you call and deal directly with NCL. Many TAs dont deal well with this kind of situation.

 

And dont worry about being bumped. It has never happened to me and NCL has never even suggested they might want to bump me.

[silkhair1]

We were on a Princess cruise to Alaska and there was a dog on the ship. I wanted so bad to ask questions about where they do their stuff and things like that, but I did not want to be pesty. I am happy to know now!!!!! Have a wonderful trip!