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The Guest Care Team also gives free phone and internet while onboard, allowing loved ones to make arrangements. When sailing, there are several considerations when someone dies, including the policies governing different ports along with the ship’s itinerary. These determine whether a body can be repatriated during the next port, whether it needs to be removed, or whether it should remain on the cruise ship until its final destination. It’s not surprising that many people die on cruise ships every year, as the elderly demographic make up a large percentage of passengers. In rare instances on small vessels with fewer morgue spaces, there have been reports of bodies stored in the ship’s large freezers or refrigerators, depending on the available cooling options. When you think some of the largest cruise ships have a capacity of 4000 to 6000 passengers, many of them in their older years, it’s no surprise there are deaths.
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Cruises
Cruise ships are like floating cities, with thousands of passengers enjoying amenities like restaurants, pools, casinos, and entertainment. Cruise ships are not just equipped with morgues; they also have medical facilities staffed by qualified healthcare professionals. They gathered data from 78 ocean cruise lines worldwide to analyze passenger and crew mortality from 2000 to 2019. Regarding passenger deaths, 61% were residents of the United States. Whether you die on a ship or on land, cruise lines don’t offer a burial at sea. However, many do offer services that allow ashes to be scattered at sea.
You won’t be buried at sea
The primary objective is to have sufficient space to store the deceased passengers until they can be returned to their families or transferred to a port where the local authorities can take charge. Cruise ship morgues are not publicized, and this may come as a surprise to many passengers. However, it’s a necessary facility that ensures respect, care, and proper handling of those who have passed away during their voyage. However, it’s essential to be informed about the procedures and facilities available, such as the presence of a cruise ship morgue. The morgue is usually found on the lowest ship deck, away from guests.
What happens if a passenger dies while on a shore excursion?
It varies by cruise line, but some offer dedicated ceremonies for this type of service. Cruise lines will also often employ dedicated staff to assist the on-board family of someone who has passed away. They are not usually trained counsellors, but they are available for support of administrative matters such as arranging the repatriation of the body and contacting a funeral home. Although cruise lines make efforts to provide appropriate morgue facilities, there have been rare instances where the morgue was not big enough to accommodate all deceased passengers.
Family Cruise Companion
With the latter, you can team up with your friends and family to play giant versions of Connect 4 Basketball or Simon Flash in front of a live audience. Every Carnival ship has one big theater where you'll often find flashy, fast-paced production shows that string together a medley of loosely related tunes. Designed to be quick and digestible, they typically last around 30 minutes and have relatively small casts (just eight on some ships). The latter venue was created in partnership with Food Network's Guy Fieri and serves a free lunch on embarkation and sea days, with all items smoked on board. The overarching idea for Carnival's ship deployments is that a large percentage of the U.S. population can reach one of the line's ships by car, saving the cost of flights. Note that the Carnival fleet is scheduled to grow over the next year with two more new vessels.
What do cruise ships do if someone dies?
Additionally, all staff must be trained to handle both the logistics of disembarking a body and the emotional needs of fellow passengers and loved ones. Staff must immediately notify the passengers traveling with the guest on the same reservation. If the passenger is traveling alone, the cruise line will need to notify the emergency contact named by the deceased passenger. In some cases, cruise lines will have ministers and small chapels for religious people to use and perform final rites according to the passenger’s faith. If you are curious if cruise ships have morgues, the answer is yes.
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One more ship in the series — Carnival Jubilee — will arrive in December 2023. Cruise lines ensure these spaces are located discreetly, respecting both the deceased and the living passengers’ sensitivities. They are usually situated near medical facilities but are not a place one might accidentally discover while looking for the pool deck. Security measures are in place, keeping them off-limits to everyone except authorized crew members. Immediate post-cruise follow-up involves the cruise line informing the families and travel companions of the deceased and offering support, including access to grief counselors. The question, “What happens when a passenger dies during the voyage?
Repatriation for a Passenger Who Died on a Cruise Ship
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While smaller ships may have small refrigerators that can accommodate one or two bodies, larger ships may have more spacious facilities. In case of space constraints, crew members may utilize alternative options, such as walk-in freezers, to store the deceased until they can be transferred to shore. Typically, a cruise ship morgue has enough space for three bodies.
Most Carnival ships have self-serve launderettes on cabin decks with washing machines, dryers, irons and ironing boards. The launderettes also have vending machines that dispense small boxes of detergent and water softener at $1.50 per box. The social and value plans cost $18 and $23 per day, respectively, when bought onboard a ship.
Carnival is one of the world's biggest cruise lines by passenger capacity, with 25 ships that together offer nearly 80,000 berths. Port authorities assist with customs clearance and transfer to a local funeral home or morgue arranged by the deceased’s family. Approximately 200 people die across all cruises worldwide per year. Ship morgues are small sterile rooms with refrigerator units to store 1-2 bodies.
However, for many years it chose not to follow rivals such as Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises in building ever-bigger ships. Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration are now the only Carnival ship on the list of the 50 biggest cruise ships. Seven of the line's 25 vessels measure less than 100,000 tons, which makes them almost midsize by today's cruise ship standards.
As the creator of this website, I want to help families plan fun cruises free of stress and filled with adventure! Cruise ship morgues are big enough to accommodate three to four deceased, which varies between smaller and larger ships. One of the asst. cruise directors that we were having drinks with one night was telling us about the "behind the scenes" areas.
Proper facilities like the onboard morgue and established protocols allow the cruise line to make necessary arrangements while still continuing voyage. Inside the morgue, there are cold storage units or refrigerated drawers to preserve bodies until the ship reaches the next port. Access to the morgue is restricted only to authorized medical personnel and officers due to the sensitive nature. While the idea of a morgue on a cruise ship may seem unsettling, it’s a practical and essential component.
The morgue is usually located out of the way from main passenger areas, often on one of the lower decks of the ship without windows. This provides privacy and reduces the chance of passengers accidentally encountering the morgue. As said one of our recent blogs, why do I need cruise travel insurance? These medical centres can handle a range of health issues, from minor injuries to more serious medical emergencies. In some cases, they keep the deceased on board, allowing the cruise ship to transport it back to the original port.
They, along with local authorities, can help the family make a plan for the remains. They can also be a provisional conservator for the estate if no one else is available. Any death-related costs incurred should be covered by travel insurance but make sure any cover includes repatriation.
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