Poop deck? (literally!)

[Euphemus]

OK...so I was reading the thread about how you would name a new RCL ship (thumbs up to Chicken of the Seas) and this post jogged my memory about something I wanted to ask after our last cruise but forgot:

 

My fantasy is that they create a cruiseline where you could bring your pets, so how about a line of ships named after dog breeds?

 

Schnauzer of the Seas

Labradoodle of the Seas

Pekenese of the Seas

 

We were on the Christmas week cruise on the Explorer this past December. On the day of embarkation, we *thought* we saw a woman with a dog onboard. Now please don't get me wrong: we are dog breeders and *love* dogs...so this is nothing against the canine species. Now the dog we *thought* we saw from a distance was a "toy" dog (and I use that term in its technical meaning, I'm not trying to slight small dog owners:) )...not exactly a chihuahua, but you get the drift... We tried to get a better look but said woman and possible dog disappeared in the confusion of boarding and we shrugged our shoulders and thought: "Nahh...you can't bring your dog on a ship." (Certainly not this kind of dog...now maybe a retriever as a "guiding eyes" dog...)

 

Christmas day, we're taking our pre-dinner stroll around the outer decks on deck 5, and lo-and-behold, on the starboard side of the ship almost all the way aft, we see a 4' x 4' x 4" box on the deck filled with earth and rocks and such and on the side of this low box it says: "K-9 use only"

 

So, indeed, we probably *did* see a toy dog on embarkation day.

 

What gives? Does anyone have any experience with seeing/knowing of a dog onboard or known other cruisers who have brought their dog onboard? Of course, I'm specifically excluding a "guiding eyes" dog or other "working" kind of dog which I imagine any cruise line would let on for obvious reasons. I mean: a dog brought onboard and it is clearly a *pet*?

 

Do you pay the 3rd person supplement for that? Is there a "doggy room service menu" (what shall I have tonight?: dry or wet, Purina or Pedigree?) Do dogs have their own shore excursions? (visit all the classic fire hydrants of San Juan?);)

 

OK. That part wasn't serious. But, really, what are the procedures and particulars for this? Does anybody know?

[Mikew0805]

I have never heard of any *pet* being allowed on with the exception of a service animal. However, some people have a lot of money, and sometimes money can buy things that you would think it would not. :)

[Cruising89143]

I believe that the Cunard queens have kennels on board their ships.

[masterbaker]

The dog you saw could have another service job other than seeing eye. There are dogs trained for the hearing impared, seizures and other medical needs.

[Janice M]

Our son and his wife saw a Golden Retriever service dog on a RCCI cruise ship. Her owner was in a wheel chair.

 

Jan

[Luey]

A couple of years ago I belonged to a dog training club. Posted on the bulletin board was a flayer about a cruise for pets and their owners. I don't remember what cruise line was though but I do remember it was a themed cruise for dog enthusiast.

[StormGoddess]

I do know RCI will allow service animals as I was asked if I would be bringing a guide dog with me (imagine that 4x4 box in a Sovereign inside room:eek: :eek: ) But have never heard of pets per se being allowed on a ship. Though guide dogs are of the bigger type, not all service animals are. I have even read about cats being trained for certain things.

[robtulipe]

Yes, there was a post about a lady who got a poodle or similar dog onboard by saying it was a service dog for a medical condition.

[rsscaptain]

For more information go to www.ada.gov

 

Here is clip from that site:

 

Caption: Businesses that serve the public must allow people with disabilities to enter with their service animal.

 

• Businesses may ask if an animal is a service animal or ask what tasks the animal has been trained to perform, but cannot require special ID cards for the animal or ask about the person's disability.
   
  

[sept10dsm]

Yes, there was a post about a lady who got a poodle or similar dog onboard by saying it was a service dog for a medical condition.

I know there are many animals that can be service dogs/cats/other animals. I really can't think that you can just say it was a service dog. I would think all the appropriate documentaiton would be necessary. We did find the area on the GOS this past fall where the dogs would be "walked".

[massfriends]

We saw an older woman a couple of years ago with a very small dog on board. She actually had dog with her in Labade and we saw her coming back over on the tender. I can't remember what ship but, it was either Explorer or Voyager. She did say it was for medical reasons.

[pmfan]

Yes, dogs are allowed on RCCL but only if they are service animals. You must provide documentation that the dog has graduated and is certified as a service animal. Then you must contact each country you will be visiting to get permission for your service animal to enter that country. There is a lot of paper work that goes into traveling with your service animal.

 

You bring all the your dogs supplies onboard with you and this includes food. The owners of these service animals are not traveling with their "pet". Many of them would not be able to travel without the aid of their service animal.

 

The next time you see a dog on a cruise ship and you think how lucky this person is to have their dog with them. And you wonder how they was able to get their dog on the ship. Wonder no more. The answer is simple. They need their service animal for everyday life. In some cases the help they get from their service dog could mean the difference between life or death.

