"Service Dog" on Splendor

[iceleven]

My partner, the Respiratory Therapist, has an absolute field day with those people ... LOL!

 

My opinion is that if she's stupid enough to be smoking while on O2 and she's in her own home to blow herself up, then fine. But on a ship with thousands of other people? No Way. She definitely should have been reported.

 

There was no reason to report her, she was there in plain sight with plenty of people, including the crew, to see her. She never appeared to be attempting to hide the dog nor the problem with her breathing. I can only assume that she suffered from COPD or something of similar breathing limitations.

 

I am retired from more than 30 years of managing medical/clinical practices in a major teaching hospital. I know many of the reasons people would have a service dog, and I believe they are a wonderful aid for those people who use them. I also know when it is not my place to ask people why they have one, and as I stated in the beginning, I did not ask her.(addressing another person's comment) I was more confused than anything when I looked at the whole picture. Cigarette+O2+barking dog+very frail lady.

[kyrisong1]

I never jump on a post without reading it. While I may not comprehend it in the way you intended, and am sometimes guilty of addressing only part of it, your comment was read and my reading comprehension is pretty good. I've read the disability boards, and the hoops these people have to jump through in order to cruise. CCL and other lines must be diligent becasue there are those who will, if they can, find any and all loopholes.

 

Still, I am insulted -not that you didn't comprehend what I was trying to say - but instead of just questioning, decide to resort to name calling. Nice.

 

Perhaps if you read the whole thread, from the begining - as opposed to just looking at your posts and responses to them - you would have a better understanding of what I was trying to say.

Ahhhhhhhhh Cat, lets talk again about your excellent reading comprehension.

What I said was

"Sorry but you'd have to be a little dense to think that someone would be able to bring an animal on board without certification that it is indeed a service animal." You're argument was that they indeed need paperwork on certification.

So ultimately I was stating that I was in fact not dense, in that I never said that they didn't need paperwork or proof.

Dense is not a name I would call you, so sorry for your misunderstanding. I was actually appoligizing to the person that said they didn't need paperwork, not to you because I didn't insult you, merely stated that you could jump on someone else about the certification, it wasn't my statement.

[newcatintown]

Ahhhhhhhhh Cat, lets talk again about your excellent reading comprehension.

What I said was

"Sorry but you'd have to be a little dense to think that someone would be able to bring an animal on board without certification that it is indeed a service animal." You're argument was that they indeed need paperwork on certification.

So ultimately I was stating that I was in fact not dense, in that I never said that they didn't need paperwork or proof.

Dense is not a name I would call you, so sorry for your misunderstanding. I was actually appoligizing to the person that said they didn't need paperwork, not to you because I didn't insult you, merely stated that you could jump on someone else about the certification, it wasn't my statement.

 

1) Animals have to be well documented on cruise ships, not just for the ships but also for the ports of call.

2) To the best of my knowledge, only dogs are allowed at this point ON CRUISE SHIPS.

3) Somehow I hit the wrong buttom, again.

4) I don't consider myself 'dense'... hard headed at times, but never dense.

5) If you were replying to the same person I was about 'no documentation', they are wrong, and we are right.

6) I wasn't jumping on you, I was agreeing with you, geesh

[kyrisong1]

First I want to apologize to everyone that I am about to offend, upset, or insult. I do not mean to undermine their condition, situation, or disability.

 

That said, I have been reading a lot of the threads on "service animals" and I have read of dogs, cats, skunks, ferrets, and lots of other animals. I think it is good that they get to travel with the person that they are of service to. So my only question is;

 

Where do I sign up? I want to be a "service person" I can see when you are going to fall down the steps, warn you that something is hot, tell that you are not feeling well, and I can be a great companion, keeping you calm, relaxed, and if needed go for walks with you to keep you active.

 

This would be a great life, get to travel free. Go to all the places my person needs, and get free room and board.

 

Again, I do apologize if I offended anyone.

How offensive, saying I need a service person to keep me from falling down the stairs.... I mean really I never drink that much rum :p;) Thanks Waldo for lightening it up.... which I hope you don't take me to me lighting it up. That would refer to the woman with oxygen and smoking :D

[azpilot]

We saw 2 small service dogs on our cruise last week on the Spirit. I thought about having our dog be a service dog, she can sense when its time to eat and she would let me know too!

 

Seriously though, they do sense some things fast and can alert right away to keep you safe.

[Cozzette2]

First I want to apologize to everyone that I am about to offend, upset, or insult. I do not mean to undermine their condition, situation, or disability.

