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

[rangeley]

2 hours ago, S.S. Cruisers said:

How did you know to call "it" the little devil?  My arms and legs are scratched and bit up like no tomorrow!  I need a puppy raiser and then pick the little devil up when he's about 18months - 24 months old!!!! Here is the back view.  He was 8 weeks old Wednesday.  He is a very smart boy.  No 💩's in the house at all.  Now peeing is another story.  Good and bad days.  2 days ago, no accidents in the house, yesterday he was peeing machine.  The little booger can be so lazy, he goes outside , sits down and then pees!  I will have to take some current photos. 

What a cutie!! I'm sure his peeing probs will get better soon. I'm glad we skipped that messy stage and got a perfectly trained dog. But we also missed 2 years of his life. 

[wizard-of-roz]

7 hours ago, rangeley said:

Are you doing 2 cruises? No handicapped cabins for the one I found. ☹️

I'm doing a back to back on board the Royal Princess, leaving on November 9 and returning on November 23.  The first leg is a Calif. Coastal and the second leg is the Mexican Riviera.  

[rangeley]

1 minute ago, wizard-of-roz said:

I'm doing a back to back on board the Royal Princess, leaving on November 9 and returning on November 23.  The first leg is a Calif. Coastal and the second leg is the Mexican Riviera.  

Actually looked up the coastal one. Flights out there are dirt cheap. Wish there was a handicapped cabin available. 

[rpclmc]

22 hours ago, rangeley said:

How can you not be affected by all thats going on. We were at Walmart last week. Makes me not want to go anywhere. 😢 Besides its hot as hell here 😩 Can't wait til fall. 

I don't usually do the shopping.  I went to Walmart today.  Upon entering I looked at everyone and then spent most my time in the back of the store in areas that were remote, until I went to check out.  At check out I picked the middle check out.  All of this was to put myself at possible locations that a shooter may not target at first.  Who would have ever thought we would ever think about these things.

 

Linda and Halo

[wizard-of-roz]

1 hour ago, rangeley said:

Actually looked up the coastal one. Flights out there are dirt cheap. Wish there was a handicapped cabin available. 

Oh! No!  I would love you to be on this cruise with me.  

50 minutes ago, rpclmc said:

I don't usually do the shopping.  I went to Walmart today.  Upon entering I looked at everyone and then spent most my time in the back of the store in areas that were remote, until I went to check out.  At check out I picked the middle check out.  All of this was to put myself at possible locations that a shooter may not target at first.  Who would have ever thought we would ever think about these things.

 

Linda and Halo

Linda, I'm so sorry that you have to feel this way at all.  You're not alone.  It's enough to make us all agoraphopic.  I refuse to become fearful of the world around me....although it's sure easy to do so.

[wizard-of-roz]

Happy, cool, safe weekend everyone!

[rpclmc]

20 minutes ago, wizard-of-roz said:

Oh! No!  I would love you to be on this cruise with me.  

Linda, I'm so sorry that you have to feel this way at all.  You're not alone.  It's enough to make us all agoraphopic.  I refuse to become fearful of the world around me....although it's sure easy to do so.

I know we are all feeling this way; or at least most of us.  I would have never guessed it would be like this. I say I refuse to become fearful, I keep trying to keep doing things.  At times I make final choices based on environments.  For example, Garth Brooks performed on our Blue Turf (Boise State University) and Blake Shelton appeared also.  I love both of them.  I don't like crowds and I am not big on concerts.  This is one I considered going to.  But since I don't like crowds or concerts - for the most part - and the Vegas shooting came up in my mind, the shootings made up my mind.  Although it wasn't the only reason, I would say it was the deciding factor.  Now if I liked concerts and didn't mind crowds, I would have gone.

