Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Cruising With A Service Dog....everything You Ever Wanted To Know!

wizard-of-roz
 Share

Recommended Posts

fairbourne

fairbourne

Posted
Posted (edited)

Rangeley - glad you had a great cruise - well one of you certainly enjoyed himself! Right at home by the looks of it, just brilliant photos! :D. They are such goof balls when they sleep on their backs with their legs in the air! But we wouldn't have them any other way.

 

I wanted to add - Cindy, please plant a big kiss on that dear boy's head for me,right in between those fabulous eyebrows - I just looked at the last photo again and so so wanted to reach into that photo and do just that! LOL!!!

Edited by fairbourne
Link to comment
Share on other sites
rangeley

rangeley

Posted
Posted
Rangeley - glad you had a great cruise - well one of you certainly enjoyed himself! Right at home by the looks of it, just brilliant photos! :D. They are such goof balls when they sleep on their backs with their legs in the air! But we wouldn't have them any other way.

 

I wanted to add - Cindy, please plant a big kiss on that dear boy's head for me,right in between those fabulous eyebrows - I just looked at the last photo again and so so wanted to reach into that photo and do just that! LOL!!!

That last photo was on the plane returning home. He was exhausted.

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DisneyKidsDad

DisneyKidsDad

Posted
Posted

OK folks...and especially Roz! This is Tommen. He is a six month old full black lab that we are fostering for CCI. We don't know how long we will have him for. We don't have much information on him but he is a handful. He was named for a character on The Game Of Thrones. Actually all five pups in the litter have Game Of Thrones names beginning with T. I don't watch the show.

20170121_100534.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rangeley

rangeley

Posted
Posted
OK folks...and especially Roz! This is Tommen. He is a six month old full black lab that we are fostering for CCI. We don't know how long we will have him for. We don't have much information on him but he is a handful. He was named for a character on The Game Of Thrones. Actually all five pups in the litter have Game Of Thrones names beginning with T. I don't watch the show.

20170121_100534.jpg

Awww he's adorable! Is there a lab that's not a handful? I'm sure you will straighten him out.

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites
fairbourne

fairbourne

Posted
Posted

Hi to Tommen - he's adorable - he has got a look on his face that says "Wot now? Bring it on!" Ha ha - oh what fun you're going to have DKD! I hope he doesn't live up to his namesake! ;):eek:

 

 

(Tommen is (was!) a very naughty and not always in a nice way, boy King in the show. What am I saying, he was downright evil but he got his cumuppence!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rangeley

rangeley

Posted
Posted (edited)

I don't want to harp on this dog cruise thing but this whole thing was more traumatic on Wex than we thought. I really had to make him go in that box every day. He didn't poop the first few days and really had to be forced to go after that. It took an incredible amount of encouraging to get him to go. Peeing not so much. He has pooped so many times since we got home. Like he had it all in him and just went enough on the ship. We did notice he was incredibly fidgety the whole cruise and I think this is why. He wouldn't settle down anywhere we went. This was unexcusible! With the amount of contact we had with access Dept this never should of happened.

Finally on Thursday the hotel manager contacted us. John had requested a meeting with him on day 2 but the access girls said they could do anything he could. I think they were hiding it from him. On Thursday we went down to request their business cards so John had the correct names when he writes his letter to corporate. I think this is when the hm found out about it. By the time we got back to the cabin, there was a message from him. John talked to him and told him the whole story. The hm said there is no law and that we were lied to. He gave us a 100 obc which was non refundable on the last day of the cruise and was supposed to refund our and the kids transfers which were 50 a piece but we only got 100 obc for that too. Big deal. We didnt want any money or a free dinner, we wanted grass for the box!

This happened last year too. But we ended up with grass on our first stop. We couldnt have communicated more with the access guy in Miami to stress how much we needed the grass. Its to bad because we really like this ship and the cabin. Ill post some pics.

One more thing, we found the people this year incredibly rude! I dont know how many people rushed in front of John to get the elevator. Employees literally screaming when they saw the dog or making kissy noises at him when we walked by. You would think by now they would educate these people.

I dont want you to think it was all negative. Im just highlighting the dog stuff for you all but we really did have a great time in spite of all the crap. The kids had a ball! They really enjoyed it and it was great to spend a whole week with my son and his new wife that i adore!!! The traveling part went so smoothly. Good flight and transfers great.

Cindy

 

d0636dc12bb970f584f23bc9d02fe188.jpg748a5a526c42b40d1d87444c9ac2dba3.jpg69787b3159881e27017d6278e790816c.jpgff5496a2cb14d37556a6c88b66fd6dd7.jpg4acdbd83d563f0158f629026b7a36f16.jpgc32f00f784d7bd441008bcd1ccfa84c7.jpg

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Forums mobile app

Edited by rangeley
Link to comment
Share on other sites
fairbourne

fairbourne

Posted
Posted (edited)

OMG poor Wex .... This is seriously not good enough, I'm disgusted with the treatment you went through with something that could have been so easily organised! So Cindy, you harp on - right to the very top of this cruise line. We ask so much of these wonderful dogs and they give so much - the least these people on board the ship could have done was made a blooming box suitable enough for Wex to poop in! :mad: Those "access girls" should be ashamed of themselves! Big Time!

 

And if for nothing else to educate so other service dogs don't go through the same thing - poor Wex, no wonder he looks exhausted. 3 kisses now - big ones! :)

 

I was so incensed about the poop box, I didn't reply to the "kissing noises" and distraction in general but the crew - what was that all about? Sounds like that HM has some serious issues to address with his ship's company!

