Revealed: What really happens when a cruise leaves passengers behind - and why it's allowed

As is the case with trains, buses and planes, cruise ships are legally allowed to leave you behind. 

Clips on social media of so-called 'pier runners' have shown stranded cruise passengers sprinting in desperation after being left behind at port when their ship pulls away. 

Instances of being left behind at port are rare and the most dramatic 'pier runs' are usually only in emergencies, such as during the tsunami panic in Hawaii this summer.

But being abandoned at port does happen - and here's the unexpected reason why. 

Katie Jackson, a seasoned cruise passenger, revealed in Travel and Leisure that cruise ships are run on a very tight schedule and have to pre-pay large sums of money to dock into ports for a specified time period.

Not only that, another cruise ship might be booked in immediately after to take that ship's place.

The hiring of local pilot boats and tenders to take the ship and passengers in and out of port when they dock is yet another costly factor.

Therefore if a ship waited for late passengers to return, it could create a domino effect that could potentially affect thousands of people and cost thousands of pounds.

Legally, the cruise ship is completely allowed to leave behind any stray passengers. 

So what happens if you do get stranded?

Katie explained that most of the passengers who get left behind are not those who have booked excursions with the cruise line. 

The cruise line is responsible for making sure those passengers all get back to port on time for departure - and are liable in this scenario if the excursion or tour, for example, is running late. 

In this situation, they will communicate with the ship and the captain will wait for them. 

But if you have made the decision to venture alone, then your fate is in your hands. 

Katie said that most 'pier runners' are travellers who have decided to sightsee by themselves. 

In 2024 for example, eight passengers on a Norwegian Cruise Lines voyage off the coast of western Africa found themselves stranded on the tiny island of São Tomé and Príncipe when they didn't return to the ship on time after venturing out on their own. 

The cruise line at the time issued a statement that said: 'When the guests did not return to the vessel at the all aboard time, their passports were delivered to the local port agents to retrieve when they returned to the port, as per the regular protocol. 

'Our team has been working closely with the local authorities to understand the requirements and necessary visas needed for the guests to rejoin the ship at the next available port of call. 

'Given that these guests were on a private tour and did not return to the ship at the communicated all aboard time, they are responsible for any necessary travel arrangements to rejoin the ship at the next available port of call, per our protocol.' 

At other times, cruise ships have left passengers behind during emergencies.

Earlier this year, British tourists in Hawaii were left behind as cruise ships abandoned ports amid tsunami warnings after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia. 

Evacuations were ordered in Hawaii, Japan, Russia, Colombia and part of the U.S. West coast after the quake hit near Russia's eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, resulting in the cruise ship having to quickly move to safer waters. 

One British tourist at the time, Rachael Burrows, from Macclesfield, Cheshire, rushed back to the cruise ship on Hawaii before it left for safer waters - but told BBC Breakfast at the time that about 600 passengers had been stranded on Big Island in Hawaii. 

She said: 'We were on a tour around the volcanic area of the Big Island.

'Towards the end of the tour, as we were luckily heading towards the cruise ship, we started getting emergency warnings sign on our phones.

'The first one was tsunami you are in immediate danger, you need to move away from the coast to higher ground.'

The tour guide was at first dismissive of the warning, saying they happened all the time and that it 'won't be anything'.

Ms Burrows added: 'We started getting more through saying times when the tsunami would hit.'

She said they were suddenly told that it was time to go, with their outing being cut short and passengers hurrying back to the ship - which many didn't make. 

Katie Jackson advises that the best way to avoid getting left behind is to stick with the excursions sold by the cruise line, or book with a third-party tour operator that has a guarantee that you'll be back on time.

If you do opt to solo sightsee, you should make sure your phone is set to the local time so you don't fall an hour ahead or behind and sign up to notifications from the cruise line.  

If you do get left behind - do not panic. 

Katie said the first thing panicking pier runners should do is find the local port agent on the ground and tell them the situation. 

They will then contact the ship for you and try to reunite you with your passport. 

While the ship won't be stopped in its tracks, the cruise line might make arrangements for you to meet them in the next port of call.

You should also keep travel receipts so you can either submit them for reimbursement to the cruise line or your travel insurer.  

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