by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 2:05 PM ET, Wed January 10, 2024
Cruisers typically have to leave their four-legged friends at home when they go on vacation. But one lucky pup gets to come along for an adventure aboard Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Icon of the Seas.
The dog in question is named Rover, a soft, fluffy pooch who appears to be a young golden retriever. According to Rover’s official Instagram account, the pup has been appointed “chief dog officer” and “family dog” of Icon of the Seas, which is set to
debut later this month.
Rover belongs to Allison, a human crew member from Australia who’s worked onboard the cruise line’s ships for more than five years.
“Allison is always by Rover’s side to make every day fun, and of course to make sure she has plenty of naps and never misses out on any treats,” according to a Royal Caribbean Instagram video introducing the new pup.
As a crew member on the vessel—which is the largest cruise ship in the world—Rover has some very serious duties.
“Rover’s job is to bring joy and happiness to her fellow crew and guests on board,” according to the video. “All the while, she gets to explore the Caribbean shores and beautiful ports. And of course living in a place with tons of playgrounds.”
Though Rover only recently arrived at her new home this week, she’s already getting acclimated. She even made her way on to the bridge to hang out with the ship's captain, Henrik Loy.
Rover is not the only pet to live onboard a cruise ship. A hairless elf sphynx cat named Bug Naked travels full-time with Kate McCue, the captain of Celebrity Cruises’
ship Celebrity Beyond. (Bug Naked is so popular she has more than 69,000 followers on Instagram. Her mom is pretty famous, too—McCue has more than 813,000 followers.)
Still, if you’re hoping to bring your pet on your next cruise, you’re likely out of luck. The majority of cruise lines—including Royal Caribbean—only allow service animals onboard.
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