Exposed! Crimes Committed Onboard Cruise Ships!

A law has been passed by the US Senate that will make reports of all crimes committed on board cruise ships available to view publically for the first time. This also includes all those crimes that are under investigation as well as cases that have been decided on.  

Each crime committed, as well as the name-specific cruise liners and number of people on board will be publicised.  This includes details of rapes, murders and burglaries committed on board American registered cruise liners.

Previously it was the responsibility of the US Coast Guards to keep a record, but the information was only given to them once the investigations had been completed.  You can read into that statement what you will……….

Interestingly, it was only as recently as 2010 that  rules were passed to ensure all cabin doors were fitted with peepholes, and all railings were to be at least 3.5 foot tall in the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act. 

There’s even an International Cruise Victims Association, which was set up in 2005, to represent victims of crime on cruise ships!  The organisation has long campaigned for legislative reform to protect passengers from crimes and increase the rights of victims of crimes that do occur on cruise ships.

Maritime lawyer Jim Walker, who has long worked with cruise crime victims, wrote on his blog Cruise Law News: ‘The cruise industry has spent millions of dollars and countless hours lobbying against the cruise crime bills. Several years ago, the Cruise Vessel Safety & Security Act was suppose to require the cruise lines to report all murders, rapes and other crimes to the US public, but behind the scenes shenanigans by the cruise Industry and its trade organization, CLIA, so watered the cruise bill down that it became meaningless.’ 

Strong words…

This new law can only be good news for the cruise industry and more importantly its passengers. Transparency is key to ensure the safety of passengers and to name and shame those cruise companies who are shall we say, less than honest with what goes on onboard…..  Although you can understand to a point why they wouldn’t want to  report criminal activity until after the event had been ‘dealt with’.  Imagine the negative publicity! Its all about money and profit and shareholders at the end of the day I suspect.

At the moment this new law only applies in the USA, which means that only American registered cruise lines could be restricted. Other companies sail under flags from other countries that offer more favourable laws and regulations,  favourable to whom?? But lets hope this law extends out to all countries.

To put things into perspective however,

There are bad people everywhere. They pay the same fare as you on a ship; they can be the dregs or the cream of society. Because you can not escape from them whilst on board, it’s a good idea not to share with strangers any information that, misused, could cause you harm. Common sense really…….  Apply the same rules on board a cruise ship as you would in a hotel, holiday resort, or even in your hometown.

The cruise industry is not exempt from crime,  but it still is an incredibly safe mode of travel with the least number of accidents and unpleasant incidents serving thousands of people.

Have you been a victim of crime whilst on a cruise ship?  Would you like to share your experience?