Do Cruise Ships Allow Dogs? One Ship Takes Pets, at $2,500 a Kennel

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One cruise ship will still take your dog across the ocean, and this year the price jumped. Cunard’s kennel terms for Queen Mary 2, which cover every booking made on or after May 18, 2026, say: “A kennel fee of USD $2,500 is payable per kennel, per voyage.” That comes on top of your own fare.

Many pet-travel guides still quote $1,300 to $1,500 a kennel. Every other big line we checked takes no pets at all.

Do Cruise Ships Allow Dogs?

Pet dogs, almost never. Service dogs, yes. On the mainstream lines we checked, the only way to take a pet to sea is a kennel on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, and only on a transatlantic crossing. Every line we checked accepts trained service dogs. Six of them say outright that emotional support dogs can’t sail, and Cunard takes only dogs certified by an accredited assistance-dog body.

The difference is a job. A service dog is trained to perform a task for a person with a disability. Being good company doesn’t count.

Which Dogs Can Sail on Each Line?

Here’s what each line’s own policy page says:

Line	Pet dogs	Service dogs	Emotional support dogs	When to tell the line
Royal Caribbean	No: “we do not accept Emotional Support Dogs or Pets”	Yes, “on all ships”	No	At booking, and no later than 30 days before sailing if you need a relief area
Celebrity	No, same wording as Royal Caribbean	Yes, “on all ships”	No	At booking, and no later than 30 days before sailing
Carnival	No: “Pets, or service dogs in training, are not allowed aboard”	Working service dogs only	No	Form no later than 30 days before; vaccine records a week before
Norwegian	No pet option on its service-animal page	Yes	No: “they CANNOT sail”	Book at least two weeks ahead
Princess	No pet option on its accessibility page	Yes, “with prior approval”	No	Email the accessibility team before you sail
Virgin Voyages	No pet option in its accessibility FAQ	Yes	No: they “will not be welcomed onboard”	Contact the Accessibility Team
Cunard	Queen Mary 2 kennels only, on crossings, $2,500 a kennel	Yes, “carried free of charge,” if accredited	Not named; the dog must be certified by an accredited assistance-dog body	On-board needs questionnaire in My Cunard

The policies are on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Carnival and Norwegian‘s own pages. Princess wants a description of the work the dog does before it approves anything. Virgin Voyages says the task “must be directly related to the person’s disability.” Cunard wants certification from a full member of Assistance Dogs International or the International Guide Dog Federation.

Why Is an Emotional Support Dog Turned Away?

Because the lines follow US disability law, and that law draws the line at tasks. The Justice Department’s ADA guidance says service animals “are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities,” and that “dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify.” Carnival cites the same rule: emotional support dogs “are not recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice.”

Why would a ship registered in another country care what Washington says? A 2005 Supreme Court case, Spector v. Norwegian Cruise Line, settled it. By 6 votes to 3, the Court held that Title III of the ADA applies to foreign-flag cruise ships in US waters, except where it would regulate a ship’s internal affairs. So the ADA’s definition of a service dog is the one ships sailing from the US work to, and an emotional support dog falls outside it.

A service dog still has to behave. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity can deny boarding or remove a dog “along with the owner at the guest’s expense” if it is a “direct threat to safety.” Their examples include “barking excessively,” “sitting on furniture” and “eating from the table.”

Where Does a Service Dog Go on a Ship?

Almost everywhere you go. Royal Caribbean says service dogs can join you “in all public areas, including dining venues,” on a leash or harness. Pools and whirlpools are off-limits on Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Virgin. Royal Caribbean and Virgin add spas, and Carnival adds saunas and steam rooms. All three say you can’t leave the dog alone in the cabin, and that the crew won’t look after it.

The toilet is a box. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity provide “4 feet by 4 feet relief areas with cypress mulch,” shared with any other service dogs on board. Both lines warn that their showpiece gardens don’t count: Central Park on Oasis-class ships and the Lawn Club on Solstice-class ships are not relief areas. Carnival sets one up “in a non-guest traffic area,” and you can bring your own material if your dog prefers it. Virgin says its relief stations can be set up on Deck 7. Norwegian promises a relief box, but you bring the dog’s food, medication and life jacket. Food is on you everywhere: Royal Caribbean and Celebrity let you bring “a reasonable quantity of food and bowls” at no extra charge.

What Paperwork Does a Dog Need for a Cruise?

