Spreading ashes at sea

[Twinprincesses]

I know this can be done but I am not getting a response from NCL at the email they provided me. Has anyone actually done this? We are cruising in less than 60 days and I know what exactly needs to be done to be "compliant" but we want to do it correctly with the cruise ships supervision.

 

If anyone has done this can you please tell me how you got approval from the ship before hand.

[Epic_Bear]

We spread some of my dad's ashes off of the NCL Dream in 1998. We didn't get permission, just poured some of them from the balcony. A breeze picked up and now we can about laugh at getting Dad in our eyes.

[Twinprincesses]

We are getting a biodegradable urn and wanting to just put the entire urn in the water.

[blackwing]

We spread some of my dad's ashes off of the NCL Dream in 1998. We didn't get permission, just poured some of them from the balcony. A breeze picked up and now we can about laugh at getting Dad in our eyes.

I'm sure you know this, but apparently you didn't care. I think it's illegal to throw anything off a cruise ship balcony.

 

To OP, I'd try contacting guest relations again if you want to actually do it at sea, while the ship is moving. If you simply want to do it while in a port it seems like it wouldn't be an issue to find a beach.

[chengkp75]

We spread some of my dad's ashes off of the NCL Dream in 1998. We didn't get permission, just poured some of them from the balcony. A breeze picked up and now we can about laugh at getting Dad in our eyes.

 

Doing this in this manner could have put the ship in serious trouble with environmental fines. Everything that goes over the side of a cruise ship should be cleared by the Environmental Officer, whether it is something non-toxic like human ash or not. Further, it is somewhat inconsiderate that your scattering could have been blown onto other balconies and either inhaled or caught in the eyes of others.

 

For the OP, if you are not getting responses from a corporate address, call NCL again, and get the email for either the Hotel Director or Environmental Officer on the ship you are sailing on. The EO is the onboard contact for this service, so contacting him directly, or through the HD or Captain will get you on track. They will set up a time, when the ship is more than 20 miles from land, and you will go to the after mooring deck to have a private ceremony.

 

As for scattering at a beach, I would be careful about advising to do this, without checking the laws of the various countries you are thinking of scattering in. The EPA, in the US has restrictions about scattering ashes in rivers, lakes, and seashores, so other countries may have similar prohibitions.

[Twinprincesses]

I'm sure you know this, but apparently you didn't care. I think it's illegal to throw anything off a cruise ship balcony.

 

To OP, I'd try contacting guest relations again if you want to actually do it at sea, while the ship is moving. If you simply want to do it while in a port it seems like it wouldn't be an issue to find a beach.

 

They did state that you have to be a certain amount of nautical miles off the ship and have the urn/ashes all in biodegradable items. They said that a security officer and environmental person will monitor us to make sure everything is good and give us privacy.

 

We do not want to "spread" the ashes, as we do just want to drop the urn.

 

It is just getting someone to respond back that is the problem.

[Twinprincesses]

 

For the OP, if you are not getting responses from a corporate address, call NCL again, and get the email for either the Hotel Director or Environmental Officer on the ship you are sailing on. The EO is the onboard contact for this service, so contacting him directly, or through the HD or Captain will get you on track. They will set up a time, when the ship is more than 20 miles from land, and you will go to the after mooring deck to have a private ceremony.

 

As for scattering at a beach, I would be careful about advising to do this, without checking the laws of the various countries you are thinking of scattering in. The EPA, in the US has restrictions about scattering ashes in rivers, lakes, and seashores, so other countries may have similar prohibitions.

 

 

Thank you, I sent one more email and I will call next week if I don't hear back from them.

[josephmz]

We did this several years ago on our first cruise on a cruise line no longer in existence.

 

We went to the stern one night, said a prayer and tossed the box (biodegradable before anyone knew what that meant) overboard.

 

It was my stepmother's remains and I couldn't think of anything more fitting since she loved the water and was an avid sailor in her youth.

[Blondie008]

Hi

I recently obtained official permission from NCL to bring my fathers remains on board.

There is a procedure to follow - even for the carriage of remains on board.

I am taking my Dad's remains with me - to be buried in his mothers grave at a port of call we are stopping at. (I do have a back up plan if we skip the port concerned!)

I also had to obtain permission from the airline.

The urn has to be x-rayable -

I received the most sincere and caring correspondence from NCL - it did take a few weeks however - but I was given an official letter and am told to present it when checking in to the ship and also for inspection at xray etc.

Maybe call them if you feel it is getting too close to sail date.

Sorry for your loss. x

[Twinprincesses]

Ironically. At received a response. Thank you we have it set up.