One of the Most Unusual Jobs at Sea? Looking After 24 Cats and Dogs

This is the latest installment of our bimonthly column Crews on Cruise, spotlighting the people who work behind the scenes of the world’s most memorable voyages—from bartenders and entertainers to ship captains and expedition leaders.Oliver Cruz has one of the more unusual jobs at sea: He is the kennel master aboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, a 2,759-guest ocean liner that has been making transatlantic crossings between Southampton and New York since 2004. It is also the only cruise ship in the world to offer dedicated kennels at sea during its transatlantic voyages, with 24 spaces for dogs and cats traveling with their owners.Cruz joined the ship in 2011, initially as a spa attendant. But when the housekeeping department learned that he had spent eight years back home in the Philippines working as a zoo guide and animal handler, with everything from snakes to crocodiles, he was moved to the kennels. He has been there ever since. “Dogs are angels,” Cruz says. “Not all angels have wings. Some of them have fur.” No surprise then that Cruz has 15 dogs of his own at home and is a member of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society.His charges aboard Queen Mary 2 have ranged from teacup Yorkies to a Bernese mountain dog whose three daily meals each included roughly three pounds of minced meat and more than 10 ingredients. Some are regulars: Cruz has cared for one dog on 32 crossings. By now, he can rattle off their names, personalities, dietary quirks, and preferred sleeping arrangements, and even remembers which “house,” as he calls the kennels, his repeat guests slept in on previous voyages.One occupational hazard: Cruz estimates he has more than 50 dog bites on his body, nearly all sustained while diving in to break up fights. “Nobody bites me intentionally,” he says. Experience has taught him that “the way you treat a husky is not the same way you treat a Shih Tzu.”We caught up with Cruz earlier this year to talk about life in the kennels, his unusually demanding clientele, and why managing their human parents can sometimes be the hardest part of the job. As Cruz puts it, “You need the knowledge, but you also need the heart."What does a typical day on the job look like?“On embarkation day, we go down to the terminal and first cross-check all the paperwork. There are very complicated requirements, especially coming into the UK, so we check things like the stamps and the timing of vaccinations.From there, we bring the dogs up to the kennels and explain the visiting hours and the dos and don’ts to their owners. The dogs have an outdoor area we literally call the poop deck, with an American fire hydrant for the American dogs and a British lamppost for the British dogs. For the sake of their holiday, I let them experience both.Owners can leave toys, blankets, even used pajamas or socks inside the houses so the dogs can smell them and feel more comfortable. If two dogs live together and get along, we take out the partition so they can cuddle overnight.Then there's the feeding. Every dog has its own portion sizes and diet, and it all has to be right. The food ranges from boiled chicken breast to grilled steak, steamed salmon, Cumberland sausage, scrambled egg, fruits, vegetables—basically whatever they need. The food comes from the same kitchen that cooks for the guests, but I am very strict: no salt and pepper.Sometimes people who don’t have pets in the kennels try to come in because the dogs are cute—maybe 20 or 25 people in a day. I have to explain that the dogs are already trying to adjust to an unfamiliar environment as well as the other dogs. They don’t need more strangers coming in to see them.”What is your favorite part about this job?“Meeting all the new dogs on the first day and making my family bigger. After seven days of bonding, playing, and running around together, saying goodbye is the saddest part.”What is the most challenging part about working at sea?“The parents. Sometimes I tell the owners, ‘No treats,’ but I can see them secretly feeding their dog oily food like bacon from the kitchen. I have to say, ‘Mama, I’m not so happy seeing you do this.’And once I had somebody take their own dog back to their cabin without telling me. That evening, I was about to close the kennel when I did my usual count and realized one was missing. It was a very stormy evening, and I was running around like a headless chicken. I was soaking wet and crying. I asked housekeeping to send people around the ship to help me find this dog, but nobody could.Finally, I phoned the owner and she said, ‘Oh yes, Oliver, she’s here.’ I was dying that night!”What is the coolest or weirdest thing about living on a ship?“The weirdest thing: When I’m home, I feel strange. When I’m here, I feel at home.I play drums and guitar in the Filipino crew band, and we perform in the crew bar. We play a lot of Red Hot Chili Peppers. I even got to play with Travis Barker here on Queen Mary 2. They were filming something on the ship and shot us playing together. I remember singing ‘All the Small Things’ and ‘What’s My Age Again?’ That was one of the coolest things.”What is your favorite place you’ve traveled so far?“Liverpool. I’m a big Beatles fan. I have John Lennon tattoos all over my body. When I’m there, I visit Mendips, John Lennon’s childhood home, Strawberry Field, and Quarry Bank School. And I always spend the night at the Cavern Club, sometimes until two in the morning. That’s my place.”What is your favorite place to hang out on board the ship?“The kennels, honestly. It’s a different experience staying here for seven days, getting to know each other’s dogs.”Tell us about a memorable guest interaction that sticks out to you.“One of the most memorable was a dog named Paisley. She had come from a shelter and, according to her owner, had been mistreated before. She was aggressive and would bite, and she was having a difficult time in the kennel.When the other dogs were put away, I would let Paisley out and spend time with her alone. I told her, ‘Paisley, you are not the boss. I am the boss.’One day, her owner came in and saw Paisley sitting on my lap and licking my face. She started crying and said, ‘What did you do to my dog?’ That was the start of a very good relationship. I will never forget her.”What’s your top tip for first-time cruisers?“Always remember that you and your dog are reflections of each other. So you need to be calm and happy. If you are really nervous, the dog will feel that nervousness too.And for cats, give them time. Cats are the boss. They don’t trust places and people easily, so do not force them. One day, the cat will come to you. Once they become talkative and start asking me for attention, I know: That’s it. We are friends.”