The world’s first dog-friendly cruise is setting sail in 2025 on Margaritaville at Sea, with a pawsome itinerary created by Cruise Tails and Expedia Cruises of West Orlando.
With the exception of assistance dogs, which are technically not “pets,” virtually all cruise ships strictly forbid passengers from taking their pets on board. Yet the tides are turning with this small cruise, which will launch on Margaritaville at Sea’s flagship vessel, Islander, as it sails from Port Tampa Bay in November 2025.
The news comes as the aviation industry looks towards more pet-friendly flights, giving a nice little nod to travellers who want to take their whole family with them on far-flung adventures.
The Spirit-class Islander will be packed with up to 250 canine cruisers when it makes burrows its industry-first paws into what might just be a brand new category of cruising altogether.
Cruise Tails has only recently made the announcement, with details about the exact itinerary (and a sailing date) still to come. But a waitlist is opening in just a few weeks for any pet parents interested in bringing their furry friends on board
“I consider my Yorkie, Louis, to be part of my family, and for years I missed out on the ‘family reunion’ cruise because I will not travel without him,” said Steve Matzke, Cruise Tails Captain.
“I want to change that for myself and for dog lovers.”
So far the only onboard activity announced is an 80s-themed night where chew toys and headbands are pretty much mandatory.
Dogs aren’t just there for show, they are the superstars of the cruise while humans take a back seat. It seems everything on the itinerary has been designed with pups in mind, with costume contests, guest speakers, parades and dog shows, training advice, special gifts, puppy massages, dog-friendly splash stations, grooming sessions and a few other surprises for your pooch.
You’ll have a great deal of puppy personalities on board too. Since no service dogs are allowed—flipping the script on the usual cruise rules—there’ll likely be all kinds of breeds running around the 85,619-gross-ton vessel, which can typically host 2114 travellers at double occupancy and 2680 guests when fully booked.
We won’t know just what the human-to-dog-to-staff ratio will look like until more details are announced but we do know that all staterooms are pet-friendly and will each feature private “relief areas” on their balconies.
Cruise Tails are currently hiring pet butlers and dog walkers to join the cruise, ensuring that staff is well-trained to handle the influx of four-legged passengers.
In order to be approved, each dog must be updated on vaccinations and all will be restricted to certain designated areas of the ship. As bad as kids can be on board sometimes, imagine hundreds of dogs running everywhere without restraint.
Dog-free spaces include The Margaritaville Casino, pool decks, all restaurants and the St. Somewhere Spa & Salon.
All dogs must also have a pet health certificate that’s been approved and signed off by a licensed veterinarian.
Each stateroom will be assigned a pet butler to keep everything clean at all times.
Head to the website below when the waitlist opens in early December. Cruise Passenger will keep you updated with details as they are announced.
cruistails.com
Hear the hilarious stories of life aboard the world’s most luxurious fleet, including how nine men “mooned” BON VOYAGE from the San Francisco Bridge as the ship set out to sea.
