Royal Caribbean Names Dolly Chief Dog Officer for Hero of the Seas
The program was developed with support from the American Humane Society, including training, care requirements and limits on working hours.
Royal Caribbean has chosen Dolly as the name of the Chief Dog Officer who will serve aboard Hero of the Seas. President and CEO Michael Bayley announced the result on Sept. 2 after passenger voting expanded to include the name.
The selection extends a program introduced with Rover aboard Icon of the Seas in 2024 and makes Dolly the fourth dog assigned to an Icon-class ship. Royal Caribbean has not formally identified the name as a tribute to country music singer Dolly Parton, who died Aug. 25 after a seven-decade career.
Dolly added after initial ballot opened
Bayley began requesting names for the female dog on Aug. 6. By Aug. 28, Royal Caribbean had narrowed the suggestions to Hero, Scout, Marina, Pearl, Coco, Coral and Sandy, opening a final round of voting that attracted more than 1,200 comments in its first eight hours.
Bayley amended the ballot after Parton’s death. “So many have proposed Dolly that we have added Dolly to the finalists,” he wrote.
Bayley later said his selection panel had ratified the passenger vote, adding: “The Hero of the Seas new Chief Dog Officer’s name will be ‘Dolly.’” Royal Caribbean did not disclose vote totals.
Chief Dog Officer program reaches fourth ship
Dolly will follow Rover on Icon of the Seas, Sailor on Star of the Seas and Skipper on Legend of the Seas. The three current Chief Dog Officers are golden retrievers, although Royal Caribbean has not confirmed the breed of the new dog.
The shipboard dogs greet passengers, spend time with crew members and make appearances around their assigned vessels. Royal Caribbean developed the program with support from the American Humane Society, including training, care requirements and limits on working hours.
Bayley previously said the concept followed a test in which a crew member’s golden retriever visited a ship during a turnaround day. Crew members repeatedly stopped to interact with the dog. “When we saw that, we thought, ‘Wow, this is amazing. People miss their own family dogs,’” Bayley said in June 2025.
Hero of the Seas advances toward Miami debut
Hero of the Seas is under construction at Meyer Turku in Finland. Its keel was laid on Sept. 8, 2025, and the hull was completed July 17, 2026. The ship is scheduled to enter service from Miami on Aug. 11, 2027, with a three-night inaugural cruise to Perfect Day at CocoCay. Regular seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries will follow, with CocoCay included in each sailing.
Before delivery, Hero of the Seas must be floated out, undergo interior completion and pass sea trials. Royal Caribbean has not said whether Dolly has been born or when she will begin training.
