Cruise Ships Stop if You Fall Overboard Here's What Happens

Table Of Content

• The Impact on the Crew
• Second Icon-Class Ship Will Have a Furry Family Member
• What Happens When Someone Falls Overboard?
• Will My Cruise Be Delayed if a Passenger Goes Overboard?
• A Surprising Safety Mystery: How Does Someone Fall Off A Cruise Ship?
• Are guests entitled to compensation if a passenger falls overboard?
• How easy is it to fall overboard on a cruise ship?
• Cruise Line Adds “Glacier Day” to Its Alaskan Cruise Itineraries

Luckily it is almost impossible to fall off a cruise ship but there are still people on occasion who manage to fall accidentally usually while doing something dangerous like standing on a railing or climbing from balcony to balcony. It’s also important to note that not all of these cases are unintentional. Some individuals decide to take their own life by jumping overboard. However, the pain left for the friends and family of these individuals is significant.

The Impact on the Crew

It's much more dangerous to drive in a car, where the odds of dying in a crash are about 1 in 645. The majority of people who fall off cruise ships either do so intentionally or by committing a reckless act. Railings are built to chest height on every part of the ship and there have been no incidents of passengers falling off cruise ships due to the negligence of the cruise lines. The price paid by the crew and ship is nothing compared to one who has lost his life, for sure. Yet when someone falls overboard, the repercussions extend far beyond the personal safety of the person who fell. Not only are lives at risk (not just the victim but also the rescuers), but a huge amount of money can be spent on rescue operations and fuel, stress levels sharply increase for both passengers and crew, and cruises can be delayed.

Second Icon-Class Ship Will Have a Furry Family Member

Take note of the place where the man overboard happened, as well as the time and any details you noticed, as you will likely be asked to give a report to Guest Services. Stay out of the way of any emergency personnel who are trying to do their jobs as well. The cruise ship will then turn around as soon as possible to reach the area where the person landed in the water. When a passenger fell off Oasis of the Seas in November 2015, the ship came to a stop in six minutes, traveling almost a mile from the site before it could turn around. As a passenger, you might feel the ship's movements as it performs these maneuvers. If the seas are rough, it not only makes it difficult for a person to swim, it's also tough for emergency staff to find them in the water.

What Happens When Someone Falls Overboard?

The ship will keep searching until the Coast Guard clears it to continue its voyage to the next port. The Coast Guard will continue searching, widening the radius of the search based on probable locations, conditions and ocean currents, until they feel they're unlikely to find the person. The ship will stop and the crew will try to pinpoint where and when it happened so they can start a thorough search in that area. Investigations into every overboard incident from the 10-year period beginning in 2009 found all of them to be "the result of an intentional or reckless act," the CLIA report said.

Will My Cruise Be Delayed if a Passenger Goes Overboard?

You may have heard that cruise ships typically have carefully located cameras to keep an eye on high-risk areas where passengers are more susceptible to leaping or falling into the water. While most modern cruise ships do have such camera systems, their primary function is to record and document. They don’t automatically trigger an alarm if they record someone going overboard. If a guest does fall overboard the cruise ship will stop and turn around to search for the guest and other ships will also join in the rescue effort.

A Surprising Safety Mystery: How Does Someone Fall Off A Cruise Ship?

Someone must actually witness a person going overboard to trigger any alarm systems and protocols. This might be other passengers or crew members, who will immediately cry “Man overboard! I don’t remember exactly which ships were there but I remember seeing my first Disney cruise ship up close. It was very surreal to see the other ships and know why we were all circling together.

Are guests entitled to compensation if a passenger falls overboard?

For example, in 2017 a 24-year-old crew member from Mauritius who worked as a pool cleaner allegedly jumped off Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas. Though the CCTV did not capture the moment he fell, the Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA)—who, as the flag state’s naval authority, conducted the investigation (pdf)—alleges he jumped from a blind spot on deck four. The BMA also revealed that roughly seven hours passed from the time he jumped to the time he was reported missing by his supervisor. Another three hours elapsed before a search of the ship was conducted and the US Coast Guard notified.

