How safe are you on a cruise ship?

Are cruise ships safe? Let's cut right to the chase: Yes, cruise ships are generally safe as long as you use common sense and remember that vessels are not impervious to accidents, illness or people who just don't know how to behave.



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While these are less likely to happen, passengers might face:
  • Fire. Fires in the engine room or kitchens can cause damage to the ships and put passengers' health at risk. ...
  • Drowning. ...
  • Falling Overboard. ...
  • Ship is Grounded. ...
  • Collisions.


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The 5 Most Dangerous Parts of a Ship for Passengers
  • Watertight Doors. Never try to outrun a closing watertight door. ...
  • Wet/Slippery Surfaces. ...
  • Ferries & Lifeboats. ...
  • Dining Facilities & Fast-Spreading Illnesses. ...
  • Balconies. ...
  • Talking to a Florida Cruise Ship Injury Attorney.


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The Disney Fantasy and Disney Wonder received perfect scores of 100. The Carnival Celebration, Carnival Panorama, and Carnival Sunshine ships also received perfect scores. Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas and Norwegian Cruise Lines' Norwegian Joy and Pearl also clocked in top scores of 100.

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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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Human trafficking may also occur in cruising, and cruise ship crime is common. Ship workers, who are notoriously paid low wages, are even paid off by people who can withhold their pay or pay workers less than they expect to receive in order to force them to commit crimes.

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The bottom line is everyone knows it is safer to fly than it is to drive, and it just so happens that it is safer to cruise than it even is to fly. TravelPulse writer Donald Wood contributed to this report.

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In addition to picking a midship stateroom, which are usually spread out across several levels, it's also a good idea to opt for one that's below the water level. This is because this part of the ship, its lowest and most central area, is the most stable during rough sea conditions.

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Many passenger cruise ships are equipped with LRAD (long range acoustic devices) to discourage pirates and have security crew trained in their operation. Many passenger cruise ships are equipped with LRAD (long range acoustic devices) to discourage pirates and have security crew trained in their operation.

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To minimize the risk of seasickness, book one of the world's largest ships, such as Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas. Keep in mind that the ocean is much larger than even the most gargantuan ships, so when the seas are rough, you can still feel movement — just less than if you're sailing on a 100-person yacht.

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You'll also want to identify where crew service entrances are located -- stories of slamming doors day and night are common. Elevators and staircases can also be high-traffic, noisy areas of a cruise ship (that are near cabins on some ships). And don't forget the cruise ship engine.

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Cruise ships very rarely sink, and when they do it is often when they don't have passengers on board. Just over one cruise ship every 5 years has sunk in the last 100 years. Regarding sinking with casualties, that's only one every 7 years.

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Thankfully, very few cruise ships have actually sunk in modern history. Even so, the Titanic's sinking impacted maritime law so much that there are more than enough lifeboats for all passengers and crew onboard any given sailing. Within the last 111 years, over 20 cruise ships and ocean liners have sunk.

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The Maritime Injury Guide reports that 19 people go missing from cruise ships yearly. While that may not sound significant, it adds up to 400 people over the last 20 years. This includes accidental falls overboard, suicides, and disappearances during port visits.

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Cruise Ship Travel All weapons are prohibited on cruises due to cruise ship security regulations.

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Yes, cruise ships have brigs, which is the nautical term for a jail on a vessel, including a cruise ship. The term comes from the word brigantine, which is a type of two-masted sailing ship formerly used to house criminals.

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Who Investigates Crimes on Cruise Ships? Instead of police, cruise ships normally have their own security teams who act as first responders when crimes are reported on board. These internal security staff are employed by cruise ship companies and work under the authority of the ship's captain.

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Never Climb or Stand on Balcony Railings There's almost nothing more dangerous than standing or climbing on cruise balcony railings. Unfortunately, there have been cases of people falling overboard into the ocean or even the ship ship dock with disastrous outcomes.

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All rooms and locations available to guests are located well above sea level. If you do book a room on a lower deck, it doesn't mean you are at the bottom of the ship below water level. It's just the lowest deck available to guests. Directly under guests last deck is the crew cabins, etc.

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Midship cabins The big allure of a midship cabin is its stability. You won't feel the rocking of the sea in a midship cabin nearly as much as you will in a cabin toward the front or back of a vessel. This is because ships are like teeter-totters. They pitch forward and back around a central axis that barely moves.

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  1. Airplane Safety. Airplanes are by far the safest mode of transportation when the number of transported passengers are measured against personal injuries and fatality totals, even though all plane crashes generally receive some form of media attention. ...
  2. Train Safety. ...
  3. Bus Travel. ...
  4. Boat Travel.


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