Passenger Aboard Cruise Liner Reveals What Happens in a 'Pirate Drill'

Table Of Content

• Strike up the band – Queen Anne joins Cunard’s fleet of stately ships
• Ditch the deckchairs: Australian cruisers are younger, more savvy
• Q1. What was your role in cruise ship security?
• How common are pirate attacks on cruise ships?
• Passengers Fought Pirates with Tables and Deck Chairs
• 'Passengers threw tables and deckchairs': what happens when cruise ships are attacked by pirates
• Q3. Do you think cruise ships are safer than merchant vessels?

To find a complete list of areas to avoid, check with the consulate offices or websites of countries to which you're interested in traveling, or visit the ICC (International Crime Service) website. It's filled with weekly piracy reports, Maritime Bureau information and more. Certainly, most will go through their careers at sea without ever needing to use that training and knowledge -- but most is not all. “There are millions of square miles of water and you can only see vessels on the horizon up to 10 miles away.

Strike up the band – Queen Anne joins Cunard’s fleet of stately ships

A trip through the region planned for another of the company's ships, the MSC Symphonia, for this autumn has been cancelled. "We won't travel this route and will instead take a course along West Africa," he says. The fact that the cruise ship's crew were armed apparently surprised the pirates. According to the account given by the MSC Cruises company, the pirates then rode away in their speedboat, but not before firing a few salvos at the ship with their AK-47 rifles. Before venturing into the waters off Somalia — a known hot-spot for pirate-related activity — passengers on board the Sun Princess underwent exercises designed to help them be prepared should the unthinkable happen.

Ditch the deckchairs: Australian cruisers are younger, more savvy

According to Brooks, the devices are useful only in transmitting a targeted “Keep Away” message to non-threatening boats and would be ignored with impunity by any serious assailant. Busy shipping routes are patrolled by a European Union task force drawn from international navies. "There were at least three rocket-propelled grenades that hit the ship, one in a state room," Laird wrote.

Q1. What was your role in cruise ship security?

Cruise lines conduct post-incident reviews and feedback sessions to identify any areas that can be strengthened and adjust protocols accordingly. This commitment to improvement ensures that the response to pirate threats is refined and effective. These surveillance cameras are often equipped with advanced features such as motion sensors, facial recognition, and night vision capabilities. The motion sensors trigger alerts when suspicious activity is detected, enabling security personnel to respond promptly. Facial recognition technology helps identify individuals of interest who may pose a potential threat, allowing for early detection and prevention of security breaches.

We are thrilled to unveil the sailing dates for the Carnival Celebration, operated by... Yes, whilst transiting just before point Alpha of the IRTC, we picked up a suspicious approach heading towards the cruise ship shortly before sunset. We communicated with the detachment on the bridge of the client's vessel who made alterations to the course and altered speed. Tracking the suspect vessel via radar, we could see that it altered its heading, closing the CPA (closest point of approach) to below less than 0.5km. The skirmish between the passengers and the pirates lasted for several minutes, he says.

Piracy along the Somalia coast is common — several ships a month are attacked or hijacked, with valuables stolen and crews held for ransom. Pirates fired a rocket-propelled grenade and machine guns Saturday in an attack on a luxury cruise liner off the east African coast, the vessel's owners said. As the vessel was formerly a police vessel, it was fitted with blue flashing lights.

Ship hardening techniques also include the deployment of sonic devices called Long-Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs). These devices emit high-pitched and loud sounds that are designed to disorient and repel potential pirates. LRADs can be operated manually by security personnel or automatically triggered when suspicious activity is detected, effectively deterring pirates from approaching the ship. Passengers can stay informed about potential pirate threats by consulting travel advisories, researching the safety of cruise itineraries, and following any guidance or updates provided by the cruise line. According to eyewitnesses, two passengers came screaming into the bar and gesticulated wildly as they addressed the captain.

"We had no idea that this ship could move as fast as it did and (the captain) did his best to run down the pirates." Press Association, the British news agency, said passengers awoke to the sound of gunfire as two 25-foot inflatable boats approached the liner. "He was, to some extent, steering the ship to create waves to overturn the boats and at one point he nearly rammed one of the boats," said passenger Norman Fisher. They would know that targeting a vessel with international tourists would trigger a significant international response, probably by special forces. Royal Caribbean Group had already made changes to avoid the region when the Palestinians sparked a war with Israel on October 7.

