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Alleged crimes — including sexual assault, theft, homicide, kidnapping, suspicious death, and missing person cases — are then put into a database published on the Department of Transportation website. Even with the rise in incidents, when you consider the millions of cruise passengers that travel each year, your chances of being a victim of a crime are relatively low. This doesn’t cover every illegal act on a ship, but does cover major offenses that are alleged, including homicides, missing U.S. nationals, kidnapping, tampering with a vessel, suspicious death, sexual assault, and thefts over $10,000.
Are cruise ships safe?
When you encounter media coverage of criminal activity on cruise ships, it often features crimes committed by cruise line employees. U.S. federal laws also require cruise lines to maintain a video surveillance system to detect and deter crime. The presence of these systems not only deters crime but also provides forensic documentation of incidents and activities. We are also seeing an increased use of cruise ship security officers routinely sporting body cameras. It might take several days before a cruise ship is able to call at a port and allow law enforcement officers to investigate a crime report.
Smooth(er) Sailing, but Rough Waters Remain
When the issue was being debated before Congress, before the CVSSA was enacted in 2010, the cruise lines lobbied to avoid disclosing the sexual crimes where a child was victimized. But testimony before Congress and media reports clearly indicates that approximately one-third of victims are minors. The CVSSA data does not include any indication when a minor is sexually assaulted. Carnival’s PR representative is trying to bamboozle the Post and mislead the public.
How Cruise Ships Deal with Crime at Sea
Ships embarking or disembarking in the United States adhere to something called the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA). In the case of crime on ships, this law requires that cruise lines report certain major crimes to the FBI. Crimes to be reported include homicide, assault with serious injury, theft of over $10,000 and sexual assault, among others. For instance, in the last year there have been a total of 137 major crimes reported on cruise ships. The FBI has jurisdiction over crimes committed at sea when the cruise ship is bound for or departed from a U.S. port. The U.S. Coast Guard also plays a vital role in this process, assisting with law enforcement duties.
Report: 2023 Experienced Surge in Crimes on Cruise Ships
The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA) of 2010 prescribes security and safety requirements for most cruise ships that embark and disembark in the United States. The Act mandates that reports of criminal activity be reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. However, Michael Winkleman, a maritime attorney with Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A., told USA TODAY in 2022 that these kinds of crimes are more common than travelers may realize. "I think the general cruising public is just not aware of the prevalence of rapes and sexual assaults on cruise ships," he said. Using Congress’ methodology to determine sexual assault rate results in a per capita rate for Carnival Cruise Line of over 42 (42.239) per 100,000. (We will report the actual per capita rate for Carnival ships when the DOT releases the data for the last quarter of 2023).
Yes, Cruise Lines Have a Duty to Warn Guests of Crime Dangers in Ports of Call Even When They are on "Independent ... - Cruise Law News
Yes, Cruise Lines Have a Duty to Warn Guests of Crime Dangers in Ports of Call Even When They are on "Independent ....
Posted: Tue, 13 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
While the setting might suggest a break from everyday concerns, you must know that crime can occur at sea just as it does on land. Cruise operators adhere to strict safety protocols, including surveillance systems and onboard security personnel. They are also regulated by legal standards, notably the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA), which oversees crime reporting and response protocols. Awareness of these security measures, understanding your rights onboard, and knowing how to report crimes promotes a safer journey for everyone. The law at sea is not the same law you will find in any individual country. Maritime law is a unique, intricate and sometimes murky field, attempting to regulate the ungoverned spaces of the ocean.
Hotels With Cruise Shuttles For Every Major Port in America
Perhaps you and your family booked a cruise and sailed to warmer waters, sandy beaches, and exciting shore excursions. Hopefully on that cruise, you enjoyed a great buffet, amazing live entertainment, and swam in a pool with a giant curling water slide. Hopefully nothing happened on your vacation that forced you to swim in the murky legal waters that govern cruising when the vacation goes awry. When an assault, robbery, or even a murder happens aboard a cruise ship, different jurisdictions apply than those passengers may be familiar with while on land. Using HeinOnline, let’s explore some of the legal issues surrounding cruise ship crime.
Overall, cruising is a safe way to travel, and we will dive into some of the data and details behind that belief below. He advises passengers to be aware of their surroundings and not forget normal precautions just because they are on vacation. I have been cruising since 2004 and have sailed on dozens of cruises all over the world. As the creator of this website, I want to help families plan fun cruises free of stress and filled with adventure!
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A couple of other things to keep in mind is that ships come equipped with emergency equipment including life jackets for all those on the ship and lifeboats. And before you set sail, you’ll participate in a muster drill to go over emergency procedures. Personally, after dozens of cruises we have been caught in squalls but never in anything where there was more than a gentle rocking. Still, if you’re going to be at sea, it’s always possible, just know it’s not common. Falling OverboardLet’s start with a phobia of many people — falling overboard.
There’s a direct correlation between excessive alcohol and violence (bar brawls) and violence against female guests (rape) on cruise ships. Carnival’s higher rate of physical assaults can be traced to overserving its customers alcoholic drinks to pad its profits and to pay its bar servers who work on gratuities and tips. Carnival also has a per capita rape rate higher than many states in the U.S. (as discussed below). The DOT reported nine (9) incidents of physical assaults against passengers leading to “serious bodily injury” on Carnival Cruise line ships for the first three quarters of last year. But jurisdiction is a tricky issue when it comes to cruise crime, often requiring international negotiations between the U.S. government, authorities in foreign ports and officials from the registered or "flagged" country of the ship. By far the biggest issue reported is sexual assault, with roughly 90 reported cases among more than 11 million passengers.
Each quarter these statistics are compiled across cruise lines and released to the public through Cruise Line Incident Reports. For the vast majority of people, crime isn’t something that even crosses their mind. For the literally tens of millions that sail each year, the offenses on a cruise ship are fairly low.
Congress enacted the CVSSA with the laudable goals of educating the traveling public and making them aware of the substantial risks of sexual violence on certain cruise ships. And of course, Carnival’s high sexual assault rate on its ships is not occurring in a state with high crime areas where there are gangs and “bad areas of town” but is occurring during what should be a relaxing, vacation get-away. The per capita rate of sexual assaults on Carnival ships of 40 per 100,000 is significant. It is a higher per capita rate than twenty states, including California, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina and Georgia (and over a dozen other states). Yes, all big mainstream oceangoing cruise ships have trained medical staff on board, usually a combination of doctors and nurses.
As for your physical health, accidents like slip and falls, and even some drownings have taken place on ships. To counter this, you’ll find measures handrails on every staircase, along with high-grip footing on treads. Most cruise lines also have lifeguards on duty to monitor pools and offer life jackets for kids for free. Before getting too far, it’s important to explain that when it comes to safety, it can actually entail different things to different people.
In that regard, we think it pays to be vigilant even while enjoying your vacation, but the total numbers are small. Note that these figures don’t include all crimes that might have happened on a cruise ship. When it comes to being a victim of crime, statistics show that serious crime is relatively rare. That said, our opinion is that many people are safer on a cruise ship than in their hometown.
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