Madison Friday
Composition II
Professor Hammett
Cruise Ship Crimes
March 4, 2026
You are on a cruise to get away from the usual bustle of life. Down the hall you hear a woman screaming for help. As you rush to see what is going on, the security gets there at the same time. As they detain the man, you hear them talk about how there are more incidents and assaults and not enough authorities to keep safe (Zhang, 2025). You start to worry if the cruise is even safe. Cruise ship crimes have gone increasingly up in the past years, and are not safe without proper precautions or research. Crimes aboard a cruise ship are not necessarily the first thing a tourist will think of when boarding a ship for what's supposed to be a getaway from the hustle and bustle of life. According to the FBI, they received a total of 180 criminal activity reports in 2023, which ranged from theft to missing people. The top reports were sexual assault, followed closely by physical assault (Ensuring Safety at Sea | Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2024). So while traveling on the water, especially women (because of the large number of assaults towards women), it is very crucial to make sure to be aware of your surroundings while on the ship, especially since cruise ships are known for a “getaway” or a sort of party atmosphere. There will most likely be alcohol and rowdy people among the crowd especially on adult only cruise ships. To ensure safety while on board a cruise ship, you should be cautious of suspicious activity, and research the cruise line beforehand. When cruising, you should be very cautious of suspicious activity. When people get packed into a small area for a period of time, some type of disaster is bound to happen. “ The maritime tourism market has experienced incredible growth in recent years, particularly in its cruise sector…” (Zhang, 2025). With so many people in a small area, and the numbers growing, it is easy for suspicious or dangerous activity to occur. As stated earlier, cruise ships usually have a party atmosphere, a lot of times cruise ships are used where people go to have a getaway, and are usually more rowdy than in other circumstances, which leads to more disaster while aboard the ship. Cruise ships are more dangerous than the cruise lines let on, they are small areas with not enough law enforcement. It is a dangerous gamble to be on a cruise, mainly because how they sail over international waters, and different laws may apply while in other territories. “Given the unique nature of the high seas, where international waters begin 24 miles off a coastal state, the current system for addressing crime is disorganized, with various nations involved depending on a crime’s location and the people. This has created gaps in enforcement and investigation, undermining public trust in maritime travel safety” (Zhang). Maritime laws are a mess while on the water once a crime has happened. Laws change and it is difficult to communicate with other jurisdictions. Cruise ship lines seem to be safe from the outside eye. While most of them are safe, it is always smart to do research on the cruise line that you are planning on sailing with. Jim Walker, a maritime lawyer states “The cruise crime data, released earlier this week as part of the quarterly reporting by the Department of Transportation (DOT), again shows that Carnival Cruise Line clearly has the most sexual assaults and rapes as well as the most physical assault with serious personal injuries, both in total numbers and on a per capita basis” (Walker). This is an example of why cruise lines need to be researched while considering a cruise line. While this does not happen on every ship, it is still smart to be cautious of the data and reports of the incidents that happen on these cruise lines.
Another article wrote that “"Cruise ships operate as small floating cities, and like any densely populated environment, accidents do occur. These incidents range from common issues, such as slip-and-falls on the pool deck, to serious medical emergencies requiring air evacuations," says Khalil Farah, a personal injury attorney at Farah & Farah, which handles cases involving cruise ships and maritime law. "Less frequently, but notably, high-profile incidents sometimes take place, including man-overboard cases, rapes/sexual assaults by crew members, or mass casualty events, such as the grounding of the Costa Concordia" (Wood et al). Accidents are bound to happen no matter where you are or what you are doing, but in a small area with a lot of people, those chances are higher. The Costa Concordia, an Italian cruise ship, capsized and sank after it struck rocks that were off of the Giglio Islands (Tikkanen). People may say that cruise ships have plenty of safety enforcement. “Lines employ 24/7 security guards on each ship who are trained to handle fights, security breaches and other dangerous situations” (Wood et al., 2025). Most of the dangerous incidents that happen on cruise ships are accidents, slipping and falling on the deck, tripping overboard, or serious medical incidents that require air transportation. While this is true, most major incidents that happen are sexual and physical assault, which, as we all know are not accidents. While cruise ships may seem safe, there's more to the surface than that. There have been multiple reports of sexual assault, violent attacks, and rape (Walker, 2025). Even though they seem to be safe, there is no stopping crimes from happening, even with enforcement and security. This is why it is so very important to be cautious of your surroundings or veer away from rowdy situations that may occur aboard the ship. Even though cruise lines seem dangerous, they are safe if you are cautious of your surroundings along with doing research towards the cruise line that you are considering. So, to ensure safety while on board a cruise ship, you should be cautious of suspicious activity, and research the cruise line beforehand to ensure a safe and fun cruise. Works Cited “Ensuring Safety at Sea | Federal Bureau of Investigation.” Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2024, www.fbi.gov/news/stories/ensuring-safety-at-sea. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026. Tikkanen, Amy. “Costa Concordia Disaster | Captain, Deaths, Documentary, Sinking, & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Apr. 2017, www.britannica.com/event/Costa-Concordia-disaster. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026. Walker, Jim. “Recent Cruise Crime Data Shows Carnival Cruise Line Remains the Most Dangerous Cruise Line at Sea.” Cruise Law News, 24 Jan. 2025, www.cruiselawnews.com/2025/01/articles/sexual-assault-exploitation/recent-cruisecrime-data-shows-carnival-cruise-line-remains-the-most-dangerous-cruise-line-at-se a/. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026. Wood, Nicola, et al. “Are Cruise Ships Safe?” US News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, 2025, travel.usnews.com/features/are-cruise-ships-safe. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
