What is the obligation of a passenger who misses the boarding time?

A passenger who misses the boarding time typically remains obligated to pay the full fare. Maritime law generally stipulates that a ticket purchase is a contract between the passenger and the carrier. Should a passenger fail to board due to their own oversight, the carrier does not take on the responsibility for rescheduling or refunding the ticket merely because the passenger missed the designated boarding time.

The reasoning behind this obligation is that carriers provide clear guidelines regarding boarding times, and passengers are expected to understand and adhere to these terms when they purchase their tickets. The assumption is that once a passenger has missed their boarding opportunity, they have chosen to forfeit their right to travel without affecting the carrier's ability to conduct its operations and fulfill its obligations to other passengers.

Other options, such as a partial refund or a rescheduling option without penalty, generally do not reflect standard practices in the maritime industry or under similar special contracts, as they would typically impose additional financial burdens on the carrier for reasons outside of their control.