Meet the man who keeps 24 dogs and cats calm on the Atlantic

On Deck 12 of Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, Oliver Cruz looks after dogs and cats in kennels with an outdoor area known as the poop deck. It has an American fire hydrant for American dogs and a British lamppost for British dogs.

Cruz is the ship’s kennel master, responsible for up to 24 animals during a seven-night crossing between Southampton and New York. There are no intermediate ports, and the pets remain in the kennels throughout the voyage.

Owners can visit during about four sessions each day. They can also leave toys, blankets, used pyjamas or socks with their animals, bringing familiar smells into an unfamiliar setting.

Queen Mary 2 has made the Southampton to New York crossing since 2004. It is the only cruise ship in the world offering dedicated kennels at sea on its transatlantic voyages.

Other major cruise operators, including Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity, Princess and Carnival, accept trained service dogs only. They do not take pets or emotional support animals.

Cruz joined Queen Mary 2 in 2011 as a spa attendant, after eight years in the Philippines as a zoo guide and animal handler. He later became kennel master.

His duties cover feeding, exercise and the animals’ well-being. Cruz has cared for one dog on 32 crossings. He estimates that he has more than 50 dog bites on his body, nearly all from intervening when animals fought.

There is no vet aboard. Cunard sends owners route-specific paperwork and requirements at least five months before sailing, and the 24 spaces book far in advance.

Press reports in 2026 put the cost at roughly $1,300 for an upper kennel and $1,500 for a lower kennel per crossing.

For Cruz, the work follows him home. He belongs to the Philippine Animal Welfare Society and has 15 dogs of his own. Away from the kennels, he plays drums and guitar in the Filipino crew band, which performs in the crew bar.

Cunard plans to refit Queen Mary 2 in spring 2027, increasing kennel capacity and adding a new owners’ lounge and expanded outdoor areas. The ship is due back in service in May 2027.