Service animals on NCL cruises-ADA disability

[NLH Arizona]

And this ruins it for those that truly do have a service dog that performs much needed tasks. I am a dog lover, but i would never fake that one of mine was a service dog just to bring them everywhere. It is a disgrace what many people are doing.

I agree with you 100%.

[S&S Cruisers 1983]

We have been on three cruises with service animals. The first time there was a group traveling together a few years ago with at least four service dogs. They weren't allowed to take the dogs ashore. The second time there was a little dog that maybe was a companion pet, it rode around the ship in a little cart. Then there was another service dog just this last May on our recent cruise. This time we did see the dog go ashore. These were all NCL ships. We are dog lovers so love to see them.

[margretha]

Isn't this thread 5 years old????:confused: Hopefully the issue has been resolved by now...margretha

[DMLyons]

Hi, Has anyone had experience with a service dog or other service animal on NCL? I am having problems with their disability services department. Please advise. Thanks!

 

I haven't but know someone who has. They will build a sandbox for the dog to use on the balcony (she HAD a balcony though...I don't know what they do for someone who doesn't!). The dog can go anywhere you go, of course, just as they can ashore. Other than that, I don't have any information. She made it seem seamless, as long as you contacted the Access Desk.

 

Good luck!

 

DML

[Us2inFL]

On Epic Transatlantic a few weeks ago, there was a woman in a motorized chair. She carried a small Chihuahua in her lap. I saw her many times over the 15 days and at one point overheard her say to someone "it's a service dog for my mental health."

 

I guess that was good enough for NCL, there is no way she could have had it on-board without their knowledge.

[Laszlo]

On our last cruise we saw two Golden's and one lab which people were using as true service dogs. We also saw another dog very small dog which was owned by a woman. She called it a service dog but every time we saw it the dog was in its carrier. She brought it to the MDR and the casino. As one who used to raise golden's to be service dogs I didn't get it.

 

Just an FYI

 

Most everyone I know loves dog, but please don't try to pet or interact with a service dog unless the owner of the dog says its OK. The dogs are working and it makes me cringe when someone approaches them to pet or even hug the dog.

[rvsullivan]

I haven't but know someone who has. They will build a sandbox for the dog to use on the balcony (she HAD a balcony though...I don't know what they do for someone who doesn't!). The dog can go anywhere you go, of course, just as they can ashore. Other than that, I don't have any information. She made it seem seamless, as long as you contacted the Access Desk.

 

Good luck!

 

DML

 

5 year old post that was resurrected for some reason!:D

 

Looks like your leaving in a couple of days!! Too hot here probably cooler in Bermuda than Boston. Safe trip!!

[chengkp75]

I haven't but know someone who has. They will build a sandbox for the dog to use on the balcony (she HAD a balcony though...I don't know what they do for someone who doesn't!). The dog can go anywhere you go, of course, just as they can ashore. Other than that, I don't have any information. She made it seem seamless, as long as you contacted the Access Desk.

 

Good luck!

 

DML

 

Normally, the litter box is built on the promenade deck, and the crew will deal with disposal, as this becomes biohazard waste to be incinerated. Please tell the Special Needs people when booking if there are any special requirement for your dog, so that arrangements could be made in advance. Normally, we use shredded newspaper in the litter box, but one person had a dog that was trained only to use kitty litter. We did not get the word from Special Needs in advance, and the poor dog had a hard day until we could get to WalMart and buy some kitty litter for him.

 

Service dogs can go anywhere the guest goes, EXCEPT in the pool. This constitutes a fecal incident which requires draining and sanitizing the pool.

 

We once had a service MONKEY onboard. The woman's condition was that her disease caused her to forget to take her medication, so the little capuchin monkey (who wore a diaper) was trained to sense the symptoms and pester the woman until she took her medication. First time I'd seen that.

[DMLyons]

5 year old post that was resurrected for some reason!:D

 

Looks like your leaving in a couple of days!! Too hot here probably cooler in Bermuda than Boston. Safe trip!!

 

Yes, I noticed that later. Sigh.

 

Oh, and yes! We checked the other day and it WAS cooler in Bermuda than it was here. Head desk.

 

DML

[DMLyons]

Service dogs can go anywhere the guest goes, EXCEPT in the pool. This constitutes a fecal incident which requires draining and sanitizing the pool.

 

We once had a service MONKEY onboard. The woman's condition was that her disease caused her to forget to take her medication, so the little capuchin monkey (who wore a diaper) was trained to sense the symptoms and pester the woman until she took her medication. First time I'd seen that.

 

I wouldn't have thought anyone would try to take a service dog in the pool, but you're probably correct and there's SOMEONE out there who would.

