Hawaiian Holiday 🎄🍾 LIVE from Koningsdam Dec 21-Jan 6: join me for my 1st solo cruise & 1st inside cabin!

[Haljo1935]

2 minutes ago, Hogladyrider said:

Yes we had a "service dog" on our cruise.  This dog was in a stroller all the time....seriously!   I feel bad for these dogs that have such irresponsible owners.

You know where I stand, ugh.

And I love my pups, but they don't cruise with me. Look - I think she heard me and is now sulking, lol

[*Miss G*]

47 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

I just think I'll pass on this ship until I see reports the dog issues have been resolved

 

I should have mentioned that we also had one of those not-service dogs on our Koningsdam sailing.  I’d finally had enough of the incessant barking (to the point where we could no longer use our balcony) that I called the NL Concierge to see if they could do something about it.  She literally told me that “This always happens”.  Huh?  “Always?”  Really?  I think you are right in that the ship has a reputation in the canine sailing community.

[Haljo1935]

25 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

I should have mentioned that we also had one of those not-service dogs on our Koningsdam sailing.  I’d finally had enough of the incessant barking (to the point where we could no longer use our balcony) that I called the NL Concierge to see if they could do something about it.  She literally told me that “This always happens”.  Huh?  “Always?”  Really?  I think you are right in that the ship has a reputation in the canine sailing community.

These are the situations I'd like to be wrong.

The K'dam is a lovely ship w/great itineraries and being only 1 of 3 w/a GDC, makes her a favorite, but the dogs...

[trishbk]

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

I really really wish I had an update, but I guess HAL has decided the dog situation is not worthy of a response. Not what I expected from them or want to say, but the silence is deafening. Also that they've continued to allow dogs on K'dam tells me that ship likely has a reputation in the canine sailing community. 

I think this is just 1 of the issues that ship has as experienced by @Mary229 and others. Things are just 'off.'

With that said, Crew were great as @Hogladyrider said even though service in some places was slow. I do love HAL and will continue to sail, I just think I'll pass on this ship until I see reports the dog issues have been resolved.

I do promise if I ever hear from them, I'll post it here. 

We also had to deal with a so called “service dog” on our Kdam cruise, just after your Hawaii cruise. Spoke to some others irritated by the dog in the stroller, and also questioning what function the dog was providing to the passenger. The couple claimed that the small Yorkshire Silkie Terrier was brought on board for the husband’s Type 2 diabetes. As a nurse that pointed this out to us and other passengers, you do not need a service dog for Type 2 diabetes. So many times I saw the dog, the husband was not even present. 
 

Please people, leave your emotional support dogs at home! And pay for a dog sitter when you decide to go on a longer cruise. No, don’t treat them like they are your grandchildren!  The HAL rules are very clear. Sadly folks get an “expert” to say their dog is a service dog. This is hurting the real service dogs that are really helping their owners.
 

 

[Haljo1935]

Oh @BetsyS. 6-2 was not a good night for the Stars 😪

[BetsyS.]

Haljo1935 - I'm sorry to hear that. ☹

[0106]

On 3/8/2024 at 7:59 PM, #55worktoplay said:

 I want to bring my dog 

Currently on the Nieuw Statendam sailing the Caribbean.  There’s a sheltie onboard, not even wearing a vest.  We were docked aft to aft with the Carnival Celebration yesterday in St Thomas.  I was napping but the sound of barking dogs woke me up.  When I went out to the verandah, I could see 2 dogs on different verandahs of the Carnival ship barking at each other.  Honestly, I have never heard a true service dog bark unless alerting the owner about a problem (diabetic alert).

 

I appreciate every thing true service dogs do for their owners but this is getting out of hand.

 

(Should we retitle this thread “service dogs”? Sorry @Haljo1935 I appreciate your live thread.  We are doing this cruise in 2025.)

[FlorenceItaly]

@0106 - I agree, this is out of hand.  Thanks for reporting!

[Haljo1935]

6 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

@0106 - I agree, this is out of hand.  Thanks for reporting!

@0106 no issues with the "doggie postings" on here. Well, actually, I have a huge issue w/the cause of the posts, but not with anyone posting about it here. 

It's way out of control and disrespectful to true service animals and their humans.

A cruise ship is one of the very last places I would ever think I'd be awakened by barking dogs.

[TAW1963]

On 3/15/2024 at 5:54 PM, Haljo1935 said:

@0106 no issues with the "doggie postings" on here. Well, actually, I have a huge issue w/the cause of the posts, but not with anyone posting about it here. 

It's way out of control and disrespectful to true service animals and their humans.

A cruise ship is one of the very last places I would ever think I'd be awakened by barking dogs.

Speaking of non-“service dogs”.  Apparently the imposter service dog issue is not just a problem for HAL’s MS Koningsdam. I am currently on a PCL ship heading to Hawaii and we have what appears to be an imposter service dog on our ship too.  We’ve seen true service dogs before, and we truly respect them, and are glad they are always welcome for those that rely upon them, but this does not appear to be one.  They have let several people ask to hold the dog and to pet it    

Edited March 21 by TAW1963

[SUESEABE]

9 minutes ago, TAW1963 said:

Speaking of non-“service dogs”.  Apparently the imposter service dog issue is not just a problem for HAL’s MS Koningsdam. I am currently on a PCL ship heading to Hawaii and we have what appears to be an imposter service dog on our ship too.  We’ve seen true service dogs before, and we truly respect them, and are glad they are always welcome for those that rely upon them, but this does not appear to be one.  They have let several people ask to hold the dog and to pet it    

 

Ew Yuck...and she took her shoes off in public area! 😝

[Haljo1935]

2 hours ago, SUESEABE said:

 

Ew Yuck...and she took her shoes off in public area! 😝

Yes she did! There are so many things not right about that cruiser.🙄🤨 but why should we expect better of her - she lives in her own world where family pets are allowed by a self-selected chosen few to board cruise ships?!🤢

[Haljo1935]

3 hours ago, TAW1963 said:

Speaking of non-“service dogs”.  Apparently the imposter service dog issue is not just a problem for HAL’s MS Koningsdam. I am currently on a PCL ship heading to Hawaii and we have what appears to be an imposter service dog on our ship too.  We’ve seen true service dogs before, and we truly respect them, and are glad they are always welcome for those that rely upon them, but this does not appear to be one.  They have let several people ask to hold the dog and to pet it    

OMG!! Is the cruising world going crazy? 

