Does a cruise ship have to wait for you?

Captain Graucob explained again that cruise ships do not wait for late passengers, “unless we can get a hold of them and they tell us where they are. If it is reasonable, then we will wait. But no, there are no repercussions, other than if you miss the ship because then it is a big expense.”



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Since the excursion is supposed to only take place within the allotted port time, the ship will wait for passengers coming from a cruise line excursion that's running late. However, if you've spent the day independently on your own, there are certain steps you must take to make sure you're not left stranded.

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A cruise ship can leave without you – and if you get left behind, it will cost you a bundle. Here are ways to avoid that happening, plus what to do if it does. For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter.

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It all depends on which cruise line you are sailing with and how busy the terminal is. Boarding will continue up until one to two hours before the scheduled departure time. If you arrive at the terminal a few minutes before the ship's departure, you will not be allowed on.

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Cruise ships will leave passengers at ports if they're late. After all, you and your family aren't the only ones who are impacted by your lateness. Typically, if you haven't made it back on board, the crew will take off without you for the sake of time.

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If you wonder whether cruise ships have jails, the answer is yes. Jails are called brigs on a cruise ship and tend only to be used in serious circumstances when no other options are available. Cabin arrest is typically used before the brig is needed.

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Guests who miss their cruise due to travel delays can contact the Emergency Travel Team (ETT) to discuss their options going forward. In specific situations, when the guest has the proper documentation, it is possible to join the cruise at the next port of call, but all options must be discussed with ETT.

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Cruise ship workers are not supposed to hook up with passengers, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. It is rare though – most crew follow the rules because they know they'll lose their job if they're caught. You won't be surprised to hear that cruise lines ban crew from having sex with passengers.

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If you're bringing the whole family, a 5 or 7 day cruise might be the best way to make sure everyone has an awesome getaway. And for those lucky folks with even more time to spare, a cruise of 10 days or more will give you an incredible experience of all the best things a cruise has to offer.

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In 2023 thus far, there have been 10 overboard incidents affecting 11 people, according to data compiled by Ross Klein, a social work professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland, who runs a cruise safety website. Nine of those eleven people died as a result.

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The majority who do fall overboard were acting recklessly and/or affected by drink and drugs. 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. Your chances of falling overboard on a cruise are roughly 1 in 1.4 million.

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Cruise ships very rarely sink, and when they do it is often when they don't have passengers on board. Just over one cruise ship every 5 years has sunk in the last 100 years. Regarding sinking with casualties, that's only one every 7 years.

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It could take a few minutes or an hour to walk off the ship once it's over. The entire process will take a few hours to get every single passenger off the ship when the cruise is over. Usually the last guests are walking off the ship in the 9:00am hour.

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How long will I be onboard? Contract lengths vary by position but range between four and ten months. After each contract you will receive approximately 60 days of vacation before your next assignment.

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