When someone dies aboard the ship……

I have read several very sweet stories about people wanting to cruise one last time and after seeing the land they have been dreaming of and cruising on the sea they have adored for many years they have gently passed away on the ship.

The person telling the story mentioned she heard the “Bright Star” announcement and awhile later the ships crew were across the hall comforting the family.

Does anyone know if all ships use the “Bright Star” announcement? Have you ever heard this type of announcement, if so, could you tell us more about it.

Thank You

Lin

I belive 'Bright Star' is the commonly used codeword.

Have never had it used on any of my cruises, that I am aware of.

I only heard "brightstar once and that was just after sailaway and we returned to port.

Despite "sweet stories" to the contrary, I think most pax who die on a cruise ship do so quite unexpectedly. We've never heard "bright star" but we often hear "star code" followed by a cabin number or other specific location. However, it's my understanding that indicates a medical emergency but not necessarily a death.

On Jewel Of The Seas in 2005 someone died in his cabin on our deck. The crew blocked off all access to the deck for a short time. I do not remember hearing any type of announcement, but I was probably not paying attention. It was at the end of a 10 night cruise to Bermuda and Caribbean, and he passed as we were headed back to Boston.

Kim

My friend was on Century in Aug this year - she said there were 3 deaths.

My friend was on Century in Aug this year - she said there were 3 deaths.

THREE??? Wow! I hope Captain Rockstar didn't take it personally. That is highly unusual. I've been on a ship when they had to medivac someone off the ship via helicopter, but never a eath. At least not that I know of. They probably tend to keep that kind of thing quiet, I would think, out of respect for the effected family members.

Not unusual to have deaths aboard. There will often be a hearse on the pier when the ship docks.

Once, while we were on Royal Princess, Mar 92, the Captain had a heart attack, and was taken off the ship in Aruba (or Curacao). We were later told that he passed away while in hospital.

3?!! I was on the Century till August 9, dun remember the ship changing course or being delayed... never heard a brightstar announcement as well.

I was on the Celebrity Zenith back in Nov. 2001, and while on a snorkeling excursion in BVI, an elderly man from our group was spotted floating unconscious. We were all ordered back on the boat and EMS crews met us while speeding back to ship. Sadly, the gentleman passed away. I hope the family was able to take some comfort in the fact that he died doing something he loved.

We were on the Galaxy in July and one of the crew had a heart attack. They announced the code alert in all of the rooms. A few hours later they cleared off the back part of the ship for the helicopter landing to take the person back to Greece - we were half way between Greece & Italy. It was a very windy day at sea and it took at least 2 hours for the helicopter to land and take off from the ship. We just floated all that time in the sea during that time.

Believe it or not more people pass away on ships than you realize. It is all kept very hush hush for the pax. Once being crew on Celebrity and NCL I have never heard of bright star but star code is commonly used for medical emergencies. All ships have a 2-3 person morgue onboard. 14 day cruises tend to have more deaths as a higher rate of very eldery pax are cruising. Where would one assume the bodies are kept if the morgue is full? Yep, the walk in fridges. True story... Not pretty, I had one cruise director say he can never eat the cheese onboard anymore as he had seen too many dead bodies stored in the cheese fridge. yuck!

Believe it or not more people pass away on ships than you realize. It is all kept very hush hush for the pax. Once being crew on Celebrity and NCL I have never heard of bright star but star code is commonly used for medical emergencies. All ships have a 2-3 person morgue onboard. 14 day cruises tend to have more deaths as a higher rate of very eldery pax are cruising. Where would one assume the bodies are kept if the morgue is full? Yep, the walk in fridges. True story... Not pretty, I had one cruise director say he can never eat the cheese onboard anymore as he had seen too many dead bodies stored in the cheese fridge. yuck!

OH PLEASE GIVE US A BREAK. Have you heard of food safety and everyone knows that dairy products absorb odors. You honestly believe that the health official would allow this.

ha! food safety! You have no clue what the inner workings of a cruise ship are unless you have actually done it...where do you think the excess bodies are stored when the morgue is full and you have 4 sea days to hawaii...hmm? I'm not saying it happens all the time but trust me it HAS happened. And BTW, do you think there is any coastguard regulations while we are at sea and in foreign ports? Thats why you only:rolleyes: see coast guard inspection and safety checks on US ground, theres a reason all ships are registed on foreign soil.

and when you say health official?...at sea? not so much.

