Can I bring an assistance dog with me onboard?

The eligibility and conditions under which assistance dogs are able to accompany guests onboard cruise ships is determined by the Australian Department of Agriculture and the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries. Guests must obtain clearance and documentation to sail with their assistance dog prior to the sailing date. For information on how to do this, please refer to the following websites:

For cruises leaving from Australia:
Travelling on a cruise vessel - step by step guide for assistance dogs

For guest coming from New Zealand:
New Zealand dogs coming to Australia

Please see our Assistance Dogs section on our website for more details about our service animal support and policies. To ensure that we provide you with all your needs onboard for your assistance dog, please fill in the Special Needs form.

Guests traveling with an assistance dog should review guidelines at Accessible Shore Excursions and contact shorexaccess@rccl.com to accommodate your needs on our shore excursions.