More than you do. Two sets of rules apply: the line’s rules for boarding, and each port’s rules for going ashore. For a cruise from the US, the strictest check is the trip home. The CDC’s dog import FAQ says “All dogs entering or returning to the U.S. must be accompanied by a CDC Dog Import Form receipt.” Dogs coming from rabies-free or low-risk countries also need a microchip, have to look healthy, and must be at least 6 months old. Dogs that have been in a high-risk country need more documents. Carnival asks for that receipt before you board, along with a vaccination record that includes rabies and the microchip number. Carnival says the form is free. A Grand Turk call on Carnival also needs an import license stamped by the Turks and Caicos government.

Then come the ports. Carnival is blunt: paperwork that lets the dog board “does not guarantee permission to go ashore,” and “Final approval is determined solely by each port.” Cunard says assistance dogs “may not be permitted ashore in certain ports of call,” because of UK rules or the country’s own. Celebrity says dogs entering the UK must meet the Pet Travel Scheme. If the dog can’t go ashore, Royal Caribbean says you must arrange its care before you leave the ship, because the crew won’t do it.

How Do Queen Mary 2’s Kennels Work?

The kennels are on Deck 12 and are only used on transatlantic crossings, Wikipedia and Pet Holiday Club agree. Pet Holiday Club lists the routes as New York, Southampton and Hamburg. It and Travelnuity put capacity at 24 animals, dogs and cats, per sailing. Both say one kennel fits a pet up to 34 inches long and 27 inches tall, and a longer dog needs two. Pet Holiday Club says the ship has a full-time kennel master but no onboard vet.

Cunard’s terms are strict about money. You pay a non-refundable $250 deposit when you book. The rest is due with your fare, “ordinarily 120 days prior to departure.” Cancel, and you lose a growing share:

When you cancel the kennel	Cunard keeps
120+ days before departure	$250 (10%)
119 to 90 days	$625 (25%)
89 to 60 days	$1,250 (50%)
59 to 30 days	$1,875 (75%)
29 days or less	$2,500 (100%, “no refund”)

Pet Holiday Club quotes an independent travel agent reporting “$5,000 for a dog needing two lower kennels” on 2027 voyages, which is exactly two kennels at the new rate.

More kennels are coming. Queen Mary 2 goes into dry dock at Damen Shiprepair in Brest from March 31 to May 9, 2027. Cruise Industry News and TravelExtra both report that the kennels will be redesigned with more capacity. Neither gives a new number.

Planning to Sail With a Dog?

If it’s a pet: book Queen Mary 2’s kennel early and budget $2,500 per kennel on top of your fare, or leave the dog at home. Travelnuity lists some Baltic ferries, such as Viking Line, that take pets, but they’re ferries, not cruise ships.

If it’s a service dog: tell the line when you book, not at the pier. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity want 30 days’ notice for a relief area, and Carnival wants its form 30 days out. Norwegian needs the booking at least two weeks ahead.

If it’s an emotional support dog: expect a no. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ask anyone who needs a non-task-trained animal for a disability to contact the Access Department at least 60 days before sailing. That’s a conversation, not a promise.

Whatever the dog is, carry its papers yourself. Carnival says not to pack them in your luggage, and no compensation is due if missing paperwork keeps your dog off the ship or stuck on board in port. Our pre-cruise deadline guide covers everything else.

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Cruise Chaos earns nothing from cruise lines, travel agents, pet-travel firms or booking links. Every rule here links to the line’s own page, read November 12, 2026, or an archived copy where the live page blocked us. Kennel details beyond Cunard’s fee terms come from the sites named. If something is wrong, tell us and we’ll correct it.

Coming up on Cruise Chaos: what happens if your cruise itinerary changes?

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Sources

• Cunard: Kennel Booking Terms and Conditions (US), May 2026 (Wayback Machine copy, September 16, 2026)
• Cunard: Service and assistance dogs (Wayback Machine copy, July 17, 2026)
• Royal Caribbean: Service Animals and service animal FAQ
• Celebrity Cruises: Service Animals
• Carnival Cruise Line: Service Animals form and policy
• Norwegian Cruise Line: Service Animal & Pet Policy
• Princess Cruises: Accessibility at Sea
• Virgin Voyages: Accessibility FAQ
• U.S. Department of Justice: ADA Requirements, Service Animals
• Spector v. Norwegian Cruise Line Ltd., 545 U.S. 119 (2005), syllabus (Cornell LII) and Oyez case summary
• CDC: Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations (Wayback Machine copy, September 1, 2026)
• Pet Holiday Club: Queen Mary 2 vs K9 Jets vs Bark Air (September 28, 2026)
• Travelnuity: Are There Any Dog-Friendly Cruises? (Shandos Cleaver)
• Wikipedia: Queen Mary 2 (kennel location)
• Cruise Industry News: Cunard outlines Queen Mary 2 refit plans at Damen Brest
• TravelExtra: Cunard reveals details of Queen Mary 2 refurb (September 10, 2026)