Cruise Guest Dragged Off Excursion Over Missing Wrist Band

When taking a Carnival shore excursion to Blue Lagoon Island in the Bahamas, the rules are simple: No wristband means no entry. However, one stubborn cruise guest who didn’t possess this accessory wasn’t taking no for an answer until she was forcibly removed by security.

Over Easter weekend, Carnival Glory was making a routine call on Nassau, Bahamas – which is a staple on all of the current 3 to 4-night itineraries that she is currently operating out of Port Canaveral, Florida.

For many cruisers, one of the perks of visiting Nassau is that it serves as a gateway to Blue Lagoon Island – which is only a three mile (or 35 minute long) ferry ride away.

The island is home to a private beach and a variety of wildlife encounters, such as swimming with dolphins, snorkeling with sharks and stingrays, and meet and greets with sea lions.

But in order to visit the island, guests must first book the shore excursion through Carnival and have to wear a wristband in order to board the ferry – which serves as proof of payment for the crew members.

However, one woman managed to sneak onboard the ferry without a wristband – and refused to leave once she got caught. The confrontation lasted for over an hour before two security officers carried her off the boat.

“We’re stuck on the boat for 1.5 HOURS because one lady snuck on without a wristband and REFUSED to get off. Carnival excursion turned hostage situation?? You can’t make this up,” one witness, who goes by @heyitscrystaltoo on social media, shared on her TikTok.

The scene caused by the uncooperative cruise guest came after her fellow passengers already waited over an hour in line before they were able to board the ferry – with the added delay eating into their beach day and wildlife excursions that they paid for.

The non-offending passengers were also forced to wait in hot weather, which made the delay extra uncomfortable. According to the TikToker, another passenger even had a heat-induced Asthma attack.

What Really Happened?

At this time, it’s not clear if the woman in question intentionally left her wristband behind or not – or if she was even entitled to one.

However, there are only two possible scenarios. Either a mistake was made and she wasn’t given a wristband (or lost it), or she never actually booked and paid for the excursion – which is an offense that could get her banned from the cruise line.

The woman was traveling in a group of three, and a small child that appears to be her son is seen wearing a green wristband in a second TikTok – though his wristband could have been from another activity, too.

According to witnesses, the woman was adamant that she had paid for the excursion and would not leave, and that she would seek legal action against Carnival if she was forced out.

That said, it’s not clear why she wouldn’t then present her proof of payment in the form of an email confirmation or the HUB App on her phone.

“She was determined that she was not getting off this boat. Security came, asked her to leave, and she just kept saying ‘I’m not getting off of the boat’ over and over again. Her little boy was begging her to get off the boat, and then the little boy just walked away, and broke down and started crying,” the TikToker explained.

While she could have left the ferry peacefully when she was first asked to do so and sorted out any miscommunication with the cruise line calmly, the woman’s non-compliance surely resulted in consequences.

In addition to a potential cruise ban, she also could have been hit with a $500 fine for her behavior per Carnival’s Code of Conduct – which is much more than just paying the $94.99 adult cost (or $84.99 child cost) to visit Blue Lagoon through the shore excursion.

It’s unclear if the other guests, who were forced to wait in the heat, have been compensated for the uncomfortable delay or not.