We’ve all seen videos of tardy cruise passengers running after their departing ships. Here’s what happens next
Cruise experts weigh in on the course of action to take if your boat has sailed without you, and reveal why captains are never likely to wait for latecomers
ShanonG
Missing the boat is always going to give cruise ship travelers a distinct sinking feeling. After all, they are literally watching a well-planned and much-needed vacation sail away.
But what happens if you do miss a departure, with your frantic pier-running efforts having fallen short?
We spoke to several cruise experts to find out what steps to take next and answer why a captain can rarely wait for stragglers — no matter how much they’ve paid for their berths.
What to do if you fear you’ll miss the boat
If being late looks likely, call the ship’s number or port agent, said Chrissy Valdez, senior director of operations at travel insurance firm Squaremouth.
“Many factors can impact departure time, but in certain special circumstances, the captain may wait for a short time or be able to confirm if they have other passengers they are waiting for as well,” Valdez said.
What happens if you do miss the ship?
First of all, you won’t find your belongings dumped on the pier.
Donald Bucolo, from travel firm Eat Sleep Cruise, told The Independent: "Your luggage stays onboard. The cruise line will not remove your belongings, and your stateroom will be held for you."
If you’re on a regular ocean cruise, your first step, once you’ve cursed your luck, should be to contact the port agent’s office, who will very probably be expecting you.
Jeremy Clubb, the CEO of Rainforest Cruises and Antarctica Cruises, said: “They will have information on what to do next to catch your boat. As long as it’s not an Atlantic crossing, you should be able to make it to the next port.”
He added: “If you are on a river expedition cruise, the situation will look different. On an Amazon or Upper Mekong cruise, for example, with not fully specified docking spots, whether you make it to the next boat’s stop depends on whether it’s possible to get there by car or if there is a local boat able to transfer you.
“In many cases, the cruise operator will be able to make the arrangements for a car or a speedboat to chase down your boat. You’ll have a great story to tell. But sometimes you will miss out on a part of the trip.”
And who pays? You do, which makes having solid travel insurance in place paramount.
Chrissy said: “We always recommend looking for policy coverage that includes missed connection coverage specific to cruises and tours, travel delay protection, and opting for policies with robust trip interruption coverage.
“Although travel insurance may be able to help you catch up to the ship, it won’t override any cruise line policies or local laws that restrict reboarding.”
Key essentials to take ashore
To keep hassle to a minimum in the event of a missed departure, make sure you take a few key essentials ashore with you during excursions.
Donald said: “We recommend leaving your passport in your cabin safe and carrying a photocopy with you ashore, or at a minimum, having a clear photo of it saved on your phone.
“Along those same lines, always have your travel insurance information with you, whether a printed copy or a photo saved on your phone. If something goes wrong ashore, the last thing you want to be doing is trying to track down a policy number while you are scrambling to figure out your next move.”
Chrissy recommended to also take emergency cash and a working credit card. She remarked: “There are many well-known cases of passengers missing their ship and being left stranded with no access to important documents or funds to help themselves out of their predicament.”
Why the ship won’t wait
Cruise ships run on tight, carefully planned schedules, there are sometimes tide times to factor in — and they generally won’t wait for late passengers.
Chris Pitchford, CEO of World of Cruising, explained: “One myth many cruisers have is that ships will hang around because of how much a cruise costs, and I think this is why ‘pier runners’ are not uncommon.
“But in truth, departure times are linked to port agreements and itinerary commitments — if you’re late, the ship simply can’t jeopardise the schedule for everyone else.
“In some cases, staff might hold the gangway for a few extra minutes for stragglers, but there’s no guarantee they’ll do this, especially if the ship’s schedule is on a tight timeline.”
