Canine lovers, pack your baggage—and your pup’s leash. In an thrilling first, Cruise Tails and Expedia Cruises of West Orlando introduced the launch of Margaritaville at Sea’s first canine-friendly cruise.
The crusing leaves Tampa, Florida, in November 2025 aboard Margaritaville’s Islander. The 2023-acquired vessel will host as much as 250 canine and their house owners as Inaugural Ambassadors.
What Will the Canine-Pleasant Cruise Look Like?
The headline-grabbing itinerary will cater to its four-legged passengers by providing costume contests, parades, canine exhibits, grooming companies, canine coaching, pet massages, dog-friendly splash stations, presents, and samples from pet distributors.
Moreover, canine could have non-public aid stations on company’ balconies and pet butlers to make sure hygiene.
To hitch the cruise:
- Passengers should ship an utility, which shall be reviewed by Cruise Tails, an organization devoted to serving to individuals take pleasure in cruise holidays with their pets. Be aware {that a} waitlist is because of open.
- Visitors have to be prepared to observe protocols, equivalent to limiting canine to sure areas and submitting their animals for well being checks throughout boarding.
- Canines ought to have applicable and up-to-date vaccinations.
- Pets want vet-approved well being certificates and passports.
The vessel additionally options animal-free areas. These embody the pool decks, on line casino, 12 eating venues, the St. Someplace Spa & Salon, and 13 lounges.
Cruise Tail Captain Steve Matzke says he refuses to journey with out his pet, which motivated him to make holidays extra inclusive for canine house owners. “I contemplate my Yorkie, Louis, to be a part of my household,” he shared. “And for years I missed out on the ‘household reunion’ cruise as a result of I cannot journey with out him. I need to change that for myself and different canine lovers.”
Through the years, choose cruise strains have opened their decks to pets, usually allowing service animals. Some have even change into legends at sea.
Joska, a 10-year-old black Labrador, amassed over 700 cruise days with Holland America Line, whereas Sarge, a US Military service canine, reached Carnival Cruise Line’s highest loyalty tier.
In the meantime, Royal Caribbean welcomed a golden retriever named Rover as its first Chief Canine Officer in January, proving that even the excessive seas can go to the canine—fairly actually!