[TAW1963]

Just now, Haljo1935 said:

OMG!! Is the cruising world going crazy? 

I’ve been wondering that myself.  The picture below is on my cabin tv. The owners of this so-called service dog were letting others around them pet their dog and even let another passenger hold it.   

[TAW1963]

We’ve been cruising mostly with Princess with a few here and there with HAL.  Not only have the imposter dogs come out on our current Princess cruise, but the bare-feet have come out in the wrong spaces.   I don’t understand this and we are seeing it in the theatre (shown here)  and in/on the bar furniture.    My wife is grossed out by this.   

[oakridger]

Fake Service Dogs.  Bare feet. Loud phone conversations.  Touching food in the Lido. Coughing openly. Rudeness to crew.   

 

My feelings about all that:  😒

 

Edited March 30 by oakridger

[Haljo1935]

33 minutes ago, oakridger said:

Fake Service Dogs.  Bare feet. Loud phone conversations.  Touching food in the Lido. Coughing openly. Rudeness to crew.   

 

My feelings about all that:  😒

 

Ditto to all. No wonder some people choose the hermit lifestyle. 

[Haljo1935]

On 3/21/2024 at 1:53 AM, TAW1963 said:

I’ve been wondering that myself.  The picture below is on my cabin tv. The owners of this so-called service dog were letting others around them pet their dog and even let another passenger hold it.   

I really like the idea of putting the service dog notice on the TV - the extra awareness to them is terrific. 

It's absolutely unacceptable and disappointing when "do not pet" is not honored. And a HUGE slap in the face when the humans allow people to pet the dog that has been publicized to the entire ship as a working service animal.

[trishbk]

On 3/30/2024 at 1:11 AM, oakridger said:

Fake Service Dogs.  Bare feet. Loud phone conversations.  Touching food in the Lido. Coughing openly. Rudeness to crew.   

 

My feelings about all that:  😒

 

Can we please add passengers who save lounge chairs? We are currently on the Rotterdam for 3 cruises for a total of 4 weeks. By 8am everyday, every lounge chair has been saved. Sometimes, they save up to 6 lounge chairs with one “watchdog” passenger saving them. Now with 3 weeks under our belt, we have never been able to sit on a lounge chair — seriously!  And yes, we have been hermits retreating to our inside cabin. Right now with over 300 kids on the ship, it peeves me to see a family early in the morning saving 4 chairs and an adjacent lido pool dining table the whole day.

 

The Hotel Manager and Assistant Hotel Manager were standing around the Lido pool area at 8:30am after all the chairs had been saved. We took the opportunity to speak to them face-to-face about the issue and letting them know we have not even had the opportunity to enjoy a lounge chair for weeks. His response was… they can’t do anything about it because “Corporate” says they can’t move passengers’ belongings for fear of being accused of personal belongings being stolen. I told them that last week there was a confrontation between two groups of passengers because someone had saved 6 lounge chairs. I also told him about the issue with the non-service dogs and he just diffused it as “Corporate” has their hands tied. I am pretty fed up!  HAL has put in the daily program at the beginning of each cruise about the 30 min rule.  I told the Hotel Mgr  that I may choose to move someone’s stuff off a chair if it has been empty for 30 min and confront the person if they come after me as they touted in the daily program at the beginning of each cruise. The Hotel Manager insinuated that I may be asked to leave the cruise as he said they warned the passengers the prior week when there was the the prior confrontation. This is frustrating just like the fake service dogs. When will Holland America WAKE-UP and address these issues instead of putting their heads in the sand????!!!!!

[Mary229]

On 3/30/2024 at 12:11 AM, oakridger said:

Fake Service Dogs.  Bare feet. Loud phone conversations.  Touching food in the Lido. Coughing openly. Rudeness to crew.   

 

My feelings about all that:  😒

 

Fake service dogs are worse. They are stealing a service from those who are in need.  They are right up there with parents who coach their children to be autistic to get special privileges at school. Stealing from those in need are the worst of the worst.  I think they might even be worse than politicians. 

[Haljo1935]

5 hours ago, Mary229 said:

Fake service dogs are worse. They are stealing a service from those who are in need.  They are right up there with parents who coach their children to be autistic to get special privileges at school. Stealing from those in need are the worst of the worst.  I think they might even be worse than politicians. 

Seriously  - people coach their children to appear autistic? 

[Mary229]

9 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Seriously  - people coach their children to appear autistic? 

Yes, they do.  I have met a few.   It is the same issue, no one in authority wants to make a judgement call.  

[Mary229]

13 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Seriously  - people coach their children to appear autistic? 

When I was walking I thought of a specific example from my own extended family. This person managed to get even a master’s degree with special dispensations.  She was allowed to take all of her college tests and quizzes for a week(6 years). Yes, that is right, everyone else had to complete their exam in the allotted hour or so, she could take the exam home and “take the exam” for one week, unsupervised.  This “autistic” person now travels the world and owns a business which both require an amazing amount of social interaction