anyone ever spread ashes on a cruise?

[caly603]

We'd like to spread our daughter's ashes in memory of our trip together last year before she passed away. Has anyone done this? I am having a rough time finding information on the requirements, if any.

[TxMommy929]

We'd like to spread our daughter's ashes in memory of our trip together last year before she passed away. Has anyone done this? I am having a rough time finding information on the requirements, if any.

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=711889

 

That thread even references other threads.

 

I am sorry for your loss.

[3boysvus]

My DH has said he wants me to spread his ashes in the sea from a cruise too. I think its a lovely idea, but I would advise discretion. I would also check to see from where on the ship to do it, so they don't blow onto balconies or decks or people.

[runner15km]

Don't ask, don't tell.

[Hei1980]

Don't ask, don't tell.

 

I'm with you runner15km!

[sistermerm]

Please accept my conolences on your loss... check with your cruise line... you will need to be a specific distance from shore depending on the port of call, and the ship's staff helps you make arrangements for a dignified, private dispersal

[sixy-six]

Please accept my conolences on your loss...

 

 

I googled and it is legal for ashes to be dumped at sea. I was amazed at the number for companys there are that provide such services. The best advise I can give is to call Carival and ask them if they would allow it.

[Kudos2Fly]

I would personally try contacting Carnival.. Because if you try to do that from one of the higher decks chances are the most of the ashes wont even make it to the sea.. Plus there will be other people around that may not go over to well with them..

 

Carnival may be able to help make it a "private" thing just for the family and they will know the best place to do this at. I'm sure they have had this request before.

[GoinCruisin]

You definitely need to contact Carnival... you can't just go on the ship and throw ashes off, there are procedures that have to be followed if they do allow it. Just don't try to do it on your own because you won't have any idea about wind shifts, best place to do it so the ashes hit the water, surrounding cabins and deck areas, etc. I would contact Carnival ahead of time and see if they offer this service. Good luck, and I am very sorry for your loss :(

[Marie51]

A friend of mine and her 2 sisters took their father's ashes on the Miracle and went up to one of the high decks one night with the intention of throwing the ashes into the sea and the wind just blew the ashes back onto them and the surrounding deck. Best to not try this.

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

Sort of off topic but our tablemate brought a little metal container (looked like a salt shaker) with ashes of his dad with him and put it on our dinner table every night. He said his dad loved cruises and he promised his dad that he would always cruise with him. Friends of ours at our table were really ticked about it. It didn't really bother me but they were disgusted by it.

[GoinCruisin]

Sort of off topic but our tablemate brought a little metal container (looked like a salt shaker) with ashes of his dad with him and put it on our dinner table every night. He said his dad loved cruises and he promised his dad that he would always cruise with him. Friends of ours at our table were really ticked about it. It didn't really bother me but they were disgusted by it.

 

Yeah, they probably should have kept that to themselves... it's much different when it is your family member, but some people would be creeped out by that, especially at the dinner table...

[alinehu]

Cruise director John Heald once talked about this on his blog I suggested that you read it. It is not easy but possible. It was about a man who brought his brothers ashes. In the first one he talks about it and in another blog he describes the ceremony that they did

http://johnhealdsblog.com/2007/08/19/a-love-of-boats/

http://johnhealdsblog.com/2007/08/23/highlighting-the-carnival-miracle-and-cruise-director-brent-loyer/

I hope this helps

[LHP]

so sorry for your loss.....

 

another idea I have read about is to have the ashes encased in an artifical reef.

 

The reef grows up around it and it becomes a beautiful area for fish.

[ladycaveat]

Contact the Coast Guard. I am so very sorry for your loss . . . .

[msublonde1]

I need to share because this is so close to home.

first to caly603-I'm so sorry for your loss. No mother should ever have to bury a child.

I lost my mother last year in October, 2 months after my daughter was born. She was cremated and spread at her desired location. At her spreading, my dad said that I could take some of her ashes on a cruise, which thrilled me tremendously. She had always wanted to go on one. He kept some ashes for me to spread. But, as you all know, traveling is always complicated when you have kids. We had no idea when we'd be able to take another cruise. He went ahead and spread the rest of her ashes because he needed some closure. I honestly can't blame him.

That being said, we did book a cruise. We are going on the Ecstasy September 15th. I'd love to be able to do a little something for her. Maybe throw some flowers overboard.

Do any of you have any suggestions on how I could do a small memorial for her?

caly603-forgive me for hijacking your thread and again, I'm so sorry for your loss.

