Spreading of loved one's ashes

[3red7s]

Has anyone ever taken and spread their loved ones ashes, off the cruise ship?  We would like to do this, with maybe a chaplain to say a prayer.  Anyone who has done this, please let me know how it went thank you 

[poocher]

First, my sympathy for your loss.  Second, please reach out to Royal because this is not something you can just do on your own.  There are protocols that must be followed.  You can reach out thru FB or email mbayley@rccl.com.

[AshleyDillo]

There's a Royal FAQ concerning this:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-is-royal-caribbeans-burial-at-sea-policy

[taglovestocruise]

What is Royal Caribbean’s Burial at Sea policy?

A

 

 

Per company policy, we allow the tossing of a biodegradable urn containing ash while at sea.

Ashes must be in an approved scattering or biodegradable urn and the entire urn must be tossed. A certificate proving the urn is biodegradable may also be required. Guest will need to provide the death certificate and cremation certificate. Upon boarding, contact the Front Desk to set up a time and place for this request.

All requests must be submitted to the following:

Email: gfotravelservices@rccl.com 

Phone: 1-800-256-6649 (Prompt #1 twice)

[chengkp75]

As noted, this is not allowed without ship and corporate clearance, as per the policies noted above.  The typical ceremony will be on a sea day, and the environmental officer will call on you and escort you to typically the aft mooring deck (crew area where the ship ties up), and will retreat to a respectful distance to allow you to have a personal ceremony of your loved one's life, and then you can toss the urn overboard, and any approved floral display (cannot have any plastic or metal in it).  He/she will then escort you back to your cabin.  A day or two later, you will receive a certificate with the latitude and longitude of the ceremony.  There are no chaplains on the ship.  You will have to provide the proper certification of transport of cremains for air travel, and I believe for getting the cremains on the ship as well.  You can get this from the mortuary.

[RobInMN]

Here's some previous threads with some personal experiences in the replies:

 

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, poocher said:

First, my sympathy for your loss.  Second, please reach out to Royal because this is not something you can just do on your own.  There are protocols that must be followed.  You can reach out thru FB or email mbayley@rccl.com.

No need to reach out through the executive office for this.  There is a specific e mail address for this type of request. 

[poocher]

I imagine there is, just don’t know it so I provided the best I had.  Hoping someone will have the more direct email address.

[#1packerfan]

We are doing this in December with our daughter to spread her husband's ashes at sea. We reached out to the burial at sea for Royal and got an email back saying it was approved. We need to check in with guest services the day we get on the ship and they will make arrangements with the captain for us to do that.  She has to bring a copy of his death certificate, the cremation certificate, and proof that the urn is biodegradable. 

 

The email address we used is:  emergencytravelteam@rccl.com

Edited September 5, 2022 by #1packerfan

[JamesEM]

Thanks everyone for the information.

[3red7s]

oh my i did not realize it would be so involved  at this point i am wondering if we could just do it while on land......as this is a 2nd family member we do not have the full urn, just ashes, nor do we have paperwork.....sad, it would have been a touching thing to do......on to plan B

Edited September 5, 2022 by 3red7s

[molly361]

12 minutes ago, 3red7s said:

oh my i did not realize it would be so involved  at this point i am wondering if we could just do it while on land......as this is a 2nd family member we do not have the full urn, just ashes, nor do we have paperwork.....sad, it would have been a touching thing to do......on to plan B

I don't know where you are cruising to or the rules of where you are visiting but here in Florida I have scattered some (not all) of my husband's ashes into the ocean.  Maybe you could do it on the beach somewhere if it's allowed

[3red7s]

that would be nice also...thank you

[molly361]

15 hours ago, #1packerfan said:

We are doing this in December with our daughter to spread her husband's ashes at sea. We reached out to the burial at sea for Royal and got an email back saying it was approved. We need to check in with guest services the day we get on the ship and they will make arrangements with the captain for us to do that.  She has to bring a copy of his death certificate, the cremation certificate, and proof that the urn is biodegradable. 

 

The email address we used is:  emergencytravelteam@rccl.com

Sorry for your loss.  A little bit of my husband's ashes are now also in Lambeau Field.  He was a BIG Packer's fan as well

[3red7s]

aww what a nice gesture

[DrivesLikeMario]

Be careful about doing it at the beach though.  I believe you have to (legally) be at least 3 miles off the coast.  That's what we were told by my parents' cremation company.

[3red7s]

good to know these things so i dont get us into trouble or offend anyone.  thank you

[chengkp75]

31 minutes ago, 3red7s said:

good to know these things so i dont get us into trouble or offend anyone.  thank you

Scattering of ashes at sea, in the US is governed by the Clean Water Act, and this prohibits scattering from beaches.  The act also regulates scattering over inland waters, such as lakes and rivers.  Check the EPA website.  States govern whether cremains can be scattered over public and/or private lands, so check with your state's DEP, or the state you wish to scatter them in.  Without paperwork, you would be prohibited from transporting cremains on an airplane, and generally across state lines.

[3red7s]

Oh wow i never thought about the last line & transporting cremains....thnks so much 

[#1packerfan]

2 hours ago, molly361 said:

Sorry for your loss.  A little bit of my husband's ashes are now also in Lambeau Field.  He was a BIG Packer's fan as well

Thank you.  She is way too young to be a widow for sure. It will be an emotional cruise for us, her and our 13 yr old granddaughter. 

[crusin okie]

1 hour ago, 3red7s said:

Oh wow i never thought about the last line & transporting cremains....thnks so much 

Check the TSA website for yourself but I could find no requirement for anything in order to take cremains on an aircraft.  They are allowed in checked bags but TSA recommends transporting in carry on bags.  We buried our nephew at sea ( OK - I have to admit it was a different cruise line ) and it was  very easy, from a process point of view.  The crew was very respectful and accommodating.  

 

Best of luck and I am sorry for your loss.

[Husky1987]

My mom, brother, and I did this with our Dad's ashes on Explorer during an Alaska cruise in 2018.  The Royal folks were amazing and extremely considerate the entire time.  They took us down through some employee-only areas and onto one of the platforms near the aft.  No official "ceremony", but they allowed us to be there for as long as we needed and later on during the cruise we received a certificate from the captain with the coordinates where we dropped the ashes.

 

We used a biodegradable urn like this

 

https://perfectmemorials.com/loving-leaves-ecourn-biodegradable-cremation-urn-large-p-17238.html

 

Sorry for your loss.

 

[chengkp75]

31 minutes ago, crusin okie said:

Check the TSA website for yourself but I could find no requirement for anything in order to take cremains on an aircraft. 

TSA does recommend that you bring the cremation certificate, as it will document what the screener is seeing, without having to open the container of ashes.  Some airlines require the cremation certificate, some recommend it, and some require no documentation at all.

[crusin okie]

3 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

TSA does recommend that you bring the cremation certificate, as it will document what the screener is seeing, without having to open the container of ashes.  Some airlines require the cremation certificate, some recommend it, and some require no documentation at all.

I am only relating what I found on the TSA website.  Which airlines require or recommend a cremation certificate?

[TRadle]

We did this on Celebrity 5 years ago in Alaska.  The ship had a representative with us.  We didn't know why until my FIL hit the water.  She contacted the Captain who blew the ships horn as soon as the urn hit the water.  My MIL received a  beautiful burial certificate with the date, time, and coordinates of the burial. It was beautiful.  My in-laws meet in Alaska and loved cruising so it was perfect.