A Travel and vacations forum. TravelBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » TravelBanter forum » Travelling Style » Cruises
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Seeing eye dogs on Princess...should I cancel?



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #21  
Old September 1st, 2004, 01:24 AM
SPotter614
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Why would a blind person go on a cruise?

My father is legally blind and has been on three cruises. He'll probably go on
more.

Actually, for a visually impaired person cruising has some real advantages.
Since blind people can't see their surroundings, staying in a different hotel
room every night and going to a new restaurant for every meal can be very
confusing and disorienting. Feeling confused and overwhelmed isn't a great way
to enjoy a vacation.

My father gets to unpack once, and only needs to learn his way around one hotel
room. And since dinner is at the same table every night with a wait team that
gets to know him, mealtimes are a real pleasure.

My parents love their balcony. Even tho my dad can't see much, he can feel the
sun on his skin, smell the sea, and enjoy the breeze.

Why would a blind person go on a cruise? For the exact same reasons everyone
else does.

Susan in Maine
  #22  
Old September 1st, 2004, 01:24 AM
SPotter614
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Why would a blind person go on a cruise?

My father is legally blind and has been on three cruises. He'll probably go on
more.

Actually, for a visually impaired person cruising has some real advantages.
Since blind people can't see their surroundings, staying in a different hotel
room every night and going to a new restaurant for every meal can be very
confusing and disorienting. Feeling confused and overwhelmed isn't a great way
to enjoy a vacation.

My father gets to unpack once, and only needs to learn his way around one hotel
room. And since dinner is at the same table every night with a wait team that
gets to know him, mealtimes are a real pleasure.

My parents love their balcony. Even tho my dad can't see much, he can feel the
sun on his skin, smell the sea, and enjoy the breeze.

Why would a blind person go on a cruise? For the exact same reasons everyone
else does.

Susan in Maine
  #23  
Old September 1st, 2004, 02:32 AM
Jo-Ann
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Personally, I'd take seeing eye dogs over unruly kids any day of the
week!

All kidding aside, usually Golden Retrievers are the dogs used for the
blind. This particular breed of dog is nicer than most people I know.
I wouldn't hesitate. Just be forewarned, if you are tempted to pet
the dogs, you should ask the owner first. Sometimes it is discouraged
as it breaks the dog's concentration on their task at hand.

Jo-Ann

(R&M) wrote in message . com...
Just was told that on Diamond Princess 10/16 cruise there will be 11
blind peolple with their seeing eye dogs...have been given the option
of cancelling...what does the group think???

  #24  
Old September 1st, 2004, 02:40 AM
Sue and Kevin Mullen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default



Dick Goldhaber wrote:


There is absolutely no reason for the OP to cancel. The dogs will be
unaware of his presence since they all have a job to do.


Unless the OP is highly allergic to dogs.

sue

  #25  
Old September 1st, 2004, 04:48 AM
RTCReferee
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Dick G wrote:

Ref,

We cruise with a "service dog", as everyone here knows, and I have to agree
with Tony that Heidi is better behaved than many passengers on some ships.

In four cruises with Heidi, the Wonder Dog, we have only encountered other
dogs once, and the dogs are trained to do their jobs without being
distracted by what goes on around them..

There is absolutely no reason for the OP to cancel. The dogs will be
unaware of his presence since they all have a job to do.


With all due respect, Dick, you have posted before that Heidi, the Wonder Dog,
certainly a well-trained service animal, knows she is on vacation when she
cruises. I think you have written something to that effect several times.
Whether on vacation or hard at work, though, I quite agree that Heidi and other
service dogs are likely far better behaved than many of their human passengers.


That aside, each person reacts to animals differently and there are some people
who are very afraid of groups of dogs, which is what the Princess
representative told me when I asked her the whether the story was true and if
so why Princess was notifying people. She said it was because many people are
fearful of dogs and also some are allergic.

Although I am not afraid of dogs now, I was very fearful of all large dogs as a
young child when I was once cornered on a high bar by a very mean Doberman.
I'm still not fond of Dobermans, but enjoy most other breeds, even large ones.
But that isn't the point. This isn't about me. Or you. Or Heidi.

I didn't suggest the OP cancel, but wanted to provide accurate information and
suggestions to help them decide. It is not fair for any of us to say to
someone else that there is no reason for them to cancel or to take the cruise
if it is not what they want to do. It must be their own decision and they
ought to feel free to make that choice on their own and not to be judged by it.


I have not Googled to find out the results of the May 26th Regal Princess
cruise, but good sense tells me that Princess would not be making a point of
telling passengers on the October 16th cruise about the group if Princess had
not had some negative feedback from cruisers on the earlier sailing who may not
have been notified in advance by their TA's.

I can think of at least one other cruise line that is not so up front with
their passengers as Princess.
  #28  
Old September 1st, 2004, 05:15 AM
Danni
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"RTCReferee" wrote in message
...
With all due respect, Dick, you have posted before that Heidi, the Wonder
Dog,
certainly a well-trained service animal, knows she is on vacation when she
cruises. I think you have written something to that effect several
times.
Whether on vacation or hard at work, though, I quite agree that Heidi and
other
service dogs are likely far better behaved than many of their human
passengers.


She "knows" she's on vacation because she's not at home. Different
surroundings....same job to do.

That aside, each person reacts to animals differently and there are some
people
who are very afraid of groups of dogs, which is what the Princess
representative told me when I asked her the whether the story was true
and if
so why Princess was notifying people. She said it was because many people
are
fearful of dogs and also some are allergic.


I wonder if there is not some violation of the ADA happening here. It's an
Alaska cruise. I'm wondering whether Princess notified the blind passengers
that they wanted to identify them to other passengers.

That part bothers me. Pointing out a specific group traveling to the rest
of the passengers. Offering money back so that one doesn't have to travel
with "them".


  #29  
Old September 1st, 2004, 05:35 AM
Jeff Coudriet
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I kinda wondered about the veracity of that as well...."Hi, this is
Princess, we have 300 African Americans sailing on your sailing" or
whatever. Can't imagine Princess would have called other passengers and
offered them a full refund for what, 10-20 blind people.
Hmmmmm....doesn't seem to pass the smell test somehow.

Jeff



Danni wrote:
I wonder if there is not some violation of the ADA happening here. It's an
Alaska cruise. I'm wondering whether Princess notified the blind passengers
that they wanted to identify them to other passengers.

That part bothers me. Pointing out a specific group traveling to the rest
of the passengers. Offering money back so that one doesn't have to travel
with "them".



  #30  
Old September 1st, 2004, 05:37 AM
Linsifer
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Hi Jo-Ann!

Guide Dogs for the Blind use a lot of Labrador Retrievers, Goldens and a mix of
these two breeds, bred for gentleness, temperament and soundness. They breed
their own dogs. Both breeds are the best!

http://www.guidedog.org/index.html

Lindsay
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Princess Covers the Caribbean! Ray Goldenberg Cruises 0 July 30th, 2004 10:40 PM
Princess Exotics Covers The Globe! Ray Goldenberg Cruises 0 May 20th, 2004 01:31 PM
Princess Increases Europe Capacity by 63 Percent! Ray Goldenberg Cruises 0 May 17th, 2004 04:03 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 05:45 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 TravelBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.