[jezzdogg]

We were on a cruise 2 yrs? ago and a woman had her dog with her.....this thing was too tiny to be a "service" dog. Compamnion dog yes. Anyway Celebrity set up some kind of "poop" deck aft and members of the crew and stewards took turns walking her.......Woman said she travels all the time with her dog and the staff loves having the dog on board

[truffles2]

There were at least three service dogs on the Brilliance Transatlantic last spring. I loved seeing them around the ship....especially sunning at the pool.

They had their own "poop" deck!

[Imasealuvr]

I also saw a dog come off of the Carnival Glory a couple years ago. It was being carried in a cute little carrier. Certainly did not appear to be a service dog (very tiny). But what do I know...:confused: ??

[CaptData]

I know a friend has a toy poodle who senses when he will have a siezure. He takes this dog in restraunts and shows. This dog starts barking before he has a siezure. It gets him to lie down so he dose not fall and he also phone 911 himself. Within 5 minutes of this dog going crazy with jumping on him and barking he has a siezure every time. I have seen it for myself twice. The little dog is amazing.

 

Benidict (the dog) has saved his ower's life twice, once because of a fire at his owners apartment and once while he was fishing. He can claim the medical/food bills on income tax.

 

These small dogs are used for people with heart conditions, siezures, MS, hearing ect. Most people are use to the seeing eye dogs which are large breed but the small dogs can sense diffrent things better. If you do see someone with a small dog on ship except the Canard line it is still a service animal. As above they must prove they need the animal and provide all the paperwork, needle and medical certification required for not only the ship but the ports.

[Coralc]

The magicians on Serenade had a little dog, that was part of their act. We often saw them walking him on deck. :)

[DC2OC]

There was a thread on Celebrity a couple months back about a lady who had a small dog,I believe a Yorkie and it was for depression..........Frank

[rsscaptain]

I have a dog who detect's a sezuire before I have one. This was not taught to him, he just knows. When we researched we found that there is some sort of smell, (or so they think) that is emited when this chemical process takes place. My ohter dog has no clue??? :confused:

 

Some dogs, no matter the size, are keen to this phenom...

 

It's a blessing for those that rely on them. Thankfully I don't have to as I have the hubby, to catch me if I fall. :) Although I love my little guy's taking them on vacation would be more stress for me, as I would worry about them. But having this ailment, I can certainly understand where this service would be so useful!

[dramaqueen4lyfe]

We saw an older woman a couple of years ago with a very small dog on board. She actually had dog with her in Labade and we saw her coming back over on the tender. I can't remember what ship but, it was either Explorer or Voyager. She did say it was for medical reasons.

 

We probably saw the same lady. She dressed the dog in a different outfit every night even had an outfit for formal night. She claimed the dog was a service dog for her "Limitations"

[CLSmith]

We saw a lady at the guest relations desk with two small dogs on the Explorer last week.

[MercedMike]

There is apparently a "new" definition of service dogs as "necessary" for the emotional health of the owner.

 

Well, who knows, maybe there is something to it.

 

But it seems to me to open up a whole new way for wealthy neurotic females to bully their doctor into signing a statement that they need little Fluffy for their "emotional" health ...

 

Color me the Grinch.

[CPT Trips]

There is apparently a "new" definition of service dogs as "necessary" for the emotional health of the owner.

 

Well, who knows, maybe there is something to it.

 

But it seems to me to open up a whole new way for wealthy neurotic females to bully their doctor into signing a statement that they need little Fluffy for their "emotional" health ...

 

Color me the Grinch.

 

Dear Mike

Thank you Nurse Ratched

Sincerely,

Randal McMurphy

[celle]

We saw an older woman a couple of years ago with a very small dog on board. She actually had dog with her in Labade and we saw her coming back over on the tender. I can't remember what ship but, it was either Explorer or Voyager. She did say it was for medical reasons.

 

On Brilliance on a Mediterranean cruise in 2003, there was a woman with a toy dog (chihuahua or similar).

 

She walked it on deck and allowed it to toilet anywhere it wanted to. One day, I saw her at the food line in the Windjammer, carrying the dog in a bag that had a mesh front to it, so that you could see the dog and the dog could see out. I couldn't believe she had it in there and she pretty obviously should not have, because when I said: "Is that a dog you've got in there?" she put a finger to her lips and said:"Ssssshhh!"

 

So, maybe she was allowed the dog for mental health reasons or something similar, but it seemed a bit unsanitary to me.

[chasetf]

On our Panama Canal full transit on the Dawn Princess we saw three blind passengers who had two service dogs. We saw the dogs all over the ship (lots of sea days) and they were very well trained and well behaved. We learned the crew "walked and toileted" the dogs in the forward bow area where the anchor chains are hoisted (outside of passenger areas).