Service Dog Receives Award For Spending More Than 700 Days On Cruise Ship With Blind Owner

This black Labrador Retriever female dog has sea legs! She accompanies her blind mistress on all her adventures, including many cruises. The duo thus spent more than 700 days on a boat from the Holland America Line company, which decided to award them a prize.

Cornelia Marinussen is a working woman with blindness. Despite her disability and thanks to her service dog named Joska, she travels regularly.

Above all, Cornelia and her husband Cornelis enjoy discovering the world by taking cruises aboard Holland America Line ships. And since 2014, the black Labrador Retriever has been on all the excursions.

The trio has thus made more than 50 journeys allowing them to discover Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, the Caribbean or even the edges of the Mediterranean.

In all, the couple and their faithful 4-legged companion spent more than 700 days and nights on board the ships of this cruise company which wished, on October 26, 2022, to discern the dog a prestigious prize.

“Joska is the first service animal to achieve this high status, and we wanted to honor her with an event that shows how special she is to everyone in our company,” said Gus Antorcha, President of Holland America Line, to People.

During an official ceremony, Joska was therefore decorated with her medallion, which she proudly wears alongside her mistress. Likewise, she received the 5-Star Sailor rank, the cruise line’s highest loyalty program, as well as dog-friendly gifts. “Registered service animals are always welcome aboard our ships and Joska has become part of our family. Not only does it lift everyone’s spirits, but it also allows Cornelia to do what she loves most: cruises to explore planet Earth,” added Gus Antorcha.

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