I made a shocking discovery about my crew cabin; it was down the hall from the ship’s morgue. This discovery led me down a path of uncovering the secrets of what truly happens when someone dies at sea. In this video, we’ll dive into the fascinating history of burial at sea and reveal the detailed, respectful procedures that cruise lines follow today, all starting with my unforgettable living arrangement.
You’ll learn about everything from the role of the ship’s medical team to the repatriation process and the surprising financial responsibilities families face. If you’ve ever wondered about the hidden realities of cruise life, this video is for you.
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Did you know that cruise ships have these policies?
Hi Chris, thanks for that video. As I mentioned in other comments, me and my wife have been on a 3 1/2 month world cruise withe the Queen Victoria in 2023. During that cruise, an ambulance has been in each port to pick up a guest, two helicopter evacuations and three persons „stayed on board“. You are very right with your recommendation about insurances, a helicopter evacuation may cost about $45.000. Take care,
Regards Martin, Germany
113 days and counting until Grandeur of the Seas. Looking forward to driving over the Skyway bridge to get to Tampa cruise port. Also, looking forward to going under the Skyway bridge when the ship leaves Tampa Bay.
You definitely need a new agent lol
Very interesting and sensitively explained, Chris.
Ventura carpet?
This seems an appropriate time to recount my story of finding a dead man on a cruise:
I certainly knew about the ship’s morgue after I found a dead body!
My wife and I were sailing to Bermuda, and a couple in their 80s had the cabin next to us. At one point, I was sure I heard her calmly admonishing her husband, “John, John, JOHN,” probably for being late dressing for dinner.
She knocked on our door, “Can your husband help me,” she calmly asked my wife, “my husband fell.” When I entered the cabin, I said, “He’s DEAD!” And I called the ship’s emergency number. They came immediately and I helped to get him on the bed while the nurse gave CPR.
Meanwhile, my wife held the wife’s hand while they stood outside the cabin. It was their FOURTH marriage, and they were very wealthy. He didn’t make it though.
I assumed the wife would return to New York asap with his body. But a few days later, during formal night, I was sure I saw her on the arm of another man, dressed to kill. She glared at me, as if to say, “just say something.”
Days later, I had an earache, went to see the ship’s doctor (who was suffering from seasickness!), and said, “I was the guy who found the old dead man. I assume he was flown back to New York with his wife.”
The doctor laughed and said, “No, he’s in the fridge right next to you, and she’s having the time of her life with another man.”
I told my wife and said, “If Angela Landsbury had been here, we’d discover that she waited for him to die before she asked me for help, and that she was looking for a way to dump the old guy!”
Great video. It reminds me of the fun Caitlyn Doughty (Ask a Mortician) video in which she details what went wrong on the Celebrity Equinox, where due to issues with their morgue refrigeration a gentleman who died was stored in a cooler usually used for food and drinks with eh, not so good results. A rare but interesting anomaly!
I follow Caitlin Doughty and I think she has talked about this. So yes, I've heard of it. 🙂
Thanks for the video
Thank you Chris, a sobering topic. Appreciate your measured consideration of a subject which is often handled in a sensationalist "click bait" manner.