Alex O'Brien
Cruising

What to do if you miss your cruise

Standing at a port watching your cruise ship head out to sea because you’ve dawdled on your own independent shore excursion truly is the stuff of holiday nightmares.

But what happens if this nightmare becomes a reality?

Are you really stuck out there without a paddle (or rather cruise ship) or is there a way to get back aboard? We’re going to look at what to do if you miss your cruise.

What happens?

Cruise ships have strict rules for passengers in relation to getting back on time and there is an onus on the passengers to be punctual. Which is understandable, as many of the larger cruise ships have to process hundreds of passengers at every port stop.

The American couple featured in the dramatic footage above made headlines this year when they failed to make it back to their Norwegian Breakaway cruise liner.

The ship sailed away with their young children onboard. According to media reports and a spokesperson from Norwegian Cruise Line the ship went beyond standard protocol, waiting an extra half hour for the couple before setting off on the three-day journey back to New York. The children had their uncle onboard, but the parents had to make their own way back.

How can I avoid this?

When it comes to missing cruise stops, the best thing you can do is try to avoid it happening altogether. We recommend taking the following precautions.

If I’ve missed my cruise, what should I do?

If the unfortunate has happened, you may have to make your own way to the next spot or call the trip off entirely. We recommend taking the following actions.

Have you ever had a close calls in terms of making it back on a cruise?

Please let us know in the comments!

Related links:

5 things you MUST do to avoid seasickness on a cruise

10 things you must never do in a cruise cabin

P&O’s first cruise around New Zealand

Tags:
travel, holiday, cruise, cruising, missed