Cruise expert explains what happens to luggage if you’re late for ship | Cruise | Travel

Making it to your ship on time is vital if you’re going on a cruise. This is because like with airplanes, the ship also has a time where it needs to set off.

If you’re on a cruise and you leave your luggage and passport on it while exploring the destinations, here’s what actually happens according to a seasoned cruiser.

Tim from CruiseTipsAndTricks on TikTok explains that if you are late to your cruise, the ship will essentially leave without you.

“If you are late for your shop it is highly likely that they will leave without you, unless there are extenuating circumstances. There is a huge amount of cost involved if they miss their slot.

“So when they’ve gotta go, they’ve got to go.”

The reasons you might be late back to the ship if you are on port would be either due to transportation issues, busy roads and accidents or overestimating time ashore, explains Tim.

So, if you do miss the ship, the cruise line will usually attempt to find your passport in your room if you’ve left them there. Tim says they do have access to safes for emergencies.

“They can leave your passports with the port agent if you haven’t already taken them off. Then it’s up to you really to either find your way home or back to the ship at the next port.”

Tim says the best way to be back on time is to aim to return at least an hour before the all aboard time.

People in the comments agreed with Tim’s tips, one person said they aimed to get back three hours before the ship leaves.

Another said: “We chatted to a Captain, he said they have a protocol. They will phone you, phone hospitals if they can, put announcements out and check your cabin. You are right about the passport.”