Royal Caribbean’s new ship Icon of the Seas is one of many firsts, but the latest will surprise many guests – a Chief Dog Officer has been appointed to the ship.

Rover becomes the first permanent resident of the ship, whilst also being granted the title of official crew member.
The golden retriever is called the “family dog” of the ship although she is also the family dog of a crewmember. It’s not clear if she is an official service dog, although that would make sense. Allison is the crew member who always accompanies the dog around the ship.
While Rover has been granted official crew status, it’s unclear on what her duties will involve. She may just carry out regular service dog tasks, although Rover’s own Instagram account does say that her job is to “bring joy and happiness to her fellow guests and crew onboard”.
Royal Caribbean’s policy on dogs remains unchanged – official service dogs are permitted onboard, but all other dogs kept as pets are not allowed on the ship.
Of course, being a crew member, Rover could be exempt from these rules. But if her duties do entail her wandering around the ship with Allison, it may concern some guests who don’t like dogs or who have allergies.
Not me though – I love dogs and hope I get to meet Rover one day soon!
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
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