What Happens When You Break Cruise Line Policies? A Cautionary Tale from Royal Caribbean

When it comes to cruising, no one wants their adventure to end in controversy—especially if it involves being escorted off the ship in handcuffs. Unfortunately, this scenario became a reality for one passenger aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise in 2017. The story resurfaced on Reddit, revealing a series of unfortunate events that culminated in their arrest.

“A small amount of weed was in my stateroom and found by the steward,” shared the user. “I was held in a stateroom with a security guard until reaching Nassau, where I was escorted off the boat by Bahamian police.”

The trouble began when the passenger attempted to purchase a drink package mid-sailing, only to be denied due to an issue with their cruise card.

After being directed to guest services for help, the situation escalated when security approached the guest regarding a discovery made in their cabin.

Initially, the passenger denied the allegation—even though they had the prohibited item in their shoulder bag.

Security proceeded to their cabin, where the search yielded no results, prompting further investigation into the bag the passenger had with them—where the contraband was eventually discovered.

“I continued to deny it was mine, claiming I was with a lot of people with rooms all over and that any of the teens with us could have been in my room,” the poster admitted.

As a result of the findings, the head of security was called to the scene, leading to the individual being placed in the brig, or cruise jail. Following this incident, they were banned from all future Royal Caribbean cruises and escorted off the ship by Bahamian authorities.

Royal Caribbean maintains a strict policy prohibiting all illegal drugs and substances, including marijuana. This passenger’s actions were a blatant violation of cruise policy, justifying both the ban and subsequent arrest.

Understanding Cruise Line Policies and Consequences for Unruly Passengers

Cruise lines are well-acquainted with passengers disregarding their rules, which are readily accessible online at any time. In today’s digital age, with access to information via smartphones, ignorance of these policies is no longer an excuse. They are usually outlined in the cruise contract agreed upon at booking.

Depending on the severity of the violation, passengers might face fines or warnings rather than removal from the ship and involvement from law enforcement.

While incidents like these are uncommon—given that over 31 million people cruise annually and very few cross legal lines—there have been notable arrests recently. For instance, on February 26, 2025, a passenger was arrested in Aruba for attempting to board the Oasis of the Seas with a revolver in their possession, which is explicitly prohibited by cruise lines.

This individual was apprehended during a routine screening and subsequently removed from the ship by local authorities.

Earlier, in January 2025, a Florida deputy was barred from boarding Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas after he tried to smuggle narcotic pills disguised in a bag of Skittles, planning to sell them to fellow passengers.

Moreover, just a day before that incident, another passenger was arrested in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, on charges of fraud, using fake credit cards for extravagant spending aboard the ship.

Cruise lines maintain strict vigilance against illegal activities. Anyone considering breaking the rules should think twice—an arrest and a lifetime ban from the cruise line could be the least of your worries.