Are captains still expected to go down with their ship?

In the US Navy some captains required to go down with their ship (boats). That would be the Captain's of submarines. I'm not sure Captain's where ever actually expected to go down with their ship. So, No they are not "still" expected to "go down" with their ship.

No. The saying actually has it's "Roots" as the Captain is the last and final person to leave a sinking ship. The Captain is responsible for ALL lives onboard and on his watch. It's his duty to make sure that all persons are off the ship, and sometimes the Captain happens to still be onboard the ship when it went down, hence the term "Go Down" with the ship.

By Maritime Law, the Captain will be interviewed as to what happened that caused the event and sinking of the ship. He/She is the best source of information and is held responsible for the lives of everyone. If the Captain is found "Guilty" of negligence, he will lose his Maritime License and possibly serve prison time. So in reality, nobody wants to go down with the ship unless he knows he's negligent and wants to forever hide that fact.

The Captain's Duty to remain with his ship until the end is recognized in the Merchant Marine Officers' Handbook. Federal Law largely echoes the handbook. Courts have rules that a captain's duty "includes doing, at all times, everything possible to preserve the vessel. Even though the so called duty of a captain to go down with his ship exists more in fiction that in fact, there can be no doubt that he must risk even that in some measure if by remaining aboard he may be able to save her.

Captains who fail their duty are likely to face license suspension or revocation, as well as a variety of lawsuits.

Honestly. I don't think so. In fact I think some captains are the first to abandon ship when things go wrong! I always thought that concept was so foolish. Die because your ship is going down? No thank you.

30 years at sea and Ive never met one who would.

They might be a little crazy but they are not stupid

Another Naval tradition shot all to hell.