While it doesn't happen too often that a passenger gets left behind, people arriving late is all too common. If you stand out on deck, shortly before the ship is scheduled to depart, you'll likely notice the last few stragglers running for their life in order to get back to the ship before the gangway is pulled back.

While there is no "official" daily count, industry estimates in 2026 suggest that cruise ships leave passengers behind at a rate of approximately 1 in every 50,000 to 100,000 guests. This usually happens when "pier runners"—passengers who lose track of time at a local bar or on an independent excursion—fail to meet the "All Aboard" time, which is typically 30 minutes before the actual sail-away. If you are on an official cruise-sponsored excursion, the ship must wait for you or pay to transport you to the next port. If you are on your own, the ship will legally depart to maintain its high-value slot in the next port's schedule. In 2026, with 21.7 million Americans cruising annually, this translates to a few dozen people weekly across the global fleet. When left behind, the "Port Agent" takes over, holding your passport (which security retrieves from your cabin) and assisting you with the high-cost logistics of flying to the next destination to rejoin the vessel.