Assume you want to go on a cruise to Hawaii with your dog, a Carnival ship with your cat, or a vacation at sea with a service animal. Is it possible to travel with pets or emotionally support dogs and animals on a cruise line?
When it comes to having pet buddies on a cruise ship, your options are pretty restricted. There is only one cruise line that allows cats and dogs onboard. But if you are sailing with an approved service dog, you have more options. Even if you are permitted to bring a dog on a cruise, you must consider whether this is the best option for your canine companion.
Can I bring my dog or cat on a cruise?
Except for the Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, most cruise lines do not allow dogs on board. Cunard passengers who book a seat in The Kennels, the ship’s unique pet accommodation, can bring their pets on transatlantic sailings from New York to Southampton or Hamburg. Other animals, besides dogs and cats, are not permitted onboard.
Potential cruisers should be aware that the Queen Mary 2 only has 24 kennels. Cats and larger dogs require a double kennel, limiting the number of guests who can travel with their pets. The waiting list is really long. Dogs and cats do not sail for free. A single kennel costs range from $800 to $1,000 and double that for a double-size kennel.
Pets are not allowed to sleep with their owners. Pets are not permitted in cabins or public areas of the ship and must spend the whole cruise in The Kennels. Owners may only visit their pets within the hours stated. Because a Cunard transatlantic cruise normally has no port calls (or one of your voyages from Hamburg stops in Southampton), you will not be able to take your pet ashore for walks.
Can assistance dogs accompany you on a cruise ship?
Most cruise lines allow disabled passengers to bring service dogs onboard.
Service animals, usually dogs, are not considered pets since they have been specifically trained to assist humans. Such as escorting a blind person or protecting a person experiencing a seizure are considered Service Animals.
It’s worth noting that Cunard maintains service dogs apart from kennel visitors.
Working animals are denied access to The Kennels and their facilities, similar to how crew and passengers have separate dining and lounge areas. Service animals are permitted in cabins and public spaces as long as they are on a leash. However, they are not permitted in swimming pools and hot tubs, the ship’s galley, or places designated for children or workers.
Service animals, unlike pets, are allowed to travel for free. If you want to learn more about bringing a service dog on a cruise, we recommend watching Molly Burke’s film about her trip on Celebrity Edge with her guide dog.
What should I bring on a cruise with my pet or service animal?
Pet food and snacks, water dishes, leashes, toys, and beds are the responsibility of the cruiser. (Food is provided by Cunard for pets traveling in The Kennels.) While Cunard provides both large and small animal life jackets, most other lines do not. If Fifi requires a floating device, you must provide your own.
For a service animal to relieve itself, cruise lines will provide a sandbox or a mulch area.
However, the owners are in charge of cleaning up after their pets, albeit the relief box is cleaned out regularly. To request a relief area, you must notify the cruise line’s access department, usually within 30 days before sailing. The relief boxes are located at a specific place, not in your cabin or balcony, but the crew will make every effort to maintain it as close to your lodgings as feasible.
Royal Caribbean makes a special effort to emphasize that the Central Park area on Oasis-class ships is not a suitable location for your dog to urinate itself. It’s not like the dog parks back home, people!
Can emotional support animals accompany passengers on cruises?
No. Cruise liners do not accept emotional support animals on board since they cannot verify that they are working animals. The fine print on all Carnival Corporation lines states that “emotional support animals are not recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice as service animals and hence are not permitted to cruise.”
Travelers have previously attempted to sneak their dogs onboard under the pretense of emotional support animals, causing cruise companies (and airlines) to amend their policies to exclude them.
Should I bring my pet on vacation?
You should not take a pet or service animal on a cruise just because you can. Your dog is unlikely to enjoy the afternoon tea and ballroom dancing on Cunard as much as you do, and it may be upset that it spends most of its time away from you in the kennel.
We also heard about a service animal that refused to relieve itself aboard the cruise ship and would only do so when it arrived in port. That meant it went a whole entire day without peeing, which upset its owner, who adored his canine friend. Consider the possibility of a transatlantic cruise because even owners do not know how their animals will react to living in the artificial environment of a cruise ship.
Including Cunard, none of the cruise liners provided veterinary services.
If Fluffy or Fido become unwell onboard, you’ll either have to wait until a port day to find a vet in a strange country or pray they’ll be fine until the trip is over. Do you wish to put your pet dog or cat in danger in this way?
Finally, individual countries have particular guidelines regarding whether animals can come ashore and what proof of health and vaccination is required. It is the obligation of the animal’s owner to examine the rules for each port of call and ensure that your four-legged companion receives all essential vaccines and papers. If your animal is unable to come ashore, you will be compelled to stay onboard with it; Rover cannot sit in your cabin watching TV and getting room service while you go on that port sightseeing excursion.
Are there any cruises available for animal lovers?
Yes. Animal lovers can bond on themed cruises, albeit Fluffy and Fido will have to stay at home. Options change each year. If you belong to a pet-lovers association, consider organizing a group to arrange an animal-themed cruise.
The Annual Meow Meow Cruise welcomes cat enthusiasts who enjoy special group meals, quiz games, cocktail parties, and scavenger hunts. We were unable to locate a current dog lovers’ cruise, so perhaps it is time for you to arrange one!
The Bone2Travel Founders found providing this information for you to be very informative. We hope that the findings will help you in making the best decisions. Happy Travels!