When Norwegian Cruise Line put Christopher Yanchak on its dreaded “Do Not Sail” list, he was shocked. There had been an incident on a cruise from New York to Bermuda last summer, but he thought he was in the clear. 

Even more shocking: The cruise line wouldn’t let him see the video evidence that supposedly showed him breaking a picture frame in a hallway.

“I had no recollection of this incident,” says Yanchak. “I asked to view the video to confirm it was me.”

But NCL refused, citing the privacy of other passengers visible in the recording.

Yanchak’s case raises several important questions about cruise line policies and passenger rights:

• What rights do cruise passengers have when they’re banned from a cruise line?
• How can passengers defend themselves against accusations when they can’t view the evidence?
• What options are available to banned passengers who have already paid for future bookings?

Yanchak’s story is an odyssey filled with accusations, misunderstandings and empty promises. But for him, there was an added sense of urgency: He had $8,000 tied up in future NCL cruise bookings. A ban by NCL would be a huge financial loss to him.

“Unfortunately, NCL no longer wishes to do business with you anymore”

Yanchak’s ordeal began during a cruise on the Norwegian Joy. He was part of a group of about 20 friends and family members enjoying their vacation. One day, a ship’s officer summoned him to the office to ask about an “incident” from the previous evening.

“I was informed that there was video and witnesses who indicated I broke a picture frame in one of the hallways by the guest telephones,” Yanchak recalls.

The security officer wouldn’t show him the video, claiming other guests were visible in the footage. After examining Yanchak’s arms and elbows and finding no cuts, scrapes or bruises, the officer issued a written warning. If there were any other incidents during the cruise, Yanchak would be removed from the ship in Bermuda.

The officer never mentioned a ban from future cruises. The written warning didn’t mention a ban either.

During the remainder of the cruise, Yanchak repeatedly checked with guest services about his status. Each time, a representative assured him there were no restrictions on his account and no bill for property damage. (Here’s our guide to taking your next cruise.)

The guest services manager even apologized for the confusion and encouraged Yanchak, who had Gold status with NCL, to sail with the cruise line again.

When Yanchak disembarked, there were no charges for damages on his final bill. A week later, he called the cruise line, which confirmed there were no flags on his account and even offered to help him book a future sailing.

NCL changes its tune about being on the Do Not Sail list

A few months later, Yanchak’s wife, Melissa, was trying to change a dinner reservation for their upcoming NCL cruise. After encountering technical difficulties, she called customer service.

“After being on hold for about 10 minutes, the agent very casually told her that my name is on the Do Not Sail List,” Yanchak says.

The agent cited the reservation number from their summer cruise as the reason but offered no further details.

Confused and desperate for answers, Yanchak submitted a detailed account to the cruise line’s guest relations department, including photos showing he had no injuries consistent with breaking a picture frame.

“To say that I am shocked is an understatement,” he wrote. “How could five people tell me that everything was fine? Per the guest services manager, I was cleared, but now I am on the Do Not Sail list? It makes no sense.”

Three days later, Yanchak received a brief, dismissive response from a resolution specialist at NCL.

“I escalated your issue to our security department as requested,” she wrote. “After reviewing the issue and watching CCTV, they decided that you will remain on our DNS list. If you would like further information about the reason, you will need a lawyer to write in to our legal department. Nobody in passenger services can provide further detail regarding your issue.”

Wait, what about that upcoming cruise?

The Do Not Sail list is cruise speak for “you’re banned for life.” Cruise lines maintain these internal blacklists to flag passengers accused of violating conduct policies, from minor infractions like smoking on balconies to serious offenses like violence. 

Getting blacklisted is remarkably easy, and often starts with a crew member’s report. Security teams review incidents — real or alleged — using onboard cameras, witness statements, or damage claims. But the process lacks transparency. Passengers aren’t formally interviewed or shown evidence. Often, you’re guilty until proven innocent.

NCL’s list, like those of rivals Carnival and Royal Caribbean, isn’t public. Guests often discover their status only when they’re blocked from booking future trips.

But Yanchak had a serious problem. He had already paid about $8,000 for another NCL cruise, which he now couldn’t take. When he asked about a refund, a representative told him his booking was nonrefundable.

Yanchak sent multiple emails to NCL executives, including CEO Harry Sommer, but received no response. 

