We’re all familiar with the feeling of running late for a trip.
Sometimes, travel companies are forgiving of those who run late. This is one of the reasons why the “airport theory”—the idea that one can show up to the airport just 15 minutes before their flight and still make it—became popular on TikTok in the past year.
No matter if one is trying to employ “travel hacks” or simply overslept, there’s always a chance that, for one reason or another, you’ll miss your means of transit. Now, a user on TikTok has shared one mistake travelers can make in this area that could cost them a considerable amount of money.
What Mistake Did This Cruise Passenger Make?
In a video with over 205,000 views, a man can be seen running toward a cruise ship.
“Oh, no, he’s missing … That’s his ship. He’s gonna miss his ship!” the cameraman says. By the end of the clip, it becomes clear that the man has, in fact, missed his ship.
From here, TikTok user and travel influencer Justin (@jthenomad) stitches with the video. According to Justin, “the cruise ship will wait for no man or woman.”
“A cruise ship will not wait for you while visiting a destination because they have a schedule, and it costs some money to dock,” he says.
Justin then stresses personal responsibility.
“If you are visiting a destination or island while on a cruise, always make sure you are back within a timely manner,” he advises. “I always try to give myself, personally, about an hour at the minimum—45-minute window, whether I am on an excursion or I am freestyling it.”
If one has decided to do an excursion while ashore, Justin suggests confirming the return time prior to setting off. Additionally, he suggests confirming your “all aboard” time—the time when the cruise ship demands everyone have returned to the boat.
“There are a lot of people that have gotten left because they came back an hour or two hours too late,” he says. “And the ship is now already sailing off to the sunset, and you are stuck in Cozumel, Mexico, forever.”
What Should You Do If You Miss Your Cruise?
If you miss your cruise ship, you won’t end up “stuck in Cozumel, Mexico, forever,” as Justin jokes.
As reiterated by Gene Sloan for The Points Guy, a cruise ship will still leave even if not all passengers are on board.
Depending on where your cruise is planning to land, you may be able to rejoin the ship at the next port. That said, you are responsible for all of the costs related to getting to the port. This can include flights, hotels, additional transport, and more.
Some cruise lines may offer assistance or partial refunds if you missed the cruise due to a documented emergency, but this is not always the case.
As far as your stuff is concerned, Cruise Critic states that many cruise lines employ agents near to the port to assist passengers whose ship has left without them. Often, cruise staff give these agents missing passengers’ essential items, such as their passport, cell phone, and medication. If you miss your ship, you might be able to pick up some necessities from these agents.
However, if you find yourself in a foreign country without your possessions or your travel documents, it’s probably best to simply call your country’s nearest embassy and figure out the best course of action from there.
Commenters Say It’s Happened Before
In the original video Justin clipped, the running man realizes he was actually sprinting toward the wrong boat and did not miss his ship.
Still, commenters under Justin’s video noted that people missing their boats wasn’t especially uncommon.
“Wasted his time and energy by running.. once it leave the dock it’s not coming back,” wrote a user.
“It’s funny when they are running and waving them down that they think the ship will just stop and let them on,” offered another.
“If the boat leaves at 8, the boat leaves at 7,” joked a further TikToker.
@jthenomad Don’t make this mistake! Your worst nightmare on a cruise!
We’ve reached out to Justin via email and Instagram direct message.