Cruise ship worker explains what happens when someone dies on a cruise ship

It's a sad reality that some people die when they're on holiday. But what happens when you're in the middle of the ocean on a cruise ship?

Well, one former cruise ship worker has addressed the issue on her TikTok account.

Aside from the morbid reality of what 'free ice cream parties' mean on board a cruise ship, it's an issue what some of us will face if we decide a cruising holiday is for us.

Former cruise ship employee, singer Dara Starr Tucker, used to sail around the Caribbean and the Mediterranean on cruise ships around 10 years ago.

And while we go on holiday to escape reality for a short period, sometimes it sadly comes with us.

Dara said: "I was a singer on a cruise ship about 10 years ago and I lived on a ship in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean for about six months.

"Thankfully we didn't have to deal with this kind of stuff [passenger's dying] but we were friends with some crew members who did."

She revealed that sadly, four to 10 people will pass every on every cruise holiday. It might seem high but she says you need to remember they're used by a lot of people who are older in age and therefore statistically more likely to have something that could cause illness or death.

Dara said her colleagues told her that "maybe four to 10 people die every cruise... there are a lot of older people on ships and often people die on cruises".

Cruise ships are built ready with the idea that people will die while they're sailing in the middle of one of the world's oceans.

As a result, they all have actual morgues - although they are not publicised for obvious reasons. Bodies can be stored in them for around one week.

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Maritime solicitors Brais Law Firm explain that when someone dies, their remains 'should be kept in the morgue undisturbed until the cruise ship gets to its next port which accepts human remains, at which point the body will be unloaded from the ship and transferred to local authorities'.

But they explain that the removal of the body is only the beginning of the process for those who have lost someone.

The law firm says: "Once the passenger’s body is removed from the cruise ship, it is up to the family to make arrangements to have their loved one’s remains sent home.

"This can be challenging—especially if the passenger’s body is located in a far-away foreign country—and it can also be expensive without insurance.

"Even though the cruise line made the decision to leave the passenger’s remains behind, it will not assist with this process.

"But, if you hire an experienced cruise ship accident lawyer, your lawyer can help you take the necessary steps to bring your loved one’s remains home as quickly and safely as possible."

Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images

Topics: Cruise Ship, World News, Travel, Health

Tom Earnshaw

Tom joined LADbible in 2024, specialising in SEO and trending content. He moved to the company from Reach plc where he enjoyed spells as a content editor and senior reporter for one of the country's most-read local news brands, LancsLive. When he's not in work, Tom spends his adult life as a suffering Manchester United supporter after a childhood filled with trebles and Premier League titles. You can't have it all forever, I suppose.

@TREarnshaw