 

That said, I have been reading a lot of the threads on "service animals" and I have read of dogs, cats, skunks, ferrets, and lots of other animals. I think it is good that they get to travel with the person that they are of service to. So my only question is;

 

Where do I sign up? I want to be a "service person" I can see when you are going to fall down the steps, warn you that something is hot, tell that you are not feeling well, and I can be a great companion, keeping you calm, relaxed, and if needed go for walks with you to keep you active.

 

This would be a great life, get to travel free. Go to all the places my person needs, and get free room and board.

 

Again, I do apologize if I offended anyone.

 

And you could use the actual bathroom as oppossed to a big box on the deck:D

[cathyz]

There was a full-sized poodle with a service dog vest on our Spirit cruise last month. He was with a couple, the woman in a wheelchair, but they were very friendly talking to people about the dog and letting people pet him and seemed to treat the dog very well. He wasn't a problem at all and we saw them many times.

[waldocruiser1]

And you could use the actual bathroom as oppossed to a big box on the deck:D

 

I don' know, standing peeing in the big sand box might save time.

[waldocruiser1]

My dog would never pass the test to be a service dog,

 

No, he never begs for food,

He is house trained and can go 10 to 12 hours without a problem

He never barks at people unless they are a threat, or he does not like them (he is a great judge of people)

He walks well on a leash,

 

But he has two problems,

1. he would jump straight in the pool

 

2. He hates any words that end in ...ter, like burgler, monster, or LOBSTER.

 

I can see it now, he would be under the table at dinner, on formal night, and the waiter would ask who wants the "LOBSTER" and he would shoot out from under the table and attack any and everyone in sight (not biting) but jumping 3 feet in the air and running circles.

 

That would probably get us tossed off with the "LOBSTERS" at the next port, or sooner!

[JoFromFL]

My dog is a service dog, although she is not certified as such. I suffer from several conditions that cause chronic intractable pain. I have flares when the pain levels go off the charts. While she is always by my side, she senses when my pain flares and lays next to me in bed. Sometimes she will lay next to the area with the worst pain (a living heating pad) and sometimes she just gets close to me and I stroke her long, soft coat. It is very soothing and helps relax the muscle spasms. I have thought of putting her through certification, but doubt that I will. But I wanted to let people know that animals can provide many types of service from mental health therapy, to fetching items, to helping with pain control. There is a breed of dog, Xolo is the short name, that are being used as pain control dogs because they love to cuddle, and since they are mostly hairless, they work like a heating pad.

 

As for the lady smoking with oxygen - that brought back some very scary, yet funny (now) memories. The last year of my father's life, even though he was very sick, he was still extremely strong (6'3" 240 lb) and strong willed. He had some dementia (which I believe was largely medication induced as they kept switching his psych meds for PTSD) and started smoking again after 20+ years quit. He was on O2 for COPD, but was determined to smoke.

 

His condo association was going to have him evicted because he kept falling asleep smoking. There were burn holes in his recliner the size of oranges. He was in an out of the hospital, and kept getting thrown out of assisted living facilities because he would smoke in his room which was prohibited. We took his lighter away, he'd manage to steal one. The worst part was that because he was legally blind, when he thought he was turning the oxygen OFF, he was actually turning it up to 10 - the highest setting. Then he would light up. The last place he got kicked out of, he was caught in the facility kitchen, with his oxygen turned up full blast, cannula in his nose, LIGHTING A CIGARETTE OFF THE COMMERCIAL GAS STOVE BURNER! YIKES!

 

Even though staff at every place would take him outside and fix the oxygen and light his smoke anytime he wanted, he still insisted on smoking where ever he wanted and lighting up on his own.

 

To put your mind at ease, no, he did not blow up any place or himself, thank God. His death was unrelated to the smoking. In retrospect, it is kind of funny, but at the time it was most disturbing.

 

Even though I am a smoker, the thought of someone smoking while using oxygen, especially on a ship, is downright horrifying! If I were next to, or saw the woman, I would have thrown all my etiquette training to the wind and marched over to see if she had at least turned the tank OFF while smoking. No way do I want to be in a fire, but especially not on a ship!

[larkz]

Seems to me the dog would be useful for looking for bodies after the oxygen tank explodes. It's a win-win situation.

[evilelf]

There are many different types of service dogs which are trained for different circumstances. Unfortunately, some people do take advantage of this, claiming there dog is a service dog. We have seen this many times where someone takes a small dog into a market and puts the dog in there cart. The dog then proceeds to bark at other customers. This is NOT a service dog, as they would NEVER act this way.

My wife is disabled, and has brought her service dog, Duncan, on our last 4 cruises. He is a 78 pound doberman. As my wife has had over 30 orthopedic surgeries (including 21 hip surgeries), Duncan helps her keep her balance when walking, helps her up and down stairs, can get things for her on the ground (like a newspaper), and can help her up if she does fall. He is considered a mobility service dog.

