Royal Caribbean Chooses Name for Next Chief Dog Officer

02/09/2026

Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley has chosen Dolly as the name for the Chief Dog Officer on the upcoming Hero of the Seas. Dolly was not originally one of the finalist names but was added to the selection following the singer's passing.

Hero of the Seas is scheduled to debut in August 2027 and will homeport from Miami with 7-night Caribbean itineraries. Dolly Parton may be gone, but the country music superstar will never be forgotten aboard one Royal Caribbean ship: Hero of the Seas. Following intense voting on finalist names, the cruise line has confirmed that the next Chief Dog Officer will be named Dolly.

Though Royal Caribbean has not formally confirmed the name is a tribute, Dolly was suggested by many guests following the singer's death. Decisions for the dog's name first began on August 6, 2026 when Royal Caribbean's President and CEO, Michael Bayley, requested name suggestions, noting that the dog would be female. "All names will be considered and our professional panel of Dog lovers (me) will evaluate all suggestions," he said.

On August 28, Cruise Hive reported that the name suggestions had been narrowed to seven finalists: Hero, Scout, Marina, Pearl, Coco, Coral,…

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