Royal Caribbean Passenger Kicked Off Ship For Dangerous Selfie

A Royal Caribbean passenger who climbed over the railing of a balcony in order to snap selfies was booted from the ship at its next stop. Since then, some have suggested the woman should not be given any more attention. But there’s a reason to make sure as many people read about the incident as possible, even while we avoid naming the shutterbug.

Passenger Banned For Life

In the wake of the episode which took place aboard the Allure of the Seas, Royal Caribbean released a statement to various media outlets addressing what had happened. “A guest was observed recklessly and dangerously posing for a photo by standing on her stateroom balcony railing with the help of her companion,” said Jonathon Fishman, manager of corporate reputation for the cruise line. “Security was notified and the guests were later debarked in Falmouth, Jamaica, as a result of their actions and are now banned for life from sailing with Royal Caribbean.”

READ MORE: Cruise Line Bans Guest For Jumping Off Ship

The whole thing came to light thanks to fellow passenger Peter Blosic, who saw the woman’s antics, snapped a photo and then showed it to the guest services staff. He also posted the photo to social media, captioning it, “Just witnessed this on Allure. What an absolute idiot. You cannot fall off of a ship unless you are acting like a moron!”

Paying The Price For Bad Behavior

Over the past few years, stories about people behaving dangerously, usually in order to capture the moment on camera, have become almost commonplace. Too often, those stories wind up bringing the person exactly what they were hoping for in the form of clicks, likes, views and attention. Think of it as a modern take on that old saying about there being no such thing as bad publicity.

But it’s important to note that in nearly every one of those cases, including the one cited here, the end result was the person (and often their traveling companions) being booted off the ship. Royal Caribbean’s Guest Conduct Policy very specifically addresses unsafe behavior. “Sitting, standing, laying or climbing on, over or across any exterior or interior railings or other protective barriers,” it reads in part, “is not permitted.”

In a section titled, appropriately enough, “Consequences,” Royal Caribbean outlines what will happen to those violating the policy, including the following:

“Removal from a ship at the next port of call. Guests removed from a Royal Caribbean International ship pursuant to this policy are responsible for their own accommodations and transportation home, at their expense. Documentation requirements for re-entry into the guest’s home country are also the responsibility of the guest.”

In the case of the unnamed photo-snapping woman, she and her traveling companion were disembarked in Jamaica and left to find their own way home at their own expense and, as previously mentioned, banned from the cruise line for life.

Reporting on the punishment, not the act itself, is what those of us who love cruising should make sure is spread far and wide whenever incidents such as this take place. Because the type of people who will see these stories not as cautionary tales but tips on how to become famous on Instagram or YouTube should be made to think twice before taking the risk.

Given the mindset of people who attempt these stunts, it’s unlikely to make a difference. But maybe, just maybe, a few will be made to think twice. And maybe, just maybe, that will be enough to prevent someone from undertaking the kind of moronic stunt that could easily result in serious injury or death.