When on a ship, she uses a wheelchair most of the time, and if people ask if they can pet Duncan, she happily allows them but also tells them that if she is walking with Duncan, he is working and cannot be touched. Some people are not educated about this and feel it is okay to just walk up to a service dog and pet it or call to it. IT IS NOT!

We find the crew is extremely well trained when it comes to a service dog, knowing they are not permitted to touch the dog unless told it is okay (and they do ask!). They work long months on the ship and many of them miss their animals back home, so we are happy to let them get involved with Duncan (and he loves it too).

As to certification, many service dogs are not certified, as you can legally self-train your dog (at least you can in California). Any service dogs for the blind or deaf ARE usually certified, as it is almost impossible to self-train a dog for these types of disabilities.

The cruise lines are very specific about service dogs (and yes, they can only be dogs at this point, no other service animals are permitted). They must be fully trained, and cannot be therapy dogs. If they are out-of-line on the ship (including barking or causing damage), they can be restricted to the cabin, or let off at the next port! If someone tried to bring a "service dog" on the ship who wasn't really, or who wasn't trained properly, they would run the risk of a very costly trip home!

Before boarding the ship, cruise lines do require paperwork. The dog must be fully vaccinated, and within a few days of sailing must receive an International Health Certificate from a licensed veterinarian.

Our cruises with Duncan have all been to Mexico. On his second cruise, on the Splendor, we went to leave the ship in Puerto Vallarta, and bells went off (literally) when my wife put her sail-and-sign card in the reader to leave the ship. We were informed we were barred from leaving the ship, and had to go to Guest Services for an explanation. It seems the port officials in P.V. wouldn't allow Duncan off the ship as his rabies vaccine (they claimed) had expired. It turns out that even though the vaccine was a 3-year vaccine (and Duncan had only received it 18 months ago), Mexico only considers it to be good for 1 year! So we couldn't get off in P.V. Guest Services (and the ships hotel manager, whose name was also Duncan), was great, and called ahead to the other 2 ports to see if we would have any problems. They were prepared to call a local veterinarian to the ship if necessary to be sure Duncan (and my wife) could leave the ship. Fortunately, both ports said they would accept the 3-year rabies certificate.

Duncan is looking forward to cruising again April 22, 2012 on the Splendor. If you have any questions feel free to ask. And if you'll be sailing with us, be sure to say hi to Duncan!

[iceleven]

e - this may be a too personal question but may I ask why it is that your wife needs Duncan when you are also there? I think it is wonderful that he can provide all these many services but I would think they would only be necessary if she was traveling alone.

 

2nd question - how does one train a dog to "do his business" in areas that will remain uncontaminated with urine or fecal matter?

[CanWeGoYet?]

The worst part was that because he was legally blind, when he thought he was turning the oxygen OFF, he was actually turning it up to 10 - the highest setting. Then he would light up.

 

:eek: Wow. You'd think he would have felt the oxygen coming through even if he couldn't hear it hissing away.

 

Sorry for the loss of your father by the way. I'm sure it must be a relief though that it was not related to a terrible fire.

[dulcimergirl]

HI,

Yes, service animals come in all sizes. My first encounter was aboard the Monarch of the Seas. A seeing-eye dog and his human. They were very nice, and we had several chats with the gentleman. We admired his Black Labador, but did not touch or pet him. I was amazed at how well they got around the ship. Truly a wonderful thing. Not so sure about the smoking lady, I'd be very concerned with smoking and oxygen. Scary that.

 

That cruise line put out a 3 X 4 mat of some kind for the use of the dog. Almost like a large litter box. it was near the lifeboats and out of the way. I saw it earlier but didn't know what it was for, until I saw the dog using it.

[prattmom]

:eek: Wow. You'd think he would have felt the oxygen coming through even if he couldn't hear it hissing away.

 

Sorry for the loss of your father by the way. I'm sure it must be a relief though that it was not related to a terrible fire.

 

It's a concentration thing. Pure oxygen vs. Room air.... same hiss...

[LHP]

Fortuntately, there are a host of services that animals can provide these days.

 

Unfortunately, because people do not have to provide any paperwork, there are those who abuse it to bring their pets. As usual, a small percentage taint the process for everyone.

 

Our pediatric neurologist has recommended a large service dog for our son with Autism. He has life crippling phobias. He won't eat in a public restaurant. He won't walk into McDonalds and buy himself a hamburger. He won't go into Walmart and make a purchase. He won't eat in the main dining room on the cruise ship, but he will eat on Lido if he can find a secluded spot. If not, he takes it back to the cabin (which can be difficult for him because he also has ataxia ~ a muscle disorder).

 

It seems that these service dogs give individuals like this the ability to overcome these phobias.

