Royal Caribbean Ash Scattering: Burial at Sea Policy, Cost, and How to Plan the Ceremony
You Booked the Cruise. Now You Need to Know How This Works.
Maybe this was their favorite cruise line. Maybe you already had the trip planned and decided to bring their ashes along because it felt right. Maybe someone told you Royal Caribbean allows ash scattering at sea and you thought: that could be the goodbye they would have wanted.
Whatever brought you here, I want to help you understand exactly how this works on a Royal Caribbean ship so you can stop worrying about logistics and focus on the part that actually matters: the moment you let go.
This is everything I know about scattering ashes on Royal Caribbean, from their official policy to the documents you need, what happens onboard, and how to make the ceremony feel like more than just a procedure.
Royal Caribbean's Official Burial at Sea Policy
Royal Caribbean does allow families to scatter ashes at sea. Their policy is straightforward, and the good news is there is no charge for it.
Here is what they require. The ashes must be in a biodegradable urn with no plastic, wire, or synthetic materials. The entire urn must go into the water. You cannot open it and pour ashes over the side. You will need to bring a death certificate and a cremation certificate. And a certificate proving the urn is biodegradable may also be required.
Once you board, you contact the Front Desk (Guest Services) to set up a time and place for the ceremony. The crew will coordinate with you based on the ship's itinerary and sailing conditions. They typically arrange it during a stretch of open-water sailing, at least three nautical miles from shore, which is the minimum distance required by the EPA for any burial at sea in U.S. waters.
If you want the full picture of EPA rules for burial at sea, we have a step-by-step guide that walks you through the legal side of things.
What Documents to Bring
This is the part that trips people up, so let me make it simple. You need three things.
Death certificate. A certified copy. Bring the original or a notarized copy, not a photocopy.
Cremation certificate. This comes from the crematorium and confirms the remains are cremated. Your funeral home can provide this if you do not already have it.
Certificate of biodegradability. This proves your urn meets Royal Caribbean's material requirements. Every Pachamama urn comes with a Certificate of Biodegradability included in the kit, so you are covered.
Keep all three documents together in a folder you can access easily. Do not pack them in checked luggage. If you are flying to your departure port, you will also want to review TSA guidelines for traveling with ashes before you head to the airport.
How to Arrange the Ceremony Onboard
On your second day onboard (not embarkation day, when the crew is overwhelmed), visit Guest Services and let them know you would like to arrange an ash scattering ceremony. They handle this more often than you might think, and the staff are generally kind and discreet about it.
They will coordinate with the ship's environmental officer and security team to find a time and location. The ceremony usually happens on a quiet section of deck, away from other passengers. Depending on the ship and its route, you may be escorted to the area by a crew member who will give your family privacy once you are settled.
A few things to know. Royal Caribbean does not provide a chaplain or officiant. If you want someone to lead the ceremony, you will need to bring your own words or ask a family member to speak. The crew member present is there for logistics, not to lead a service. You are also welcome to bring natural, biodegradable flowers or petals to scatter alongside the urn. No plastic, no ribbons, no balloons, no glitter.
Some families receive a letter from the captain afterward with the GPS coordinates and date of the ceremony. This is not guaranteed on every ship, but you can ask Guest Services about it. Those coordinates become a way to return to the spot, at least in spirit, whenever you need to.
What the Moment Actually Looks Like
I want to tell you what to expect so you are not caught off guard.
You will be standing at the railing of the ship with the ocean stretching out in every direction. The wind will be in your hair. The water will be moving. It is beautiful and it is big, and that combination can hit you harder than you expect.
When you place the biodegradable urn into the water, it floats. For a few minutes, depending on the urn and the conditions, it sits on the surface. This is your time. Watch it. Breathe. Say what you need to say, silently or out loud. Some people speak. Some cry. Some just stand there holding someone's hand.
