Nightmare
Harmony of the Seas Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 38
7 Night Western Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)
Sail date: September 30, 2017
Ship: Harmony of the Seas
Cabin type: Balcony
Cabin number: 12314
Traveled as: Family (older children)
Reviewed: 7 years ago
Review summary
We had a wonderful cruise until we reached Cozumel. As per our reservation, we have an emotional support dog. We have gone other times to Mexico and wanted very much to do a tour in Cozumel. Because of that booked a tour on the ship and remembered the tour staff and guest services that we had an emotional support dog with all the necessary documents to enter with the dog in Cozumel. More importantly, we informed the tour and guest services staff that WE NEEDED TO BE CALLED FOR THE PHYSICAL INSPECTION WITH COZUMEL AUTHORITIES. They told us that they were aware of that and that they would call us as soon as they arrive. As per agreed with the tour and guest services staff, we waited in our cabin until 11 AM. Since no one called us we decided to go down to see what was taking so long. When we got there, we were informed by the tour and guest services staff that no dogs could leave the ship. I showed all the documents and they sent me to the guest service. When we got at the Guest Service, a extremely rude and inappropriate Brazilian Staff Member named RISLEI DE OLIVEIRA FURTADO informed us in a very sarcastic way that the authorities of Cozumel were in charge and that they didn´t have any physical inspection at this Port, and because of that our dog could not leave the ship. All of this in a loud, impolite, ironic and ridicule tone. I left my husband with the dog and went to talk to the Mexican authorities. They introduced me to Agent Alessandra and she told me that she had come by early that morning to the ship TO DO THE PHYSICAL INSPECTIONS AND CHECK THE DOCUMENTS OF THE FOUR DOGS (she informed me the number) who were on board and wanted to disembark in Cozumel. The Royal Caribbean Staff WITHOUT CONSULTING US informed to the Mexican authorities that no inspection was necessary since no dog intended to get off the ship (the inspector showed me a signed copy by the royal Caribbean staff stating as so ). At this moment I SHOWED HER MY DOCUMENTS and Agent Alessandra told me that if there had been physical inspection WITH THOSE DOCUMENTS THE DOG COULD ENTER COZUMEL. So we lost the tour we had booked and the opportunity that we paid for to visit Cozumel because of the royal Caribbean staff. With that information, we returned to Guest Services where we suffered verbal humiliation and embarrassment in front of everyone (the Guest Service was with hundreds of people) from the same RISLEI DE OLIVEIRA FURTADO! I have never seen such inappropriate employee in my life! He definitely has the wrong job doing guest relations, since the one thing he does not know how to do is treat customers well. We were treated like idiots and ignorant. It was horrible. I felt like crying. He knew I had an emotional support dog so even more he should treat me with kindness and emotional support, right? If I was blind would he throw me in the middle of the street? HIs rudeness was unbelievable. The fact is we were prevented from knowing Cozumel by the untrue information provided by Royal Caribbean that deceived us until we arrived in Cozumel. That is not all: more frustration was waiting for us. We booked another day, another excursion called All Acess Ship Tour and we went with service dog (THAT STAYS ALWAYS INSIDE HIS BAG). After visiting the kitchen in all its rooms, we were prohibited to continue to the next step, because a guard in front of ALL OTHERS PARTICIPANTS OF THE EXCURSION, in very loud tone, sent us away because the dog that had VISITED ALL THE KITCHEN IN HIS BAG, can not continue the visit. IT HAS BEEN HUMBLE AND FRUSTRATING. ROYAL CARIBBEAN, in trying to pretend that it is complying with the law and allows service dogs, including the emotional support of traveling on the ship, cannot restrict access to shore excursions; ONLY LOCAL AUTHORITIES may do so, or restrict access to the excursions inside the ship, IF THIS IS NOT PREVIOUSLY ADVISED TO THE PASSENGERS. This is a deceptive propaganda since when we book the tour with our service dog no one advises us on any restrictions. By doing so, ROYAL CARIBBEAN is under penalty of selling an illusionist cruise to service dog owners, since restrictions will be applied to the ride WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS NOTICE TO THE CUSTOMER. Our disappointment, humiliation and frustration were so great and painful that we were going for our daughter’s 40th birthday with the whole family for the last European cruise in 2018 and then to Florida at SYMPHONY OF THE SEAS. Given all that’s happened I wouldn’t recommend or return to Royal Caribbean.Embarkation
Perfect
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Excellent
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Excellent
Service and Staff
All perfects BUR service and security
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
EXCELLENT
Ship tip
EXCELLENT
Thumbs up
0
Ports of call
Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida
Labadee (Cruise Line Private Island)
Falmouth, Jamaica Did not visit port
Cozumel, Mexico Did not visit port
