A routine departure check at a major German cruise port has led to the arrest of a cruise ship crew member wanted by the courts on multiple charges.
German federal police confirmed that a 26-year-old man was detained on 4th January 2026 at the Columbus Cruise Terminal in Bremerhaven, shortly before he was due to board a cruise ship as part of its crew.
According to a statement from Bundespolizei, officers stopped the man at around 2pm during standard identity checks carried out ahead of a scheduled departure.
When his details were run through law enforcement databases, officers discovered that he had been wanted for several weeks and was the subject of two separate arrest warrants issued by courts in southern Germany.
Two Outstanding Warrants Discovered
Authorities said one of the arrest warrants had been issued by the District Court of Augsburg in connection with a robbery-related theft charge. A second warrant, issued by the District Court of Nördlingen, related to a probation violation following an earlier assault conviction.
Police did not release further details about the underlying offences or when they occurred.
The crew member was taken into custody and transferred to Bremerhaven state police. He was scheduled to appear before a judge on 5th January 2026.
High-Profile Cruise Departure From Bremerhaven
German police did not officially identify the cruise ship the man was attempting to join, stating only that the vessel was scheduled to sail to the Bahamas.
However, one of the most notable departures from Bremerhaven on 4th January was Disney Adventure, which left the port that day to begin a high-profile repositioning voyage.
Delivered to Disney Cruise Line on 16th December 2025 following construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Wismar, Disney Adventure’s departure from Bremerhaven marked the start of a long journey to her future homeport in Singapore.
The 208,000-gross-ton vessel, the largest in Disney Cruise Line’s fleet, is currently sailing a transatlantic crossing with a planned stop in Freeport, Bahamas, before continuing to Port Canaveral in Florida. There, the ship is expected to host a brief media sailing ahead of her onward voyage.
After transiting the Panama Canal, Disney Adventure is expected to make a preview call in Los Angeles before crossing the Pacific, with reports indicating a stop in Tokyo en route to Singapore. The ship is scheduled to begin operations from the Marina Bay Cruise Centre on 10th March 2026, launching Disney Cruise Line’s first long-term deployment in Asia.
Arrests at Cruise Ports Not Uncommon
This is not the first time German authorities have made arrests during cruise departure checks. In September 2025, two crew members working aboard Disney Adventure were detained at a German port after being identified as wanted for offences including drunk driving and fraud.
German ports routinely conduct thorough identity and security checks on both passengers and crew before sailings, and officials say these inspections regularly uncover outstanding warrants.
While the investigation into the arrested crew member continues, authorities have not suggested that the incident had any impact on the ship’s departure schedule.
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