Margaritaville at Sea has announced plans for a dog-friendly voyage.
The unique sailing is being organised in partnership with Cruise Tails and Expedia Cruises of West Orlando and will welcome up to 250 canine passengers.
The cruise will depart from Port Tampa Bay aboard the Margaritaville at Sea’s flagship vessel, Islander. While the exact date and itinerary have not been disclosed, a waitlist for dog owners interested in the voyage opened in early December 2024.
The cruise aims to provide a memorable experience for both pets and their owners.
“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…
“I want to change that for myself and other dog lovers.”
Steve Matzke, Cruise Tails Captain
Activities planned for the voyage include costume contests, dog shows, parades, guest speakers, and training advice sessions. There will also be puppy massages, grooming services, and splash stations for the dogs.
Travelling with pets will involve a special application process. Dogs must be fully vaccinated, accompanied by a health certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian, and remain in designated pet-friendly areas on the ship.
A “Pet Butler” will be assigned to each dog-owning family to maintain cleanliness and comfort during the trip.
Pet-friendly staterooms will include private relief areas on balconies, and additional relief areas may be set up in other parts of the ship.
However, dogs will not be allowed in restaurants, the casino, pool decks, or the spa due to health regulations. And dogs must be on a leash when in any public area.
Islander, formerly known as Costa Atlantica, is an 85,619-gross-ton vessel that can host 2,114 passengers at double occupancy. The ship currently operates 4- and 5-night itineraries to destinations like Cozumel, Mexico, and Key West.
In 2025, it will begin offering 6- and 7-night sailings to destinations including Belize, Roatan, and Ocho Rios.
Only 250 dogs will be allowed on this inaugural sailing, and some restrictions on breeds, size, or the number of dogs per cabin may apply, though these details are still being finalised.
Interestingly, service dogs will not be permitted on this voyage, as they already have access to standard cruises.
“This cruise originated with the dream that pet owners would finally be able to travel with ALL their family and friends on the cruises they’ve been missing…
“As service dogs are not considered pets, they can already go on cruises; and we know they would not want to deprive their pet buddies of the chance to finally cruise with their family.”
Cruise Tails FAQs
Usually, service dogs are permitted on cruise ships provided they have the right certification. Cruise lines are strict on this, to avoid anyone claiming their dog is an emotional support dog just to get their pet onboard.
Read more: How To Take Your Emotional Support Dog On A Cruise
Plans for a second dog-friendly voyage are being considered already, too.
Technically, dogs are currently permitted on some Cunard transatlantic cruises. However, they must remain in kennels onboard the ship at all times.
This will be the first ocean cruise that is clearly aimed at dog owners, allowing the dogs in the staterooms themselves.
A couple of river cruise ships in Germany, run by 1AVista Reisen, offer dog-friendly cruises and dogs are permitted on some ferry trips too, such as with Stenna and Brittany.
There will definitely be some practical hurdles to cross, such as controlling dogs in outdoor spaces such as pool areas and making sure the ship stays hygienic.
However I’d love to go on this cruise! But opinion on Facebook has definitely been split whenever I’ve asked…
Some people are viciously opposed to the idea of allowing dogs on ships. Even though there will still be hundreds of dog-free cruises to choose from. Here’s why: 11 Reasons People Are Hating On The New Dog-Friendly Cruise.
But personally, I love the idea. I have two dogs myself and I would love nothing more than being able to take them on a cruise with me.
Would you like to take your dog on a cruise? Or do you think it’s a recipe for disaster? Let me know in the comments below.
And if you’d like to know more about how this cruise will work, or how you can get onboard, then I have a full guide to that here: Everything You Need To Know About The New Dog-Friendly Cruises.
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There are too few cruises that allow dogs. Hurray for these.
I would just say that people who don’t like pets can stay out. There are a lot cruise lines that don’t allow pets and they can travel on them. Yes some treat pets as children and not animals, I don’t see any problem with it. As long they don’t force it on anyone!!
It’s about time there’s cruise dogs can go on! We’re in!! I haven’t cruised since I got my dog because I dont want to leave him home.
THANK YOU!
I would love this. We used to cruise a lot but now with no dog sitters available we haven’t been able to. This would be perfect.
I do not have a dog, and personally would not take this cruise, but as long as there is abundant notification about its nature, and it is not suddenly being foisted on passengers who have already planned for and booked this cruise (which isn’t even available to book yet), why not? I assume the logistics and post cruise cleanup is planned or being developed.
There are many theme cruises that other passengers might personally object to, such as LGBTQ, swingers, and clothing optional, but I have not notice opposition to these. Why should this be any different?
I’m a dog lover but I don’t think this is a good idea. The Cunard system is fine, where they are in a dedicated area away from guests, but I wouldn’t want to have a cabin next door to one due to the noise issues. I know not all dogs bark a lot, but some are relentless, especially when they are stressed in a strange environment.
Hi being a dog owner for 53years I do not consider taking dogs on cruises a good
idea. They do not have the complete freedom on the ship which I think is right so
therefore are going to remain couped up in the cabin or constantly walked on a lead. There are plenty of holidays nowadays where dogs are aloud but I am not in
favour of on a cruise, even though I love cruising myself. More dogs are being treated like children and not as an animal.