Would it Be Possible to Stowaway on a Cruise Ship?

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As Iโ€™m sure many can relate to, I am no stranger to having so much fun on my cruises that I wish they would never end. 

But while Iโ€™ve never had the urge to overstay my welcome as a stowaway, there are some out there in the cruising community who have tried. 

The stories came flooding in after one person took to Reddit to ask: โ€œRedditors who have tried to hide on your cruise when it ended so that you could stay on the ship for the next round, how did that go?โ€

Ultimately, the responses fell into two categories: cruisers who intentionally stowed away, perhaps hoping to blend into the crowds on the world’s largest cruise ships, and guests who stowed away by accident. 

But regardless of why they became stowaways, their attempts to remain onboard were unsuccessful. 

One Redditor, for example, shared a story about how his friend became too drunk and behaved inappropriately, which resulted in serious consequences.

After the unidentified friend was sent to the brig (onboard jail or holding cell) and removed from the sailing at the next port of call, he attempted to stowaway by hiding under the bed in his cruise cabin. 

โ€œMy friend did this. He can’t handle his drink and we were on a mini cruise from Newcastle to Amsterdam, after a good few drinks he loses it… rips a table from the wall and throws it away, took his top off as well as another friend’s top and threw them overboard shouting ‘WHEEEYYYYYYYY’,โ€ the commenter wrote, setting the scene.

In addition to stowaways, the cruise lines also take a zero tolerance stance against throwing items overboard due to the potential negative impact to the environment. Doing so can even result in criminal charges in some cases.

โ€œHe was quickly sent to the brig and had his passport confiscated, meaning he couldn’t get back on the boat after our day in Amsterdam. So he tried to hide under the bed. According to his story he couldn’t fit so his feet were sticking out a bit and said he got caught straight away,โ€ the cruiser continued.

Carnival Cruise Ship Brig
Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive

On the flip side, another Redditor confessed to accidentally stowing away after becoming stuck in a supply closet – with alcohol once again involved. 

โ€œI donโ€™t know if this counts but on the last night of a cruise my friends and I got really drunk. Well I donโ€™t know how the hell but I ended up somewhere passengers shouldnโ€™t be in a god damn supply closet I believe,โ€ the former guest shared.

โ€œThe ship had docked and there was a 2 hour search for me. Still drunk I couldnโ€™t find a way to get outta the room where the supply closet was but the door was locked. The crew thought I was trying to sneak another ride but after reviewing the cameras they clearly could tell I was nowhere near sober. So they let me go on my way with a good laugh,โ€ they added. 

Since it was a mistake and not an intentional crime, this passenger received a much more lenient response from the cruise line.

But people who are caught stowing away can face consequences from both the cruise line and the authorities, including being banned from future sailings, fines, and even potential jail time. In the US, federal laws allow for stowaways to be sentenced to up to five years in prison.

How are Stowaways Found?

Even on large mega-ships, itโ€™s nearly impossible to hide as a stowaway in the age of modern technology. But according to crew members who chimed in on Reddit, guests do try fairly often – around once a month or so. 

That said, their misdeeds are discovered very quickly on disembarkation day – as the cruise line has a record of all passengers onboard and itโ€™s impossible to board or exit the ship without scanning their key card or medallions – unless they have fallen or jumped overboard

When the stowaway doesnโ€™t scan their way off the ship, the crew members quickly start making announcements and searching for the missing passenger.

Carnival Cruise Line Getting Strict
Carnival Cruise Line Getting Strict

One former crew member, who worked for Disney Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and spent 5 years handling disembarkation for Carnival Cruise Line gave some insight into the protocols: 

โ€œAt the end of your cruise, debarkation starts around 7:00 AM. Come 10:00 AM we receive a list of people who have not yet had their card scanned. (Itโ€™s impossible to get off the boat without getting your card scanned, unless you jump into the water, haha),โ€ the former crew member wrote. 

โ€œThen a manhunt begins to get you guys off the ship so we can put a new 2,200-2,600 people on it. We do not start boarding new passengers until every card from the previous voyage has been scanned,โ€ they verified. 

Read Also: 11 Cruise Port Pitfalls That You Really Should Avoid

The crew members would then work together to locate the alleged stowaway, searching both private cabins and public spaces, and even doing extra identity checks of everyone still onboard. 

The security team would also be checking security footage, and in some cases, be able to track cruisersโ€™ locations using their medallions or room keys. 

For example, Princess Cruises can identify their guestsโ€™ general locations using wearable medallions. Normally, the data is encrypted and location tracking is only used to deliver drinks and snacks ordered by guests – but this tool likely also comes in handy in potential stowaway situations or other emergencies.

Most recently, the stowaways that have made headlines are of the accidental (and adorable) animal variety – which of course only received proper care from the crew members onboard. 

In December of 2023, for example, a cat managed to stowaway on Royal Caribbeanโ€™s Ovation of the Seas. 

After nearly facing euthanasia for not being allowed in the ports of call, the guest services team rallied to save the feline friend’s life – with the cat, named Ovie, now safe in its new home in Miami. 

Earlier that year, a burrowing owl was discovered on Symphony of the Seas. The crew members worked with wildlife experts to properly care for the animal until it could be released safely. 

GigSky Cruise SIM

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Catie Kovelman
Catie Kovelman
Catie is an award-winning journalist and researcher. By day, she helps market new movies and TV shows as a senior research manager. But by night, she loves writing cruise news. In addition to Cruise Hive, Catie has contributed to a variety of newspapers, magazines, and other online publications, such as The Plaid Horse, Unwritten, YourTango, Fangirl Nation Magazine, Chapman Magazine, the Orange County Register, and Voice of OC.

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