Are Cruises Safe? What You Need to Know Before Setting Sail

Table Of Content

• Is Your Cruise Ship Safe? How To Check Its COVID-19 Status
• Are there rescue boats available in case of emergency?
• Is it safe to go on cruises to places with travel advisories?
• Post-pandemic and Cruising
• Best Travel Insurance Companies
• Do cruise ships have hospitals onboard?
• What Types of Incidents Can Occur on a Cruise Ship?

If necessary, cruise ships can also employ evasive maneuvers or increase speed to outpace pirates. High-pressure hoses may be deployed to dislodge any attackers attempting to climb aboard. If you have any concerns or questions about safety standards, do not hesitate to reach out to the cruise line directly.

Is Your Cruise Ship Safe? How To Check Its COVID-19 Status

Despite concerns about pirate attacks, these incidents are very rare on cruises. Ports and waterways deemed high risk are usually avoided, and cruise ships can increase speed and change course if necessary. Cruise lines must follow guidelines set by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to prevent the spread of illnesses onboard.

Are there rescue boats available in case of emergency?

We provide an in-depth look on the science behind how cruise ships float here. If the cruise ship has left port and you start showing possible symptoms, you should reach out to guest services and/or the medical center. If you call first, they can evaluate whether someone should come to your stateroom instead of you traveling through the ship to reach the medical center (and perhaps spreading something troubling). Unlike lifeboats, life floats may not have propulsion systems or extensive survival equipment.

Is it safe to go on cruises to places with travel advisories?

Most guests are trustworthy but you don’t know which ones might not be. In the unlikely event that pirates do attempt to attack cruise ships, the ship’s security teams have training in how to handle the situation. They have equipment to defend the ship, which could include sonic weapons and high-pressure water jets. Larger-scale disasters involving fires or weather and ocean-related incidents are also possible but the chances are extremely low. There are a host of regulations and policies in place for cruises to protect guests, crew members, and the ships themselves.

Best Covid-19 Travel Insurance Plans

Cruise ship disasters, like a full or partial sinking, are extremely rare. These events almost always get global media attention, which only stresses how uncommon they actually are. Falling OverboardLet’s start with a phobia of many people — falling overboard. Railings surround the entire ship and these railings are all at a considerable height. By far the biggest issue reported is sexual assault, with roughly 90 reported cases among more than 11 million passengers.

Carnival Cruise Line adds a warning for passengers - TheStreet

Carnival Cruise Line adds a warning for passengers.

Posted: Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

With the thousands of cruises that take place every year all over the globe, the chances of pirates attacking a ship are practically zero. In the unlikely event that there is a fire onboard, cruise ships are designed so that it’s easy to quickly compartmentalize where the fire is via heavy metal fire doors. Cruise ship designers and safety regulators are also incredibly mindful of fire risks. Not only are modern cruise ships designed so that any fire can be compartmentalized immediately, but they also have a variety of fire safety measures in place to deal with these types of incidents should they occur. All cruise ships (regardless of where they sail) operate under international rules, known as Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), which regulate everything from fire safety to navigation and maritime security. Cruise lines also have to abide by local government regulations when calling on countries outside the U.S.

That means even though you might not realize it, there are other ships usually relatively close by that could render aid if needed. Breakdowns & SinkingsAnd what about the ship breaking down or even worse, sinking? Others may remember the Carnival Triumph fiasco where an engine room fire left the ship crippled at sea, complete with toilets backing up. Both incidents were widely reported, while occasional other incidents make news, such as ships seeing a fire.

Do cruise ships have hospitals onboard?

Another way that some are concerned about safety is more about health and well-being on the ship. After all, while the pandemic has largely passed, it was an enormous story in cruising for more than two years. Stories of cases on ships were reported, including instances of passengers quarantined on the ship in the early days when no one quite knew how to deal with the virus. Even beyond that, stories of norovirus and stomach bugs have made headlines from time to time. Equipped with advanced communication technology, cruise ships can easily communicate with other vessels, emergency services on land, and even satellite systems to ensure rapid assistance in case of an emergency. Modern cruise ships are required to have state-of-the-art electronic navigational instruments, and most ships substantially exceed these regulatory requirements, making them less prone to maritime disasters.

What Types of Incidents Can Occur on a Cruise Ship?

Carnival Cruise Line warns its passengers about onboard behavior - TheStreet

Carnival Cruise Line warns its passengers about onboard behavior.

Posted: Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

As per the international requirements, every cruise ship must be equipped with enough survival craft, including lifeboats and life rafts, to accommodate at least 125 per cent of the number of persons on board. The circumstances that seem safe for one person may appear ominous to another. In the end, all COVID-era travel entails weighing available information in light of personal health factors and one’s tolerance for risk. The new CDC color code system for cruise ships offers one more metric to help make these tough decisions. Cruise lines actively avoid high-risk areas and have robust emergency plans in place to handle any potential threats.

According to data from industry group Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) roughly 11.3 million passengers sailed North American destinations in 2022, including the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, and Mexico. This represents by far the busiest cruise area in the world, with trips from the United States to the Caribbean and Bahamas making up the lion’s share of passenger counts. Even if you've heard the drill a thousand times, pay attention; don't see it as an inconvenience, but rather as an important part of your cruise experience.

However, some operators including MSC Cruises cater only to passengers living within the European Union's Schengen zone. International visitors should take note of any restrictions around residency and flying into the country of embarkment prior to booking. For example, Labus said, you may not want to go on a cruise that will place you in the middle of the ocean and away from any hospital for several days if you’re at high risk of severe illness.

Exercise caution when revealing it, even to crew members, and ensure they genuinely need this information. Ross A. Klein, an American with dual citizenship and a professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada, is an authority on the cruise industry, and has testified at hearings before Congress. The Titanic disaster of 1912 led to the first Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) treaty.