What to Do If Your Cruise Ship Leaves You Behind .. and How to Prepare So It Doesn't Happen to You

Table Of Content

• Didn't board your cruise in time? Here's what to do
• Can I get a refund or credit for the missed cruise?
• Book All Your Excursions Through Your Cruise Line
• Royal Caribbean Blog is your ultimate source for Royal Caribbean coverage.
• Must-Have Travel Accessories
• What Happens If You Miss Your Ship Following An Excursion?
• Fly to your departure port the day before your cruise

While it may sound pretty obvious, the most effective way to ensure you do not miss your cruise ship is to simply arrive early. Even if it seems tedious, arriving with plenty of time to spare is the only way to guarantee that you can board the ship and enjoy your vacation. No matter your reason for being late, the consequences for failing to arrive on time can be quite severe. Cruise ships have to cater to thousands of people and adhere to specific itineraries, so they cannot afford to delay the entire voyage for a few late passengers.

Didn't board your cruise in time? Here's what to do

Your efforts would most likely leave you looking foolish or even prove dangerous. Port agents are also your best resource if you will or have missed your ship while at a port of call. Once you’ve called the cruise line, call your travel insurer—and it’s always a good idea to have travel insurance for a cruise. Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion. If you know you are running late, call the number you recorded from your newsletter, or call the cruise line's 24/7 number and ask to get a message to the ship. Some operators have their own guarantee that you will get to the ship in time or they will pay to get you to the next port of call.

Can I get a refund or credit for the missed cruise?

Many passengers that find themselves running back to the ship–and even missing the ship altogether–may have spent the day having too much fun and losing track of time. If you miss the ship in Charleston, South Carolina and the next port of call is Port Canaveral, Florida, you unfortunately will not be able to board the ship in Charleston without breaking the PVSA. Instead, you will have to meet the ship in the first foreign port of call, such as the Bahamas, but this can cause you to miss much more of the cruise than you’d like. Many of the big travel agency groups do many millions of dollars of business with each of the major cruise lines, giving them clout they can deploy to your advantage.

Book All Your Excursions Through Your Cruise Line

Woman Watches Cruise Leave Without Her After Being Late - Distractify

Woman Watches Cruise Leave Without Her After Being Late.

Posted: Mon, 11 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

This is another expense that will have to be borne by yourself but, other than making the initial arrangements, there will be nothing else you will need to do for your cruise line will have everything shipped out to you. You must also be mindful that any decisions you come to and any arrangements made will normally be at your own cost. However, this will be determined by timing as well as your willingness and, most importantly, whether cabotage law applies at the ship’s next stop. They can help figure out next steps and potentially put you in contact with those who can assist. If a language barrier exists, they may be able to speak to others in the port on your behalf. You will likely require all the assistance you can attract from the community you’ve been left behind in, so aim to make friends and not foes of people around you.

How to avoid missing the ship

In that case, reimbursement will be provided, or onshore arrangements and alternative transportation will be handled. Some only cover it if the flight does not arrive in time due to extreme weather. Review your travel insurance policy carefully to understand the procedure for delayed arrival, refund policies, and itinerary disruption. In case of delayed arrival to the ship’s disembarkation port, it is best to arrive at the destination the day before the cruise leaves. It may seem frustrating to have to pay for an extra night, but just look at it as giving you peace of mind and starting your vacation a day early.

Royal Caribbean Blog is your ultimate source for Royal Caribbean coverage.

If it can’t, the cruise line should take financial and logistical responsibility for getting you to another port to meet up with your ship. Finally, learning from this experience can help you become a more prepared traveler. Plan for possible delays, stay updated with travel alerts, and have contingency plans in place. Reflect on any mistakes made and use this as an opportunity to grow and improve your future travel plans.

One exception to the typical delay occurred when a cruise passenger kept the Carnival Vista waiting for 45 minutes! Her casual attitude in returning to the ship even made a recording of the situation go viral. While this careless passenger got lucky, do not assume your cruise ship will do the same for you.

