Dog friendly cruises: which cruise ships allow dogs and other pets

How we picked

There is not much to rank. We read the animal policy each line publishes and sorted the answers into three groups: ships that carry pets, lines that carry service dogs only, and pet cruises that were advertised but never sailed. We don’t list a line unless we could read its own policy page when we checked in October 2026.

The button on this page opens Cunard sailings, where the fares are for people. The kennel is a separate charge, and we don’t show it because we could not read Cunard’s own kennel page when we checked. Ask Cunard for the current fee.

Cruises that allow dogs: the short list

• Cunard, Queen Mary 2Pets in kennelsDogs and cats travel in the kennels on Deck 12, on transatlantic crossings only. They do not stay in your stateroom. This is the only pet friendly cruise ship among the big lines.
• CarnivalService dogs onlyCarnival says it permits only working service dogs. Pets, service dogs in training and emotional support dogs are not allowed aboard.
• Royal CaribbeanService animals onlyRoyal Caribbean says it accepts service animals on all its ships and no longer has emotional support animals on board.
• Disney Cruise LineService dogs onlyDisney says trained service dogs are welcome in most places on its ships and asks for notice 30 days before the sail date.

Queen Mary 2: the one pet friendly cruise ship

Queen Mary 2 is an ocean liner, and its kennels exist because people move across the Atlantic with their animals. The crossings run between New York and Southampton in England, with some sailings continuing to or from Hamburg in Germany. A crossing to Southampton usually takes seven nights, and Hamburg about nine. The ship’s other voyages do not take pets.

What to know before you plan around it:

• Dogs and cats only. No other animals are carried.
• The kennels are small. They sit aft on Deck 12. The ship’s Wikipedia entry puts the space at up to 22 dogs, with cats carried too. A refit in 2016 added ten cages, and a refit expected from March 31 to May 8, 2027 is planned to enlarge the kennels again, with an updated owners’ lounge and more outdoor space.
• Your pet does not share your cabin. Kennel masters look after the animals during the voyage, and owners visit during set hours.
• Some breeds are refused. Reports name large breeds such as Dobermans, pit bulls and mastiffs. Ask Cunard about your dog’s breed and size before you book your own fare.
• The paperwork is yours. The animal needs the documents its destination country demands. Britain, the European Union and the United States each set their own rules on microchips, rabies vaccination and health certificates, so start with the government site for the country you will land in.
• It takes time. One owner who crossed in May 2025 told Business Insider that planning took more than a year and that the trip cost her over $3,000, her own fare included.

Ask Cunard whether there is kennel space on your crossing before you pay for your own fare. Our Cunard guide covers the ship and its dress code, the transatlantic cruise guide compares the crossing with repositioning cruises on other lines, and the New York cruise port guide covers the terminal.

Are service dogs allowed on cruise ships?

Yes. All three big lines whose policies we read accept trained service dogs. U.S. law defines a service animal as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. Under the same rules, a dog whose only job is comfort or emotional support does not qualify.

The lines apply that definition closely.

• Carnival asks you to complete its Service Animal Form. For sailings from the United States it wants a current vaccination record with the rabies and microchip numbers and a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, and copies of the vaccine records by email at least a week before sailing. The dog must be at least six months old. The crew sets up a relief area away from guest traffic, and the dog can’t be left alone in the stateroom.
• Royal Caribbean accepts service animals on every ship and tells guests to contact its accessible shore excursions team about tours. The answer to “royal caribbean dog-friendly cruises” is that there are none for pets.
• Disney Cruise Line allows trained service dogs in most places on board, but not in the pools or water play areas. The dog stays on a leash and can’t be left alone in the stateroom, and crew members aren’t allowed to take charge of it. So the answer to whether dogs are allowed on a Disney cruise is the same: service dogs yes, pets no.

Two things catch people out.

1. Boarding is not the same as going ashore. Carnival says its boarding documents don’t guarantee permission to land with the dog. Disney says some countries need import permits that can take weeks or months, and that some may not admit dogs at all. Check every port on the itinerary, not just the first.
2. You do all the care. You bring the food, and the dog uses only the relief area the ship assigns.

If mobility is part of the picture, our senior cruises guide covers accessible cabins and how early to ask for them.

Dog-friendly cruises in 2026: what happened to the pet cruise

A company called Cruise Tails advertised what it called the first dog friendly cruise: a charter of Margaritaville at Sea Islander in November 2025, with small dogs sailing alongside their owners. It was a third-party charter, sold by Cruise Tails and not by the cruise line.

It did not sail. A July 2026 update from the cruise site Emma Cruises reports that all of the Cruise Tails dog cruises were cancelled, with no word on future dates, and that Margaritaville at Sea directed refund questions to Cruise Tails.

So if you are searching for dog-friendly cruises in 2026 or 2027, we found none on sale from a big line when we checked in October 2026, apart from the Queen Mary 2 kennels. If a new pet cruise is advertised, find out who is selling it. With a charter, your contract and any refund are with the charter company, not the cruise line.

If the dog can’t come

For most people the honest answer is to leave the dog at home and pick a trip that is easy to get back from.

• Keep it short. A three to five night cruise means fewer nights in boarding.
• Sail from a port you can drive to. You skip the flight and can be home the day the ship docks.
• Buy insurance when you book. Read what the policy says about cutting a trip short.

Dog friendly cruises FAQ

Can you take a dog on a cruise?

As a pet, only on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, in the kennels, on a transatlantic crossing. On other big lines only trained service dogs can sail.

Are dogs allowed on cruise ships?

Service dogs are. Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Disney all accept trained service dogs and do not take pets. Queen Mary 2 is the exception, and it carries pets in kennels, not in cabins.

Do any cruise lines allow dogs in the cabin?

Not as pets. On Queen Mary 2 dogs and cats stay in the kennels on Deck 12. A service dog stays with its handler, including in the stateroom.

Can service dogs go on cruises?

Yes. Tell the line early: Disney asks for notice 30 days before sailing, and Carnival asks for its Service Animal Form and vaccine records. Check the entry rules for every port, because a country can refuse to let the dog ashore.

Can I bring an emotional support dog on a cruise?

No, on the lines we checked. Carnival says emotional support dogs are not allowed aboard, and Royal Caribbean says it no longer has emotional support animals on board.

Are there dog friendly cruises in 2026?

The dog cruise planned for November 2025 by Cruise Tails did not sail, and its later cruises were reported cancelled in July 2026. The Queen Mary 2 kennels were the only option we found in October 2026.