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

[schelercamus]

Hi friends, 

 

Regarding airline travel on the way to the cruise port. I tried Googling, but didn't get very far. Luggage for the dog-- bag filled with food, treats, toys, canine first aid, bedding, etc-- does that count as "baggage?" If I go to Europe for 3 weeks with my dog (and 2 of it on a ship), that's a lot of food!

[FOPMan]

You will want to contact the airline you are flying on for clarification. Mobility aids and medical supplies (as long as the bag contains nothing but supplies) fly for free on flights involving US airports. 
 

I would be concerned about importing dog food into another country and whether it would make it through customs.

 

Flights within Europe may have different regulations.

You do need to supply necessary paperwork at least 48 hours before your flight. One of the forms addresses the animal’s sanitation on a flight of eight hours or more.

 

The dog (which must be able to perform a task/service and not be only a comfort animal) must fit in the space at the passenger’s feet. A passenger may purchase a second seat for the animal. If you’re traveling with someone else and sitting next to them on the plane, the dog can use the foot areas of both passengers, but must not encroach into the area of any other passenger.

 

:Safe travels!

[rangeley]

Hi All, Leaving Friday for Bermuda. A little nervous about the potty box since we haven't cruised since 2020. I hope Oakland remembers what to do. His first cruise was to Bermuda and he didn't go until we got there. By his 3rd cruise he was an expert. Hopefully he's got a good memory!!

 

Cindy 

[DUTRAVEL]

8 hours ago, rangeley said:

Hi All, Leaving Friday for Bermuda. A little nervous about the potty box since we haven't cruised since 2020. I hope Oakland remembers what to do. His first cruise was to Bermuda and he didn't go until we got there. By his 3rd cruise he was an expert. Hopefully he's got a good memory!!

 

Cindy 

Have a great time on your cruise! I'm sure Oakland will remember the box and what to do.

[Algebralovr]

I bet Oakland will be a rock star for this trip!

 

We are heading to Vancouver to sail on Celebrity Millennium to Alaska later this week.  Scooter is staying home.  

 

His skills have slipped. My fault.  We spent so much time at home, and my recent cancer diagnosis isn't helping.  So, I'm rarely out of the house without a human supporting me.  Scooter does help at home, but doing way less public access.  SO, he is going to be boarded.  He loves it there... it will be fine.  Plus, without Scooter along, we can do an excursion to go see the sled dogs!  We missed that the last time!

[rangeley]

17 hours ago, Algebralovr said:

I bet Oakland will be a rock star for this trip!

 

We are heading to Vancouver to sail on Celebrity Millennium to Alaska later this week.  Scooter is staying home.  

 

His skills have slipped. My fault.  We spent so much time at home, and my recent cancer diagnosis isn't helping.  So, I'm rarely out of the house without a human supporting me.  Scooter does help at home, but doing way less public access.  SO, he is going to be boarded.  He loves it there... it will be fine.  Plus, without Scooter along, we can do an excursion to go see the sled dogs!  We missed that the last time!

 

Oakland has also been in the house for a few years. We really haven't gone anywhere except for in the car. I'm praying he does well. 

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I will say some prayers. And have a great time on your cruise!

[rangeley]

On 5/22/2022 at 8:32 PM, DUTRAVEL said:

Have a great time on your cruise! I'm sure Oakland will remember the box and what to do.

Thank you for your confidence. I'll try to think positive!

[DUTRAVEL]

2 hours ago, rangeley said:

Thank you for your confidence. I'll try to think positive!

We had not been on a cruise since November 2019 and rarely left the house for almost two years. We did a Pacific Coastal cruise in October with my Service Dog Henrietta and she was great (once they replaced the postage size relief box). I'm sure Oakland will pick up right where he left off. 

[HenryKisor]

I'm heading for Alaska out of Vancouver for a 14-day HAL cruise next week. Checking APHIS brought up the info that for dogs and cats Alaska now requires a 7001 with a certificate number OR a state veterinary health certificate with a stamped number. Most U.S. vets use the downloadable form because they don't have a pad of numbered paper certificates, and the downloadable form has no number, so that isn't valid. My vet filled out the 7001 for the ship and the Illinois health certificate for Alaska.

 

Now we'll see if this is actually being enforced or it's just a bunch of bureaucratic bumf.

 

Massachusetts now requires a 7001, too, but doesn't specify that it carry a certificate number.

 

[Algebralovr]

Hi all!  I’m back from our family cruise on Celebrity Millennium with the fam, and have recovered from the trip home.  Long flights!

