Has Anyone Ever Stowed Away on a Cruise Ship?

By Anna Duncan

Stowing away on a cruise ship is something that has been attempted by various people over the years. Cruise ships are some of the largest passenger vessels in the world, and as such, they can be tempting Targets for those looking for a free ride. While it is generally frowned upon and illegal to stow away on a cruise ship, there have been a few instances of people successfully doing so in the past.

The most famous example of someone stowing away on a cruise ship is Indonesian teenager Aldi Novel Adilang. In July 2018, he was working as a lamp keeper on a floating fish trap when strong winds blew him off course and out to sea.

He drifted out into international waters and eventually ended up near Guam, where he was spotted by the crew of the luxury liner ‘MV Arca’. The crew rescued him and gave him food before allowing him to stay aboard for the rest of their journey.

Other than Adilang, there have been several other instances of people attempting to stow away on cruise ships. In 2017, two Cuban nationals were discovered hiding in an air vent by crew members of Royal Caribbean’s ‘Navigator of the Seas’.

The pair had managed to get onto the ship by sneaking onto the dock in Miami. However, they were quickly found and detained before being deported back to Cuba.

A more recent example occurred in May 2020 when two Syrian men were discovered hiding on board a MSC cruise ship off the coast of Italy. They had managed to get on board at Genoa port without being noticed and had remained hidden until they were eventually found by security personnel.

Conclusion:

Has anyone ever stowed away on a cruise ship? It appears that some people have indeed managed to do so despite all the security measures put in place by cruise companies. While it is illegal and not recommended, it is possible for someone with enough determination to pull it off.