Cruisers Urge Carnival to Never Allow Pet-Friendly Cruises
Anyone who knows me is well aware that I basically live for my dogs, but I do NOT want them to cruise with me.
Apparently, Carnival Cruise Line fans are inclined to agree with me.
Occasionally, Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald will conduct his own form of market research by polling his more than 600,000 Facebook followers about various ideas that brand leadership might consider.
But when asking if dogs (or pets in general) should be allowed onboard Carnival cruise ships, the answer was a resounding “no.”
Indeed, 24,294 people voted for the option that read “I do not think Carnival should ever do this, and I certainly would not book a cruise that had dogs onboard outside of the service animals.”
Meanwhile, only 2,468 voted for the option that ends with “please allow us to bring our dogs onboard. Perhaps two or three special cruises like this every year.”
Currently, Carnival only allows legitimate, working service dogs onboard, as is required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
As of now, there are no plans for that to expand that warm welcome to pets or emotional support animals.
“Carnival only permits service dogs on board. A service dog is legally defined and individually trained to meet the specific needs of a person with a disability,” Carnival’s website reads.
“Pets, or service dogs in training, are not allowed aboard. Emotional support dogs, which are not recognized by the US Department of Justice, are also not permitted on Carnival ships,” continues the policy.
Future passengers who would like to sail with their service animals must submit proof of vaccination and any additional documents to confirm their passage at least one week before embarkation day.
But even with stringent requirements in place, there have been instances of potentially fake service dogs making it onboard and upsetting other passengers.
Most recently, there was an uproar in May after an allegedly fraudulent service dog had an accident onboard a Carnival ship and the owner failed to clean it up.
While even trained service dogs can make mistakes, part of public access training is teaching dogs to use the bathroom on command only in appropriate locations.
Do Any Cruise Lines Allow Dogs?
Most cruise lines are aligned with Carnival in that service dogs are welcomed onboard, but pets are not.
The only real exception is onboard Queen Mary 2, which is part of the Carnival-owned Cunard Line.
The 2,695-guest ship has 24 kennels on Deck 12 that can be reserved for dogs and cats during Transatlantic crossings.
The kennel area features an adjoining open-air deck space for furry friends to stretch their legs, a temperature controlled climate inside, a dedicated kennel master, and a pet life jacket in case of emergencies.
Owners can visit their animals during visiting hours, and will even receive photos from a complimentary portrait session of their pet conducted during their voyage.
However, pets stay in their designated areas and are not allowed in staterooms or other guest spaces.
Meanwhile, Margaritaville at Sea is trying out pet-friendly cruises with a first-of-its-kind dog-friendly voyage in November of 2025.
250 dogs will be welcomed onboard Margaritaville at Sea Islander for the “Tails of the Seas” cruise, where they will stay in dog-proofed staterooms with their own private relief areas on the balconies.
Dogs will not have complete access to the ship, but there will be a walking route, splash areas, a dog park, and lounging spaces with the canine companions in mind.
Cruise Hive Boards: Dogs / Cats Allowed Onboard and Non-Pet-Owner Rights
Carnival fans, however, were adamant that the cruise line doesn’t decide to try any of these ideas.
“Please DO NOT allow pets. People are rude and inconsiderate enough, I don’t want someone’s dog jumping on me,” one person said.
“Taking my dogs on a cruise ship with everyone else’s pets is the LAST thing I want to do. There are so many problems that would come along with that scenario it would be ridiculous,” another cruiser echoed.
As a pet owner myself, I would also be worried about scaring my dogs with the travel and new environment, or my dogs barking out of fear and disturbing other guests. I know my pets and I know they are happiest at home.