 

Scooter was THRILLED to see us when we got home.  We are now working on PA and tasks for him.  My RA is worse, and has settled in my lower back and hips.  If I drop stuff, I can’t bend over much of the time, so Scooter to the rescue!    He is happy to do those tasks around the house,  🙂  Not so happy to do PA at Walmart and be on perfect behavior.  He’d rather be able to get pets from all.  🙂

 

We are sailing on Reflection for Thanksgiving, but leaving him home.  That lawn on the S-class celebrity ships is just too much for him.  I don’t even plan to get off the ship for that cruise, just enjoy someone else cooking and cleaning, getting some sun and doing nothing.   
 

We are doing the Panama Canal in December, and while Princess has approved me bringing him, I’m undecided.  I’ll decide a couple of weeks out.  Easy to cancel bringing the dog…. And Princess will be HAPPY NOT to have him.  
 

Hope you all are well.  

[HenryKisor]

We're scheduled to board HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam next Sunday in Vancouver. Boarding time for my assigned group is 2 p.m. Ship departs at 4 p.m. That doesn't give us a lot of time to find the location of the pee station or talk to the dining room maitre 'd for a suitable table against a wall. On previous voyages out of Fort Lauderdale and Montreal, there were special desks in the departure halls for passengers with special needs. We didn't have to wait long and were whisked aboard quickly. I am thinking about the possibility of just showing up at an earlier time and heading for the special needs desk. Or maybe I should try to find a HAL rep at our hotel the night before and ask. What do youse guys think?

 

[DUTRAVEL]

On 6/13/2022 at 8:16 AM, HenryKisor said:

We're scheduled to board HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam next Sunday in Vancouver. Boarding time for my assigned group is 2 p.m. Ship departs at 4 p.m. That doesn't give us a lot of time to find the location of the pee station or talk to the dining room maitre 'd for a suitable table against a wall. On previous voyages out of Fort Lauderdale and Montreal, there were special desks in the departure halls for passengers with special needs. We didn't have to wait long and were whisked aboard quickly. I am thinking about the possibility of just showing up at an earlier time and heading for the special needs desk. Or maybe I should try to find a HAL rep at our hotel the night before and ask. What do youse guys think?

 

I haven't sailed on HAL and so I don't have any specific information on how they might handle embarkation or if they have separate desks for passengers with special needs in every departure port. I always try to board as early as possible (I would definitely go earlier than my assigned time) so that I have as much time as possible to deal with relief box issues before the ship sails.

Edited June 14, 2022 by DUTRAVEL

[rpclmc]

Hi everyone.  Had my in person and final interview with Canine Campions for Independence in Santa Rosa, California (same location Rox got her babies).  That was yesterday.  Now I wait to hear if I was accepted to get a service dog from them.  Then I wait up to 20 months, usually about a year, to get the dog.

 

Halo is close to retirement.  He is still doing ok.  He was trained when I was more mobile.  I need some different kind of help from a service dog.  Although he is smart and could learn it, it really isn't worth it since he will be retiring so soon.  Probably would have been taught the functions, pulling clothes baskets to help with laundry and assisting with opening doors, if the pandemic hadn't hit and the shattering of the leg.  Which both caused us to stay in the house for 1.5 years.

 

He did stay with my daughter and her fiance when we went to Jamacia for a week, then to Hawaii for 3 weeks.  He will be retiring with them and it was kind of a test retirement.  He is loving being a dog.  Will stay follow his commands and behaves in public exceptionally well.  But he is sure loving being a "dog" and getting to go to a park without his work vest and just play.  Not a dog park, just a park with his buddy, my daughter's dog.  

 

Linda and Halo

[Algebralovr]

Linda, I’m so glad you had a good interview with CCI.

I’m glad that Halo has a good retirement plan!  He will be happy to see you when you visit, but will also be happy with your daughter and his pal.  That sounds perfect for all!  
 

 My hubby and I have been discussion our next steps regarding Scooter.  He is currently 6.5, but has developed a couple of medical conditions that will likely shorten his life.  They are medically controlled, he is happy, and still wants to work much of the time.  We are completely uncertain if we will seek a successor dog or not.  I look forward to hearing how things go with your team training and successor dog over the next couple of years. 

