Cunard Sponsors 2017 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

I’ve blogged before about how Cunard allow you to take your dog on a transatlantic Queen Mary 2 cruise, well now they are further enhancing their reputation as canine lovers by becoming the only travel company to sponsor an upcoming dog show in New York.

Cunard have just announced its sponsorship of the 2017 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, taking place in New York City between February 11th to 14th, 2017. This is the first year Cunard will be part of the show and they will be the only travel company represented at the show. In addition, the 2017 Best in Show winner and owner will be offered an invitation to sail on a Transatlantic Crossing on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2.

Owners and dogs who stop by Cunard’s booth at Pier 94 will get a glimpse into the luxurious life aboard flagship ocean liner Queen Mary 2. Cunard bellmen will be on-hand to greet pups with specially-made doggy treats and canine apparel, and @WallytheWelshCorgi, one of NYC’s top Instagram dogs, will make a special appearance to take photos with attendees in front of an oversized backdrop of Queen Mary 2.

As the only cruise line to offer dogs and cats passage on the company’s famed Transatlantic Crossings, Cunard has a long history of sailing pets — its pet-friendly policy dates back 176 years to the maiden voyage of the Britannia in 1840. Since then, the company has transported a surprising number of notable pets: Rin-Tin-Tin, Elizabeth Taylor’s pampered pooches, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s beloved pup and Pudsey, winner of Britain’s Got Talent 2012. It was at the Duke’s behest that Cunard originally installed a lamppost beside the kennels on Cunard’s former flagship Queen Elizabeth 2!

Pet travel continues to soar in the United States and due to increased demand, Cunard doubled the size of its kennels on Queen Mary 2 during the flagship’s $132 million renovation last year. In addition, the ship expanded the kennel area, adding an owner’s lounge and a new pet playground. Guests can enjoy an extended outdoor area for dog walking featuring a lamppost from Liverpool and fire hydrant from New York so dogs from both sides of the pond will feel at home. Overall, Queen Mary 2’s enhanced pet service offers a kinder, gentler alternative to pet transportation.

To ensure that pet passengers are as glamorous as their human counterparts, Cunard partnered with the British sportswear brand Barbour in 2016 to offer smart accessories onboard such as jackets, collars and leashes!

Well you learn something new every day, did you know there was such a thing as a top Instagram dog?!

The mind boggles.

Bye for now.