Brutal cruise ship footage shows why you should always follow departure times

Cruise ships are the perfect idea of a holiday for so many because of where they take you.

Travelling the open seas in luxury while you stop off at idyllic Caribbean islands or buzzing coastal cities is, for many, a dream getaway.

But that getaway comes with rules and if you don't obey them, you could quickly find yourself regretting the entire journey and asking yourself 'why did I bother?'.

Some rules are strictly for staff, which have been branded as 'crazy and restrictive' by some who work on board the vessels. Other rules are in place just for people who live on cruise ships - and they're quite strict.

One recent TikTok video has shown the brutality of cruise ships in all their glory - unless you're on the receiving end of it going wrong, that is. And this time it concerns everyone.

It's a rule that is incredibly strict - don't follow it and you'll find your trip completely ruined.

We are talking about departure times.

Whether this is boarding for the first time or when the ship has made anchor at one of its designated days where you can explore a location off of the boat, when the ship tells you it's leaving at 5pm, it's leaving at 5pm.

A minute late? You can very much expect yourself to be somewhat stranded at whatever location you find yourself at.

The video from, TikToker @gabrielmsotelo, shows the ship Gabriel is on 20 minutes before it was due to set sail.

Footage shows people running for the boat, with people queueing at 4.59pm to get on board before the ramp goes up and it sets sail.

Then the footage suddenly cuts to a clip timestamped at 5.15pm, showing the boat already set sail in to open water.

Sadly for two passengers, they turned up too late and can be seen stood watching aimlessly from the port.

Captioning the video, Gabriel said: "I can't believe they got left behind!"

After watching the clip, one TikTok user said: "Drunk on my balcony at 4pm yelling at pier runners with my room service pizza was a highlight of my cruise."

Another joked: "Ship leaves at 5pm which means I am back NO LATER than 4pm so I can settle in with a 'drink package' drink to watch the pier runners."

A third more brutally said: "I don't understand why people wait until the last minute."

And a fourth added: "They clearly explain the rules and what happens before you get off the boat. If you can't follow directions, stay on the boat."

On what people do when they miss their ship's departure Tripadvisor company CruiseCritic says: "If you miss the ship, you'll have to either meet it in a subsequent port of call or call it a wash and head home.

"Your cruise line, travel agent or travel insurance provider might be able to help you make the plans; otherwise, you'll have to make arrangements on your own. Either way, you'll be responsible for any costs incurred."