Life on a cruise can be difficult. There are long days of journey, strict protocols, and a constant threat to life between the deep waters. However, it’s also well-paid, luxurious, and one of a kind. Regarding protocols, frequent cruisers might already recognize that staff use coded announcements rather than calling them out directly for fires, storms, overboard incidents, or medical crises.
Interesting, right? Amber Olivia, a TikTok user who works on cruise ships and has over 100,000 followers, revealed a particularly lesser-known code you never want to hear. In a video, she explained that ships often use “Code Alpha,” “Code Victoria,” “Code X‑Ray,” and other phrases that change from ship to ship to determine different types of emergencies.
As per Tyla, code “Alpha,” in particular, is tied to medical situations. It could mean a normal fall to something much more tragic, maybe like death. Amber said, “If it’s code ‘Alpha’ and then you hear them call for a stretcher team and head toward a cabin, especially at night, that can sometimes, though not always, mean somebody has passed away.”
This is how we mention letters in Aviation while talking to control. This is standard Aviation language used worldwide.
A – Alpha
B – Bravo
C – Charlie
D – Delta
E – Echo
F – Foxtrot
G – Golf
H – Hotel
I – India
J – Juliet
K – Kilo
L – Lima
M – Mike
N – November
O – Oscar… pic.twitter.com/5BwFStYApe
— Capt Ashaba Faridah (@AshabaFaridah) January 23, 2024
Within a ship’s hierarchy, not all staff respond to medical calls, but even those not directly involved say they’re aware of what such codes could imply. If someone dies on board, then the staff is immediately given charge as authorities are notified at the next port. The captain and senior management handle the formal procedures, including informing relevant authorities at the port of arrival.
Furthermore, as per the outlet Cruise Mummy, other codes like ‘Bravo’ mean there’s a fire-related emergency on the cruise. If it’s repeated three times, then it’s usually more serious than one could imagine. Similarly, the cruise line Oceania Cruises uses the code Mike to communicate to the crew that there is a medical emergency on board that requires urgent attention.
Cruise workers reveal exactly what happens when someone dies onboard a ship – and the secret codes they use to keep passengers calm https://t.co/yg3F36y5Wr
— Zicutake USA Comment (@Zicutake) October 4, 2025
The code word ‘Mike’ could replace the word ‘Alpha’, but only for Oceania Cruises. Consequently, an adorable code word like ‘Papa’ is used when a cruise has encountered an unexpected oil spill or some type of pollution that needs attention. There are also codes based on colors, which might mean different emergencies.
For instance, code ‘Red’ means that maybe someone has fallen ill onboard. Code ‘Purple’, on the other hand, signals a potential bomb threat or some other form of hazardous chemical threats. Next, code ‘Black” may mean a violent confrontation or a possible suicide. Since cruises are mostly long journeys that are done amongst isolated environments, code “Gray” often means that an abusive person is on board who could be capable of harming others.
The code “Pink” is used to report a missing infant ( under the age of 12), and the code “Green” is used by the captain to signal traffic clearance. A secret code, “Sierra,” is used to notify the crew that a stretcher is required after a medical emergency is alerted using the code “Alpha.”
Lastly, the code “Echo” warns people on the cruise that it has drifted. In most cases, there’s nothing to panic about, as the captain will have it under control in a few minutes. If you are planning to be on a cruise soon, it’s best to know some of these secret codes to be aware of and not panic when they are used.
