A Perth man was kicked off his P&O cruise ship after he flicked a cigarette overboard.
Mark O’Keefe, 57 and his wife Debra were on a 10-day cruise when he was severely reprimanded after a P&O security guard saw him flick a cigarette overboard.
His daughter, Courtney O’Keefe told WAtoday that her sick father had to make his own way home from Bali.
“He had maybe two drags because the weather was horrendous – he butted it out, and without thinking, he flicked it,” she said.
Mr O’Keefe apologised and was told if he returned to his cabin, he would face no consequences. However, the following day, Courtney received a call from her mother saying that Mr O’Keefe had been removed from the ship.
“The captain said ‘you’re off’ – no letting my dad apologise, no option of cutting him off at the bar, no giving him a fine. Nothing.”
Her mother was unable to leave with him, as they had saved their money for the trip to Bali and couldn’t afford two tickets home.
“My dad is 58 in a few weeks – he’s ex-army, SAS, with cancer and cholesterol problems – and my mum handles all his medication,” she told WAtoday.
Ms O’Keefe took to social media to express her outrage at her father’s treatment by P&O.
A spokesman for P&O told WAtoday he could not comment on this specific incident due to privacy concerns, but said it would not be surprising for a passenger to be removed for flicking a cigarette overboard.
Passengers were given an “explicit warning” not to dispose cigarettes over the side of the ship, he said.
“A lighted cigarette can be drawn into the ship posing a serious risk to the ship and the safety of passengers and crew.”
Tell us what you think.
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Hi Max. A lot of cruisers agree with you.
No one should be still smoking after all the evidence over the last years. But to smoke on a ship and particularly flicking the butt overboard is very hazardous. The Captain did the correct thing. Full marks to P&O. Fire at sea on a ship would be horrendous and fatal for many.
Sorry for Mr. O’Keefe with his health problems but smoking on a balcony then flicking the cigarette over the side & putting 1500 passengers plus the crews lives in danger, well, this is where I can’t feel sorry for you when you were told to leave the ship. Rules are rules & being an ex-SAS, doesn’t give you extra privileges but we do respect your services to the defence force.
Max
Cigarette smoking is a disgusting habit.
Any smoker who flicks their disgusting refuse anywhere other than being completely extinguished before being disposed of in a fire proof metal bin should be kicked off the ship with no appeal.
If you choose to pursue your disgusting habit then do so in ways that have no impact on the safety of the ship or on other people – or even better give up the habit.
Well we all know and have for some time..not to do that with a ciggie even if not on a ship.. its common sense..but have cholesterol is nothing ..most have that.. if he has cancer then he shouldnt be smoking anyways.. sorry he was kicked off the ship for it though.. They could have handled that better..but we’re only getting one side at this stage
He deserved to be put off If what his daughter said I(and she has said lots of different things) as ex SAS he would know better She is just after compensatio n (as usual) and they do not deserve it
If he was given a warning the first time and then repeated the event yes I think they were in their right, after all it is because of these things that other smokers are judged by and then it becomes another place where there is no smoking, I was a smoker and my husband still is but neither of us has ever thrown away a butt we extinguish it and if their is not a bin of some sort put it in our bag or pocket
If this was a first offence it was harsh.
They have strict rules, I think there must be a bit more to this.
P&O and all cruise lines are very strict on the flicking of cigarette butts over the side of the ship and passengers are constantly reminded of the dangers.
So in my opinion, he was kicked off rightly so, if the butt had have been sucked back into the ship and caught on fire then what???