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Cremains at sea

Mr Sea Gull

By Mr Sea Gull,
in Celebrity Cruises

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Mr Sea Gull

Mr Sea Gull

Posted
Posted

Just in case anyone is interested in sending cremains off via a Celebrity ship I thought our recent experience may help.

We are from the UK and after booking our holiday on the Celebrity Silhouette to the Baltics I contacted the Captains Club to ask them if it was possible to do. It was quite a poignant trip as my Father was a merchant seaman and his last ever cruise was to the Baltics.

 

Captains Club emailed the ship Event Co-ordinator who provided details of what we would need regarding the paperwork and proof of biodegradable urn. We then confirmed that we would like to go ahead and agreed to contact the Event Co-ordinator once we boarded.

 

We already had the necessary paperwork and purchased a biodegradable urn suitable for deep sea burials, we asked the company to give us a letter of proof of biodegradability which they were happy to do.

 

Everything in order we boarded the ship with no issues at security, we were prepared with all the paperwork should anyone question the contents of the urn which we carried as hand luggage. Once on board we went immediately to guest services and made contact with the Event Co-ordinator who was already expecting us. They photocopied all the relevant paperwork and asked us where we would like to have the sea burial and they checked with the bridge if and when it could be arranged. A couple of days later they contacted us in our stateroom and gave us dates and times that would be suitable. We arranged to meet at the pre-arranged time with the Event Co-ordinator who took us to a quiet part of the ship and had a rose for us to put with the urn, we advised when we were ready to go ahead so that the co-ordinates could be recorded for the ship log.

 

We dropped the urn and rose from deck 5, it stayed intact which would then have taken a few moments to absorb the water before sinking but as we were moving we didn't see it go under. It was quite surreal at this point but a great moment as committing my Father's ashes to the sea was his final wish.

 

A few days later a certificate signed by the captain was delivered to our stateroom with the co-ordinates.

 

Celebrity were fantastic and we really felt that they honoured a fellow seaman's wishes. As someone who loved to travel his ashes travel on in the ocean forever.

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Mr Sea Gull

Mr Sea Gull

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Thank you all for your kind comments.

 

I hope that anyone who is considering doing this will at least have a starting point. It is not a service openly advertised and it is scary not knowing how to go about arranging it as it is such an emotive subject.

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Silvery Seas Cruiser

Silvery Seas Cruiser

Posted
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Thank you, thank you so much for your post. My sister's husband died recently and it was his wish to be buried at sea. She has his cremains, but we didn't know about the bio-degradable urn. We also didn't know about arranging the burial ahead of time. I am very touched that the Captain gave a certificate with the the co-ordinates.

 

Thanks to you I now know what to do and will pass on this info to my sister.

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jdg623

jdg623

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My condolences for your loss. Thank you so much for sharing your story. I'd heard of this service being available but had no idea of the particulars. What a touching final tribute for your father. May he rest in peace.

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Project_gal

Project_gal

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Thank you for sharing this with us. Strangely, it was in my mind as my husband mentioned where he would like his remains deposited (hopefully not for many years). The primary criteria was "somewhere warm", especially the Caribbean.

 

Where there any restrictions about where it could be done? I am assuming not in port.

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chengkp75

chengkp75

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Thank you for sharing this with us. Strangely, it was in my mind as my husband mentioned where he would like his remains deposited (hopefully not for many years). The primary criteria was "somewhere warm", especially the Caribbean.

 

Where there any restrictions about where it could be done? I am assuming not in port.

 

Typically you are not allowed to do this within 12 miles of shore.

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Mr Sea Gull

Mr Sea Gull

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Thank you for sharing this with us. Strangely, it was in my mind as my husband mentioned where he would like his remains deposited (hopefully not for many years). The primary criteria was "somewhere warm", especially the Caribbean.

 

Where there any restrictions about where it could be done? I am assuming not in port.

 

It does have to be 12 miles from land and there are other regulations that the ship need to adhere to, this is why they checked where it would be possible and provided us with days and times it would be allowed.

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jpsykes

jpsykes

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thanks for the info

 

We have told our kids that once we are both gone then take a cruise and drop our urns together in the ocean. Hopefully this will be many years from now.

 

Wife's father was buried at sea a few years ago having served on the Enterprise during WW2 - her mom is nervous about it as "she does not want all the fishes swimming around her".

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BMT

BMT

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Brings to mind something that happened to us a few years ago.

 

 

We were sitting having lunch and a single lady asked if she could join us - naturally, we welcomed her.

 

 

I asked if she was travelling alone and she said "in a way". I asked her to explain and she said that she had her husbands remains in her bag and was going to empy the urn off her balcony on a nice day!!

 

 

I explained that this wasn't allowed, but that if she went to Reception, proper arrangements would be made.

 

 

Never saw her again - but spoilt our lunch!:confused::eek:

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  • 3 months later...
Fogfog

Fogfog

Posted
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Thanks for this post. I emailed Captains Club on Saturday as I have the cremains of my mom and dad...

 

Did the original mortician provide you the container? I have the cremains in their original sealed bags/boxes. Have seen online cremains shells etc for burial at sea.

 

All advice welcome

 

TYIA f

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