Quampapetet

That's SUCH good input, Quam. Thank you. I think Miss Raylene is going to be happy on board that day, sipping a cool beverage on her balcony with Mom and enjoying the view of azure seas and palm trees from that vantage point, instead of on the beach of Labadee, Haiti. Don't want to deal with the Screwworm issue potentially emerging on return to the US.

 

I think Roz posted a while back about stray dogs in a Mexican port. There are plenty in the Caribbean everywhere, too. I'm going to need to be extra vigilant. If Ray ever was attacked and bit, that would be a nightmare.

Yes, there are strays throughout the Caribbean. I have seen them in the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and probably other places. I have also seen one in Key West. So, you just have to be aware of your surroundings. In Mexico, the stray was right outside the cruise center when we exited our taxi at the end of our excursion and the stray kept trying to follow my service dog as we tried to go from the taxi into the cruise center (a flea market type area of shops in Cozumel). Thankfully, the Mexican taxi drivers were very helpful in getting the stray away from us until we could get inside the cruise center! In Puerto Rico, my friends helped. I go to the Bahamas every year and only have had to change course because of a stray once - we just went down another street until the coast was clear. In Key West, I had to yell at the little loose dog, "GO HOME!" many times, but it finally left us alone - we were just walking on the sidewalk heading back towards the cruise ship, so had nowhere else to go (unless I went inside a store).

The issue with Labadee is that the strays hang out on the beach amid all the cruisers and everything. Since the beach (albeit in a cabana) is what I would be doing there, I wasn't all that comfortable about it.

On a Carnival cruise, two men in the group I was with had gotten food poisoning the night before the cruise. They reported it on the forms and had to see the doctor on the ship. The doc agreed that it was most likely food poisoning, but told them to stay in their cabin that night just to be sure. So, after they went to our group check-in (it would have been worrying if they hadn't!), they stayed in their cabins that night. They were fine.

While I wouldn't lie on the form about having a virus or something, I don't check yes to the questions like diarrhea because I always, every day, have diarrhea due to a chronic health issue. Nothing catchy and nothing the on board doc can do anything about. I am not going to chance being denied boarding just because I have a disability. If I had those symptoms due to a virus, then I would answer yes. (The funny part is, one time I was filling out that form while I needed to get to the bathroom soon, but of course I didn't tell them why I needed them to hurry up with my check-in so I could get on board and to my cabin! They wouldn't understand.)

The Celebrity/RCCL private port of Labadee is on the coast of Haiti, which is a country on the USDA APHIS list for Screwworm. So officials could choose to require the specified paperwork from a Haiti vet before allowing an animal to re-enter the US.

 

Has anyone ever taken their service dog ashore in Labadee? Or more to the point, had any issues returning to the US?

 

I had not made plans there other than to give Raylene a chance to stretch her legs, sniff, and do her thing on some real vegetation instead of on mulch. But I'm now re-thinking even taking her off the ship.

 

Poor Raylene. I don't actually care whether I get off. But I sure hope she likes that mulch box on board.

I don't know what the requirements are - try asking the cruise line - but when some friends were looking into a cruise that went there, I learned that there are a good amount of stray dogs wandering around the place. People had photos of the strays laying around on the beach with them and stuff. So, if you do get off, be wary and careful! (I was looking into renting a cabana with my friends. We never went because they wanted to do it just before Christmas and I reminded them that flights would be ridiculously expensive - they checked and it changed their minds. It was supposed to be for one of their birthdays, so that's why it couldn't just be moved to another date.)

Roz,

 

What about a flight that is an one hour and 40/50 minutes long and then a 3 hour and 40 minute layover? The way my flights are schedule is to board then an hour and 40 minute flight, layover for 3 hours and 40 minutes and then another hour and 40 minute flight.

 

It is that way heading back except for the layover. We have a layover in atlanta on the way back of an hour and 20 minutes.