Madison Friday Composition II Professor Hammett Cruise Ship Crimes March 4, 2026 You are on a cruise to get away from the usual bustle of life. Down the hall you hear a woman screaming for help. As you rush to see what is going on, the security gets there at the same time. As they detain the man, you hear them talk about how there are more incidents and assaults and not enough authorities to keep safe (Zhang, 2025). You start to worry if the cruise is even safe. Cruise ship crimes have gone increasingly up in the past years, and are not safe without proper precautions or research. Crimes aboard a cruise ship are not necessarily the first thing a tourist will think of when boarding a ship for what's supposed to be a getaway from the hustle and bustle of life. According to the FBI, they received a total of 180 criminal activity reports in 2023, which ranged from theft to missing people. The top reports were sexual assault, followed closely by physical assault (Ensuring Safety at Sea | Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2024). So while traveling on the water, especially women (because of the large number of assaults towards women), it is very crucial to make sure to be aware of your surroundings while on the ship, especially since cruise ships are known for a “getaway” or a sort of party atmosphere. There will most likely be alcohol and rowdy people among the crowd especially on adult only cruise ships. To ensure safety while on board a cruise ship, you should be cautious of suspicious activity, and research the cruise line beforehand. When cruising, you should be very cautious of suspicious activity. When people get packed into a small area for a period of time, some type of disaster is bound to happen. “ The maritime tourism market has experienced incredible growth in recent years, particularly in its cruise sector…” (Zhang, 2025). With so many people in a small area, and the numbers growing, it is easy for suspicious or dangerous activity to occur. As stated earlier, cruise ships usually have a party atmosphere, a lot of times cruise ships are used where people go to have a getaway, and are usually more rowdy than in other circumstances, which leads to more disaster while aboard the ship. Cruise ships are more dangerous than the cruise lines let on, they are small areas with not enough law enforcement. It is a dangerous gamble to be on a cruise, mainly because how they sail over international waters, and different laws may apply while in other territories. “Given the unique nature of the high seas, where international waters begin 24 miles off a coastal state, the current system for addressing crime is disorganized, with various nations involved depending on a crime’s location and the people. This has created gaps in enforcement and investigation, undermining public trust in maritime travel safety” (Zhang). Maritime laws are a mess while on the water once a crime has happened. Laws change and it is difficult to communicate with other jurisdictions. Cruise ship lines seem to be safe from the outside eye. While most of them are safe, it is always smart to do research on the cruise line that you are planning on sailing with. Jim Walker, a maritime lawyer states “The cruise crime data, released earlier this week as part of the quarterly reporting by the Department of Transportation (DOT), again shows that Carnival Cruise Line clearly has the most sexual assaults and rapes as well as the most physical assault with serious personal injuries, both in total numbers and on a per capita basis” (Walker). This is an example of why cruise lines need to be researched while considering a cruise line. While this does not happen on every ship, it is still smart to be cautious of the data and reports of the incidents that happen on these cruise lines. Another article wrote that “"Cruise ships operate as small floating cities, and like any densely populated environment, accidents do occur. These incidents range from common issues, such as slip-and-falls on the pool deck, to serious medical emergencies requiring air evacuations," says Khalil Farah, a personal injury attorney at Farah & Farah, which handles cases involving cruise ships and maritime law. "Less frequently, but notably, high-profile incidents sometimes take place, including man-overboard cases, rapes/sexual assaults by crew members, or mass casualty events, such as the grounding of the Costa Concordia" (Wood et al). Accidents are bound to happen no matter where you are or what you are doing, but in a small area with a lot of people, those chances are higher. The Costa Concordia, an Italian cruise ship, capsized and sank after it struck rocks that were off of the Giglio Islands (Tikkanen). People may say that cruise ships have plenty of safety enforcement. “Lines employ 24/7 security guards on each ship who are trained to handle fights, security breaches and other dangerous situations” (Wood et al., 2025). Most of the dangerous incidents that happen on cruise ships are accidents, slipping and falling on the deck, tripping overboard, or serious medical incidents that require air transportation. While this is true, most major incidents that happen are sexual and physical assault, which, as we all know are not accidents. While cruise ships may seem safe, there's more to the surface than that. There have been multiple reports of sexual assault, violent attacks, and rape (Walker, 2025). Even though they seem to be safe, there is no stopping crimes from happening, even with enforcement and security. This is why it is so very important to be cautious of your surroundings or veer away from rowdy situations that may occur aboard the ship. Even though cruise lines seem dangerous, they are safe if you are cautious of your surroundings along with doing research towards the cruise line that you are considering. So, to ensure safety while on board a cruise ship, you should be cautious of suspicious activity, and research the cruise line beforehand to ensure a safe and fun cruise. Works Cited “Ensuring Safety at Sea | Federal Bureau of Investigation.” Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2024, www.fbi.gov/news/stories/ensuring-safety-at-sea. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026. Tikkanen, Amy. “Costa Concordia Disaster | Captain, Deaths, Documentary, Sinking, & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Apr. 2017, www.britannica.com/event/Costa-Concordia-disaster. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026. Walker, Jim. “Recent Cruise Crime Data Shows Carnival Cruise Line Remains the Most Dangerous Cruise Line at Sea.” Cruise Law News, 24 Jan. 2025, www.cruiselawnews.com/2025/01/articles/sexual-assault-exploitation/recent-cruisecrime-data-shows-carnival-cruise-line-remains-the-most-dangerous-cruise-line-at-se a/. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026. Wood, Nicola, et al. “Are Cruise Ships Safe?” US News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, 2025, travel.usnews.com/features/are-cruise-ships-safe. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.