Rover has arrived

[coaster]

The positive PR effect would be even greater if Rover is a rescue animal. Not seen any mention of that. Kind of doubt it. Watching the Icon arrival video now on YouTube that was recorded earlier today. Not my type of ship, but seems like a decent alternative to a Disney ship for those with children. 

Edited January 11 by coaster

[Sunshine3601]

What happens when his caregiver takes her 2 or 3 month break between contracts.   Guess he will have to get used to lots of people caring for him.

 

He's a cutie😊

[coaster]

On 1/9/2024 at 2:34 PM, Oceansaway17 said:

And if and when Captain Johnny comes on board to be Master of the vessel, will he bring his parrot on board?  Could be interesting.

 

I am thinking if the dog is a mascot, it will wander up and down the 95 corridor to let the crew pet and enjoy the dog.

I have so much respect and admiration for Captain Johnny. Did not know about his parrot. Just know about his beloved Harley he brings onboard. Such a great down to earth guy. Most of the time you never really know or care about who your Captain is. Captain Johnny is out and about and very approachable. Great ambassador for Royal maybe to the degree of a mascot.... Hope he returns soon.

Edited January 11 by coaster

[CSHS1979]

On 1/9/2024 at 3:13 PM, Ourusualbeach said:

Just a guess but I wonder if he will be Royals version of Toto in the Wizard of Oz

 

Bella auditioned, she was to white

[ckruetze]

10 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

What happens when his caregiver takes her 2 or 3 month break between contracts.   Guess he will have to get used to lots of people caring for him.

 

He's a cutie😊

What makes you think that he doesn't have a break between his contracts?

[Oceansaway17]

11 hours ago, coaster said:

I have so much respect and admiration for Captain Johnny. Did not know about his parrot. Just know about his beloved Harley he brings onboard. Such a great down to earth guy. Most of the time you never really know or care about who your Captain is. Captain Johnny is out and about and very approachable. Great ambassador for Royal maybe to the degree of a mascot.... Hope he returns soon.

He loves golf and I am betting that exposure to sun a lot might have given him skin issues.

yes he is well loved. 

I have a Dvd on making of Voyager class ships and it shows a lot of the earlier captains in fleet all gathered around sketches and standing for some meeting and Johnny is the only one wearing knee length shorts.

But Capt Rob on Wonder is very nice with great sense of humor.  And captain Henrik Loy is nice but a bit more studious and shy.

 

Capt Kate over on Celebrity used to be an officer under Johnny on Harmony and I think he encouraged her to go to Celebrity to move up in ranks.

 

I wonder whose idea it was to have this rover dog?

 

[CSHS1979]

On 1/11/2024 at 9:58 AM, ckruetze said:

What makes you think that he doesn't have a break between his contracts?

 

Full time resident moniker

[goinmobile68]

He will no doubt enjoy tons of attention from his full time "family"  (crew) & lots of new friends all the time. If his "personality" is agreeable with this he'll have a happy life. Lots of dogs are neglected or abandoned-he certainly won't spend his life chained on a deck & he will be a great joy to those he will love. Dogs are great!

[Merion_Mom]

On 1/9/2024 at 2:34 PM, Oceansaway17 said:

And if and when Captain Johnny comes on board to be Master of the vessel, will he bring his parrot on board?  Could be interesting.

 

I am thinking if the dog is a mascot, it will wander up and down the 95 corridor to let the crew pet and enjoy the dog.

 

In the past, the parrot often was on board with Captain Johnny.

[Oceansaway17]

14 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

In the past, the parrot often was on board with Captain Johnny.

Which is why I am wondering if he will bring the parrot again.  Also is he still coming?  Heard he went back to Norway again but hoping for final clearance from his doctor.

 

I will hopefully see in May 2024 the dog and most likely Capt Loy will be back on. Glad I put deposit down in first week of release. Prices are OMG high.

 

I like both Captains and have sailed with both. Johnny zoomed past me on scooter once but never saw the bird in 2016.

 

also excited to drive up NJ turnpike to go on Odyssey in 2025 April.