With that 3+ hour layover, you will have time to potty the dog, if need be. On the shorter one, you won't have time to get to the area, go back through security, and get back to the gate. Your dog should be able to "hold it" through both travels, though. My service dog has "held it" for over twelve hours due to flying. (I don't feed her that morning, for flights before noon, and take her water away hours before we leave. For afternoon/evening flights, I feed her super early in the morning, like 5:00a, so she has time to poop it out before we leave for the airport. I normally book morning flights for ease, especially for long travels.)

Remember that you need to get to the airport earlier than you would if you didn't have the dog, as check-in (if your airline doesn't allow online/kiosk check-in for people with service dogs) and security (especially waiting for someone to pat down the dog and do the explosives swab test) can take a long time.

See if this is any better.

 

Roz he looks awesome!!!

That's great!! Cute costume!

I know there's a way to post the pictures larger but I don't know how!!!! I confess that I'm illiterate when it comes to posting pictures!

You have to put the photo up on the Web somewhere, such as Instagram or Photobucket or your own Web site. Then you copy the URL (the http thingy) of the photo itself (not the page it is on; it will end with .jpg or .gift or whatever file format your photo is in). Then you come on here to write your post in Advanced Mode, click on the icon of the mountain-and-sun picture, and paste the URL into the pop-up box. Then you post the pic so we can all see Hortvis (or Elvton). ;)

There must be variations. Raylene's last USDA Health Certificate from February of this year issued in Oregon says "Certificate is valid 30 days from date of inspection."

You're right, it does say that. I forgot it is the regulations in most places that need the certificate not older than ten days (some places shorter, not sure if any international places are longer). I believe interstate use is the reason they are valid for thirty days.

Okay you guys asked for it.......HERE'S ELVIS..............................

Can barely see it :( but what I can see looks cute!

You know she's NEVER stared down the nose of an Immigration Official in Hawaii.

 

They are so intense and so very clear about the law and the rules of entry into Hawaii by plane or boat, with a dog......Service Dog or not!!!! I would love to be the fly on the wall when that woman comes through with "Fi-Fi!" :rolleyes:

It wasn't even a cute Fi-Fi type dog, but a scrunched-face bulldog type (which I think are pretty ugly - no offense to those who like them!). She talked about how she loved taking it to bars when she got drunk. :rolleyes:

Yeah, I doubt she actually had the guts to try Hawaii without paperwork, but if she had, I would have loved to have seen that, too! :p

Hi Roz,

 

I'm sailing on Norwegian. After the USDA didn't have info on St. Maarten, I contacted a vet there on the island. If anyone is interested in the forms please send me your email address.

Even better, so you don't have to be bothered, people can download them from here: http://www.sxmvetclinic.com/exporting-importing.pml :)

I'm going to get one, but since St. Maarten is late into our 9 day cruise, it will be almost impossible to get one issued, sent to our state office for validating and returned to me during the time limit (and then we drive to Florida, a few days more.) if I don't take the dog ashore, no biggie. I'll spend the planned lunch money on the ship instead.:)

Since you're on a cruise, the countries typically look at your cruise depart date as the date to go by for deadlines of health certificates. You can get endorsements done in person at your local USDA office (which may or may not be within driving distance to you - I drive about two hours to mine, I believe - you can see if the FL one is near where you will be, as well). Typically, if you do mail it in, you use overnight mail service and include the return envelope with pre-paid postage for overnight service. You could always get it sent to your FL hotel, too. St. Maarten is my least favorite island, but I think I would still get off the ship if I did another cruise that goes there. (When looking at cruises for next year, I did purposely stay away from ones that went there - and I won't even have dog paperwork to deal with due to being in between dogs at that time.)

(And an aside - anyone who goes to Hawaii with a service dog on a cruise or otherwise needs to do research and prepare with required testing because it is NOT automatic. We met a very angry service dog partner who was not allowed to take her dog ashore from a Hawaii cruise last year. But it was her own fault for assuming.)

Definitely her own fault! I was once on a plane where they put another "service dog" team (she was a faker) next to me and when I told the handler what the requirements for Hawaii were (she had said she wanted to go there), she cried discrimination (LOL!) and said she would not do any of that and just take her dog, LOL! Yeah, good luck with that, lady!!! :rolleyes:

I located a great last minute cruise. I leave in 19 days. I have an international health certificate from last year (Dec 2013). Can I use this for entry into St. Maarten this year?