How easy is it to fall overboard on a cruise ship?

When passengers engage in reckless behavior that results in an overboard, it's not only dangerous to them, but creates problems for the ship and the entire cruise industry. As one ex-cruise director told us, "To accidentally fall overboard is usually due to alcohol and then the press enters, putting the cruise industry in the cross hairs ... turning it into bad publicity for us as a whole." The organization recorded a total of 212 overboard incidents on cruise ships from 2009 to 2019. But of those hundreds who went into the water, only 48 were successfully rescued. It's impossible to discuss cruise-ship man-overboard incidents without mentioning that some of them are, in fact, intentional. Some cruisers purposefully jump off cruise ships to commit suicide.

In reality, one or two people go overboard each month out of roughly 2.5 million who cruise during the same time frame. A person who falls overboard is often dead by the time he or they reaches the ocean. And, of those that do, some would likely be knocked unconscious and drowned.

Cruise lines have regulations in place to prevent passengers from falling overboard. A Carnival cruiser who fell off a ship over Thanksgiving 2022 made headlines when he was rescued after spending close to 20 hours in the Gulf of Mexico. Bartenders on cruise ships are taught to identify when somebody has had far too much drink and, just like on land, will refuse to serve them further drinks. A voyage on the seven seas on a big vessel may not appear to be as dangerous as it once was back in the days of schooners and pirates.

Royal Caribbean cruise ship passenger missing after going overboard on trip to the Bahamas - New York Post

Royal Caribbean cruise ship passenger missing after going overboard on trip to the Bahamas.

Posted: Mon, 25 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you jump off a cruise ship? From real-life examples to legal ramifications, we have the answers. Cruise Radio prioritizes well-balanced cruise news coverage and accurate reporting, paired with ship reviews and tips.

Once, onboard Celebrity Millennium during New Year's Eve celebrations, a crew member advised a friend that his personal situation was too much for him. A thorough ship search was conducted, and the crew presumed he jumped. We spent every sunlit hour, assisted by a Coast Guard plane, searching. "The best thing you can do in the first few minutes of immersion is try to rest, relax, float," he says, suggesting that restricting movement and conserving energy is the best strategy to increase your survival odds. In 2018, a cruise ship worker was rescued when another cruise ship spotted him 22 hours after he went overboard northwest of Cuba, long after the Coast Guard had called off the search.

The ship is then repositioned to return to the point of the incident, while a lifeboat is readied. Challenging search-and-rescue operations ensue, which may include the aid of other area ships, while the U.S. Coast Guard or other local authorities may send in planes or helicopters to help scan the waters. While the number of passengers who jump from cruise ships varies year to year, the average number tends to sit around 25 incidents per year. While it is almost impossible to fully prevent this from happening, onboard safety measures and surveillance systems help reduce the risk of accidental overboard incidents.

Even if a passenger falls overboard, crew members can circle the ship to save them, provided they are told in a timely manner. It is incredibly rare for passengers on a cruise to fall overboard on a cruise. The majority who do fall overboard were acting recklessly and/or affected by drink and drugs. It’s not just cruise ships that will join in the search, if there are any other ships such as ferries or cargo ships these will also join in the search. While it may be tempting to enter a restricted area, it’s not a good idea. There’s nothing wrong with having a good time and enjoying an adult beverage, but please do so responsibly.

We make sure cruisers are fully prepared for their cruise vacation with tips on ships and ports.Millions of travelers rely on Cruise Hive in the United States, Europe, Australia, and around the world. While jumping off a cruise ship is extremely dangerous and often deadly, it is possible to survive. Chances of survival will depend heavily on environmental conditions, the passenger’s swimming abilities, and how quickly rescue teams can react.