Then the urn begins to take on water, and slowly, gently, it sinks below the surface and dissolves. The ashes become part of the ocean. If you want to understand more about how this process works, our guide on how long biodegradable urns float covers the timing in detail.
It is quiet afterward. That is normal. The silence is not awkward. It is the ceremony finishing what words could not.
What to Say During the Ceremony
You do not need a script. But if you want one, or if you are afraid your voice will disappear when the moment comes, it helps to have something written down.
A few words are enough. Something like: "We bring you here because you loved the sea. We let you go because it is time. We carry you with us because that is what love does."
Or simply: "Go gently. We love you."
If you want more options, we have two guides that were written for exactly this kind of moment. One covers what to say at an ash scattering ceremony, and the other gathers readings and blessings for a water farewell from different traditions. Borrow whatever feels right. Change whatever does not.
The ceremony does not need to be perfect. It needs to be yours.
How Much Does It Cost to Scatter Ashes on Royal Caribbean?
The ceremony itself is free. Royal Caribbean does not charge for the service. No fee, no surcharge, no add-on package.
Your costs are the cruise fare you are already paying, and the biodegradable urn. That is it. Our cruise farewell urns start at $49 and include everything you need for the ceremony: the urn itself, a biodegradable ashes bag, a handmade paper flower, dried flower confetti to scatter alongside, a ceremony guide, a curated music playlist (via QR code), and the Certificate of Biodegradability that Royal Caribbean may request.
Compared to chartering a private boat for a burial at sea, which can run anywhere from $500 to over $2,000, a cruise ceremony is one of the most affordable and meaningful ways to scatter ashes at sea.
Can You Bring Ashes on a Royal Caribbean Cruise?
Yes. You are allowed to bring cremated remains onboard. Keep them in your carry-on bag when boarding (not in checked luggage that goes through the ship's cargo hold). The security screening at the cruise terminal works similarly to airport security. The urn needs to be x-rayable, which means no metal or lead-based containers.
If you are flying to the port city first, the same rules apply at the airport. TSA allows cremated remains in carry-on luggage as long as the container can pass through the x-ray machine. Our full guide to taking a biodegradable urn on a plane covers everything you need to know about airport security, packing, and what to do if you are pulled aside.
Once onboard, keep the urn in your stateroom until the ceremony is arranged.
Which Royal Caribbean Ships Allow Ash Scattering?
The policy applies across the entire Royal Caribbean fleet. Whether you are sailing on an Oasis-class mega-ship, a Voyager-class vessel, or one of their smaller ships, the service is available. The ship itself does not matter. What matters is the itinerary. The ceremony can only happen when the ship is in open water, so sailings with long stretches at sea give you more flexibility in timing.
Caribbean itineraries, transatlantic crossings, and Alaska sailings all work well. Short coastal cruises with mostly port days may limit when the ceremony can be scheduled. If timing is important to you, ask Guest Services early in the voyage so they can find the best window.
For a broader look at how other cruise lines handle this, our guide on which cruise lines allow ash scattering compares policies across Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Princess, Holland America, and Disney.
What to Bring to the Ceremony
You do not need much, and that is part of what makes it meaningful. Here is what families commonly bring.
The urn with ashes. Already sealed and ready.
Natural flowers or petals. Biodegradable only. No plastic stems, no synthetic materials. Dried rose petals or wildflower petals work beautifully on the water.
A phone or small speaker. For music, if you want it. Some families play a song that meant something to their person. Others prefer the sound of the ocean.
Written words. Even if you plan to speak freely, having something on paper helps when emotion takes over. A poem, a prayer, a letter, a few sentences you wrote at the hotel the night before.
A camera. Only if you want photos. There is no obligation to document this. Some families find photos comforting later. Others prefer the moment to stay private.
We put together a full ceremony checklist that covers everything you might want to have with you, whether the farewell happens on a cruise, a boat, or at the shore.
