Cruising has gone to the dogs: This voyage will let you bring your canine on a cruise
If you can't bear the thought of a cruise vacation without your furbaby, take heart: An upcoming sailing will welcome all passengers — including the four-legged ones.
Some 250 dogs (and their humans) will set sail in November 2025 aboard Margaritaville at Sea's Islander, departing from Tampa Bay, Florida.
The dog-friendly cruise is a partnership between Expedia Cruises and Cruise Tails, which was specifically created to offer an annual dog-themed cruise for dog lovers.
"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 of Cruise Tails said. "I want to change that for myself and other dog lovers."
Each family will be assigned "Pet Butlers" to help clean and maintain cabins and public spaces. Canine guests will also have access to private relief stations on their balconies.
Passengers will be required to provide a passport and a pet health certificate approved and signed by a licensed veterinarian. It's also important to note that the Cruise Tails team must approve all participants. As such, applicants must agree to onboard protocols, such as keeping dogs in permitted areas and ensuring their pets' vaccinations are up to date.
Onboard activities will include dog shows, parades, costume contests and even an '80s-night soiree. Additionally, passengers will have the chance to score gifts and samples from vendors and take advantage of onboard training sessions. Cruisers and their pets can indulge in some pampering; humans can book a spa appointment for themselves and a session with a dog groomer or a puppy massage for their pets. When it gets hot, everyone can jump around in dog-friendly splash stations.
No dog? No problem. You can take the cruise sans Fido, but you must love dogs. Additionally, some spaces on the ship will be dog-free zones.
According to Cruise Tails, applications for the cruise will open in early 2025. To increase your chances of snagging a spot, visit the Cruise Tails website and sign up for updates. Itinerary specifics have yet to be released.
The 2,650-passenger Islander is the second ship in the Margaritaville at Sea fleet. The company is the Jimmy Buffett-affiliated oceangoing branch of the popular Margaritaville Resort brand. The ship features three pools, 12 bars and lounges, 12 dining venues, and a casino.
Typically, only service dogs are allowed on cruise ships, with the exception of Cunard, which welcomes (and pampers) both cats and dogs on its luxury 2,691-passenger Queen Mary 2 ocean liner.
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| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
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Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
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The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month