Cruise ship holidays are generally a time for passengers to let their hair down and make the most of their time away. They see travellers visiting multiple ports in one trip while always staying in the same accommodation – making for a very convenient trip indeed. Despite these holidays being a time for fun and frivolity, there are still rules that need to be obeyed. A cruise industry expert has revealed one thing that you must never do onboard a cruise ship.
Some no-nos on board a cruise ship may seem very obvious to holidaymakers but some may come as a surprise.
One activity that is forbidden could easily be done without thinking if travellers aren’t careful.
Adam Coulter, UK managing editor of Cruise Critic, has explained the very serious consequences that can follow.
“Never throw anything overboard,” Coulter told Express.co.uk. “It doesn’t matter if it’s just a finished cigarette or something larger.”
Chucking something off a cruise ship won’t just see passengers reprimanded, however. They could see their holiday come to an abrupt end.
“Getting caught throwing something overboard will get you chucked off at the next port.”
It’s not just items going overboard that cruisers need to be aware of, though. There’s also the potential of a holidaymaker themselves going over.
Ex cruise ship crew member Joshua Kinser told Express.co.uk that it happened while he worked in the industry.
“It only occurred a few times on the ships I was aboard, but it seems to happen much more aboard cruise liners than most passengers probably think,” he said.
“The main thing to avoid seems simple enough, but so many passengers do it, and that’s leaning over the rails of the cruise ship, or even worse, climbing over the rails or sitting on top of the rails.”
Kinser revealed that the codeword “Oscar, Oscar, Oscar” signified someone had fallen overboard a cruise ship.
He explained that sitting on top of the railings was very risky. “I’ve seen passengers sit on top of rails countless times,” Kinser said.
“I’ve seen it most at the sail away parties at the beginning of cruises. It doesn’t take long for a crew member to spot this dangerous behaviour and inform the passenger that they shouldn’t be doing that.
According to Cruise Critic: “Back in 2007, a man allegedly jumped off his veranda in an attempt to rescue his significant other after knocking her overboard during an outdoor rendezvous.”
The 22-year-old man 20-year-old woman fell 50 to 60 feet from their cabin balcony into the sea.
They fell during the night and the ship had to turn around when their disappearance was noticed and searched for the pair with high powered spotlights and rescue boats.
The man was found naked and was discovered half an hour before his female companion was spotted. Incredibly, neither suffered life-threatening injuries.