After the Ceremony: The EPA Report
If the ash scattering takes place in U.S. waters (within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone), the EPA asks that you file a brief notification within 30 days. This is a simple online form. You will need the name of the deceased, the date of the ceremony, the approximate location (ask the crew for GPS coordinates), and the name of the vessel.
It is free. It is not complicated. And it is the legal requirement for any burial at sea under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act. Our EPA burial at sea guide explains the reporting process step by step.
If the ceremony happens in international waters or non-U.S. territorial waters, the EPA report is not required.
Why Families Choose a Cruise for This Goodbye
Not everyone has access to a private boat. Not everyone lives near the ocean. A cruise gives families the chance to hold a sea ceremony without chartering a vessel, navigating maritime logistics alone, or figuring out how to get three nautical miles offshore on their own.
It also gives the goodbye a setting. The days before the ceremony become part of the farewell: meals together, sunsets on the deck, conversations you might not have had otherwise. And the days after give you space to grieve together in a place that is separate from your everyday life, which can be a gift when the world at home feels too heavy.
Some families book the cruise specifically for the ceremony. Others add it to a trip that was already planned. Both are valid. Both are meaningful. If you want to think more about designing a farewell that feels personal, we wrote about that too.
If You Want to Divide the Ashes
Not everyone in the family may be on the cruise. And not everyone may want all the ashes scattered at sea. Some families keep a small portion at home in a keepsake urn, scatter some at sea, and bury some in a meaningful place on land.
This is completely fine. Our guide on sharing ashes among loved ones walks through how to divide them thoughtfully, and our mini biodegradable urns guide covers how to plan a multi-location memorial when the goodbye happens in more than one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Royal Caribbean charge for ash scattering at sea? No. There is no fee for the ceremony. The crew coordinates the timing and location at no additional cost. Your only expense is the cruise fare and a biodegradable urn.
What kind of urn does Royal Caribbean require? The urn must be fully biodegradable with no plastic, wire, metal, or synthetic materials. The entire urn must be placed into the water. A certificate of biodegradability may be requested. Pachamama urns include this certificate in every kit.
Can I scatter loose ashes over the railing on Royal Caribbean? No. Royal Caribbean requires that the ashes remain inside the biodegradable urn when placed in the water. You cannot open the urn and pour ashes over the side. The urn dissolves in the ocean and releases the ashes naturally.
How do I arrange the ceremony once onboard? Visit the Front Desk or Guest Services on your second day aboard. Let them know you would like to arrange an ash scattering. They will coordinate with the environmental officer and find a private time and location during an open-water stretch of the voyage.
Can I fly with ashes to the cruise departure port? Yes. TSA allows cremated remains in carry-on luggage as long as the container is x-rayable. Do not pack ashes in checked bags. Bring the death certificate, cremation certificate, and biodegradability certificate with you. Our TSA travel guide covers the full process.
Do I need to file an EPA report after scattering ashes at sea? If the ceremony occurs in U.S. waters, yes. The EPA requires a simple online notification within 30 days. You will need the date, approximate GPS coordinates, the name of the deceased, and the vessel name. There is no fee.
Will the captain attend the ceremony? This varies by ship and is not guaranteed. Some captains choose to attend as a sign of respect. Some ships provide a letter or certificate with the date, time, and GPS coordinates of the ceremony. You can ask Guest Services whether this is available on your sailing.
Can I bring flowers to scatter with the urn? Yes, as long as they are natural and biodegradable. Fresh or dried petals, small natural wreaths, and loose flowers are all permitted. No plastic ribbons, synthetic flowers, balloons, or glitter.
The Ocean Will Hold Them
There is something about watching a biodegradable urn float on the water and then slowly disappear beneath the surface that words cannot fully capture. It is grief made visible. It is love made tangible. And then it is peace, wide and open and everywhere.
You do not need to have all the answers before you board. You just need the urn, the documents, and the willingness to stand at the railing and let go.
The ocean is patient. It will wait for you.
With love,
Virginia