Unlimited snacks, margaritas on tap and staff on hand to attend to your every want and whim - a cruise is arguably the most relaxing way to travel. But, as this unfortunate couple found, while you don't need to get to each wanderlust location under your own steam - you'd better be back on board at the time the captain asks or you might be left stranded.
After hopping off the boat to explore the destination it turns out this hapless couple were late getting back to port - and they were left stranded. And the painful moment was caught on camera for all to see.
The couple were perhaps enjoying the final day of a seven-day cruise a little too much and had arrived late back to the boat departing the island of Nassau, in the Bahamas to head to their final destination of Miami in America.
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According to the onlooker who captured the toe-curling footage, the couple were more than a little too late and missed the boat (quite literally).
The voice in the video is heard saying that the last call for boarding came at 3.30pm but the pair came along 50 minutes after that time - after the crew had begun removing ropes and closed the gangway and hatch to depart.
And while it's not the worst place in the world to be stranded, the duo had no option but to watch on as the Royal Caribbean liner, Symphony of the Seas, set sail and left them standing on the shore.
The pair were without most of their their belongings, and quite possibly, their passports.
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The couple wave frantically in an attempt to catch the crew's attention but as the ship moves further away from the dock, it becomes obvious that ship has sailed.
Passengers on board can be seen looking down from their balconies at the stranded pair but were unable to do anything to help.
If the couple had been late while on a tour booked through the cruiseline then they may have received help getting home to complete the final leg of their journey. But it appears that the pair were either on an independent tour or exploring the island solo.
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Pretty52 has contacted Royal Caribbean for a comment.
If this cautionary tale hasn't put you off cruising completely Royal Caribbean announced earlier this month that applications are open for the first ever Shore Explorer 'Apprentice-Ship'. The best part? It will pay the equivalent of a salary over £100k.
The lucky apprentice will be a 'global experience hunter' tasked with seeking out new on-shore experiences that will ultimately influence the brand's shore excursion programme for 2019 and beyond.
They will travel all over the world for three weeks this summer with Royal Caribbean, heading to, amongst other places, Japan, Alaska, Europe, the Middle East, and be one of the first to visit Perfect Day at CocoCay a new and exclusive private island in the Caribbean opening in May.
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Their only daily task will be capturing their experiences on Instagram, Insta-Stories and IGTV.
They will then have the chance to enjoy a range of 'bucket list experiences' such as visiting a glacier in Alaska, exploring Osaka in Japan, white water rafting in the Norwegian Fjords and riding the world's longest urban zip wire in Dubai
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said: "We're looking for an adrenaline junkie who is not only hungry for adventure, but also has a unique ability to capture a moment and tell a story in a simple social media post.
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"We already offer a huge amount of incredible, once-in-a-lifetime, on-land experiences as part of our cruise holidays - from zip wires and white water rafting, to walking on glaciers and hot air balloon rides. By launching this position, we're hoping that the winning candidate will take our shore excursion programme to the next level."
The successful candidate will be selected by an independent panel of judges consisting of The Vamps' writer & guitarist and contestant in I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! 2018, James McVey; Ben Bouldin, Managing Director Royal Caribbean International UK & Ireland; Nadia El Ferdaoussi, Travel Writer; and former apprentice, Russ Francis.
On becoming a Shore Explorer judge, James McVey said: "My jungle experience taught me that you really can't beat the thrill of exploring new destinations and experiences - whether on land or sea - and that's what becoming a 'Shore Explorer' is all about. I'm so excited to be working with Royal Caribbean to find the perfect person for this new 'Apprentice-Ship'; someone who has a passion for travel, exploration and seeking out new and extraordinary experiences around the world. And, of course, they have to be brilliant at sharing their adventure online too!"
Building on the success of its 'Intern-ship' programme two years ago, the lucky candidate will act as apprentice to Royal Caribbean's Instagrammer-in-Chief, Russ Francis, who was appointed the role following his application in 2016, and last year captured the largest cruise ship in the world, Symphony of the Seas, the cruise line's first Quantum Ultra Class ship.
The search for a Shore Explorer 'Apprentice-Ship' follows new research from Royal Caribbean that reveals millennials are adopting a 'do it' rather than 'own it' attitude, with almost two thirds (63 per cent) claiming to get more fulfilment from seeking out experiences than from owning 'stuff'.
Seeing the Northern Lights, going on safari, experiencing a hot air balloon ride, and visiting Canada, all feature highly on the bucket lists of millennials.
And 46 per cent of those surveyed cited visiting the Northern Lights on their bucket list, while comparatively only 18 per cent claimed that owning a home is currently a key life goal.
Applications are via Instagram (what else) and candidates are asked to share their best travel story, image or video (via a post, Instagram stories or IGTV), tagging @RoyalCaribbeanUK and #ShoreExplorer position closes at 23:59 on 1st March.
Hopeful applicants must be 21 years or over, hold a valid passport and be able to travel this year. More information can be found by visiting Royal Caribbean's UK Instagram channel or website.
Featured Image Credit: Viral Hog