[cruise_pirate]

I'll bet the service dogs are getting all that extra tip money that everyone is griping about!!:D

[crusinpsychRN]

With the cigarette and oxygen she's going to need a mortician, not a service dog.

 

I had a patient who had a service dog only to keep her company.

[densol]

My wife is disabled, and has brought her service dog, Duncan, on our last 4 cruises. He is a 78 pound doberman. As my wife has had over 30 orthopedic surgeries (including 21 hip surgeries), Duncan helps her keep her balance when walking, helps her up and down stairs, can get things for her on the ground (like a newspaper), and can help her up if she does fall. He is considered a mobility service dog.

 

I Love Dobermans and Duncan sounds truly brilliant - how wonderful :)

[scooterpopsnana]

With the cigarette and oxygen she's going to need a mortician, not a service dog.

 

I had a patient who had a service dog only to keep her company.

 

I am a cancer patient who has a service dog for companionship/comfort. She is great. At night when my hubby comes home from work, she is jealous of the time he spends with me. We cruise again in December, but because the services she provides me will not be needed on the ship, she will be staying with a close friend who also has cancer.

[rodsandroyals]

ICELEVEN

 

I am glad to see your post. I was on the same sailing. I was beginning to think that I was the only one that had issues with this dog. We were on Deck 8 and the woman and the dog were just down the hall from our cabin. The dogs name is Lola and she is very well dressed.

 

The dog barked at just about anyone that passed by and it was heard constantly throughout the hallways. I seemed to run into her constantly. Most likely because we were on the same deck. I went to get on the elevator and they were already on. The dog snarled at me and barked. I made a quick exit off the elevator. I do not think this is normal behavior for a service animal. I saw the dog and owner in the casino. She was smoking while playing a machine and had the dog in her lap. I assume the oxygen was on as she had the tubes in her nose. There was no sense in reporting anything in the casino as it was not being monitored by the casino staff. Non playing passengers were everywhere smoking and taking up seats at machines that they were not playing. Very poor supervision in the casino.

 

My issue with the animal is due to medical reasons also. My husband is highly allergic to dogs. This means that I cannot be assured that a cabin that we are assigned has not had a dog in it. This was very upsetting to me now that I know that dogs are just put in any cabin the passesnger wants to pick. I did go to Guest Services and ask about this issue. I was told that Carnival had no control over what cabins the dogs were assigned. There are always two sides to an issue. The service animal is good for the person that needs it, but a danger to the other person that has the allergy.

 

I personally had my doubts about Lola being a certified service animal. It just did not fit.

 

Thanks for posting this concern. I will voice my opinions about it in my review.

[iceleven]

I, too, wondered about people with allergies but it doesn't seem to be a problem with people bringing their small cats and dogs onto airplanes either. How does one know when they might be sitting next to an animal that they are allergic to?

[Vanessa L]

ICELEVEN

 

I am glad to see your post. I was on the same sailing. I was beginning to think that I was the only one that had issues with this dog. We were on Deck 8 and the woman and the dog were just down the hall from our cabin. The dogs name is Lola and she is very well dressed.

 

The dog barked at just about anyone that passed by and it was heard constantly throughout the hallways. I seemed to run into her constantly. Most likely because we were on the same deck. I went to get on the elevator and they were already on. The dog snarled at me and barked. I made a quick exit off the elevator. I do not think this is normal behavior for a service animal. I saw the dog and owner in the casino. She was smoking while playing a machine and had the dog in her lap. I assume the oxygen was on as she had the tubes in her nose. There was no sense in reporting anything in the casino as it was not being monitored by the casino staff. Non playing passengers were everywhere smoking and taking up seats at machines that they were not playing. Very poor supervision in the casino.

 

My issue with the animal is due to medical reasons also. My husband is highly allergic to dogs. This means that I cannot be assured that a cabin that we are assigned has not had a dog in it. This was very upsetting to me now that I know that dogs are just put in any cabin the passesnger wants to pick. I did go to Guest Services and ask about this issue. I was told that Carnival had no control over what cabins the dogs were assigned. There are always two sides to an issue. The service animal is good for the person that needs it, but a danger to the other person that has the allergy.

 

I personally had my doubts about Lola being a certified service animal. It just did not fit.

 

Thanks for posting this concern. I will voice my opinions about it in my review.

 

I have seen or heard of a service dog acting like this. Every service dog I have ever seen (maybe 20 in my life) has been EXTREMELY well behaved, never barking, or really even acknowledging anyone but their owner's existance. Not much you could have done, I guess. But if that was truly a service dog, sounds like he needs a refresher course in "service".

[fireofficer5]

People would be surprised that how many people with chronic medical conditions smoking cigs. help.

Inculding lung and heart problems.