 

St. Thomas will not be a problem because they are covered under the ADA.

 

Thanks.

No, you cannot use an expired health certificate. They are only valid for ten days (as you will find written on the certificate itself). Some countries require certificates that were issued even more recent than that, such as the Bahamas who wants them within 48 hours of your trip.

The ADA has nothing to do with health certificates or dog import requirements. The ADA only refers to you being allowed everywhere everyone else is allowed even though you are accompanied by your service dog.

Even if you don't get off at any ports, you will still need a health certificate to get your dog off the ship at the end of the cruise.

I saw some photos from the costume contest on Instagram, but none of Horton were there - boo! I hope CCI sends you those photos soon.

Ah, well I don't need to book an accessible room, so don't need to book early for that. My last two cruises, I got the rooms I wanted (aft wraps on Carnival, only I think six per ship that has them). (My first cruise, I just did a guarantee balcony.) I think I booked about nine months or so in advance.

Roz, you BETTER post a photo of Horton as Elvis!!!! :) (And I have to say, autocorrect kept correcting your name to Rozzano! LOL!)

I loved those guide puppy photos!

Celebrity announced last week that they were releasing the summer 2016 through winter 2017 schedule early - starting in November. If I book right away, I get the room I want, with early bird perks, and have longer to pay it off. Plus, I happen to have a boss who loves that I actually plan my time off way in advance. I have vacation approval through 2020 for one annual trip I take!

 

I actually don't understand b friends who DON'T plan way in advance, particularly when they complain they never go anywhere.

I like to plan in advance, but not so much in advance as all the way to 2017. ;) Ugh, I have a family member who is sooooo bad at planning in advance that there have been multiple occasions they don't have their flights booked even one week before the annual family trip or other trips they want to do! Drives me batty! And why would you want to pay for last-minute fares?! You get the best flight prices three months in advance, on Tuesdays at 3:00p.

The cruise we're looking at on Celebrity is a little over a year from now and that's a little too far in advance to book anything, but not too far to ponder it. I am pondering a trip to see my puppy in June, but won't book it until later on (do the flights three months in advance and hotels after those are booked). (I will be seeing her before then, don't worry, as I booked a multi-city flight trip so I can see her on my way home from the annual family trip, which is in January!)

With a service dog, one needs to plan certain cruises far in advance due to the import requirements of some countries, such as those who require a rabies titer with a six-month wait after it before the dog can enter the country. (And you can't draw the blood for the test until a month after the vaccination, then it takes about a month to get the results back if they are busy, and if your dog doesn't pass the test, you have to vaccinate again and wait another month before drawing blood for the test again, so to be safe, you need to start the process about ten months before the trip.)

It is so disgusting that all those businesses (except one) in the article allowed all those animals in like that! No wonder people are bringing their ill-behaved pets everywhere. So maddening! And really, a service alpaca or snake? How can one be dumb enough to believe that?!

Quampapetet, I saw that you got a number of good replies to your lighting question n ow. Yay! Somehow it doesn't surprise me that Curt (Cle-guy) had an answer. Given the reaction you have, I assume you will still contact special needs at Celebrity and make sure they update the lighting in your room to all LED. They had my DD'S food allergies notated in her reservation very early, so hopefully they will take care of you appropriately.

 

Hope you enjoy Summit! That is the ship we are looking at for February 2017, unless Celebrity announces a new one before that.

Yes, I got several helpful replies. Thanks!

Wow, you are already planning for 2017?! My hat is off to you on that!

If anyone else here likes to do crafts, you should look on eBay for your breed done in a wood shape that you can paint or whatever to turn it into a Christmas Ornament or add it to something else to make a leash holder rack or anything else. I just got my breed in three different sizes and am going to make ornaments of my new pup and current pup, plus am going to make a leash holder using a white picket fence from the craft store and two of the dog shapes. I just got the paint today for this project. :) Oh, and they have other things you can add like Santa hats, bones, and paw prints. They have TONS of shapes, even the classic Mickey Mouse three-circle head and Tinker Bell! Fun!!

