The rate of cremation in the U.S. is increasing, with scattering ashes at sea becoming a more and more popular memorial option. As a way to celebrate the life of a loved one who had a strong connection to the ocean, scattering ashes at sea is a deeply meaningful type of burial for many people, including avid cruisers.
Scattering ashes at sea is legal in the U.S. and permitted on many cruise ships, but federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines must be followed, and the EPA must be notified of the burial at sea within 30 days following the event.
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The EPA doesn’t permit the scattering of ashes at beaches or shorelines or placing the remains of pets in ocean waters. Cremated human remains must be scattered at least three nautical miles from land, making a cruise ship an ideal type of vessel to carry out a burial at sea.
If you want to lay a loved one to rest at sea via a final voyage on their favorite cruise ship, you can do so on most cruise lines, including Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Just make sure to follow their procedures and policies for burial at sea.
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Image source: John Heald/Facebook
Carnival's Heald helps arrange free scattering of ashes ceremonies
According to Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald, if any passenger scatters ashes at sea without following the proper protocol, the cruise line could be subject to a large fine for breach of environmental regulations.
Recently, Heald dedicated a post on his popular Facebook page to remind his followers of how he can help passengers make the proper arrangements with Carnival ships to scatter a loved one’s ashes at sea in a complimentary scattering of ashes ceremony.
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Any Carnival passenger who would like John’s help with arranging the scattering of ashes on a Carnival cruise ship can follow the process John outlined:
- Two or three days before the cruise, please send me a request for an ashes scattering.
- Please include the ship and cabin number
- I will then make the arrangements with the ship directly
- On the second (not embarkation day) day of your cruise, please visit the Guest Services Desk. They will be expecting you and will then let you know the time and place where the special moment will be held.
- On the day of the scattering, a staff member will escort you to the private place where this will be done. Please note a maximum of 12 people can be there and it may not always be accessible for everyone.
- Once the ceremony is over, the Captain will provide you with a special letter letting you know the coordinates that the ashes of your loved one will be let go.
"There is no charge for any of this. Please bring a copy of the death certificate and any urns or containers being placed overboard must be biodegradable. Remember please that the ship must be 12 miles outside of port before the ceremony can begin," he shared. "Thank you, and please know I will always be here to help with this if you need me."
More details on Carnival’s burial at sea policy
Passengers who bring cremated remains on board a Carnival cruise ship must bring the deceased’s death certificate and keep the ashes in a leak-proof, sealed container constructed of wood, plastic, cardboard, or any non-lead-based ceramic.
The urn must remain on board, and the passenger may not disembark the urn and try to enter it in a port-of-call. Each country has legal requirements and controls over the transportation of cremated human remains, and they must be respected.
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Onboard a Carnival cruise ship, guest services, and the ship’s environmental officer coordinate the burial at sea. The date and time of the ceremony will be based on environmental restrictions and must be performed beyond twelve nautical miles from land and outside any special areas.
On the arranged date and time, the passengers will meet a member of guest services who will escort them to the location where the scattering of ashes will be conducted. Passengers will be given a moment of privacy to disperse the ashes.
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