Want to Take Your Dog on a Cruise? This Could be Your Answer!
Over the last few years, the demand to take your pet places has undoubtedly risen. You can now take your pet to shopping centres, restaurants, pubs, bars and sometimes even the cinema. Despite progress in this area for so many, one industry still largely doesn’t allow pets to get involved: the cruise industry. That is, until now (well, maybe…).
The world’s first ever ‘dog friendly cruise’ is currently scheduled for early 2026, and applications are now open to be among the first in the world to experience this type of cruise. Before we get started, I should give a massive ‘shout out’ to Wallace (the Black Labrador above) and Lomond (the German Shepherd below) - my parents’ dogs, who have become my ‘dog models’ for this post… I never thought I’d see the day!
‘Cruise Tails’, a Wyoming (USA) based company, are the people that are hoping to make this happen in 2026. The initial plan was for the inaugural (first) cruise to depart during 2025, but this has been adjusted to early 2026. The company explains that there’s a chance that two initial sailings will be organised rather than just one, ‘due to strong demand’, with more planned in the future if everything goes well.
The concept of taking your dog on a cruise ship isn’t something that’s completely unheard of at the moment. Some cruise lines do welcome assistance animals on their ships, with most of these being for medical reasons.
It’s also possible to book a kennel onboard Queen Mary 2, which is probably the most famous dog-friendly offering in the cruise industry. A sailing onboard Queen Mary 2 really is a treat for your furry friend - think butler service, a pet-friendly lounge and private deck spaces (complete with fire hydrants!), and you’ll be thinking of something similar to what Cunard offer onboard.
Queen Mary 2 is the ‘go to’ ship for pet owners hoping to cruise with the dog, but could that be about to change?!
This cruise that we’re looking at today is a totally different experience to what you’re looking at if you travel onboard Queen Mary 2. There’s one huge difference, and then lots more if you look deeper: this is a private charter experience. In other words, the whole ship is taken over by pet owners and their dogs (at least to start with, anyway…)!
Don’t worry - we’re not talking about THOUSANDS of dogs onboard at any one time - at least, not yet. To start, the initial plan offers 250 dogs the ability to take to the ocean, with future plans to expand further if all goes well.
Want to get a photo of your dog enjoying their first cruise? Well, you might be able to in 2026!
Which cruise ship will this cruise take place on?
This cruise is planned to take place on Islander, the second ship in the Margaritaville at Sea fleet. This ship is the second ship to join this small cruise line’s fleet, and it’s much larger than their first ship - Paradise - which I cruised on back in 2023.
Islander was originally built in 2000 for Costa Cruises, and started her life as Costa Atlantica, a Spirit class cruise ship. The ship was purchased by Margaritaville at Sea in 2023, and she officially joined their fleet in 2024 when she started sailing from Port Tampa, Florida.
Margaritaville at Sea are a Florida-based cruise line.
Where will this dog friendly cruise sail from, and which ports will this cruise visit?
The departure port is the Port of Tampa Bay, Florida, where Margaritaville at Sea currently base Islander from. There will be a series of pre-cruise events planned in the area, although it’s not confirmed at this stage what or where they’ll be.
The ports of call on this itinerary are currently planned to be:
Day 1: Port of Tampa Bay
Day 2: Key West, Florida
Day 3: At Sea
Day 4: Progreso, Mexico
Day 5: Cozumel, Mexico
Day 6: At Sea
Day 7: Port of Tampa Bay
In other words, if you can imagine your dog strutting its’ stuff on a beach in Mexico, or perhaps lounging on the open decks as you sail through the Caribbean, then this cruise might be one for you to consider! It’s worth highlighting that these ports will be subject to change, largely due to the flexibility each one has with dog and animal restrictions closer to the point of sailing!
Like the thought of taking in the ocean views with your canine companion? Well, this could be your answer!
Will my dog be allowed to stay in my cabin?
The answer to this one surprised me. I’ve previously sailed on Queen Mary 2, and walked past the boarding kennels where the dogs stay while onboard. On that ocean liner, your dog isn’t permitted to enter the main public areas of the ship - it’s not allowed to leave the specified kennel area, infact!
On this cruise on Islander though, it’s different. Your dog will be your cabin mate for the cruise. Think about it - how on earth would 250 dogs be housed in kennels onboard the ship?!
