Cruise Ship Security, Crime, Safety Tips

Terrorism is not the only issue of concern either. Piracy, theft, sexual assaults, and food safety are other cruise security issues for passengers.

So let’s look at some of the cruise ship security measures which have been implemented or increased, at least in the United States, to improve cruise line security.

Currently, all passengers’ bags are screened before they are allowed on the ship. In the past only a small percentages of the bags were checked. Also, passengers’ names are checked by the U.S. Coast Guard against a terrorist watch list before arriving to board.

Restricted areas are better protected and secured. For example, the bridge (where the captain controls the ship) is secured to prevent access by unauthorized personnel who could potentially hijack the boat.

The number of cameras and security officers onboard has been increased.

These cameras are monitored by security officials who can observe and react to incidents which occur. Also, many cruises have hired more security officers to conduct foot patrols on the boat to keep on eye on things. These security officers are also responsible for checking and re-checking the documentation of passengers initially boarding and re-boarding after excursions.

Before September 11th, ships had to notify the upcoming port of entry 24 hours in advance before arrival. Now this has been increased to 96 hours. This provides law enforcement officials more time to check names, as mentioned above, of those onboard.

There is a 300-foot minimum distance that private vessels must keep between their boats and cruise ships. This distance was less in the past; however, officials saw it necessary to increase this distance to better protect cruises. Also, the U.S. Coast Guard provides armed escorts to cruises entering U.S. ports. These cruise ship security measures help keep away modern day pirates attempting to sabotage ships.

Piracy – Most people think of pirates as fictional characters from movies or books; however, they really exist and are a threat to ships. They stalk cruises, board them, and rob the passengers onboard.

Click here to read about modern day Somali pirates.

Food Safety - The U.S. Center of Disease Control estimates that each year up to 2,000 passengers of cruises get noroviruses, also known as the stomach flu. Passengers can contact the viruses from poor hygiene, such as failing to properly wash hands, and contaminated food.

Cruise ship crime - Pickpockets, room burglaries, and sexual assaults occur on cruise ships. I understand that it may be hard to imagine how someone who paid thousands of dollars for a cruise can steal from another passenger, but it happens. I can not explain why but you should not ignore your personal security while onboard ships. Ship employees can also be the culprits of petty thefts and burglaries on the ship. Although security officials attempt to weed out the bad staff, some still slip through the security net.

Unfortunately, sexual assaults can also be a problem. Many passengers develop new friendships that can tend to go too far after a night of binge drinking. Often times these same assaults are never reported to ship security.

Make sure to practice good sanitation to prevent contacting noroviruses. Wash your hands before handling food and drinks. Inspect your food before eating it. Is it under cooked? Do the fruits and vegetables look fresh? Does the milk smell fresh?

Properly secure you room when it is vacant. Remember, just because you are in the middle of the ocean, this does not mean that thieves are not present. Furthermore, ensure that valuables inside the room are properly secured in a safe or lock box.

Be aware of your surroundings and pay attention to the people around you. Don’t leave your room key and money on the lounge chair while you go to the bathroom and expect that it will be there when you return.

Watch your drinks while on board. It may seem perfectly normal for a stranger to bring you a drink in order to get to know you better; however this drink could be laced with drugs such as scopolamine.

Report crimes to security officials onboard immediately. If security is not made aware that a crime has been committed, there is nothing they can do to investigate it or prevent the same thing from happening to other passengers.

Keep these cruise tips in mind the next time you are on a cruise and you should be fine.

Remember cruise ship security is important and you should be careful while traveling using them.

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