As cruise ships get bigger and bigger, they resemble small cities. They can carry as many as 7,000 passengers and crew. The upside to that means there are plenty of people to mingle with, a wide choice of dining and shopping options, great entertainment and a host of fun activities on offer.
But wherever there are a large number of people in a confined space, there is also a down side.
Like towns and cities, cruise ships have their share of problems: from alcohol and drug abuse to serious crimes, including fights, theft, sexual assault and murder.
Over the dozen or so cruises I’ve taken, I’ve seen a few nasty incidents — but nothing worse than I’ve seen on the streets back on dry land.
One couple I was sat with had a series of blazing verbal rows over the course of a two-week journey, but they always seemed to make up before it got too out of hand. And a bloke who normally lived in a dry country made a little too frequent use of his unlimited alcohol package and ended up in the brig after he was found unconscious in a hallway after trying unsuccessfully to get into somebody else’s stateroom.
Yes, there is a jail on board, just as there is a hospital for those who get sick and a morgue for people who die onboard — not such an uncommon occurrence given the average age of some cruise lines’ passengers.
Once while I was sailing through the Gulf of Aden at the height of the Somalian piracy scare, the captain announced that the ship had taken on board “men and equipment for your safety” — which I later found to mean a team of former British Special Air Service members toting some serious firepower.
Thankfully, I’ve not been on a ship that has suffered a serious crime — well, not that I know of — but I do know that such incidents occur.
There are many reported incidents of passengers or crew going overboard. While accidents or suicide are usually blamed, there have been accusations of murder in some of these cases. [The site here lists cruise ship deaths and their causes; I can’t vouch for its accuracy.]
Without going into detail, not all cruise companies have a good record when it comes to assisting police inquiries into incidents at sea. Some have been accused of covering up evidence or failing to assist police, putting the reputation of the company before the interests of justice. (Google will find details of a few such cases.)
The good news is that I’ve not seen any evidence that you are more likely to die, or be robbed or assaulted, at sea than elsewhere.
But you do need to be careful: stay alert; keep your valuables safe; don’t give strangers too much information about yourself; don’t drink too much (as tempting as it may be), especially if you are prone to passing out and/or making bad decisions. But, above all, have a great holiday!