[denversees4me]

Hi all I asked a while back but I can not for the life of me find the post …

Traveling to Nassau and disneys castaway cay with my guide dog in September . Years ago it used to be that you just filled out the form and sent you $12 cash or whatever it was now there is a form on the aphis website from the United States that’s the old form but if you go to the Bahamas website it’s a new form and it says no cash and no  checks 
so I have questions for anyone that has sent in for an import permit recently

 

Western Union is down in our area it has been for months and I know Western Union is international does anyone know if they accept money gram money orders I called today and spoke with them directly at the Bahamas but the lady behind the desk was no help ( this is also been the case in the past) she tried to tell me it had to be FedEx and I know that there’s not to be true because it says right on their paperwork you can mail it of course it just takes longer but I called FedEx and they told me they don’t do money orders but the lady on the phone told me the money order had to come from FedEx so I’m completely confused lol does she mean that they themselves go to FedEx to pick up the money order or what ? Anyways if anyone sent in for an import permit lately can you please tell me what you sent in as far as payment and if you mailed it by the snail mail address that they have

 

this leads me to my next question which is the health form. I know they send you back a little  and that you  have to get a health form  but as some of you may know the system has changed and now all of the health forms are online Health form meaning health certificate sorry

 

so does anybody know because I used to get form 700 one if that will still work i’m told no because they do the automated system now  

. so what do we do in the situation 
I called the cruise line but they are no help they don’t know anything either ughhhhh 

thanks in advance it shouldn’t be this difficult to travel especially to the Bahamas such an easy one before 

 

[DUTRAVEL]

On 7/5/2022 at 1:10 PM, denversees4me said:

Hi all I asked a while back but I can not for the life of me find the post …

Traveling to Nassau and disneys castaway cay with my guide dog in September . Years ago it used to be that you just filled out the form and sent you $12 cash or whatever it was now there is a form on the aphis website from the United States that’s the old form but if you go to the Bahamas website it’s a new form and it says no cash and no  checks 
so I have questions for anyone that has sent in for an import permit recently

 

 

Chris knows more about this than I do - she has used a service in the Bahamas that obtains the permit for you. It seems well worth his $57 fee.
 

https://www.bahamaspetpermit.com/
 

As far as I know, you can still use the downloadable Aphis form 7001 health certificate and you will need the Bahamas form IMP(1)b to accompany the permit.

 

 

 

 

 

[Caribbean Chris]

6 hours ago, DUTRAVEL said:

 

Chris knows more about this than I do - she has used a service in the Bahamas that obtains the permit for you. It seems well worth his $57 fee.
 

https://www.bahamaspetpermit.com/
 

As far as I know, you can still use the downloadable Aphis form 7001 health certificate and you will need the Bahamas form IMP(1)b to accompany the permit.

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, I’ve sent in the form years ago (requesting a waiver of the fee for a service dog with proof included) and eventually got the permit in the mail. The next time, I sent it and never heard another word, so ended up faxing from my vet and finally got a return fax permit. My vet’s office had no legal-length paper in their fax, so I had it printed at my friend’s law office.

 

I was tired of this hassle and have since always paid to use the Bahamas Pet Permit service. He is very reliable and organized, and hand-carries it to the government office. I plan to use him again for a Christmas cruise. He sends updates as to your application progress and emails a link. Then I can print the permit at home (believe it or not, I searched for & bought a printer with capability to handle legal length docs and paper.
 

It has been worth it to me to pay the fee and regain more control versus sending off paperwork and never getting a reply, then having to scurry around.

 

Note that you should allow plenty of time, at least a month, since the permit office itself gets backed up. A permit is good for one entry, for a year from date of issue.

[Caribbean Chris]

On 7/5/2022 at 4:10 PM, denversees4me said:

Hi all I asked a while back but I can not for the life of me find the post …

Traveling to Nassau and disneys castaway cay with my guide dog in September . Years ago it used to be that you just filled out the form and sent you $12 cash or whatever it was now there is a form on the aphis website from the United States that’s the old form but if you go to the Bahamas website it’s a new form and it says no cash and no  checks 
so I have questions for anyone that has sent in for an import permit recently

 

Western Union is down in our area it has been for months and I know Western Union is international does anyone know if they accept money gram money orders I called today and spoke with them directly at the Bahamas but the lady behind the desk was no help ( this is also been the case in the past) she tried to tell me it had to be FedEx and I know that there’s not to be true because it says right on their paperwork you can mail it of course it just takes longer but I called FedEx and they told me they don’t do money orders but the lady on the phone told me the money order had to come from FedEx so I’m completely confused lol does she mean that they themselves go to FedEx to pick up the money order or what ? Anyways if anyone sent in for an import permit lately can you please tell me what you sent in as far as payment and if you mailed it by the snail mail address that they have

 

this leads me to my next question which is the health form. I know they send you back a little  and that you  have to get a health form  but as some of you may know the system has changed and now all of the health forms are online Health form meaning health certificate sorry

 

so does anybody know because I used to get form 700 one if that will still work i’m told no because they do the automated system now  

. so what do we do in the situation 
I called the cruise line but they are no help they don’t know anything either ughhhhh 

thanks in advance it shouldn’t be this difficult to travel especially to the Bahamas such an easy one before 

 

On the question of the Form 7001 APHIS health certificate, my vet still issues the paper one for me. I just used it in April for a Caribbean cruise. 
here’s the form:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/library/forms/pdf/APHIS7001.pdf

[DancingRich]

We are going on our first cruise(on Carnival) with my husbands service dog in about a week. I am super nervous. We are not leaving the boat during the cruise and that's not a problem or anything. Just more worried about coming back and there being an issue. Can anyone help with my nerves? Or have any tips and advice.

