One cruise passenger has made a pre-cruise faux pas she may never live down – especially now that her mistake has gone viral on social media.
In preparation for her upcoming Virgin Voyages sailing, Kate Goodwin was asked to submit a selfie that clearly showed her face and shoulders to use as onboard identification. But what she didn’t mean to do was to give Virgin Voyages a surprise glimpse of her birthday suit.
In a now viral TikTok video posted to her channel (@katesdaysss), the 30-year-old explained how she could make such a revealing mistake.
When the Londoner submitted her security photo, she had just gotten out of the shower. Because of the selfie outline on her screen, she assumed that the photo would have been cropped at her shoulders. Instead, staff members got a full view!
“I was naked because I had just showered and laying around on my phone as you do – but didn’t think it mattered because that part of the photo was not inside the guideline frame and only my face was,” Goodwin told Newsweek as she recounted the incident.
As the absolute worst case scenario, she figured the image would only be seen by artificial intelligence (AI) to verify her identity and not an actual person.
Instead, she was shocked to receive an email from the young cruise brand weeks after she sent the photo warning her of the inappropriate submission.
“We apologize that somewhere along the way, a snafus occurred that’s preventing your Ready to Sail to be ‘officially’ complete,” reads the email from Virgin Voyages, in part.
“Ready to Sail” is Virgin Voyages’ term for online check-in, which must be completed prior to arriving at the cruise terminal.
“In order to avoid any issues at the port, log into the Virgin Voyages app to complete check-in and correct the following issues(s),” continued the email.
The TikToker was shocked to read that the problem at hand was that her security photo contained nudity – but was able to remedy the issue quickly and even laughed about the incident onboard with members of the crew.
What is the Purpose of Security Photos?
It’s common knowledge that cruise ships carefully verify each and every passenger’s identity prior to embarkation using a valid form of government I.D., such as a passport or driver’s license.
But some cruise lines – including Virgin Voyages – go a step further by asking guests to submit a security photo ahead of setting sail.
This practice not only helps crew members quickly re-verify each guest’s identity when embarking and disembarking in the ports of call, but also can help improve service on board.
For example, crew members may use the photos to locate guests who ordered drinks or to help check passengers in for their dining reservations.
As embarrassing as it was to send in a nude security photo, Goodwin can rest assured that the TikTok community was laughing with her – not at her – and that she also wasn’t alone in her mistake.
Read Also: Boarding a Cruise Ship – All You Should Know
“I DID THIS FOR A PHOTO FOR A NEW JOB. She emailed saying I need to be clothed for the photo and to do it again!,” one TikToker replied.
“My friend does approval photos and gets them so much,” someone else added.
Speaking of overexposure, another couple recently made headlines for a very nude and very public display of affection during the christening ceremony for Explora Journey’s recently launched Explora II – although this faux pas seemed more careless than unintentional.
Goodwin can feel a bit better knowing that her nude photo was never publicly released as well – unlike this couple, whose romantic escapades were caught on video.
