Throwing ashes at sea

[cruisinmeme]

i know I have read about people having services at sea and disposing of ashes. What department do you contact? Do the ashes have to be in a certain type of container. ( would assume biodegradable). Can family just open the container and let the ashes fly off the back of ship, or do you have to send the whole container at once.

Trying to get it together with input before making final plans.

Thanks in advance

[kcwingwalker]

i know I have read about people having services at sea and disposing of ashes. What department do you contact? Do the ashes have to be in a certain type of container. ( would assume biodegradable). Can family just open the container and let the ashes fly off the back of ship, or do you have to send the whole container at once.

Trying to get it together with input before making final plans.

Thanks in advance

 

I found this from an old thread (2005), but you might find it helpful

 

"We actually did this on our cruise last September. My DM passed away after a very short, sudden bout with breast cancer. She had told us since we were little "don't put me in the ground - I want to be warm". She was born and raised in the midwest and could never seem to get warm enough - even in Maryland's summers. To make a long story short, we contacted RCCL and got permission (the department contacted of all things was the passenger air) to scatter her ashes during our cruise. We received a letter to take to the pursers desk when we boarded. One of my other sisters had the ashes and encountered no problem boarding (though we had given her copies of the letter and the DC, just in case). The only bad thing was we had to wait til the captain felt it was okay to scatter. This wound up being day 7 of a 9 night cruise. It was very simple and beautiful, we went down to deck 2 and with the Captain and the Hotel Manager present, were allowed to go up to an opening in the side (where we would have disembarked @ a port) that was roped off (to prevent us going over I guess) and given our privacy and time. The ship provided a simple silk tube (open @ both ends) to contain the ashes, as the urn could not be thrown in (not that we wanted too). We loosly tied the ends together so that it would open when it hit the water. We said our goodbyes with poems and dried rose petals saved from her service. Then we all went to the Schooner bar and sat and talked and drank. It was sad, but happy too. It's hard to explain."

 

Another alternative might be hiring a boat when you are in a port and going out to sea and having your own private ceremony.

 

I'm sure NCL has dealt with this before and has a policy, but I could not find one. You also could contact your PCC to help you with arrangements. Carnival does have services and will help with arrangements.

 

I'm sorry for your loss.

[Novastar]

Just call Customer Service and take it from there. They can most likely refer you to the correct person.

 

I would imagine the ashes would need to be in some kind of biodegradable container to avoid having any ashes blown back toward the ship. Wind can be very unpredictable and you would be very far from the waterline.

[shepherdqueen]

I just did a google search on this and found http://www.cremationsolutions.com/Scattering-Ashes-Laws-Regulations-c108.html

 

There are companies that assists with these arrangements:

 

In NY: http://www.seaservices.com/index.html

 

In CA: http://www.ashesonthesea.com/

 

There are other sites as well.

[tel2]

Just call Customer Service and take it from there. They can most likely refer you to the correct person.

 

I would imagine the ashes would need to be in some kind of biodegradable container to avoid having any ashes blown back toward the ship. Wind can be very unpredictable and you would be very far from the waterline.

 

We did the same thing for my sil ashes a few years ago. Ncl was very cooperative.

 

Terry