Icon of the Seas is known for being the largest cruise ship in the world. Not only is her size record-breaking, but she's also the first cruise ship to have a dog living onboard full-time.
Rover is an adorable golden retriever who has been sailing the high seas since she was a puppy. Known as the "Chief Dog Officer," Rover's duties include meeting passengers, strolling through Central Park, and making visits to the Bridge.
On a recent cruise aboard Icon of the Seas, two families bid for a private session with Rover during the Make-A-Wish auction.
"We got to have the private session [with Rover] by winning the Make a Wish Auction on the second day of the cruise. In case you aren't aware, Royal Caribbean has a partnership with Make a Wish and does special auctions on each cruise for a variety of experiences / perks," Chalker explained on a Royal Caribbean Blog discussion forum.
"On Icon of the Seas, a private session with Rover is usually one of the items. We got into a small bidding war with another family, but stopped bidding at $300. The cruise director then offered both our families sessions with Rover if we both made a $300 donation. We quickly agreed."
On Day 6, the family met Rover's handler outside of Spotlight Karaoke, where they were escorted to a private room for 25 minutes.
"Rover had a ton of energy and was sniffing all over the place and loved rolling around and being petted. We got to spend about 25 minutes total with them, asking lots of questions and getting pictures and videos taken with Rover," they continued.
Afterward, Chalker decided to share what they learned about Rover. Here are 19 facts about the cutest dog at sea!
1. Rover is almost two years old
Icon of the Seas' crew went all out for Rover's first birthday party. According to an Instagram reel shared to Rover's official account, she was groomed before her celebration, sporting a party hat and a colorful bandana.
The crew-only area was decorated with balloons and plenty of sweet treats. Rover even got her own dog-friendly cake! Of course, she also received tons of pets and brand-new toys.
Her second birthday is quickly approaching! It's an exciting one because she'll finally be allowed to have plush toys.
2. She joined the ship when she was 6 months old
Rover has been living on Icon of the Seas for most of her life. While she wasn't part of the overseas action in Finland or Spain, she joined the crew in Puerto Rico ahead of the official christening ceremonies in January 2024.
Before boarding Icon, Rover spent time aboard Freedom of the Seas. She needed some experience at sea before joining the world's largest cruise ship!
Thankfully, she has great sea legs and has hardly had any issues during rough weather.
3. Rover's handler has the best job in the world
"Rover's Chief of Staff" is responsible for taking care of her. When Chalker met Rover, her handler had been onboard since Sept. 2024 and was preparing for vacation. Rover's first Chief of Staff was Alison Hubble, who had been with Royal Caribbean for six years before joining Rover's team.
"Another crew member was ‘in-training’ to take over and would be moving into the cabin in the near future," Chalker explains, "This position is highly competitive due to the perks that come with it (i.e. the cabin, the duties, and schedule). It only goes to staff [who] have spent a significant amount of time on Icon and already know and interact with Rover a lot."
Read more: I take care of a dog on the world's largest cruise ship. Being the Chief Dog Officer is a dream job
4. Royal Caribbean has a partnership with the American Humane Society
Rover's role as Chief Dog Officer was created in consultation with animal welfare experts at the American Humane Society.
Today, the American Humane Society conducts regular visits and inspections to ensure Rover's health and well-being.
5. As such, Rover can only "work" for a set number of hours daily
The guidelines mandate that she can only work a maximum of two to three hours per day in 20-minute shifts.
These measures ensure Rover has time to relax, enjoy playtime, and receive proper care at sea. "The rest of her day is doing normal 'dog' stuff," Chalker says.
6. She doesn't like big crowds
Measuring over 248,000 gross registered tons with a passenger capacity of 7,600, one might assume that Rover is a social puppy who doesn't mind large crowds.
However, according to Chalker, Rover is quite the opposite. As such, she typically makes unscheduled appearances in quieter areas, like Central Park and the Overlook.
7. Rover is a 3 Stripe Officer
Because of her rank, she gets to live in a special suite with enough space to play and sleep — in one of three different beds! Rover also has plenty of toys and activities available to keep her entertained.