[GoinCruisin]

I need to share because this is so close to home.

first to caly603-I'm so sorry for your loss. No mother should ever have to bury a child.

I lost my mother last year in October, 2 months after my daughter was born. She was cremated and spread at her desired location. At her spreading, my dad said that I could take some of her ashes on a cruise, which thrilled me tremendously. She had always wanted to go on one. He kept some ashes for me to spread. But, as you all know, traveling is always complicated when you have kids. We had no idea when we'd be able to take another cruise. He went ahead and spread the rest of her ashes because he needed some closure. I honestly can't blame him.

That being said, we did book a cruise. We are going on the Ecstasy September 15th. I'd love to be able to do a little something for her. Maybe throw some flowers overboard.

Do any of you have any suggestions on how I could do a small memorial for her?

caly603-forgive me for hijacking your thread and again, I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

I am sorry for your loss. You should also contact Carnival and talk to them about this. There are regulations regarding throwing things overboard, so you will have to get Carnival involved to see what is allowed and have them oversee things so everything can be done according to guidelines. Good luck!!!

[Hollyspop]

I would simply book the lowest aft balcony cabin and have my private service. No one would know except those loved ones that wanted to attend.

 

So sorry for your loss and hope this helps.

[julieoregon]

I'm sorry for your loss. My mother always wanted her ashes to be thrown out to sea. But, my idiot brother took and put her in a rose garden in a park she has never been too. Two years ago my husband passed away in a motorcycle accident. I was going to divide up his ashes and take them to places he wanted to go to like Burning Man and Sturgis. My step-son took the ashes when he moved out. So, I plan on throw something of my husbands off my balcony in a private ceremony. It will just be something very small, he loved the Dallas Cowboys and it will be some kind of small thing that he collected. I will do it at night so people won't be watching, and of course I will test the wind! LOL.......

[ruskatab]

Sort of off topic but our tablemate brought a little metal container (looked like a salt shaker) with ashes of his dad with him and put it on our dinner table every night. He said his dad loved cruises and he promised his dad that he would always cruise with him. Friends of ours at our table were really ticked about it. It didn't really bother me but they were disgusted by it.

 

I guess that wouldnt have been so good if someone had said "pass the pepper" and ended up with dear ole Dad on their food. Seriously I have told my family when I die to skip the funeral for me , have me cremated and all go on a cruise and let my ashes fly from a corner aft balcony. I told them I would come back and haunt them if they didnt. :p

[Nutty4Vols]

I am sorry for your loss. I lost both my parents in 2005 and they loved to cruise. My DH and I along with my brother and sister-in-law took a cruise on Royal Caribbean in 2006 and brought some of their ashes with us. I had them in a zip lock bag. I know that sounds strange. We purchased a few roses in the formalities shops and after dinner one evening we went towards the rear of the ship I'm not sure what level and made sure of the wind direction and we said our last goodbyes and emptied out both bags along with the roses. It was really nice. I never checked with the cruiseline if it was okay because I was afraid of the answer. I hope this helps because it can be done. We didn't have a lot of their ashes because the majority of them were in their urns at he cemetary.

[CruiseFever]

Sorry for your loss and bravo to you wanting to do that

 

DW and I both agree that whoever goes first, the other one keeps on cruising but takes with them a small amount of ashes to spread wherever they go.

 

I hope that does not sound wierd but after 30 years (and hopefully a lot more before one of us has to do this) neither one of us would want to cruise without the other. This way we don't have to.

[soon to cruise]

Just remember....It's easier to get forgiveness than permission. I am with the ones that think you should just do it and not "alert" the cruiseline about it. Just test the wind first. I would do it late and night also. So nice and quiet and peaceful.

[GoinCruisin]

Unless you know the complete layout of the ship and can guarantee things will go smoothly, I just think it is a bad idea... I can't imagine doing something so special and having it ruined by security, or other passengers... from what it seems, they can actually help you to make it special and I would think they would know where this could be done where it wouldn't impact other passengers. It sounds like they will let you do it, so I would just talk to them... no sense in chancing something spoiling such a special moment.

[lovesublime]

Actually, I have read here on this forum (a while back) that a family did scatter a loved one ashes at sea on a Carnival ship. The captain even escorted them and was present. Carnival even provided flowers they tossed over with the ashes. Call Carnival. I'm so sorry that you lost your daughter. God bless.