The First-Ever Cruise for Dogs Will Set Sail In 2025

Your dog doesn’t clock in for work, pitch in on chores, or doomscroll the night away — but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a vacation, too. Now, you can treat yourself and your pup to the lavish getaway of your dreams: A dog-friendly cruise is set to depart from Tampa, Florida in November 2025. And the term “dog-friendly” might be an understatement — with canine-focused accommodations and an ability to hold up to 250 dogs, the cruise is pretty much designed for relaxation-seeking pups and their people.

Cruise Tails and Expedia Cruises of West Orlando partnered to create the pet-friendly experience. “I consider my Yorkie, Louis, to be part of my family, and for years, I missed out on the ‘family reunion’ cruise because I will not travel without him,” Steve Matzke, the founder of Cruise Tails, said in a release. “I want to change that for myself and other dog lovers.”

Passengers will board the Margaritaville at Sea Islander, a ship equipped with 13 lounges, 12 dining venues, a 14-story tropical atrium, three separate pools, and a three-story poolside bar. Inside, they’ll find a variety of treats for pups, including puppy massages, dog groomers, and dog-friendly splash stations, says the Cruise Tails website. Every room with a puppy passenger will have a “private relief station” on the balcony. Each dog will also be assigned a “pet butler” who will look after the condition of the pups’ cabins.

“This cruise is more than a vacation — it’s a celebration of the unbreakable bond between people and their dogs,” Dawn von Graff, the owner of Expedia Cruises of West Orlando, told Travel + Leisure. The website touts the experience as the “first-ever” dog-friendly cruise. Other ships have allowed service dogs, and the Queen Mary 2 by Cunard allows pets to travel in one of their 24 kennels, but there has never been a cruise to cater so deliberately to a canine clientele.

Pricing and protocol information will be released in the following weeks, according to the Cruise Tails website. Potential passengers will have to apply for a spot; reservations are expected to begin in early December. If you’re interested in setting sail with your pup, you can register on the Cruise Tails website to be notified as soon as applications are open.