 

Linda and Halo

[wizard-of-roz]

6 hours ago, rpclmc said:

I know we are all feeling this way; or at least most of us.  I would have never guessed it would be like this. I say I refuse to become fearful, I keep trying to keep doing things.  At times I make final choices based on environments.  For example, Garth Brooks performed on our Blue Turf (Boise State University) and Blake Shelton appeared also.  I love both of them.  I don't like crowds and I am not big on concerts.  This is one I considered going to.  But since I don't like crowds or concerts - for the most part - and the Vegas shooting came up in my mind, the shootings made up my mind.  Although it wasn't the only reason, I would say it was the deciding factor.  Now if I liked concerts and didn't mind crowds, I would have gone.

 

Linda and Halo

I hear you!

[rangeley]

17 hours ago, rpclmc said:

I don't usually do the shopping.  I went to Walmart today.  Upon entering I looked at everyone and then spent most my time in the back of the store in areas that were remote, until I went to check out.  At check out I picked the middle check out.  All of this was to put myself at possible locations that a shooter may not target at first.  Who would have ever thought we would ever think about these things.

 

Linda and Halo

Sad we have to live like this. 

[wizard-of-roz]

Nancy, your new baby pictures are so cute.  I know you're going through the growing stages.....hang in there....soon you will have a wonderful buddy in your lives.  Of course, your nerves, home and belongings do have to suffer through it all!

[lindaler]

Just got back from Alaska. Chavela was great, the dog relief areas were fine, shore time was wonderful. It went so good I signed up for another cruise. Thanks everyone for your life changing help. I am now cruising with a service dog. 

[Caribbean Chris]

57 minutes ago, lindaler said:

Just got back from Alaska. Chavela was great, the dog relief areas were fine, shore time was wonderful. It went so good I signed up for another cruise. Thanks everyone for your life changing help. I am now cruising with a service dog. 

 

That’s wonderful!

 

[wizard-of-roz]

2 hours ago, lindaler said:

Just got back from Alaska. Chavela was great, the dog relief areas were fine, shore time was wonderful. It went so good I signed up for another cruise. Thanks everyone for your life changing help. I am now cruising with a service dog. 

Wonderful!  I'm so glad that you have another cruise booked.  Welcome to the secret club of Cruising With a Service Dog! 🚢 🐩  Many of our members don't have Service Dog's but they're our most loyal supporters! 

[wizard-of-roz]

HAPPY WEEKEND!!!!!  Where I live it's about 102 today......Horton is staying inside where it's nice and cool.  I can't wait to see what our next utility bill looks like!!!!!!!! 

[Algebralovr]

Any of you cruised on a Celebrity M-class in the last few years, in an Accessible Sky Suite?  I have one booked on Constellation for 2020 out of Tampa.   I’m in one of the deck 8 rooms, luckily not backing up to the elevator but next door to that one.  

 

After doing some soul searching, I decided I need to break down and book accessible from now on.  I’ll manage during my next two cruises with regular staterooms, but I’m learning I need the extra grab bars in the bathroom, the raised toilet, etc.  Between the ankle and knee pain and the lasting numbness, I’m guessing I need to accept it.  Luckily, Scooter enjoys doing retrieval’s.  

 

Part of of me feels bad at taking the accessible suite if I don’t 100% need it, but after the cruise in February when I could not get one, was actually using a wheelchair and needed it, I broke down.  I can’t get into one for this December, Feb 2020 or Feb 20201 as of this point, though.  The WC didn’t fit through the door unless we at least partly collapsed it, and once in the room it didn’t fit between the bed and the wall.  

 

How bad is the water in the bathroom after a shower?  That is one of the things I hate about accessible rooms.  We had a hotel room in January where the water went everywhere.  It was scary.  That was when I was completely non-weight bearing and needed the shower seat (that was missing - grrrr).

[rangeley]

On 8/15/2019 at 9:04 PM, lindaler said:

Just got back from Alaska. Chavela was great, the dog relief areas were fine, shore time was wonderful. It went so good I signed up for another cruise. Thanks everyone for your life changing help. I am now cruising with a service dog. 

