The pack is growing just as the fleet is growing, as Royal Caribbean has confirmed that the upcoming Legend of the Seas will be home to the cruise line’s third “Chief Dog Officer.”

The announcement comes from Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean, with a celebratory Facebook post.

“A Legend has been born and she is as cute as cute can be!” he said. “Now if only we had a name for this little cutey and future Chief Dog Officer of the new ICON class Legend of the Seas.”

Bayley shared a close up photo of the young pup, presumably snuggled into her mother’s fur. What a boopable snoot! The puppy appears to be a golden retriever, the same breed as Rover and Sailor, the Chief Dog Officers of Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, respectively.

All that is known about the pup is that she is a female, and she’s definitely going to be serving aboard Legend of the Seas.

“We’re expecting… a new Chief Dog Officer,” the cruise line confirmed shortly after Bayley’s announcement. “Meet our newest and smallest member of the Royal Caribbean family. Can you guess what her name will be?”

It’s likely the puppy is from Eagleridge Goldens, a champion line golden retriever breeder based in Polk City, Florida. Sailor and Rover are from the same breeder, which received a 2025 Best of Florida Award for pet breeders.

Eagleridge Goldens shared Bayley’s post on their own Facebook page, but did not precisely confirm the pup is from their program.

Coincidentally, the new pup has been announced just two days after National Golden Retriever Day – an auspicious time indeed for a legendary new pup to be born!

The Chief Dog Officers are only found on the Icon Class ships, where they comfort not only crew members but also live their best lives, meeting guests and providing just the cutest selfie opportunities.

Legend of the Seas is currently under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Turku, Finland. Like her sister ships, the new vessel – which was floated out in August 2025 – will measure 250,800 gross tons and be able to welcome up to 7,600 guests at full occupancy. Service dogs will be welcome too!

What Is the Puppy’s Name?

The puppy’s name has not been announced, but both Bayley and Royal Caribbean have asked guests either for name suggestions or for guesses about the name.

Creative choices for the new puppy’s name include:

• Siren – For the seagoing myth that attracts sailors (and cruisers!)
• Noci – Icon spelled backwards
• Athena – As a fierce female legend in her own right
• Coco – Named in honor of Perfect Day at CocoCay
• Helen – For Helen of Troy, the face that launched a thousand ships
• Skipper – As captain of the upcoming ship
• Schooner – Keeping with the nautical name theme

Guests are excitedly suggesting a wide range of other names, either with nautical themes to match Sailor or “wandering” themes to match Rover. Of course, “legendary” names are also top choices.

It is possible that Royal Caribbean has already selected a name, or perhaps there may be voting or other means for guests to join in naming the new puppy in the next few weeks.

The New Puppy’s Debut

The puppy will undoubtedly be ready to make her oceangoing debut just as Legend of the Seas welcomes her first guests. The third Icon-class ship’s first voyage will be a 7-night Mediterranean sailing departing Rome on July 4, 2026.

At that time, the puppy will be five months old, well able to leave her mother and littermates. Most dogs head to their new homes when they are just 2-3 months old.

It’s possible, however, that the Chief Dog Officer may not be aboard the ship’s first Mediterranean sailings. There are restrictions about internationally transporting young animals, and the cruise line may prefer to keep the young dog in training programs until she can join the ship when it comes to Fort Lauderdale in November.

Further details on the puppy, including her name announcement and her crew work schedule, will undoubtedly be announced closer to the new ship’s maiden voyage.

Royal Caribbean Confirms Legend of the Seas Chief Dog Officer