He even sent a paper letter to corporate headquarters.

The reply? Another email from the same resolution specialist, reiterating the ban: “Unfortunately, NCL no longer wishes to do business with you anymore. We apologize as this is not the outcome you were hoping for.”

To complicate matters further, NCL changed its story about what Yanchak allegedly damaged.

“They are now telling me I broke a mirror,” Yanchak said after months of trying to resolve the issue.

What rights do cruise passengers have when they’re banned from a cruise line?

When cruise lines accuse passengers of rule violations, passengers have limited options for recourse. Cruise ticket contracts —  those lengthy documents passengers agree to when booking —  typically give cruise lines broad authority to deny service.

Unlike airlines, which are more regulated, cruise ships operate in international waters under flags of convenience with minimal oversight. We’ve had all kinds of cases where cruise passengers have been banned. Most recently, one of our readers landed on the Do Not Sail list because he packed CBD gummies in his luggage.

I’ve seen instances where cruise lines have banned passengers for minor infractions or even honest misunderstandings. The burden of proof is minimal, and passengers have few legal options.

Your best defense is carefully documenting interactions with cruise staff, especially when disputes arise. Take photos, record names of crew members you speak with, and save all written communications.

And by all means, ask to see the video.

How can passengers defend themselves against accusations when they can’t view the evidence?

The central issue in Yanchak’s case was his inability to view the video evidence used to ban him from the cruise line.

“I just wanted the opportunity to defend myself,” Yanchak says. “If I did it, I am more than willing to make amends.”

The cruise line’s refusal to show evidence based on other passengers’ privacy is common and problematic. Techniques like blurring faces or editing footage could protect privacy while still allowing passengers to see relevant evidence.

In our advocacy team’s experience, cruise lines often cite privacy concerns when they don’t want to share evidence with a customer, even if it’s information that may exonerate the customer. Cruise lines also don’t want to establish a precedent of sharing surveillance footage with passengers. It would be a paperwork nightmare.

But for Yanchak, the lack of evidence left him in an impossible position. He couldn’t defend himself and stood to lose $8,000. 

What options are available to passengers who have money tied up in future bookings after being banned?

For many passengers like Yanchak, the financial implications of a ban can be substantial. He had $8,000 tied up in his future cruise booking.

Most cruise contracts give the line the right to deny boarding for almost any reason and keep your money. Of course, that might not sit well with your bank, so a credit card dispute under the Fair Credit Billing Act might be one way of recovering your money.

How about travel insurance? Unless you buy a “cancel for any reason” policy, getting on the cruise line’s Do Not Sail list wouldn’t be covered.

Another option is to transfer the booking to someone else. That’s what Yanchak’s wife attempted to do by transferring his spot to her sister. The paper trail between Yanchak and the cruise line suggests they were unsuccessful.

“I just heard from Norwegian today”

Needless to say, there were a lot of problems with this case. First, the discrepancy between what NCL said was damaged — was it a picture frame or a mirror? Second, the assurances NCL staff gave him that he was not responsible for any damage and their willingness to help him book another cruise.

In a letter to NCL, Melissa Yanchak pointed out a few more problems with NCL’s case. They allege he damaged a frame by striking it with his left hand, but he is right-handed. The damaged area also doesn’t add up, because he is too tall, she says.

NCL suggested he hire an attorney, but he had a better idea: He called us.

We reached out to NCL to find out about Yanchak’s case. There were so many inconsistencies and a lack of evidence, and NCL’s insistence that it keep his $8,000 didn’t seem right to our advocacy team.

“I heard from Norwegian today,” Yanchak reported soon afterwards. “They have removed me from the Do Not Sail list.” 

Unfortunately, NCL did not offer any explanation of why he was on the list or why it removed him.

This much is clear: There was some kind of incident on the Norwegian Joy. Something got damaged. 

Which brings me to my advice. This bears repeating: The next time you’re on a cruise and find yourself in a dispute with the cruise line, make sure you document everything. 

Take photos, note the names of crew members, save emails, and be persistent. And if you’re falsely accused of something, insist on seeing the evidence — even if you have to escalate the matter to executives or seek outside help.

Sometimes the only way to navigate the troubled waters of being on a Do Not Sail list is to make enough waves that the cruise line realizes the easiest course is to fix your problem.

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