Do American laws apply on cruise ships?

When a crime occurs on water, the jurisdiction depends on how far it is from land. In international waters, more than 24 miles off the coast, the crime would fall under the laws of the country where the ship is registered. If a ship is at port when a crime occurs, it falls within that country's jurisdiction.



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Once a ship exceeds the 24-mile marker, it is then in International Waters, and must follow the law of the country whose flag it's flying. So, if a cruise ship is registered in the Bahamas, and is 30 miles off the coast of Florida, it is subject to Bahamian law, not U.S. law.

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The US Coast Guard is responsible for enforcing and regulating cruise ship safety.

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If you wonder whether cruise ships have jails, the answer is yes. Jails are called brigs on a cruise ship and tend only to be used in serious circumstances when no other options are available. Cabin arrest is typically used before the brig is needed.

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Are There Police on Cruise Ships? Cruise ships do not have police. Instead, an onboard Security Director will oversee the ship's own dedicated security department, staffed by former federal, state and military law enforcement personnel from various countries.

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Cruise ships have a low risk of pirate hijack. Cargo ships are the primary target for pirates given their valuable load and minimal crew.

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79% of all crimes reported onboard cruise ships are sexual assaults, as per the US Department of Transportation. This statistic is a stark reminder of the prevalence of sexual assaults on cruise ships, and serves as a powerful reminder of the need for increased safety measures to protect passengers.

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While hotels and motels can be especially attractive locations for all forms of human trafficking, it is also important to note that human trafficking occurs at sporting events, theme parks, on cruise ships, and in many other areas of the tourism industry.

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In the United States, anyone on a cruise ship whose last port of call was outside the US is required to pass through US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), unless if the last port of call was equipped with US preclearance facilities (in which case the ship will be treated as a domestic arrival).

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Many people point to U.S. tax avoidance because ships are flagged in foreign countries. While being foreign-flagged doesn't hurt, the tax benefits — especially federal income taxes — seem to be a big reason cruise companies are incorporated in foreign nations instead of the United States.

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Do Ship Captains Carry Guns? Cruise ship captains do not carry guns. However, the captain and the staff captain can give permission to the security team to arm themselves if necessary in order to protect the guests and crew members from an immediate threat.

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You will need to pass through an x-ray machine and have your carry-ons scanned, but the process is not as rigorous as at the airport. (You likely won't need to remove your shoes, for example.) Then you'll enter a large open space with roped-off lines and check-in stations.

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However, cruise ships have thorough procedures to protect themselves from pirates, particularly in areas known for high rates of attacks. 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.

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No sneaking drugs or alcohol on board Contraband booze will be confiscated if discovered, and you might not get it back. Bring illegal drugs on board and you risk fines, disembarkation and jail time. You're not allowed to bring marijuana on a cruise, even if it's legal in your departure port or port of call.

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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.

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CBP officials told the line that in order to operate cruises to nowhere, they must “employ persons legally authorized to work in the United States, since such cruises did not touch a foreign port.” As all major U.S.-based cruise lines employ mostly foreign crew, the decision applied to them as well.

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