 

Actually, a friend of mine has a dog (NOT a trained service dog) who acts as her medication wizard of sorts. The dog will wake her and her husband from a dead sleep if her blood sugar suddenly goes off kilter. It has saved her serious harm more than once. Another friend has a dog (also not a trained service dog) who can sense when their daughter is about to have a gran mal seizure. The dog sleeps in the daughter's full size bed with her and barks to wake the family anytime a seizure is oncoming. To date, he always wakes them between 15 minutes and 90 minutes before the seizure starts, so they have warning to react to it. Since her seizures can kill her, this is something of a godsend to them. If either of them came aboard, I would not bat an eye, knowing them as I do, but others might wonder about it. Actually, I've heard they're now training some service dogs to do what the second one does.

 

DML

[chengkp75]

I wouldn't have thought anyone would try to take a service dog in the pool, but you're probably correct and there's SOMEONE out there who would.

 

Actually, a friend of mine has a dog (NOT a trained service dog) who acts as her medication wizard of sorts. The dog will wake her and her husband from a dead sleep if her blood sugar suddenly goes off kilter. It has saved her serious harm more than once. Another friend has a dog (also not a trained service dog) who can sense when their daughter is about to have a gran mal seizure. The dog sleeps in the daughter's full size bed with her and barks to wake the family anytime a seizure is oncoming. To date, he always wakes them between 15 minutes and 90 minutes before the seizure starts, so they have warning to react to it. Since her seizures can kill her, this is something of a godsend to them. If either of them came aboard, I would not bat an eye, knowing them as I do, but others might wonder about it. Actually, I've heard they're now training some service dogs to do what the second one does.

 

DML

 

I have heard of trained and certified dogs that do what both of the dogs you mention do. Your friends may want to contact service dog organizations to see what would be required to get their dogs certified, so that they can wear the service dog vest, and then no one would blink an eye. This is true especially for some of the toy and miniature breeds that are commonly used for medical alert dogs.

[NLH Arizona]

I wouldn't have thought anyone would try to take a service dog in the pool, but you're probably correct and there's SOMEONE out there who would.

 

Actually, a friend of mine has a dog (NOT a trained service dog) who acts as her medication wizard of sorts. The dog will wake her and her husband from a dead sleep if her blood sugar suddenly goes off kilter. It has saved her serious harm more than once. Another friend has a dog (also not a trained service dog) who can sense when their daughter is about to have a gran mal seizure. The dog sleeps in the daughter's full size bed with her and barks to wake the family anytime a seizure is oncoming. To date, he always wakes them between 15 minutes and 90 minutes before the seizure starts, so they have warning to react to it. Since her seizures can kill her, this is something of a godsend to them. If either of them came aboard, I would not bat an eye, knowing them as I do, but others might wonder about it. Actually, I've heard they're now training some service dogs to do what the second one does.

 

DML

They have trained service dogs that do both of these things. There are many tasks that true service dogs do.

[punkincc]

What is with those that are allergic to dogs or have cynophobia? Do they just have bad luck and can stay in the cabin?

 

I guess they would have to deal with it just like they would at home where you are just as likely to run into service animals anywhere, not to mention just dogs in general.

 

On all my cruises, I have only seen 1 service animal, and on that cruise, I only saw them once. Cruise ships are large.:)

 

I do wonder if they do anything special however as far as cleaning of the cabins after a service dog stay. I know many people sleep with their dogs and I would feel a little weird if I knew a dog had just vacated my cabin bed earlier in the day.

[chengkp75]

I guess they would have to deal with it just like they would at home where you are just as likely to run into service animals anywhere, not to mention just dogs in general.

 

On all my cruises, I have only seen 1 service animal, and on that cruise, I only saw them once. Cruise ships are large.:)

 

I do wonder if they do anything special however as far as cleaning of the cabins after a service dog stay. I know many people sleep with their dogs and I would feel a little weird if I knew a dog had just vacated my cabin bed earlier in the day.

 

As far as I remember, housekeeping only vacuumed a little better, and used some more febreeze to remove any doggy odor, but I don't recall any special measures for the bed, as I don't think we even considered that the animals would be on the bed.

[HCTiger9704]

One guy I know, Mike, that owns Wildrose Kennels, trains Diabetic Alert Dogs.

 

Right now, he is training a English Red Fox Lab to be a Diabetic Alert Dog for Molly.

[rydan]

Hi, Has anyone had experience with a service dog or other service animal on NCL? I am having problems with their disability services department. Please advise. Thanks!

 

What problem are you having? Come on its right on the website...

[NLH Arizona]

What problem are you having? Come on its right on the website...

This was a very old thread. Apparently, according to another thread by the OP, her dogs (she takes more than one?????) were banned by NCL because of a potty mistake, but I think there is more to the story. According to the ADA, a company can refuse admittance to a service dog, because of not being housebroken, barking, aggression, etc.

[Us2inFL]

Wouldn't that be like closing the barn door after the cow is out?

[NLH Arizona]

Wouldn't that be like closing the barn door after the cow is out?

She apparently wanted to go on another NCL cruise and was complaining that they would not allow her dogs on board.