The cabin itself has windows, a spacious living area, a large desk for her handler, a separate bedroom, and a specially designed crate.
8. She spends a lot of time in the crew areas
While one of her primary duties is to bring joy to guests, the crew loves her just as much!
"She regularly visits the bridge and the captain loves her. The crew in general love[s] interacting with her through the day, such as in the crew café area," says Chalker.
"There are certain areas she can also run around, such as the helipad, where she regularly plays fetch."
9. Rover gets off the ship in Miami
Icon of the Seas sails 7-night itineraries to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, returning to Miami every Saturday.
When Icon is docked in Florida, Rover disembarks for regular vet visits and to see her groomer. Not only that, but she loves going to the beach, outdoor parks, and even the mall!
"She’s sometimes recognized as Rover by people walking around Miami," Chalker adds.
10. She has a few costumes
While Rover doesn't dress up often, she has a Captain's hat, pirate costume, reindeer costume, and various bandanas.
Additionally, when Chalker met Rover, she was wearing a cute skirt that was designed to look like a mermaid tail.
11. Rover loves fetch and tug-of-war
In fact, she loves playing so much that crew members can't say "ball" or "tug" in front of her! Whenever the crew is talking about fetch or tug-of-war, they have the spell the words out.
She gets so excited that she thinks it's time to play and will wait by certain doors since the games are only allowed in specific areas, such as the helipad.
12. She has a special life vest
Cruise ships have enough life vests for all passengers (and dogs)!
Similarly, like all guests, Rover has a muster station to report to in case there's an emergency. According to Chalker, "Her muster station is by the giant dog statue on the Royal Promenade."
13. There's a dedicated pet relief area onboard Icon of the Seas
The area is on Deck 5 along the walking track near the front of the ship and is a comfortable space for Rover to take care of her needs at sea.
Chalker explains that, "It’s got what looks like a raised bed garden planter in it with what looks like wood chips or similar that is a dirt simulant."
14. She loves treats and is typically hand-fed
Rover's Chief of Staff always has a fanny pack on them filled with Rover's food, which is why you might see her nibbling throughout the day. However, she does get other treats, including carrots and bananas.
In fact, she's quite the fan of carrots. One day, her Chief of Staff asked the Galley crew if Rover could have a spare carrot on the floor. They said no and disappeared into the cooler, returning with a clean, full-sized carrot for the pup!
"Rover thought this was the most amazing thing and was strutting around with the carrot in her mouth like a stick or bone for a while (they clearly didn’t want Rover to have to settle for a ‘scrap of carrot’)," explains Chalker.
15. She's smart and responds to hand signals
Before Rover joined Icon of the Seas, she underwent extensive training. For example, not only does she know how to sit on command, but she loves posing and waving for the camera!
During their private session, Chalker got a short video of their family and Rover waving to the camera at the same time.
16. Royal Caribbean allows service animals onboard
Whenever there's a service dog onboard, the Chief of Staff is notified because Rover isn't a fan of smaller dogs, as they're usually aggressive around her.
She's been introduced to the Toto puppet for the onboard production of The Wizard of Oz and was confused because, though it looks like a small dog, it didn't smell, sound, or move like one.
17. Rover has a traditional dog collar
Crew members have special ID tags that are different from standard guest SeaPass cards. Rover, however, wears a traditional dog collar with a tag revealing her name and phone number.
Her Chief of Staff said they want Rover to have a unique crew ID but haven't been able to get one yet.
19. Star of the Seas will also have a Chief Dog Officer
Sailor was born in February and is growing up fast! She's opened her eyes, taken her first steps, learned to play with her friends, and had her teeth start growing in!
While Sailor still must undergo training before she can assume her role as Chief Dog Officer aboard Star of the Seas, she's proving to be just as adorable as Rover!
19. Rover won't stay on Icon forever
While Rover enjoys living her life aboard Icon of the Seas, she's only expected to remain onboard until she's 5 or 6 years old.
Then, she'll be adopted by a loving family to live out the rest of her life in a "normal home environment," rather than at sea visiting ports in the Caribbean.
According to Chalker, there's already a long list of interested adoptees eager to welcome Rover into their homes when she retires.
