The second Icon-class ship gets a furry family member

After Rover’s remarkable popularity, it became the Chief Dog Officer Icon of the seasRoyal Caribbean International has announced that the second Icon class ship, Star of the seaswill also have its own Chief Dog Officer on board.

The furry member of the crew family will be named Sailor and will set sail with the ship when it launches in late August 2025.

Chief Dog Officer announced for Star of the seas

The expectant Star of the seas will be Royal Caribbean’s second Icon-class ship and will offer many of the same amazing features as her sister ship – including the wagging tail of a Chief Dog Officer.

The cruise line was first introduced Icon of the seas‘ dog crew member, a female golden retriever named Rover, in January, just two weeks before the ship’s maiden voyage. Now Royal Caribbean has announced that Sailor will join the crew of Star of the seas.

Very few details about Sailor have been confirmed. The dog’s breed and age have not yet been revealed, nor is it known whether the dog will be male or female – the official announcement only says that Rover will have a “sibling.”

While this could point to someone else Golden retriever – a very popular dog breed known for its friendly nature, excellent trainability and adaptability – the term sibling could simply be a useful descriptor.

Many dog ​​owners treat multiple pets of different breeds, or even different species like cats, as “brothers” and “sisters” in the family structure.

It is also unknown if Sailor will be on board Star of the seas for the inaugural sailings, although this seems likely with the dog’s appointment to the crew being announced well over a year in advance.

In addition, bringing the dog on board before the first sailings will give the animal time to acclimatize to the unusual environment and prepare for the work of a friendly cruise line ambassador.

What does a Chief Dog Officer do?

Although some cruise ships have allowed senior officers to have pets on board, such as the popular ‘Bug Naked’ hairless Sphynx cat belonging to Captain Kate McCue by Celebrity beyond – Rover and Sailor are the first-ever official canine crew members for a major cruise line.

While Sailor’s duties are not yet defined Star of the seas still under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Turku, Finland, Rover has filled and helped define the role of Chief Dog Officer.

However, the dog is more than just a furry ambassador. She provides comfort and happiness to crew members and guests alike, and has an active Instagram account (@chefdogrover) to share her duties and insights about cruising on the world’s largest cruise ship.

These duties include participating in onboard trivia games, assisting with Guest Services, singing along at karaoke, viewing portraits with the ship’s photographers, playing fetch on the bridge, taking a spin on the jogging track and much more.

Also read: Icon of the seas Welcome Chief Dog Officer

Rover even showed off ‘Royal bling’ with a custom bone-shaped dog tag as he posed with the unique $100,000 cup on board Icon of the seas (a special purchase where you get an unlimited drinks package for life!).

Sailor’s duties will no doubt be similar, and there could even be a dog play date when the two canine crew members meet for a run on the beach of Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas. Perfect day at CocoCay.

Meeting with sailor

Star of the seas was originally scheduled to debut on August 17, 2025, but unfortunately that happened slightly delayed and will now depart on her maiden cruise on August 31, 2025. The 250,800 gross ton ship will accommodate 5,610 travelers at double occupancy, and will be home to an international crew of more than 2,300 team members.

The second Icon-class ship is homeported from Port Canaveral and offers itineraries to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, with each voyage including a visit to CocoCay. Bookings are now open for Star of the seasand new details and unique features of the ship will undoubtedly be announced in the coming months.