Carnival Cruise Line has been forced to clarify its policy
regarding service dogs on board after a guest questioned that procedure after a
recent cruise.
The man was polite and went through the proper channels with
his questions.
But he wondered about the validity and the need for a
service dog after its owner was spotted playing casino games. The service dog
in question was an untraditional giant poodle.
Carnival Cruise Line brand ambassador John Heald addressed
the questions.
The issues arose after a recent voyage on the Carnival
Horizon.
“The only dogs Carnival permits aboard our ships are working
service dogs, which are legally defined and individually trained to meet
disability-related needs by performing tasks like guiding a blind person,
alerting a deaf person, pulling wheelchairs, alerting and protecting a person
who is having a seizure, or performing other special tasks,” Heald said.
“Working service dogs are not pets.”
All requests for a service dog, which can be of any breed,
are vetted by Carnival.
“We are proud to be able to say that along with following
ADA requirements that we love having these guests on board, because they
deserve to have fun as much as anyone… Even more perhaps,” Heald said. “The
dogs are allowed in the dining room. They are allowed in the casino.”
However, it was noted that dogs still in training to become
service dogs are not permitted on board. There also might be limitations on
whether the dogs can get off the ship at specific ports and in certain
countries.
Carnival said that a relief area on the ship is always set
up for the service dogs.
The cruise line said any concerns should be politely and
discreetly addressed with the guest services team onboard.
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