 

He is up to date on all his shots and we are only going to Mexico.

 

Thanks!

[Caribbean Chris]

10 hours ago, DancingRich said:

We are going on our first cruise(on Carnival) with my husbands service dog in about a week. I am super nervous. We are not leaving the boat during the cruise and that's not a problem or anything. Just more worried about coming back and there being an issue. Can anyone help with my nerves? Or have any tips and advice.

 

He is up to date on all his shots and we are only going to Mexico.

 

Thanks!

Welcome! 
 

1. Be sure you have the dog’s up to date rabies certificate. Have your vet examine the dog right away and issue an APHIS Form 7001 Health Certificate, if you haven’t done so already.  Since it is solely Mexico on the itinerary, the certificate will not need to be endorsed by any US government vet.
 

Here’s APHIS Mexico info:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel/by-country/pettravel-mexico

Even though Mexico no longer requires the health certificate, the cruise line’s check-in personnel when you embark will ask for your dog’s “paperwork,” and expect that health certificate with the rabies document. Carry extra copies of these.
 

It’s a good idea to bring copies too of any documentation you have of the dog’s service dog training, such as an ID card. I even bring the dog’s spay certificate. The more paper, the better.

 

The following may no longer be the case but in the past, for Cancun or Cozumel, we were asked to be in a ship’s lounge at 8 a.m, to have the dog inspected by Mexican officials before the ship could be cleared. They would look into the dog’s ears, eyes, check the skin, and so on. My dog has always been very calm, and I think most SDs are used to being touched and do fine.

 

2. If you are coming back into Miami, government inspectors may pull you out of line at disembarkation and examine your dog and his papers. So don’t pack them in your suitcase.
 

3. I Assume you have already notified Carnival we’ll in advance. You also can call their accessibility department and remind them you need that relief box. Ask the front desk where it is as soon as you board. Then go introduce the dog to it. Don’t panic if the dog refuses it the first day. But you may need to trek there first thing in the morning. Or you may re-think going ashore so the dog can visit some grass.

 

4. For eating on board, the buffets can be challenging, with masses of people grazing, carrying & dropping food, not paying attention. I find it easiest to get a table in a corner near the entrance first and then take turns getting buffet food, leaving the dog settled. In the Main Dining Rooms, ask the manager for a table against a wall or in a corner so you can tuck the dog away from waiters & people walking back & forth.

 

5. You’ll already know how this goes…Be prepared for a lot of strangers who want to meet the dog and ask a load of questions. And some who will grab at the dog when you are facing the other direction. It seems people get bolder on ships for some reason. Up to your husband how much interaction he allows, if any. It’s OK to always say “now is not a good time.” 
 

Finally just have a good time and just roll with the punches. The first cruise is the most stressful, but the dog just wants to be with your husband and will settle in soon. Report back if you have a chance.

[HenryKisor]

Back from a two-week Alaska cruise out of Vancouver with a bus trip afterward to Seattle, where we caught a train back to Chicago.

 

A slight glitch returning through US Customs and Immigration. We had packed individual meals in plastic sandwich baggies for Trooper, and we declared them on the customs form. The agent said we were supposed to bring the original kibble bag with us as well as a sales slip proving we bought the food in the United States. We didn't have those, and the agent said she technically had to confiscate the food, but when my wife pointed out that Trooper was a service dog and had to eat specific food, the agent said she'd let it go this time. Next time we'll again pack the individual meals in baggies, but we'll stuff them all back into the bag and take a sales slip, too. 

 

[DUTRAVEL]

2 hours ago, HenryKisor said:

Back from a two-week Alaska cruise out of Vancouver with a bus trip afterward to Seattle, where we caught a train back to Chicago.

 

A slight glitch returning through US Customs and Immigration. We had packed individual meals in plastic sandwich baggies for Trooper, and we declared them on the customs form. The agent said we were supposed to bring the original kibble bag with us as well as a sales slip proving we bought the food in the United States. We didn't have those, and the agent said she technically had to confiscate the food, but when my wife pointed out that Trooper was a service dog and had to eat specific food, the agent said she'd let it go this time. Next time we'll again pack the individual meals in baggies, but we'll stuff them all back into the bag and take a sales slip, too. 