It also has an exception for trips between two different U.S. ports that include a stop at a distant foreign port. It is essential to be aware of the financial implications that come with missing a cruise ship, including potential loss of non-refundable expenses and additional costs of finding alternatives. However, by contacting the cruise line promptly, exploring options such as catching up at the next port or booking a flight to the next destination, and considering travel insurance, you can mitigate the financial impact. Cruise ships leave late passengers behind due to various reasons and, often, many are at play at once.For example, did you know that a cruise ship’s schedule is planned at least two years or more ahead of an actual tour? The passengers traveled through six countries to meet up with the ship at its final port of call in Senegal, according to the report.

Norwegian Cruise Lines ship abandons passengers on African island - Quartz

Norwegian Cruise Lines ship abandons passengers on African island.

Posted: Tue, 02 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Fly to your departure port the day before your cruise

The emergency number is in the daily planner, often called Port Agent Information. Even in cases where it is logistically easy to get to a ship’s next port of call, you may not be legally allowed to board the vessel at that port. You will either have to either meet the ship in a subsequent port or travel home. Effective communication with the cruise line can make a significant difference in finding alternative solutions and minimizing the disruption caused by missing the ship. Stay proactive in your approach and remain open to the possibilities that may arise from your dialogue with the cruise line. If that does happen, depending on the port, she recommended calling or going to the closest U.S. embassy and contacting the cruise line to determine next steps.

Paying out-of-pocket to travel to the next port and being in a foreign country without any of your belongings is not on anyone’s vacation bucket-list. While you’ll have extra protections when on a shore excursion booked through Royal Caribbean, missing the cruise ship can still be a stressful experience for any passenger. Otherwise, you are responsible for any expense incurred to meet the ship at its next port of call. For this reason, many guests find it is easiest to arrive a day prior to sailing and stay in a hotel the night before to avoid any possible delays. If you miss a day or two of a cruise because of a delayed flight, you might be able to get some reimbursement through a travel insurance policy, assuming you have one. Most travel insurance plans offer "trip interruption" coverage that kicks in after missed connections.

Time is money and if you are late, you will usually find yourself stranded in port with your cruise ship disappearing off into the horizon. Once you’ve figured out when and where you’ll be joining the ship, call the cruise line back to inform them and get more details—don’t just show up at the next stop! Once you’ve stated your intentions, the cruise line needs to do several things differently to prepare for your arrival, from alerting the crew onboard to contacting the local port agent. It’s a nightmare that cruise passengers hope never to experience—arriving at the pier late to watch their cruise ship sail off on their vacation without them onboard. If they are lucky and realize they are late, they frantically run back to their ship before it heads to the next port.

It’s important to remember that being on time is always your responsibility, so you should not expect the cruise line to provide any compensation, even if your lateness was not your fault. While it may sound like a fairly simple process to rejoin a cruise ship, it is vital that you only do so in cooperation with the cruise line you are traveling with. Speaking of timing, make sure that you set multiple alarm clocks and regularly check your watch or phone. The more time you give yourself, the less stress you will experience on your departure day. If you are traveling to a departure point from out of state or out of the country, make sure that you consider the time zone your departure time is listed in. In addition, be sure to switch your phone’s time and date settings to manual time instead of automatic.

The cruise company is under no obligation to wait for you, or indeed to assist you if you miss your ship (although generally they won’t leave you completely stranded). Some countries, including the United States, have “cabotage” laws that restrict the number of ports where foreign-flagged vessels such as cruise ships can pick up and drop off passengers. Doyle said cruise lines are unlikely to refund passengers who have to cancel their reservation so close to boarding, though policies may vary. Ultimately, it is the captain’s decision whether to wait for late passengers or not. However, in most cases, with so many pressures to leave on time, a captain will usually opt not to disrupt the planned schedule.

Exact protocols can change depending on specific ports and scheduling situations. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. If you do not think that you will be able to remember when you need to head back to the ship, set a few alarms on your phone. Rather than banking on being able to board a few minutes after all aboard and browsing through a few more shops or getting one more drink, go ahead and head back to the ship. If there is still no sign of the missing guest, security will check their cabin to see if they are just asleep.