MSC Cruises chief Vago has denied allegations that the cruise line jeopardized the safety of its passengers. Just before the cruise started, the company had even changed the ship's route to steer it even further away from the dangerous Somali coastal waters than originally planned. The pirates are operating in an ever greater area -- a trend that has grown further with the MSC Melody incident. By studying and learning from these successful incident avoidance case studies, cruise lines can further refine their security strategies and ensure that they stay ahead of evolving piracy tactics.

All of this occurs even when pirates are not sighted, and passengers are rarely, if ever, aware of these tactics, although many of those who have sailed through the Gulf of Aden attest to the use of minimal lighting. Utilizing the ship’s communication systems, the security team established contact with naval authorities in the region. Their presence, combined with the effective communication and timely response of the cruise ship’s security team, deterred the pirates, and they were unable to board the vessel. In another case, a cruise ship navigating through the Malacca Strait encountered a small skiff with armed individuals onboard, behaving suspiciously. The ship’s security personnel immediately alerted the bridge team and implemented evasive maneuvers.

Cruise Ship Attacked by Somalia Pirates - The Maritime Executive

Cruise Ship Attacked by Somalia Pirates.

Posted: Thu, 13 Jan 2011 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Over the years, cruise lines have developed extensive measures to protect passengers and crew from potential pirate attacks, ensuring a safe and secure journey. Protecting against pirate attacks is a critical aspect of ensuring the safety and security of passengers and crew members aboard cruise ships. By implementing comprehensive measures, cruise lines are committed to mitigating the risk of piracy and maintaining a secure environment for travelers. One of the primary goals of collaboration with maritime security forces is to obtain up-to-date information on pirate activities in the areas that cruise ships navigate.

On November 28, 2008, on the way from Sharm el-Sheikh to Dubai, pirates were preparing to attack a fairly large cruise ship. After a while, the attack ended, and the ship continued to head to Australia without any injuries. The ship is still in service under the name of another famous pirate attack on the cruise ship on the night of April 25, 2009. We achieved this by deploying a small detachment of guards onboard the cruise ship armed with Styer Scout single-shot bolt action rifles. In 2005, the cruise ship Seaborne Spirit was attacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia. "We are no longer going to travel through the dangerous areas of the Indian Ocean near the Somalian coast," the cruise ship company's chief says.

And Vago says he believes that accomplices back on the mainland were trying to provide the pirates at sea with assistance. "It was only through the exemplary work of his crew and he himself that the ship was able to fend off the pirates," cruise passenger Rolf R. Again and again, the pirate boat would approach the ship and disappear under the stern, only to reemerge. Tayler and his fellow passengers continued to throw chairs despite the gunfire. One passenger was shot in the leg and one bullet grazed the head of a crew member. The armed security staff finally turned up six to eight minutes into the skirmish, passengers claim.

Pirates chase, open fire on U.S. cruise ship - NBC News

Pirates chase, open fire on U.S. cruise ship.

Posted: Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:00:00 GMT [source]

By implementing these physical modifications and deterrents, cruise ships aim to create a substantial barrier against pirate attacks, reducing the risk to passengers, crew members, and the vessel itself. By implementing these comprehensive measures, cruise ships strive to create a secure environment for their passengers and crew, mitigating the risk of pirate attacks. However, it is essential to highlight that no measure is foolproof, and ongoing vigilance and adaptability are critical to maintaining the safety of passengers and crew members on a cruise ship. Pirate activity remains a significant concern in several maritime regions around the world. These areas are known for their vulnerable shipping lanes and proximity to areas with political instability or economic desperation, which often contribute to the rise of piracy.

The security team engaged the pirates, forcing the boats to halt their attack. In 2005, Somali pirates fired AK-47 assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades at the luxury cruise ship Seabourn Spirit in an unsuccessful hijacking attempt. Petersen noted that the MV Seabourn Spirit was attacked in 2005, but the ship passed the pirates, who were unable to get close enough to board. Part of this success and deterrence is how comprehensive onboard security is on cruise ships. There are no standard recommendations for cruise ships, and they are expected to follow the BMP5 like merchant shipping. For example, cruise ships have strict procedures for sailing in high-risk areas.

A speed boat had appeared at the stern and several armed men were preparing to board the cruise ship, they said. Several passengers were desperately grabbing deck chairs and tables and hurling them down at the men trying to board the ship. While there have been only a few reported incidents over the past decade, the cruise industry takes the risk seriously. Cruise ships implement rigorous safety procedures and deploy advanced technologies to mitigate threats and safeguard passengers. Continuous evaluation and improvement of communication and response procedures are vital to maintaining security levels.