When I go on vacation, I want relax and have fun. I don’t want to have to think about how something would be easier if I had the right tool with me. In order to do that, I need to have all my tools with me – my braces, eye glasses, medications, cane and my service dog.
Cruises can be a great way to maximize my travel. Bags are delivered to my room and picked up at the end of the trip. I unpack once then my room travels with me to several ports in different countries and islands. I can eat in a variety of restaurants, watching different shows each night. All with the support of cruise staff that remembers my preferences and easily adapts to my needs assuring there is always space ready for me to be part of the action.
Over the past few Expos, I have been asked about cruise vacations with service dogs (especially with the recent drawings to win a cruise at the Ability Expos).
The first time I cruised with a service dog was with the Disney Cruise Ship on a four days trip in the Bahamas!
Truth be told this took a little planning and some different preparations from what I was use to for other vacations. I was excited and a little bit nervous. How would I take care of my service dog on board? Would people harass me about having a dog on the ship? Would I be able to participate in everything I wanted to?
I started looking at cruise packages. I compared companies and selected what I thought would best for my family. I chose to work with a travel agent, which was very helpful when it came to paperwork specific to my service dog. After selecting the specific cruise, the agent notified the cruise line, in this case Disney, that a service dog would be part of the party traveling. Disney said great. What a relief, I didn’t have to jump through hoops just to get on board.
The ship I traveled on was based in the United States and had to meet the requirements and standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). I reserved an ADA accessible cabin with a veranda. This gave me beautiful views, fresh air and a private bathroom for my service dog. Yes, I was able to address my service dog’s bathroom needs on my veranda. Upon arrival I was thrilled to find a kiddie pool filled with dirt and grass tucked on the private deck space. This was large enough for my service dog, who was 27 inches tall and close to 80 lbs. to do what he needed to do.
I was excited that I would not have to get up early to be sure I was dressed before taking him to a designated space on ship. This was better than staying at a hotel or resort! He could go to the bathroom before I showered and dressed for the day.
He was not as excited.
He took one look at the ocean through the clear solid panels and refused to step out of the room.
I understand, he had no idea that the beautiful view was made possible by solid clear panels that didn’t interfere with the view and kept us from falling/walking off the edge, falling into the ocean many stories below. He did, however, trust me unconditionally.
I have often said a service dog might not go through fire for you, but they will walk through it with you every time. The first step he took out of the room, through the glass doors onto the veranda was taken in exact step with me. I walked to the door, put my hand on his shoulder and together we walked out, his steps matching mine as we moved to his private relief area. He sniffed and approved.
The pre-trip preparations included some extra paperwork and research because one of the stops was in a foreign country.
This cruise was making stops at a private Cay (island) and in the Bahamas.
I had done some research before selecting this cruise line and specific cruise. I looked at the different ports each cruise was scheduled to top. I needed to find out which countries allowed service dogs access so I could enjoy all those locations offered. I had been told by a number of people that countries in the Caribbean tended to align themselves with the US rules because they enjoyed so much business from US tourists. This was not something I was willing to risk my trip on so I looked up the rules for each country – using the internet, my travel agency, the cruise line and the Embassies.
Once I knew which things were needed and which things the ship requested so they could make our trip as enjoyable as possible, I set out to provide them.
A permit was required from the country of the Bahamas for our two stops in the islands. Disney and the travel agent obtained this paperwork for me and were very instructive in completing it and sending it in. A Bahamas “good health” statement had to be completed by my vet and proof of age and rabies vaccination had to be provided. (Good Health statements are common practice for pets when traveling. They are a statement by your veterinarian that the animal was in good health and up to date on vaccinations on the date the form was signed. They are good for a limited time. Know when it is needed and plan accordingly.) There were items on the permit form that did not apply to Bronson as he was just visiting a few days and a service dog.
I turned all the required paperwork to Disney and they handled all notifications to the Bahamas for the trip.
Space was always prepared for my service dog. A seat was designated for him on any transportation such as the bus to and from the airport and the tram which took us from the ship to the beaches on Disney’s Cay and any excursions. He lay quietly and safely on the floor without needing to squish in my foot space.
We left the ship and spent time on the Cay where we were pampered with beautifully accessible spaces and lots of help available. Beach chairs and umbrellas were set and a water bowl was ready to be sure all of use stayed hydrated on the beach. Mickey showed off his beach outfit and admired my service dog’s “bathing suit” a cape worn when we swim.
We participated in several of the excursions. One of my favorites was the glass bottom boat trip over the coral reefs. At the time I made the reservation they noted I had a service dog and his size to assure there was space for him on the boat and that they were set up to help us get on the boat. My service dog was fascinated looking down, watching the fish swim below us. He stayed quietly at my side turning his head tracking the fish as the zigged and zagged amongst the coral.
The team assigned to us had some ideas of how to make our cruise special. They tried to anticipate our needs and were open to my requests, going out of their way to make sure every day felt special.
Each night for dinner, the table was preset with space for my service dog. The theatre shows crew worked with me identifying ideal space and reserving it for us for each show. Housekeeping also took steps to make us feel special, displaying the days towels on my bed, to look like a puppy.
A couple of treasured moments took place when meeting characters on board.
We met Mickey & Minnie on the first evening for photographs. Mickey reached out to pet my dog but Minnie stopped him. She used expansive hand gestures and body language to explain that you don’t touch service dogs without permission. Mickey covered his face, embarrassed. We quicky forgave him.
Another evening, I heard a child ask why they couldn’t bring their dog but I could. Her mother answered “there are 2 dogs on this cruise because they both have jobs -unlike our lazy dog” she went one to talk about the work service dogs and Pluto do. (She did a great job.)
I talk specifically about the Disney Cruise Line because of my experience. I had a wonderful time. Every cruise line should offer you an excellent vacation welcoming your service dog as one of the tools you need to enjoy your trip.
A few tips to help your trip be as great as mine was.
- Check out different cruise lines. There is a difference between meeting ADA standards and excelling at making sure all guests have a fabulous time. Check out online reviews. Talk with friends who cruise (even those without disabilities 😊 – they can share their customer service experiences).
- Learn what relief area arrangements are available for you dog. If you have a veranda, do they provide a kiddie pool? If your room doesn’t have a veranda, where is the service dog relief area? How is the space set up – grass, wood chips, artificial turf? Do you want your cabin closer to this space?
- Use a travel agent. Using a travel agent will help you to take full advantage of the trip. They can save you some time research by checking on paperwork need if the cruise is leaving United States water and can help you take full advantage of all the accommodations the cruise ships offer for passengers with disabilities.
- Check out the rules of the country your cruise ship will be stopping in. The United States is very welcoming and has user friendly laws about service dogs. These are not the rules of other countries. Be sure your service dog has access at all ports of call before you board the cruise ship. You don’t want to skip a stop because you need to stay on board with your service dog.
- Work with the cruise line. Several suggestions were made to help make our stay of the ship as enjoyable as possible. These ranged from room suggestions to which tables would best accommodate the space needs of my service dog and my overall enjoyment of the event.
- Have fun and take lots of pictures!
Remember: The internet is your friend, until it isn’t. Check sources before you take information as truth.
