An American tourist who sneaked on board a cruise ship after climbing up the bow rope during a night time prank was fined $150 yesterday.

Joseph Hill, 32, admitted boarding the Nordic Empress without permission at Hamilton at around 1 a.m. on Friday.

Hill, from Texas, told Magistrates' Court he was only playing around, but got so high up the rope, he thought it would be dangerous to climb back down.

"I sincerely apologise. I didn't mean to board the ship, but I was playing on the rope and I got near the top and it was a bit too dangerous," he said.

"I tried to get off (the ship) as soon as I could but they caught me."

Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves told Hill: "Jack and Jill had the same problem. Once they got up they couldn't get down."

Crown counsel Shakira Dill said Hill, who arrived in Bermuda on the yacht Ripple, was spotted by a member of staff as he made the precarious climb up the rope.