Interestingly, dogs are only permitted to stay in a designated ‘pet-friendly balcony cabin’, which will come equipped with a ‘balcony relief station’ for pet use.
Here’s an Ocean View cabin onboard Paradise, the first Margaritaville at Sea cruise ship. Can you imagine sharing this with your dog? You’d have a balcony too, of course!
What activities will there be onboard?
If you’ve ever cruised before, you’ll know that the onboard entertainment is such a key part of any cruise experience. Particularly during the days ‘at sea’, there’s usually so much going on around the ship.
Cruise Tails promise that this will absolutely be the case on their dog friendly cruises, with a huge list of events displayed on their website. These include a ‘Furry Fun Day Camp’, ‘VIP Vendor Meet & Greets’, 'VIP Access to Onboard & Portside Exclusives’, ‘Tasty and Interactive Learning Delights’, and even special guests during the cruise!
Cruise Tails are promising ‘Non-Stop Entertainment and Thrills’ on their inaugural dog friendly cruise.
How much will it cost?
The big question - you’re interested, but how much is this going to cost? The current pricing available on the Cruise Tails website suggests that cabins will range from $1,700 (£1,245) - $3,550 (£2,600) per person (based on 2 sharing), with further discounts available for more occupants in the cabin.
For solo guests, there will be solo supplements applied to this cruise, with solo guest prices ranging from $3,060 for an ‘Interior’ (inside) cabin to $6,390 for a ‘Premium Extended Balcony’ cabin.
Here’s the full breakdown of pricing that’s available from Cruise Tails:
The pricing for the inaugural ‘dog friendly cruise’ ranges depending on cabin grade and number of occupants.
What rules do I (and my dog) have to adhere to onboard?
With this being the first ever dog friendly cruise, it’s completely expected that there would be a lot of rules and policies to follow. If this cruise goes well, it could be the start of something HUGE for the industry. On the other hand, if it doesn’t, it might be impossible to ever schedule another.
Cruise Tails have a list of 22 ‘Pet Behaviour, Care and Pet Related Protocols’ that must be adhered to by all guests onboard. These include:
Quiet environment: owners must ensure that their pets do not cause disturbances. Excessive barking, whining, or aggressive behaviour may result in the pet being asked to leave public areas or the cruise entirely.
Cleanliness: owners are responsible for cleaning up after their pets when in the cabin or walking the dog. Provided waste bags must be used and disposed of in designated pet waste stations located around the ship or in the cabin. Your Pet Butler will clean your balcony relief station daily and re-clean any areas you mark with the sign provided as needing attention.
Leash Policy: Pets must be on a non-retractable leash or in a secure carrier at all times when outside the cabin, including during walks on deck and in designated pet areas. Possible exceptions would include specified areas or events monitored by our pet specialists.
Will my dog be able to join me for dinner on the cruise?
This question comes with a very clear answer: no. Although your dog will be allowed to be in the public areas onboard the ship, the rules here are clear: pets are absolutely not permitted in human dining areas. Without exception, pets are prohibited in human dining areas.
Hoping to enjoy your evening meal with your dog? Unfortunately, you’ll need to look elsewhere - dogs aren’t permitted in human dining areas!
How do I apply for a place onboard?
Interested, and like the sound of this cruise? The good news is that applications are currently being accepted, or they are at the point of this article being written, anyway (September 2025).
To apply to join the team onboard for the world’s first ever dog friendly cruise, you’ll need to read all of the terms & conditions on the Cruise Tails website, and then follow the application process. You can get started by clicking here!
Want to watch the sunset while standing on the open decks with your dog? Well, now you can on the world’s first dog friendly cruise!
What’s it like to cruise with Margaritaville at Sea?
I took a cruise with Margaritaville at Sea onboard Paradise, their original cruise ship. This ship is smaller than Islander, but my full cruise review should give you a good idea of what to expect generally from this cruise line.
You can watch this video on YouTube via the link below.
So, will the world’s first dog-friendly cruise work? I guess that time will tell. Personally, I’d really love it to work, and I’d love it to become more common to see dogs on cruise ships, but I do appreciate that there are so many complicating factors that make this incredibly difficult.
If you’ve enjoyed this post, please do check out more here on my website. I’ve also got so much to show you over on my YouTube channel - click here to go there now!