When you’re onboard a cruise ship floating in the ocean, holiday mode sets in and before you know, you’re having the time of your life. You think to yourself: “This is great I can get away with anything.”
Wrong! A cruise holiday doesn’t mean that there are no rules. In actual fact, there are some strict restrictions passengers. Breaking these rules most certainly see you walking the plank.
Skipping The Muster Drill
Veteran cruisers will tell you that it’s a pain-in-the-neck doing the muster drill. However, don’t think you can get away with the attitude of: “been there done that.”
It is compulsory, and if you think you can get away with avoiding muster, just ask the couple who were booted off Seabourn Seajourn in 2012 after the wife decided to skip it.
Engaging In a Scuffle
We have seen the shocking YouTube footage showing huge fights breaking out between passengers on cruise ships.
Some might even get a laugh watching them at the time, but fighting is no laughing matter!
While on a cruise, no matter what age you are, throwing a blow, or an outright heated argument with a fellow guest of crew member – will get you booted off the ship.
Even exchanging verbal insults can get you kicked off a cruise. In 2010, an 82-year-old passenger and her 91-year-old husband (yes the ages are correct) were kicked off the Queen Mary 2 after cursing at a fellow passenger who apparently made a Jewish insult.
Throwing Items Overboard
It doesn’t matter how small the item is, throwing anything overboard is grounds to be kicked off the ship. Whether it’s a cigarette. or even a napkin from the bar you will be booted!
Here’s just one instance, a Perth couple were booted of a P&O cruise in 2016 after flicking a cigarette butt off the side of the ship.
If they were listening carefully, they would have heard at the mandatory passenger safety muster explicit warning about the dangers associated with disposing of cigarettes over the side, as the cigarette butt can blow into the engine and start a serious fire, which puts the guests and crew in danger.
Sneaking Illicit Contraband Onboard
Don’t be fooled, those friendly looking sniffer dogs will catch you as they have up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, compared to about six million in humans
Get caught sneaking drugs, weaponries or other illicit contraband onto the ship, and you might as well say “Adios” to your cruise holiday.
On one cruise I went on a young man decided to wear a t-shirt with “A Friend With Weed Is A Friend Indeed”. If that doesn’t set off alarm bells then what will?
You guess know what happed next. His bags were searched, and a stash of cannabis was found. He never found a friend in the end!
Drinking Under The Legal Age Limit
You might allow your 17-year-old to have a sip of wine at home, but on a cruise ship it don’t do it! Cruise lines will not accept anyone providing an underage guest alcohol. If you’re busted, both you and the minor you provided alcohol to will be booted.
Getting Very Sick
The ship doctors on board are fantastic and can assist you through your normal illnesses. So if you are seasick, or have a stomach bug you wont be given your marching orders. But if your illness is of a serious nature such as a heart attack or stroke, then you’ll be immediately winched off the ship, usually by helicopter to the nearest hospital.