So glad thing went well! Now you can relax and enjoy cruising. 

[rangeley]

8 hours ago, Algebralovr said:

Any of you cruised on a Celebrity M-class in the last few years, in an Accessible Sky Suite?  I have one booked on Constellation for 2020 out of Tampa.   I’m in one of the deck 8 rooms, luckily not backing up to the elevator but next door to that one.  

 

After doing some soul searching, I decided I need to break down and book accessible from now on.  I’ll manage during my next two cruises with regular staterooms, but I’m learning I need the extra grab bars in the bathroom, the raised toilet, etc.  Between the ankle and knee pain and the lasting numbness, I’m guessing I need to accept it.  Luckily, Scooter enjoys doing retrieval’s.  

 

Part of of me feels bad at taking the accessible suite if I don’t 100% need it, but after the cruise in February when I could not get one, was actually using a wheelchair and needed it, I broke down.  I can’t get into one for this December, Feb 2020 or Feb 20201 as of this point, though.  The WC didn’t fit through the door unless we at least partly collapsed it, and once in the room it didn’t fit between the bed and the wall.  

 

How bad is the water in the bathroom after a shower?  That is one of the things I hate about accessible rooms.  We had a hotel room in January where the water went everywhere.  It was scary.  That was when I was completely non-weight bearing and needed the shower seat (that was missing - grrrr).

Pleass don't feel bad booking an accessible cabin if you need it. Change is hard but we all have to accept it. ☹️

[lindaler]

1 minute ago, rangeley said:

So glad thing went well! Now you can relax and enjoy cruising. 

Thanks to your encouragement and suggestions we practiced for 30 days for her to pee in a box and 15 more for needing the bag. I had learned to stand up to where a box on board could be placed and asked for sod. She didn’t get sea sick and the crew treated her like one of the family. I saw many pictures of their puppies at home. Most of the passengers were kind if not noisy but only a few threw snide comments our way. It was wonderful to travel with her. 

[rpclmc]

9 hours ago, Algebralovr said:

Any of you cruised on a Celebrity M-class in the last few years, in an Accessible Sky Suite?  I have one booked on Constellation for 2020 out of Tampa.   I’m in one of the deck 8 rooms, luckily not backing up to the elevator but next door to that one.  

 

After doing some soul searching, I decided I need to break down and book accessible from now on.  I’ll manage during my next two cruises with regular staterooms, but I’m learning I need the extra grab bars in the bathroom, the raised toilet, etc.  Between the ankle and knee pain and the lasting numbness, I’m guessing I need to accept it.  Luckily, Scooter enjoys doing retrieval’s.  

 

Part of of me feels bad at taking the accessible suite if I don’t 100% need it, but after the cruise in February when I could not get one, was actually using a wheelchair and needed it, I broke down.  I can’t get into one for this December, Feb 2020 or Feb 20201 as of this point, though.  The WC didn’t fit through the door unless we at least partly collapsed it, and once in the room it didn’t fit between the bed and the wall.  

 

How bad is the water in the bathroom after a shower?  That is one of the things I hate about accessible rooms.  We had a hotel room in January where the water went everywhere.  It was scary.  That was when I was completely non-weight bearing and needed the shower seat (that was missing - grrrr).

I struggled with needing the wheelchair and an accessible room.  People think you are giving up, actually giving up would be not accepting those things and staying home because you can't do things.  I tell people as much as I don't like the progression, my giving in is just that giving in to change as opposed to giving up.

 

I have only cruised Carnival with accessible rooms.  I had the same concern about the water after having those experiences in hotels.  It was great, very little water got on the floor.  

 

Halo loves retrieving things also.  He gets so excited to work for me at home.  He is so serious out in public.

 

Linda and Halo

[Algebralovr]

2 minutes ago, rpclmc said:

I struggled with needing the wheelchair and an accessible room.  People think you are giving up, actually giving up would be not accepting those things and staying home because you can't do things.  I tell people as much as I don't like the progression, my giving in is just that giving in to change as opposed to giving up.

