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Norway cruise ship

Can You Fish on a Cruise Ship?

It’s one of the strangest, yet most frequent, questions I hear about cruising: “Can I fish off a cruise ship?” And the answer is … well, maybe. But probably not the way you think.

Your cruise may take you over the deep sea, but it’s not a good base for deep-sea fishing. The problem isn’t with rules and regulations; it’s practical: You’re traveling somewhere between 10 to 20 knots, the lowest open deck is probably at least 30 feet above the water, and your cabin balcony, if you have one, is much higher. Those conditions make fishing off a cruise ship essentially impossible on most types of cruises.

What you can do is fish when you’re in port (as long as you obey local fishing regulations). On some Alaska cruises, for example, fishing is an essential component of the trip. You won’t be fishing off the side of the boat, per se, but at least you figuratively (if not literally) fish on a cruise ship.

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Consumer advocate Ed Perkins has been writing about travel for more than three decades. The founding editor of the Consumer Reports Travel Letter, he continues to inform travelers and fight consumer abuses every day at SmarterTravel.

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