What happens when someone dies on board a cruise ship, or Where are the morgues hidden on ships?

Cruise ships are known for their many amenities designed to help passengers enjoy their vacation. But travel companies must consider worst-case scenarios. Therefore, in addition to security and medical services on ships, there are services and protocols in case someone dies while sailing, writes USA Today.

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“Given that these voyages tend to have a large number of elderly passengers and these ships are essentially floating cities, it is not surprising that most ships have morgues on board,” said Michael Winkleman, a maritime lawyer with Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, PA. But since the ships spending most of their time at sea and traveling from country to country, ritual logistics differ from those on land.

What happens when someone dies on a cruise ship

Onboard morgues allow the ship's crew to store bodies in the event of a death during a cruise, Winkleman said. Mortuary facilities are refrigerated stainless steel chambers that can accommodate two to ten bodies. They are located on the lower deck.

On the subject: Royal Caribbean launched a new cruise ship: parties, performances and shows are held non-stop on board

Cruise ships heading to a U.S. port must immediately report deaths to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention port facilities (formerly called quarantine stations) under health agency rules, a Cruise Line Association spokesman explained.

The US Cruise Ship Safety Act of 2010 requires missing persons, suspicious deaths and homicides to be reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“Additional requirements may apply depending on the country and location of the ship,” a representative from the Cruise Lines Association said.

In Winkleman's experience, bodies are generally unloaded at the end of the voyage at the ship's home port. However, he noted that the cruise line may unload the remains at other ports if local regulations allow it. The ship's staff offers various types of assistance to family members or other companions of the deceased. Crew members are instructed on how to provide support to the deceased's fellow passengers both on board and during the disembarkation process.

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Who is responsible for expenses

Cruise lines have no legal obligation to pay the costs of a death at sea (provided the operator is not accused of negligence), Winkleman said. Passengers, their family members or other traveling companions are responsible for the cost of transporting the body.

Does travel insurance cover death?

Travel insurance, explained Megan Walch of InsureMyTrip, may cover the cost of repatriating remains if it is included in the terms of the policy, which usually includes the necessary contact information.

She emphasized that you should carefully study all the provisions of the insurance and, if necessary, quickly take the necessary actions - otherwise, the provided payments may be limited.

Insurance may, among other things, cover the cost of preparing and mailing documents needed to move the body, such as an autopsy report or police report.

“You will be covered if you are traveling outside the United States and the decision is made to bury the traveler in the country where the death occurred,” Walch said.

If a tourist is injured or dies due to an accident, payments are usually awarded to the heirs (usually family members). Insurance benefits may pay for temporary storage, embalming or cremation of the body, and other costs associated with funeral procedures.

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Megan Walch recommends keeping copies of documents with emergency contact information on hand during your trip and designating a responsible person to make decisions on your behalf in advance.

However, this doesn't mean travelers should worry.

“Cruising is one of the safest forms of travel, and the safety of passengers and crew is our top priority,” said a spokesperson for the Cruise Lines Association.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Ten bad things that happened on popular cruise ships

Profitable and exciting: stories of Americans who moved to cruise ships

A cruise ship left 8 passengers on an island near Africa: for several days they have been trying to catch up with the ship in other ports

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