[Mikew0805]

On 1/13/2024 at 5:01 PM, grandgeezer said:

As far as I know, the only dogs allowed on ships are service dogs. There is no mention of dogs owned/employed by the cruise lines are exempt from this regulation.

Rules are rules.

There is also no mention of them at all in the rule. However, I do not find it that hard to believe that the rule was directed at guests all this time, and does not apply to the company that owns and operates the ship. Their ship, their rules.

[bilyclub]

1 hour ago, Mikew0805 said:

There is also no mention of them at all in the rule. However, I do not find it that hard to believe that the rule was directed at guests all this time, and does not apply to the company that owns and operates the ship. Their ship, their rules.

 

 

Just because they are the owners of the ship doesn't mean they are immune to CDC and other government laws and regulations. In Florida non service animals are not allowed in food licensed premises.

[Mikew0805]

4 minutes ago, bilyclub said:

 

 

Just because they are the owners of the ship doesn't mean they are immune to CDC and other government laws and regulations. In Florida non service animals are not allowed in food licensed premises.

Well I am fairly confident that Royal knows what they are permitted to do on their own foreign flagged ship. However, if you are fully aware of something else, maybe you should reach out to the legal department at Royal, and advise.

[shipgeeks]

I'm still curious what the point is, of having a "mascot" dog aboard.

[SPacificbound]

I'm guessing Rover has had some very specialized training.

[yogimax]

2 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

I'm still curious what the point is, of having a "mascot" dog aboard.

Publicity stunt.

[A&L_Ont]

On 1/11/2024 at 10:41 AM, Oceansaway17 said:

He loves golf and I am betting that exposure to sun a lot might have given him skin issues.

 

And add too that, all the decades working on the ship from the lower levels up to captain.  When he started his career long ago sunscreen was probably not used as it is today. 

 

 

[moposh]

On 1/15/2024 at 6:45 PM, shipgeeks said:

I'm still curious what the point is, of having a "mascot" dog aboard.

I'm sure the crew like having him onboard.  I like the idea.  I wish all ships had them.  

[shipgeeks]

6 hours ago, moposh said:

I'm sure the crew like having him onboard.  I like the idea.  I wish all ships had them.  

Not everyone likes dogs.

[Cruising Forever!]

I thought he was the Icon's Captain's pet?  Apparently not?

 

If he's a free roaming "mascot", this will all be cute until he bites someone, and RCCL is up to their ears in lawsuits.  Or, the dog falls overboard to it's death.  Great PR...

 

There's a lot about the Icon that just doesn't make sense to me.  I just feel it's not for us.

[bonsai3s]

On 1/15/2024 at 4:06 PM, SPacificbound said:

I'm guessing Rover has had some very specialized training.

 

My first thought...drug sniffing dog.

 

[Another_Critic]

I hope she is trained to counteract chair hogs.  🙂

[RobInMN]

No, Rover is not going to be free roaming, and she won't belong to the Captain.

RC Blog posted a story on the 18th about Rover's handler, Alison Hubble, title "Rover's Chief of Staff".

Apparently there won't be any sort of official schedule (it's up to Rover). 

No mention of a second handler that would rotate with Alison.

The article said that they spent time on Freedom prior to going to Icon.

[bonsai3s]

3 hours ago, RobInMN said:

No, Rover is not going to be free roaming, and she won't belong to the Captain.

RC Blog posted a story on the 18th about Rover's handler, Alison Hubble, title "Rover's Chief of Staff".

Apparently there won't be any sort of official schedule (it's up to Rover). 

No mention of a second handler that would rotate with Alison.

The article said that they spent time on Freedom prior to going to Icon.

 

Alison Hubble is one of the friendliest crew members  we've ever met onboard. (She was working at NextCruise at the time.)

[Morecruisesplz]

On 1/10/2024 at 10:43 AM, BecciBoo said:

I assure you he will have the best of everything.  Goldens live to please their owners, no matter where or what.  He'll be supremely happy and will love roaming all over CoCoCay.  I applaud them!

How can you? Are you in charge?