What Happens If A Cruise Ship Leaves You Behind? A Checklist

If your cruise ship leaves you behind, call the cruise line’s agent at the port or their customer care. If they cannot help you to board the ship again, travel to the next port or head back home on your own.

How to avoid missing your cruise ship?

A cruise ship may leave passengers behind if they are late for various reasons.

They may leave you behind due to safety factors, like navigating shallow waters. Or it may be due to fines imposed on them due to late departure. They also have to maintain their schedule. so they cannot wait for passengers who are late. So, it will wait for you as long as the port permits it to stay there.

To avoid missing your cruise ship, here is a checklist to follow:

• Arrive at your port of departure a day before the cruise. Especially, If you stay far away. Stay in a hotel for the night.
• Always keep copies of all travel documents with you. And always carry your credit cards.
• Note down the helpline numbers of the cruise ship. You must also carry the phone numbers of your country’s embassy at the ports you are visiting.
• After boarding your cruise ship, match your watch with the ship’s time. It is a very important step, especially if you travel in different time zones. Also, note that the local time at the ports and the ship’s time may be different.
• When going out for an excursion on your own, check the time you have to get back to the ship. Set the alarm at least 2 hours before the ship’s departure time. And set it on everybody’s watch in your group.
• Do not travel too far from the port. Even if your calculations are right, a sudden mishap on the way may delay your return.
• Try and book your excursion through the cruise line. The cruise will wait until the group returns or cover the cost of travel to the next port if they cannot stay.
• And avoid getting drunk during your excursion.

Points to keep in mind in case a cruise ship leaves you

First, cool down.

If you have booked an excursion through the cruise line, then you do not need to worry a lot. It is their responsibility to make sure that you can join the ship at the next port.

But, if you have booked the excursion through another travel agent, here are your options:

• Meet the agent of the cruise ship at the port. Collect your belongings from him/her if they have removed them from the cruise ship. Ask for his/her help to join the cruise again at the next port.
• If the cruise line does not have an agent at the port, call the customer care of the cruise line. Follow their directions.
• If you cannot contact the cruise line in any way, travel to the next port yourself or go back home. But make sure that you have all the travel documents with you.
• If you do not have the travel documents with you contact your country’s embassy at the port.

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