 

That's interesting - did they ask about the dog food in Vancouver at the port on disembarkation or at the border on the way to Seattle? We have returned to Vancouver on a couple of cruises and I'm not sure if I remembered to declare that I had Henri's food with me (probably haven't done it in California or Florida either). When traveling, I bring Henri's food in the original unopened package (with enough in separate baggies until we get on the cruise ship so that I don't have to open the main bag until then). I'm going to start bringing the receipt with me too now that they questioned you.

 

The EU only lets you bring in 2 kg of pet food and it must be needed for health required reasons.  No way is 2 kg enough for a 65lb lab for two or three weeks. I always ask my Vet to write a letter stating that my service dog needs to remain on her normal diet when traveling. 

 

Did you have any issues with the Alaskan Health Certificate? I have checked with my Vet to make sure they can do a California Certificate of Veterinary Inspection when we travel to Alaska in September.  Did your Vet e-mail or mail a copy to the Alaska State Veterinarian's Office?

[HenryKisor]

On 6/13/2022 at 10:16 AM, HenryKisor said:

We're scheduled to board HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam next Sunday in Vancouver. Boarding time for my assigned group is 2 p.m. Ship departs at 4 p.m. That doesn't give us a lot of time to find the location of the pee station or talk to the dining room maitre 'd for a suitable table against a wall. On previous voyages out of Fort Lauderdale and Montreal, there were special desks in the departure halls for passengers with special needs. We didn't have to wait long and were whisked aboard quickly. I am thinking about the possibility of just showing up at an earlier time and heading for the special needs desk. Or maybe I should try to find a HAL rep at our hotel the night before and ask. What do youse guys think?

 

Here is what happened. I could not get an answer from HAL headquarters or the third-party rep who was handling HAL passengers at the hotel. So Debby, Trooper and I just arrived at the cruise terminal at 10 a.m. and were immediately directed to the special needs desk, which had us wait in an alcove with a few other gimps and when boarding started at 10:30 we were whisked aboard first. Easy peasy. 

 

[HenryKisor]

On 7/17/2022 at 9:19 PM, DUTRAVEL said:

That's interesting - did they ask about the dog food in Vancouver at the port on disembarkation or at the border on the way to Seattle? We have returned to Vancouver on a couple of cruises and I'm not sure if I remembered to declare that I had Henri's food with me (probably haven't done it in California or Florida either). When traveling, I bring Henri's food in the original unopened package (with enough in separate baggies until we get on the cruise ship so that I don't have to open the main bag until then). I'm going to start bringing the receipt with me too now that they questioned you.

 

The EU only lets you bring in 2 kg of pet food and it must be needed for health required reasons.  No way is 2 kg enough for a 65lb lab for two or three weeks. I always ask my Vet to write a letter stating that my service dog needs to remain on her normal diet when traveling. 

 

Did you have any issues with the Alaskan Health Certificate? I have checked with my Vet to make sure they can do a California Certificate of Veterinary Inspection when we travel to Alaska in September.  Did your Vet e-mail or mail a copy to the Alaska State Veterinarian's Office?

No questions at Vancouver disembarkation. The questions came at the U.S. border on the way to Seattle. No questions anywhere about the health certificate, except to show the rabies vaxx cert. Vet did not file an email or mail a copy to the Alaska state vet office, but just gave the documents to me. I did give a copy of the Illinois health certificate (which just says the dog has been vaxxed against rabies and is in good health) as well as the 7001 to the ship after we boarded. Possibly the ship's port officer informed Alaskan ports of the documentation, but we hopped off the ship at Ketchikan, Skagway, Juneau and Whittier without any official turning up to question us. 

 

[DUTRAVEL]

1 hour ago, HenryKisor said:

No questions at Vancouver disembarkation. The questions came at the U.S. border on the way to Seattle. No questions anywhere about the health certificate, except to show the rabies vaxx cert. Vet did not file an email or mail a copy to the Alaska state vet office, but just gave the documents to me. I did give a copy of the Illinois health certificate (which just says the dog has been vaxxed against rabies and is in good health) as well as the 7001 to the ship after we boarded. Possibly the ship's port officer informed Alaskan ports of the documentation, but we hopped off the ship at Ketchikan, Skagway, Juneau and Whittier without any official turning up to question us. 

 

Thanks for the info - I will just bring the California Certificate of Veterinary Inspection and the usual 7001 and be over prepared as usual!