Wow! Sounds really yucky.

 

I teach and most schools are all fluorescent. :rolleyes:

 

I'm sure Special Services will make sure you have a cabin with the right lighting.

 

Enjoy the Summit, loved it so much we booked again.

Yup, and two preventive meds have helped me, but I had severely painful side-effects to them, so had to stop taking them (tried them at different times, not together). Had an allergic reaction to another med, which the pharmacy pamphlet said could become fatal - lovely! :rolleyes:

Sounds like the Summit is a good pick! Thanks! :)

Because they are in the process of changing out lights, unfortunately you may not be able to learn ahead of time what lighting you will encounter in your stateroom

Thanks for that info.! Since the cruise won't be for another year (it is to celebrate a family anniversary with hopefully a bunch of us going), hopefully the lighting will be pretty much switched by then as to be predictable.

I honestly never saw your question on the Celebrity forum, and I read it all the time.

 

You might email Host Andy directly. He has sailed the M - class ships quite a bit and might be able to answer, or at least look his next cruise. I would help, but all my cruises have been on S - class ships. If it helps, I can look when I'm on Reflection in February. That won't tell you anything about Summit though.

 

I do know one of the IT guys personally. I wonder if he would know?

Thanks, I bumped the thread up and this time got several replies. :)

Summit has extensively replaced most public space lighting to LED in the hallways. I noticed elevators still had halogen.

 

In cabins, it seems that as the former halogen bulbs go out, they are replaced by LED (I noticed half of my MR-16 bulbs were LED, others still halogen). The large ceiling lights seem to be Compact fluorescent bulb, and the bathrooms are fluorescent.

 

I pay attention to lighting as I seem to have an infatuation in it. I replaced all my home bulbs from Incandescent to LED and saved about $50 a month on electric. In my retail stores, we replaced hot spot lights to LED and saved a ton of money on Air conditioning costs alone.

Thanks for the info.!! :cool:

That's pretty amazing savings you got by switching to LED!

As far as I can remember (two years ago on Summit) the lighting in our stateroom was a mix - some LED downlighting, some CFL, and some Halogen mini spots. I think all of the fixtures have been relamped with whatever up-to-date technology could be refitted into each particular fixture. I assume that the mix is about the same now as it was.

 

I first noticed this inconsistent mix at the bed - two recessed downlights were shining on the head of the bed with a cold, harsh blue-white quality on the upper end of the linens (LED lamps, I think) and the bottom of the bed had the eerie yellowy glow from the other downlights in the room. I assumed that those fixture had CFL refits. Other elements in the room - at the desk/mirror, for example, had the pulsing and color quality of fluorescent.

 

Unfortunately I don't recall the bath clearly - except that the lighting for shaving wasn't the best - eerie yellowish fluorescent glow there too. Had I been a woman trying to make up there, I might have become suicidal. :D

Strange that it is so mixed!

You had me laughing with your last line!!! :D So glad I rarely wear makeup (besides an anti-oil powder all over my face)!

I suggest you contact special_needs@celebrity.com to get the answer you need. First because they can contact the ship and be 100% sure you are getting the correct answer and if you needed any minor modifications that could be achieved within the constraints of the electrical systems onboard they can arrange that

 

If your allergy is significant, I would not risk the reports back from guests which may or may not be accurate

In our experience, Special Services is very good indeed

Thanks! I figured ppl here might get it more correct over the cruise line, but I will try that, too. :) Glad to hear they might be better than some of the other cruise lines.

just out of curiosity, what's the condition? Never heard of this before.

Several medical conditions are affected by fluorescents, including migraines, seizures, lupus, autism, and more, plus people can be allergic so get burns on their arms when sitting under fluorescents. Personally, I have migraines that are triggered by fluorescents, so I get diarrhea, dizziness or vertigo, nausea, vomiting, pins-and-needles, and more (with the dizziness/vertigo and nausea getting worse from touch from my head to torso, making it impossible to wear a hat to help protect myself or a bag on my shoulders). All sorts of "fun". :p I have special tinted glasses that help, but they're not 100% effective, plus I can't wear them in the shower and all, of course.