PUTTING ON THE DOG

Posted on 07/10/2016 | About New York City, New York

The Queen Mary 2 is the only long-distance passenger vessel to carry dogs and cats. The ship now has 24 onboard kennels - twice what it had before the upgrades; in addition to room for 2,961 human guests.

Helping to cut the ribbon on the new kennels and pet area on Wednesday were some of New York's top Instagram dogs, known to fans as Chloe the Mini Frenchie (133,000 followers), Wally the Welsh Corgi (92,000 followers) and Ella Bean the Dog (40,000 followers).
The event took place in Brooklyn, New York, where the ship homeports, before it set off on a seven-day trans-Atlantic crossing to Southampton, England.
Besides the ship's additional kennels, the new canine quarters include expanded space for dogs to play and walk, an owner's lounge and two items essential for any dog on a walk, even at sea: an authentic New York City fire hydrant and a British lamppost.
Kennel master Oliver Cruz cares for the pets, walking, feeding and playing with them. Owners can visit, but cannot take them to their cabins.
“This is my passion,” said Cruz, who was an animal handler and zoo guide in his native Philippines, and has several years of experience working with pets on the QM2.
He said the first day at sea is the most challenging as he memorizes the names of the dogs and their owners, while saying goodbye on “the last day is the saddest part, because we've bonded.”
Renovations during the ship's 25 days in dry dock also included new carpets, new paint, new dining venues and public spaces, and redesigned cabins for the human passengers, including the QM2's first staterooms for solo travellers.
The original Queen Mary ocean liner, now a floating hotel moored in Long Beach, debuted in New York 80 years ago. The QM2 was launched in 2004.