 

But I'm glad in spite of all this that you had a great cruise!

Edited by fairbourne
Link to comment
Share on other sites
wizard-of-roz

wizard-of-roz

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I wrote a response to DKD and to Cindy and it went "poof!" So irritating!

 

Tommen welcome to one of the most wonderful families on this forum. You're a lucky boy to have them as your foster parents. You look like you have a "glint" in your eyes.....it's that Black Lab puppy thing......My suggestion is everyone look out!

 

Have fun, little one......you're going to help these humans heal their broken hearts!

 

Cindy, what a disgusting nightmare for poor Wex. I'm glad that the kids were able to have a wonderful cruise and that you found some redeeming qualities. But, that said, they really dropped the ball and when it comes to the comfort zone of our animals it's absolutely inexcusable that they didn't make you happy!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Caribbean Chris

Caribbean Chris

Posted
Posted

Cindy, you aren't harping at all, you are helping all of us by sharing the things that can happen. Thanks so much for the photos. That room was so nice and big, and the balcony, too. Plenty of room for a box. So why the heck was it so hard for them to just place the box - full of grass! - on it from Day One? That would have been such a simple, fast accommodation, end of story. Instead, lots of staff time was consumed to dig in their heels and antagonize a passenger throughout the cruise. I just don't get it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
wizard-of-roz

wizard-of-roz

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

There is no good excuse that any cruise line can use for not making it as easy as possible for us.

 

I simply don't let them get away with it anymore. I will stay at the information desk [Purser's Desk] until the Hotel Manager or someone else in authority comes to assist me. Have I been driven to tears.....sometimes, but I don't back down. I will have the box placed on my veranda within the first day of arrival. If they were to use artificial turf for me......I'd love it. Horton has been trained to use it at our house [because it's so easy to maintain.] At work he uses a 5x5 box filled with sod [from Doggie In The City.] If they use the wood shavings I do my best to step all over them to break them down so that they don't poke at his paws. I then insist that they get me some mulch or sod ASAP.

 

I'm such a darn pain in their butt because I'm relentless and I quote the DOJ and ADA with my long sentences about, "there is no such law that prevents the ship from placing the potty box on my veranda!" "Now, PLEASE, do it!"

 

I find that no narrative, phone call or email placed to their Special Needs Dept. has ever made a difference in the placement of the box as much as my insistence on it when I FIRST ARRIVE!!! It's the very first thing I take care of when I step foot on the ship. They know I'm NOT gong to settle for anything less and I won't go away!!!!

 

I may have a frustrated tear in my eye but I don't back down until I see the crew actually carrying the box. I tell them I will NOT go to the Muster Drill until I see the supplies, the filler and the box being placed on my veranda!

 

This is not about esthetics this is about the comfort and safety of my Service Dog.

Edited by wizard-of-roz
Link to comment
Share on other sites
DUTRAVEL

DUTRAVEL

Posted
Posted
OK folks...and especially Roz! This is Tommen. He is a six month old full black lab that we are fostering for CCI. We don't know how long we will have him for. We don't have much information on him but he is a handful. He was named for a character on The Game Of Thrones. Actually all five pups in the litter have Game Of Thrones names beginning with T. I don't watch the show.

20170121_100534.jpg

 

So cute!!

 

Dianne

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DUTRAVEL

DUTRAVEL

Posted
Posted
I don't want to harp on this dog cruise thing but this whole thing was more traumatic on Wex than we thought. I really had to make him go in that box every day. He didn't poop the first few days and really had to be forced to go after that. It took an incredible amount of encouraging to get him to go. Peeing not so much. He has pooped so many times since we got home. Like he had it all in him and just went enough on the ship. We did notice he was incredibly fidgety the whole cruise and I think this is why. He wouldn't settle down anywhere we went. This was unexcusible! With the amount of contact we had with access Dept this never should of happened.

 

I really don't know why this has to be so difficult - we all have to continue to stay on top of the cruise lines. I agree with Roz, contacting the Access Dept ahead of time doesn't do much good. I think we have all been given the run around; now that they are being challenged, they cannot come up with any actual laws.

 

Your pictures of Wexler are so adorable - Henri does the same thing - laying on her back with her legs in the air. I am glad that you ended up have a good time anyway.

 

What airline did you fly?

 

Dianne

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DisneyKidsDad

DisneyKidsDad

Posted
Posted

As puppy raisers we train the dogs to "go" on any any surface we can have them go on. At first, it's a treat for them to "go" on grass. The CCI trainers continue this training. As a recipient of one of these service dogs, you should also keep up this training just for reasons like airports and cruise ships. That doesn't mean that cruise lines shouldn't honor your potty box fill request. But if the dog is comfortable going on any surface , it will make life easier for all concerned until your request is fulfilled. Just my 2 cents!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
wizard-of-roz

wizard-of-roz

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

DKD, reminds me of a wedding we went to in the fashion district of L.A. It was very posh, on a roof top and there was absolutely NOTHING around to entice Horton to pee. I spotted a décor of large, smooth stones with lighting coming up from under them......I really scoped them out and saw there was no danger in walking on them.....so, I walked Horton over them and gave him the command and waaahlah......

 

This had to go down in my book of; "funny places that Horton had to pee on!"

Edited by wizard-of-roz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...