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Cruise Ship Safety

Approximately 10 million Americans vacation on cruise ships each year. The majority of these people has a wonderful time and experiences all the perks that a cruise vacation has to offer such as stops in exotic locations, pampering, and top-notch food. However, a select group of passengers will experience the dark side of the cruise industry; an inebriated partier falls over the side and drowns, a female passenger is raped, or a norovirus outbreak causes illness amongst a boatload of travelers. According to the International Council of Cruise Lines, from 2002 to 2005, 24 passengers turned up missing, 178 reports of sexual assault were filed, and four robberies occurred across 15 different cruise lines.

Victims of cruise ship injury and crime have recently called out Congress to heighten security regulations throughout the cruise industry. Since cruise ship medical staff and security personnel are employed by the cruise industry, the victims believe this creates a conflict of interest; they are unsure whether cruise line employees are out to protect the passengers' well-being or the financial interests and reputation of the cruise industry.

Experts still insist that cruises are one of the safest travel methods. From April to August 2007, just 207 (.01 percent of total passengers) incidents of concern were reported to the FBI, and a mere four of these were for missing people. Out of these207 crimes, sexual assault occurred most often, preceding assault with bodily harm and theft of property worth more than $10,000.

When you first board a cruise ship and settle in, the cruise ship's captain will call everyone to the deck to do a mandatory review of emergency safety measures. It is important to pay attention during this procedure and ignore the festive distractions around you as you receive instructions about what to do and where to go in the event of an emergency. Although this information is extremely beneficial for passengers to comprehend, there are still some things that passengers should be aware of that the cruise line does not necessarily explain. These eight facts will give you the insight that will help keep you and your loved ones safe so that you can get the most out of your vacation:

  • Be logical. Just because you're on an exciting getaway doesn't mean you're not vulnerable. Cruises carry thousands of passengers, and although most of them are there to have innocent fun like you, not everyone on the ship has the best intentions. Avoid walking down dimly lit corridors, back down from confrontations, do not invite strangers into your room, and do not give out personal information to someone you don't know.
  • Leave precious belongings at home. Just like a stay at a hotel, various cruise ship workers (e.g., maids) have access to your cabin. Valuables such as cash, plane tickets, passports, and jewelry may be stored in the cabin's safe, but if it has a bypass code, there is a chance that an employee may know it.
  • Cruise ships are notorious for sexual assault crimes. Women should never leave a drink unattended or accept one from someone they never met before due to the fact that it could be spiked. In general, all passengers should consume alcohol in moderation. Most altercations and falls are the result of overindulgence.
  • If you go overboard, odds are you will not be found. Cruise ship personnel are required to conduct a considerable search for passengers who fall off the edge, but the chances that this person will be located are rather slim. People often go over the side when they are leaning or climbing on railings. You may be tempted to recreate Leonardo DiCaprio's famous scene from the movie "Titanic," but you are only putting yourself in unnecessary danger.
  • The applicable laws governing cruise ship crime depend on the vessel's location. If a crime is committed while the ship is docked, the criminal is subject to the country's jurisdiction where the port lies. When the ship is out at sea, laws are based on the country who oversees these waters. However, if the ship is in a non-territorial section of the ocean, maritime law resumes.
  • Serious crimes involving a US citizen are supposed to be reported to the FBI. It is at the discretion of the ship's security team what constitutes a serious crime. Crimes committed against an alien are not included in these reports. If you're the victim of a crime, find out if it is being reported to federal or local law enforcement. If the crime is report is withheld, you can take it upon yourself to notify the authorities.
  • Over a period of a year-and-a-half, the cruise industry spent $2.9 million on federal lobbying. Many believe that the government has very little control over the present-day industry and may even fabricate their crime statistics. "I don't have a comfort level that statistics from the cruise industry are accurate. I've never known statistics that are voluntary to be accurate," US Rep. Christopher Shays told the Associated Press.
  • Most cruise lines are based in other countries. When you see a ship waving something other than the American flag, it is partially governed by its own set of laws.

Although experts say cruises are still a very secure way to travel, the cruise industry has begun to acknowledge recent safety issues. For example, Royal Caribbean is drilling peepholes through all cabin doors, setting up suicide hotlines, and requiring all employees to take a course on sexual harassment.