As cruising fans wait eagerly for the debut of Royal Caribbean’s second Icon-class ship, Star of the Seas, the youngest (and cutest, and furriest, with the most legs and the only tail) crew member has just arrived – Sailor has been born!
The news comes from a social media announcement made by Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean, sharing pictures of the adorable pup on Valentine’s Day.
“What a wonderful day! Look who arrived into the world. Sailor the family dog for Star of the Seas,” Bayley announced.
The first puppy photos of Sailor – who doesn’t want to boop that snoot? – confirm several previously unknown details about the dog.
The cruise line did announce Star of the Seas would have a “Chief Dog Officer” that would be a “sibling” to Rover on Icon of the Seas in April 2024, but did not confirm anything further about the dog’s breed, age, or gender.
Now we know that Sailor is indeed a girl and a golden retriever, the same as Rover, the Chief Dog Officer aboard Icon of the Seas. And of course, right now she’s just a very young pup! While Bayley did not confirm that she was indeed born on February 14, the happy day is certainly a great one for the pup’s debut.
This new girl is in for a very busy first few months, as the launch of Star of the Seas draws closer. Bayley offered some insights into how she will be prepared for her sea legs.
“She will spend a few months with her Mom, then to her trainer, then she will stay with me a little so I can get and give lots of hugs and love,” he said. “Then onto ICON to meet her sister Rover for some orientation before joining Star, her home.”
Like Rover, Sailor is from Eagleridge Goldens, a champion line golden retriever breeder located in Polk City, Florida. As an American Kennel Club (AKC) Bred with H.E.A.R.T. breeder, all of their breeding dogs undergo rigorous testing to ensure healthy puppies.
According to AKC, golden retrievers have been one of the top 5 most popular dog breeds since at least 2013, even before Royal Caribbean initially announced Project Icon. They are very friendly dogs, easily trained, and happy working with people – perfect for a cruise ship crew member!
Sailing With Sailor
Sailor has to be ready for her official duties slightly earlier than anticipated. Star of the Seas will now be welcoming guests on two pre-inaugural “showcase” sailings in late August ahead of her official August 31 debut.
Just like her sister, it is likely that Sailor will board Star of the Seas several days before guests arrive. This will give the dog some time to acclimate to her new environment before it becomes even more chaotic with as many as 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members aboard.
Star of the Seas will be homeported year-round from Port Canaveral, offering 7-night Western Caribbean and Eastern Caribbean itineraries. Each voyage will stop at Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Depending on the exact itinerary, the ship will be a regular visitor to top ports of call such as Costa Maya, Cozumel, Roatan, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, St. Maarten, and San Juan.
For the two early showcase cruises, the ship will only be visiting CocoCay, but will also include two full days at sea for guests to enjoy all her spectacular features.
Read Also: Star of the Seas – The Most Anticipated New Cruise Ship for 2025
Star of the Seas is currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in southern Finland. Still ahead for the enormous, 250,800-gross-ton vessel are her sea trials, final outfitting, and delivery to Royal Caribbean.
The next few months are sure to be busy ones for both Sailor and Star of the Seas!
