Cruising with a Dog: Which Cruise Line Allows Four-Legged Friends on Board?

Cruising with your dog — is it possible? On 99% of all ships worldwide, no. But there is one remarkable exception. Here is the reality.

The Queen Mary 2 — the only ship with a dog kennel

The Cunard Queen Mary 2 (the world's only active transatlantic liner) is the only cruise ship in the world with an official dog boarding facility on board — the Kennels on Deck 12. 24 dog spaces, looked after by Cunard kennel masters, with individual boxes, a dog promenade and a play area.

In concrete terms: the Queen Mary 2 is designed as a liner (Southampton – New York – Southampton) for longer voyages. Dogs are allowed only on transatlantic crossings; on cruise routes (e.g. the Mediterranean) the dog kennel is closed.

Requirements:

• A microchip to the ISO standard
• A current rabies vaccination (at least 21 days old)
• An EU pet passport or US entry documents
• A Cunard special fee of around USD 1,000 per dog per crossing

Booking is done directly through the cruise line; places are booked out 12–24 months in advance.

Why are dogs not allowed on other ships?

The main reasons:

• Hygiene regulations of the IMO and the port states — many ports have strict animal-entry rules
• Allergy sufferers on board — hard to separate out with 3,000+ guests
• Route complexity — on a Mediterranean cruise, 6+ different animal-import countries would be involved within 7 days
• The crew effort for animal care

Service dogs: the exception

It is different for service dogs (certified assistance dogs): these are allowed on most cruise lines — Royal Caribbean, NCL, Carnival, Princess, Holland America and Cunard allow service dogs with advance registration. The requirement: a certificate from a recognised training organisation. Therapy dogs are not service dogs in the legal sense and are usually not allowed on board.

If the dog stays at home — what to do?

Realistic alternatives for dog owners:

• Dog boarding kennel — good kennels cost 25–50 EUR per day. So for a 7-day cruise, 175–350 EUR. Book early (6+ weeks in advance), as places are scarce especially in peak season.
• Dog sitter at home — via platforms such as PawShake, Rover or Trusted Housesitters. Costs about the same, but the dog stays in familiar surroundings.
• Family/friends — the cheapest option. Agree clearly in advance what is allowed (walks, food, sleeping spot).
• Take the dog along, but a mainland holiday instead of a cruise — if the dog is indispensable, a Norway hiking trip or a Tuscany holiday home is the more dog-friendly choice.

What dog owners should know about hotels in cruise ports

For travelling to the cruise port with a dog: many port hotels (e.g. in Genoa, Hamburg, Kiel, Barcelona, Civitavecchia) allow dogs for a surcharge of 15–30 EUR per night. For example, the Steigenberger chain in Hamburg and Kiel is dog-friendly.

Conclusion

Cruising with a dog remains a special experience in 2026 — only the Cunard Queen Mary 2 on a transatlantic crossing is the official option. More realistic for most is a well-planned dog boarding kennel or dog-sitter solution — and the cruise as a break on your own.