Safety and Security in Cruise Ship

Piracy

As most of the passengers on a cruise are affluent and have

considerable ransom potential, not to mention a considerable amount of
cash and jewelry on board (for example in casinos and shops), there
have been several high-profile pirate attacks on cruise ships, such as on
Seabourn Spirit and MSC Melody.

As a result, cruise ships have implemented various security measures.

While most merchant shipping firms have generally avoided arming crew
or security guards for reasons of safety, liability and conformity with the
laws of the countries where they dock, cruise ships have small arms
(usually semi-automatic pistols) stored in a safe accessible only by the
captain who distributes them to authorized personnel such as security or
the master-at-arms. The ship's high-pressure fire hoses can be used to
keep boarders at bay, and often the vessel itself can be maneuvered to
ram pirate craft. A recent technology to deter pirates has been the LRAD
or sonic cannon which was used in the successful defence of Seabourn
Spirit.

A related risk is that of terrorism, the most notable incident being that of
the 1985 hijacking of Achille Lauro, an Italian cruise ship.

Crime on-board

Passengers entering the cruise ship are screened by metal detectors.

Explosive detection machines used include X-ray machines and
explosives trace-detection portal machines (a.k.a. "puffer machines"), to
prevent weapons, drugs and other contraband on board. Security has
been considerably tightened since 11 September 2001, such that these
measures are similar to airport security.

In addition to security checkpoints, passengers are often given a ship-

specific identification card, which must be shown in order to get on or off
the ship. This prevents people boarding who are not entitled to do so,
and also ensures the ship's crew are aware of who is on the ship.The
Cruise Ship ID cards are also used as the passenger's room key. CCTV
cameras are mounted frequently throughout the ship.

In 2010, the United States Congress passed the Cruise Vessel Security
and Safety Act after numerous incidents of sexual violence, passenger
disappearances, physical assault, and other serious crimes. Congress
said:

Passengers on cruise vessels have an inadequate appreciation of their

potential vulnerability to crime while on ocean voyages, and those who
may be victimized lack the information they need to understand their
legal rights or to know whom to contact for help in the immediate
aftermath of the crime.

Congress said both passengers and crew committed crimes. It said data
on the problem was lacking because cruise lines did not make it publicly
available, multiple countries were involved in investigating incidents on
international waters, and crime scenes could not be secured quickly by
police. It recommended that owners of cruise vessels:

1. install acoustic hailing and warning devices capable of working at a

distance.
2. install more security cameras
3. install peep holes in passenger room doors
4. limit access to passenger rooms to select staff at specific times

After investigating the death of Dianne Brimble in 2002, a coroner in

Australia recommended:

1. Federal police officers travel on ships to ensure a quick response

to crime,
2. scanners and drug detection dogs check passengers and crew at
Australian ports,
3. an end to overlaps between jurisdictions, and
4. flags of ships be disregarded for nations unable to investigate
incidents thoroughly and competently.
The lobby group International Cruise Victims Association, based in
Arizona, pushes for more regulation of the cruise industry, and supports
victims of crimes committed on cruise ships.