We had a wonderful cruise until we reached Cozumel. As per our reservation, we have an emotional support dog. We have gone other times to Mexico and wanted very much to do a tour in Cozumel. Because of that booked a tour on the ship and remembered the tour staff and guest services that we had an emotional support dog with all the necessary documents to enter with the dog in Cozumel. More importantly, we informed the tour and guest services staff that WE NEEDED TO BE CALLED FOR THE PHYSICAL INSPECTION WITH COZUMEL AUTHORITIES. They told us that they were aware of that and that they would call us as soon as they arrive. As per agreed with the tour and guest services staff, we waited in our cabin until 11 AM. Since no one called us we decided to go down to see what was taking so long. When we got there, we were informed by the tour and guest services staff that no dogs could leave the ship. I showed all the documents and they sent me to the guest service. When we got at the Guest Service, a extremely rude and inappropriate Brazilian Staff Member named RISLEI DE OLIVEIRA FURTADO informed us in a very sarcastic way that the authorities of Cozumel were in charge and that they didn´t have any physical inspection at this Port, and because of that our dog could not leave the ship. All of this in a loud, impolite, ironic and ridicule tone. I left my husband with the dog and went to talk to the Mexican authorities. They introduced me to Agent Alessandra and she told me that she had come by early that morning to the ship TO DO THE PHYSICAL INSPECTIONS AND CHECK THE DOCUMENTS OF THE FOUR DOGS (she informed me the number) who were on board and wanted to disembark in Cozumel. The Royal Caribbean Staff WITHOUT CONSULTING US informed to the Mexican authorities that no inspection was necessary since no dog intended to get off the ship (the inspector showed me a signed copy by the royal Caribbean staff stating as so ). At this moment I SHOWED HER MY DOCUMENTS and Agent Alessandra told me that if there had been physical inspection WITH THOSE DOCUMENTS THE DOG COULD ENTER COZUMEL. So we lost the tour we had booked and the opportunity that we paid for to visit Cozumel because of the royal Caribbean staff. With that information, we returned to Guest Services where we suffered verbal humiliation and embarrassment in front of everyone (the Guest Service was with hundreds of people) from the same RISLEI DE OLIVEIRA FURTADO! I have never seen such inappropriate employee in my life! He definitely has the wrong job doing guest relations, since the one thing he does not know how to do is treat customers well. We were treated like idiots and ignorant. It was horrible. I felt like crying. He knew I had an emotional support dog so even more he should treat me with kindness and emotional support, right? If I was blind would he throw me in the middle of the street? HIs rudeness was unbelievable. The fact is we were prevented from knowing Cozumel by the untrue information provided by Royal Caribbean that deceived us until we arrived in Cozumel. That is not all: more frustration was waiting for us. We booked another day, another excursion called All Acess Ship Tour and we went with service dog (THAT STAYS ALWAYS INSIDE HIS BAG). After visiting the kitchen in all its rooms, we were prohibited to continue to the next step, because a guard in front of ALL OTHERS PARTICIPANTS OF THE EXCURSION, in very loud tone, sent us away because the dog that had VISITED ALL THE KITCHEN IN HIS BAG, can not continue the visit. IT HAS BEEN HUMBLE AND FRUSTRATING. ROYAL CARIBBEAN, in trying to pretend that it is complying with the law and allows service dogs, including the emotional support of traveling on the ship, cannot restrict access to shore excursions; ONLY LOCAL AUTHORITIES may do so, or restrict access to the excursions inside the ship, IF THIS IS NOT PREVIOUSLY ADVISED TO THE PASSENGERS. This is a deceptive propaganda since when we book the tour with our service dog no one advises us on any restrictions. By doing so, ROYAL CARIBBEAN is under penalty of selling an illusionist cruise to service dog owners, since restrictions will be applied to the ride WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS NOTICE TO THE CUSTOMER. Our disappointment, humiliation and frustration were so great and painful that we were going for our daughter’s 40th birthday with the whole family for the last European cruise in 2018 and then to Florida at SYMPHONY OF THE SEAS. Given all that’s happened I wouldn’t recommend or return to Royal Caribbean.
Disembarkation
Excellent
12 Comments
ghiagal 7 years ago
SERVICE DOG VS. EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL
An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is an animal that, by its very presence, mitigates the emotional or psychological symptoms associated with a handler's condition or disorder. The animal does NOT need to be trained to perform a disability-specific task. All domesticated animals (dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, hedgehogs, rodents, mini-pigs, etc.) may serve as an ESA. The only legal protections an Emotional Support Animal has are 1) to fly with their emotionally or psychologically disabled handler in the cabin of an aircraft and 2) to qualify for no-pet housing. No other public or private entity (motels, restaurants, stores, etc.) is required to allow your ESA to accompany you and in all other instances, your ESA has no more rights than a pet.
You'll also need to be prepared to present a letter to airlines and property managers from a licensed mental health professional stating that you are emotionally disabled and that he/she prescribes for you an emotional support animal.
If you do not have a letter of prescription and are unable to get one, we recommend that you consider Chilhowee Psychological Services. This agency offers legitimate psychometric testing, assessment, diagnosis, AND a letter of prescription from a licensed mental health professional. Click here to view their website.
A final note: Some animals are innately able to predict the onset of a physical or psychiatric event or crisis, effectively enabling the handler to prevent or minimize the event. This is an ability that usually cannot be trained - some animals are simply born with the ability to sense the onset of the event. These types of animals, although not otherwise task-trained, are considered "working" service animals.
twangster 7 years ago
I'm not a lawyer but as I understand it, a foreign flagged vessels is only subject to US law while it is in US waters within the 12 mile territorial boundary of the United States. Once in international waters, or in your case while in Mexican waters, US law does not apply. US law doesn't always clearly delineate between Emotional support animals and service animals such as those trained for a blind person. You can research taking this up with Mexican authorities or a Mexican court. As suggested I'd discuss it with Royal Caribbean calmly to discover what their emotional support animals policy is versus what their policy is for actual service dogs - the two categories of animals are not the same, not even in US law.