A young cruise passenger made an unexpected discovery during a recent Alaska cruise, and his decision to do the right thing helped reunite another guest with a treasured wedding ring.
Nine-year-old Corbin Hindriksen of Fort Collins, Colorado, was sailing aboard Holland America Line’s Zaandam on an Alaska Inside Passage cruise when he noticed something shiny at the bottom of the ship’s Lido Pool.
Curious, Corbin dove beneath the water to take a closer look. When he resurfaced, he was holding what appeared to be a gold ring.
Young Cruise Guest Turns Ring in to Guest Services
Rather than keeping his unexpected find, Corbin immediately brought the ring to the ship’s Guest Services team. He believed it likely belonged to another cruise passenger and wanted to make sure it was returned.
What Corbin did not know was that the ring had been reported missing by a guest who sailed on Zaandam during the previous voyage.
Thanks to Holland America Line’s lost-and-found system, the ship’s team was able to identify the ring’s owner and arrange for it to be returned.
Corbin Wanted to Make Sure the Ring Made It Home
Corbin’s concern did not end after he handed the ring over to Guest Services.
The following day, he approached Captain Ane Smit during the captain’s welcome gathering and introduced himself. Corbin wanted reassurance that the wedding ring would truly be returned to its owner.
Captain Smit assured him that it would.
Corbin’s honesty and determination made a lasting impression on the captain and the ship’s crew.
A few days later, Captain Smit invited Corbin and his family to visit Zaandam’s bridge. During the visit, Corbin was presented with a captain’s coin recognizing his exceptional actions, along with a model of the cruise ship.
The captain noted that Corbin’s first concern was not the possible value of the ring. He simply wanted to make sure it got back to the person who had lost it.
Lost Wedding Ring Reunited With Its Owner
The wedding ring belonged to Gordon Sherritt of British Columbia, Canada.
The ring matched the wedding ring worn by his partner of 60 years, Alice Sherritt, making it far more than just a valuable piece of jewelry.
“It was wonderful when my wedding ring found its way home,” Sherritt said.
He expressed his gratitude to Corbin for spotting the ring and to Zaandam’s crew for helping to connect the lost item with its owner.
An Alaska Cruise Memory Corbin’s Family Won’t Forget
For Corbin and his family, the experience became one of the most memorable moments of their Alaska vacation.
His grandmother shared that Corbin is a member of the Rocky Mountain Young Marines program, which emphasizes values including honor and integrity. Those values were certainly on display during his time aboard Zaandam.
Alaska cruises are often filled with unforgettable wildlife sightings, glacier views and unexpected discoveries. On this sailing, however, one young passenger found something even more meaningful: an opportunity to do the right thing.
It turns out you can still find gold in Alaska, especially when you are looking in the right places!
Happy cruising!
Ethan