Was on Holland America, Ryndam last October, heard "Bright Star" announcement. An elderly lady had collapsed on the dance floor. A hearse was on the dock when we sailed into Puerto Vallarta and the body was taken off the ship.

Believe it or not more people pass away on ships than you realize. It is all kept very hush hush for the pax. Once being crew on Celebrity and NCL I have never heard of bright star but star code is commonly used for medical emergencies. All ships have a 2-3 person morgue onboard. 14 day cruises tend to have more deaths as a higher rate of very eldery pax are cruising. Where would one assume the bodies are kept if the morgue is full? Yep, the walk in fridges. True story... Not pretty, I had one cruise director say he can never eat the cheese onboard anymore as he had seen too many dead bodies stored in the cheese fridge. yuck!

I saw a thread on this topic a couple years ago (and the content 'stuck'). One person indicated they had gone onboard the sailing with partner as a 'dying wish'. Another indicated that QE2 that did 100-day annual world cruises (with hundreds 70+ age) had 'accomodations' for 19 in fridge where fresh flowers were stored and used up during cruise, creating space. Apparently foreign countries unwilling to allow foreign decedents be removed in their ports, so common practice is storage. Someone else said they had a special gurney that allowed private moving of decedent. We had a 'star code' in our group on Azamara that was worrisome at the time but worked out well overnight. Hey, "Life happens" I'm OK myself with passing on a cruise ship AT A RIPE OLD AGE - PREFERABLY BEFORE THE BOAT DRILL.- MY KIND OF 'SAIL-AWAY'

. It is all kept very h Where would one assume the bodies are kept if the morgue is full? Yep, the walk in fridges. True story...stored in the quote]

 

We were once at an AI resort and someone had died. The body was kept in the fridge until it could be shipped out. My husband was good friends with the Hotel Manager and that is what he told us.

It makes sense when you think about it. Where else could a body be kept?

It should go in the freezer. Much better for the rest of us.

It should go in the freezer. Much better for the rest of us.

You're right. I meant freezer but wrote fridge.

When we went to Hawaii last year on the Summit, two people died before we made it to Hawaii. The families were taken off in Honolulu.

I also remember seeing from the RCL cruise story on the Travel Channel that most ships have freezers for people who die while on the cruise.

I have a friend who was on a cruise with her mother--she was in her 80's--and she died on board. They had a morgue and when they arrived back in Norfolk it was complicated as they would not release the body till it went to a funeral home there and then there were issues in transferring her ashes--they lived in Maryland-- as she was cremated. A hearse met the ship when it docked.

All in all very stressful as you can imagine but my friend said everyone on the ship was very helpful and caring.

I know everyone says this happens often but as we are leaving soon for a Mediterranean cruise I hope we will be spared!

ha! food safety! You have no clue what the inner workings of a cruise ship are unless you have actually done it...where do you think the excess bodies are stored when the morgue is full and you have 4 sea days to hawaii...hmm? I'm not saying it happens all the time but trust me it HAS happened.

Thank goodness for shrinkwrap.

Seriously, if it happens to me, I hope they just jetison me overboard. That's where I want my ashes to go anyway, so let's just cut out the middle man. Say a few words and ker-PLOOP!

... I hope they just jetison me overboard. That's where I want my ashes to go anyway, so let's just cut out the middle man. Say a few words and ker-PLOOP!

*snorting coffee through my nose while laughing*

Actually...

You would not want to freeze a body for the relativly short-term storage this situation would entail. Freezing bodies creates problems with an autopsy if necessary, and with embalming, or preparation for a funeral. I realize a lot of people are in favor of cremation - which would not be affected by freezing - but the entity responsible for that temporary care of the body cannot assume that cremation with no autopsy will be the course decided upon. Refrigeration is the appropriate course.

It strikes me as extremely unlikely that bodies would be stored in food service refrigerators. In a facility the size of a ship, and with the resources available, I could come up with any number of acceptable solutions, that would not involve storing a body with food.

Finally,

While there may be rare exceptions, no one should expect the cruise line would transport a body beyond the next port. This is what travel insurance refers to as something like "repatriation after catastrophe". The cruise line is going to put the body off at the next port, and that port's authorities will be conduct whatever investigation they deem appropriate. The family will be left withthe expense of arrangements. Shipping a body internationally is an expensive proposition.

Harris

Denver, CO