The Cruise Passenger publication says: There were only six reports of pirates attempting to attack cruise ships over the last 10 years – in fact there has never been a successful pirate attack on a cruise ship. However, this doesn't mean cruise ships aren't prepared for the worst.

While the image of modern piracy often involves small skiffs in the Gulf of Aden or the Gulf of Guinea, cruise ships are extremely rare targets due to their massive size, high speed, and sophisticated security measures. In 2026, cruise lines employ highly trained security teams, many of whom are former military personnel, and utilize non-lethal deterrents such as Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs) which emit painful, high-frequency sound waves. Furthermore, cruise ships are essentially "floating fortresses" with high freeboards (the height of the deck above the water), making it nearly impossible for pirates to board a moving vessel from a small craft. Most "piracy" concerns for cruise lines involve regional instability rather than direct attacks; consequently, ships will simply bypass high-risk zones or travel in protected convoys. While historically there have been isolated incidents—most notably the Seabourn Spirit in 2005—the combination of satellite surveillance, naval patrols, and onboard defensive technology makes a cruise ship one of the least likely targets for high-seas robbery in the modern era.