Carnival Cruise Line shares advice, process for port emergencies
Few cruise passengers probably consider how they can prepare for a potential emergency in a foreign port of call.
Preparing for a cruise, especially one that will sail in a part of the world you’ve never visited before, can be daunting and exciting at the same time.
If you’re like me, you probably focus a bit more on the adventure than on what could go wrong, but you shouldn’t dismiss the fact that emergencies, although rare, do happen. And usually when you least expect them.
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If you’re lucky, you’ll never actually experience an emergency during your vacation, but being prepared for one is smart. If you’re someone who tends to worry about what could go wrong, knowing that you have an emergency plan will give you peace of mind.
One Carnival cruise passenger named Miriam who wanted to be well prepared for her upcoming cruise recently wrote to Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald with an important question about emergencies in foreign ports of call.
Few cruise passengers probably think about how to prepare for a potential emergency while off the ship in port, but it’s something that every cruiser should consider as they get ready for their sailing.
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What happens if you have an emergency while in a cruise port of call?
“Getting ready for our cruise on Miracle to the British Isles. We are bringing our older parents with us for the trip. I would like to be fully prepared and would like to know what is the protocol if there is a medical emergency while ashore,” Miriam asked Carnival's brand ambassador. “What if we need to dial 911 while we're out exploring? Who do you call? What happens? Could you please go through that situation?”
Heald shared Miriam’s message in a video posted on his Facebook page on June 16 to bring attention to this important step in cruise preparation. As he addressed Miriam's question, the brand ambassador offered some helpful advice on how to best make sure you’re covered in case of an emergency in a cruise port.
“Taking excursions from the ship is the best way because if anything were to happen, you don't have to do anything. The [tour] operator knows exactly what to do,” Heald pointed out.
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No matter which cruise line you sail, booking your shore excursions through your cruise line means that the local tour operator leading the in-port activity is a vetted cruise line partner who follows the cruise line’s safety and emergency protocols.
“They have their own protocols, our protocols, and we will take wonderful care of you, especially in Europe where you are perhaps a long way from the ship," Heald noted. "And it might be something that you'll never have to face, but if you do, having an excursion from the ship means we take care of you from right from the beginning of that emergency situation, right until everything is taken care of."
Save emergency numbers before getting off your cruise ship in port
If you’re not taking a cruise line shore excursion, you should make sure to save a couple of important phone numbers before getting off the ship in port to explore on your own.
To be prepared in case of an emergency in port, save the number for your ship’s port agent as well as the local emergency services number, which varies by country. In the UK, for example, the emergency services number is 999 rather than 911 as it is in the U.S.
Carnival passengers can find the name and number for their cruise ship’s port agent in the Fun Times onboard newsletter.
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“We have an agent in every port who takes care of everything to do with the ship, from organizing the linesmen, the pilots, stores, everything, and the telephone number is always listed in the Fun Times, either in the paper copy or on the app, so you can call that number,” Heald explained.
Whether you get the port agent’s number from the paper newsletter or the Carnival HUB app, it’s important to save it in your phone before you get off the ship in any port of call.
“But wherever you're going, if you have an emergency situation, you will have the name of the port agent written there. Call them and they will assist you,” Heald advised. “If you get lost or you lose your pass, anything, they'll be there to help you and be the automatic liaison directly with the ship.”
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