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Bringing Cremated Remains On Board

A guest may bring cremated remains on board. Please note the following procedures and policies:

• The guest must bring the deceased’s Death Certificate.
• The remains have been cremated by a facility licensed to perform these services and the guest carries a certification of the compliant cremation.
• The cremated remains are transported in a proper urn and remain in this urn during the entire travel.
  • The ashes are maintained in a leak proof, sealed container.
  • The container/urn must be able to pass through the X-ray machines as well as TSA X-ray machines
  • The container must be constructed of wood, plastic, cardboard or any non-lead based ceramic.
• The guest is aware that the remains are his/her responsibility and he/she is the sole custodian of the urn/ashes; Carnival will not be responsible for the oversight or incidents. If the guest takes the urn out of the stateroom, he/she is responsible for its oversight and cannot leave the urn unattended.
• The urn must remain on board, and the guest may not disembark the urn and try to enter it in a port-of-call because each country has legal requirements and controls over the transportation of cremated human remains, and they must be respected.
• If the guest is traveling by air, he/she needs to inquire with the airline of their own restrictions and regulations.

Burial at Sea - Scattering of ashes or discharge of items as part of a religious service

Please note the following policies and procedures:

What is permitted:

• Scattering of human or animal ashes
• Decomposable containers for the remains
• If the guest wishes to disperse of the ashes with the urn, they must present a certificate that the urn is biodegradable. 
• Commemorative wreaths or flowers. Wreaths and flowers must not contain any ribbon or non-biodegradable decorations, adornments or any other non-biodegradable decoration. 
  • Guests wishing to discharge other items that are not mentioned above must ask the onboard Guest Services team whether they can conduct the service. 
• Some religious festivals require the submersion of idols (figurines) into water. Any arrangements for such a festival must be approved by Carnival shoreside management at least one month before the festival sail date. If approved, any idol destined for submersion into the sea must be made from foodstuffs.  

• Plastic materials such as plastic ribbons, plastic flowers, plastic urns, balloons or any other non-biodegradable decoration or adornments. 

 
Onboard Procedures

• The guest must contact the Guest Services Desk once on board the ship.
• Guest Services will collect from the guest the preferred date and time of the service, number of guests attending and make a copy of the death certificate.
• Guest Services and the Environmental Officer will coordinate the burial at sea.
• Depending on the ship’s itinerary, a time and location will be coordinated based on the guest’s suggestions and operation requirements.
• The date and time will be based on environmental restrictions and must be performed beyond twelve nautical miles from land and outside any special areas. 
• Once the date and time are finalized, Guest Services will notify the guest of the confirmed date and time. 
• On the arranged date and time, the guests will meet a member of Guest Services who will escort them to the location where the scattering of ashes will be conducted; guests will be given a moment of privacy to disperse the ashes.