What happens if you get left behind at Castaway Cay?

The ship will not leave you behind, and unless you're hiding in some bushes, you couldn't get accidentally left behind if you want since Crew Members “sweep” the island to clear it of guests. Stay until the last 15 minutes to enjoy Castaway Cay almost all to yourselves!



If you miss the "All Aboard" time at Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island in the Bahamas), the ship will eventually depart without you, as it must stay on a strict schedule. However, because Castaway Cay is a private island operated by Disney, you are not "stranded" in the traditional sense. Disney staff live on the island year-round, so you would be cared for by the Island Command team. They will coordinate with the ship’s Port Agent to arrange transportation—usually via a private boat or a small plane to Great Abaco or Nassau—where you can then fly to the ship's next port or back home. You are responsible for all rejoining costs, which can easily exceed $1,000 per person. To avoid this, always keep your watch on "Ship Time" and aim to be back on the pier at least 60 minutes before the scheduled departure in 2026.

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If your cruise leaves you behind, don't panic! Most major cruise companies have an agent at every port who will be able to assist you. In many cases, the boat knows that you aren't on board because you haven't checked in. So, they'll remove your essential belongings and leave them with the port agent.

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By the 1980s, Gorda Cay was becoming known for it's notorious drug operation. Various newspapers reported that people who once owned parts of the island were no longer welcome, and were being chased away by men with large guns and even larger Dobermans.

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What happens when someone goes overboard on a cruise ship? The ship goes into emergency mode. The bridge will contact the Coast Guard and a search will begin. 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.

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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.

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The Maritime Injury Guide reports that 19 people go missing from cruise ships yearly. While that may not sound significant, it adds up to 400 people over the last 20 years. This includes accidental falls overboard, suicides, and disappearances during port visits.

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As such, you can board the cruise with other forms of ID, including a passport card, a trusted traveler card, a REAL ID, etc. Minors can also travel without passport books as long as they have their birth/ naturalization/ citizenship certificates.

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'Splash' - Castaway Cay in The Bahamas The movie was filmed in multiple locations, but the famous scene where Madison (Daryl Hannah) meets Allen (Tom Hanks) was filmed along the beach of what's now known as Castaway Cay. The only way to visit this exquisite beach is to hop on a boat from Disney Cruise Line.

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Disney Castaway Cay - You can't swim with dolphins here, but you can have an encounter with sting rays! San Juan, Puerto Rico - Go for a horseback ride or take a zipline tour!

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Since 2018, seven people have been reported missing from cruise lines, according to archives provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The most recent suspicious death on a cruise ship happened between October and December of 2019. In 2018, three people were reported missing by Carnival Cruise Lines.

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The overboard deaths of a 7-year-old boy and his mother show the most likely scenario when people fall off cruise ships. A young boy and his mother both died after going overboard a passenger ferry earlier this month.

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