 

I have only cruised Carnival with accessible rooms.  I had the same concern about the water after having those experiences in hotels.  It was great, very little water got on the floor.  

 

Halo loves retrieving things also.  He gets so excited to work for me at home.  He is so serious out in public.

 

Linda and Halo

Thanks, Linda.
Some days I don't need anything at all.  Other days I need the cane.  Other days I'm glad we have the WC and the ramp.  

I guess I'm just frustrated.

[wizard-of-roz]

Barb, if you need a HC cabin for one reason is enough for you to request one.  I totally understand how you feel.  I have only been on the Celebrity Summit.  I stopped requesting HC cabins after my husband passed away.  But, I have to tell you it's very crowded in a regular cabin with two people and a Service Dog.  I was also bothered by the lack of sink space in the bathroom.  Maybe it was just the cabin we had and there's more sink space in other HC cabins.  Why wouldn't someone in a wheel chair need to have the use of a sink for their bathroom amenities? 

 

I'm not in a wheel chair but I do bring a walker that usually doesn't fit through the cabin door and folding it each time we exit and enter is a pain.  I'm going to do some real "fold-up" practicing before my next cruise.

[rpclmc]

14 hours ago, Algebralovr said:

Thanks, Linda.
Some days I don't need anything at all.  Other days I need the cane.  Other days I'm glad we have the WC and the ramp.  

I guess I'm just frustrated.

I can still stand and I walk VERY slowly.  I used the wheelchair for distance.  I am able to load and unload my own wheelchair and get from the door of a plane to the seat with just my cane.  I am able to move around the cabin, house, hotel room, etc without the wheelchair, just my cane.  

 

I am totally frustrated.  I pouted about my progression for about a 1.5 years and then kicked myself out of it and now trying to live life again - just differently.

 

The biggest thing that bothers me now, is people that judge.  I guess if I can walk to the back of my vehicle and load and unload the wheelchair, I am not really disabled.  VERY frustrating.  

 

Keep your head up.

 

Linda and Halo

[Algebralovr]

Thanks, Roz and Linda.
I appreciate the reassurance. 

 

It is amazing what one bad fall will do to us!

I turn 50 in a couple of weeks.  I'm lamenting the physical limitations I have.   

 

[rpclmc]

6 hours ago, Algebralovr said:

Thanks, Roz and Linda.
I appreciate the reassurance. 

 

It is amazing what one bad fall will do to us!

I turn 50 in a couple of weeks.  I'm lamenting the physical limitations I have.   

 

9 years ago I did a half marathon, each year I was doing 5k's on a regular basis.  I got diagnosed with a slow version of ALS.  It is driving me nuts not to be able to do what I used to.

 

I love the ship water slides.  Thought I couldn't do them anymore.  Guess what?  I can take the elevator in my wheelchair to the level of the slide entrance.  Leave my cane and wheelchair at the top, have a friend or family member meet me at the bottom, walk me to the elevator and take that back up to my wheelchair or do the slide until I am tired of it.  Now trying to figure out how to do ziplines.  I think the one in Vegas has an elevator, so I could do that one. 

 

I can parasail in Tampa.  I have found a company that takes up disabled a lot.

 

See find ways to do what you like/love, but different ways.

 

Linda and Halo

[wizard-of-roz]

In mentioning how the general public sees us......I hope I never become that judgmental.  It's difficult enough to face our limitations within our own world, we don't need the outside world to criticize us as well.  I know, just ignore them and their stares and comments and side-eyes......sometimes it's very hard to do!  I'm a pretty gutsy woman and will just keep going, no matter what obstacle gets in my way.  But, sometimes I could use just one other soul to support me and be on my side when I'm out in public on my own!

 

Linda, your courage and strength is contagious.  I'd love to cruise with you one day!