What Is the Code for Death on a Cruise Ship?

By Anna Duncan

Death on a cruise ship is a tragedy that no one wants to think about, but sometimes it happens. Cruise lines must have protocols in place to ensure that any deaths occurring onboard are handled with respect and dignity and that proper documentation is kept.

In order to do this, cruise lines have codes for death on board their ships.

The code for death on a cruise ship is usually “Code Alpha”. This code is used by the crew whenever there is a death onboard the ship, whether due to natural causes or an accident.

When Code Alpha is announced, the medical staff will be notified and they will be responsible for conducting an investigation into the cause of death and ensuring all necessary paperwork is completed.

In some instances, when a death occurs on board a cruise ship, the body may need to be repatriated back home if the family wishes to do so. In this case, Code Bravo will be used instead of Code Alpha.

This code signals to the medical staff that they need to begin preparations for repatriation of the body. Depending on where the ship is in its journey and what port it will next arrive at, arrangements may need to be made for transport from that port back home.

In addition to Codes Alpha and Bravo, there are other codes which may also be used by cruise lines in cases of death onboard their ships. These include Code Charlie (for natural disasters that cause fatalities), Code Delta (for missing persons) and Code Foxtrot (for suspicious deaths).

Conclusion:

Code Alpha is the protocol used by cruise lines when someone dies onboard one of their ships. It signals medical staff to investigate and complete all necessary paperwork associated with the death. Depending on circumstances such as repatriation of the body back home or suspicious deaths, other codes such as Bravo, Charlie, Delta or Foxtrot may also be used.