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Safety at Sea

By Paul Lasley and Elizabeth Harryman
Every week, it seems, the tabloids report a new story about a crime committed on a cruise ship. In fact, people following the more sensational media might conclude that it's too dangerous to take a cruise.
Thankfully, we know better. We've taken more than 60 cruises in our 20 years of travel writing, and we've always felt safe aboard cruise ships. The data on crime at sea backs us up. From 2003 through 2005, more than 31 million people sailed aboard the ships of 15 major cruise lines. During that period, a total of 206 complaints were reported, statistics that would be the envy of any midsize American city's police force.
Still, we never take security for granted, particularly on cruise ships, because reporting and prosecuting crimes can be complicated. The FBI has the authority to investigate crimes and missing-person reports on ships that call at U.S. ports. But jurisdiction is murky when it comes to crimes committed in foreign ports and in other countries' territorial waters. "Because most cruise ships are registered in foreign countries, prosecuting a crime that occurs at sea and arresting the perpetrator can be more difficult than it might be ashore," says Kristoffer A. Garin, author of Devils on the Deep Blue Sea, a social history of the U.S. cruise industry.
The best way to avoid problems? Take responsibility for your own safety by following these simple guidelines:

• Stay skeptical. Don't assume you can trust every fellow passenger. Crooks take vacations, too — working vacations.
• Stay sober. Don't overindulge in alcohol, which will impair your judgment.
• Keep an eye on kids. Know where they are at all times, and make sure they don't drink. Report any crew members you see giving alcohol to minors.
• Don't socialize with the crew. It's against every cruise ship's rules, and it could get you into a situation that's out of your control. If you're traveling with teenagers, make sure they know that crew members and crew areas are off-limits.
• Dress down. Leave expensive jewelry and watches at home. Fancy duds only make you a target for thieves.
• Be prepared. Bring phone numbers for FBI offices and for U.S. consulates in the places on your itinerary. Should anything untoward happen, you'll have the contact information you need.
• Be sensible. Don't stand or sit on the ship's railing.
• Be alert. If someone in your party is missing, report it immediately.

In general, practice common sense. That alone will often keep you out of trouble. As one ship's security officer once told us: "We watch everyone and everything that goes on or off this ship. But the closest thing to a crime that I've seen in the past five years was a drunk who blundered into the wrong cabin. He tried to get in bed with the fool who had left his door ajar, and they ended up swinging at each other. Some folks leave their common sense ashore."
Tune in to Traveling With Paul Lasley and Elizabeth Harryman, which airs daily on Discovery Channel 119 on Sirius Satellite Radio.

In Case of Emergency

• Know where your emergency station is and how to get there. Attend the safety drill and pay attention.
• At night, lay out warm casual clothes and any prescription medicines you might need, in the event you have to dress in a hurry.
• If you're not in your cabin when an alarm sounds, don't return to your cabin — go directly to your emergency station. The crew will have life jackets there.
• If you're traveling with children, make sure they know about safety procedures. If they're in a kid's program, don't worry — the ship's staff will bring them to the emergency station to meet you. Don't go looking for them.
• If you smoke, make sure that every butt is extinguished and placed in a proper container. Never throw anything into the sea. Only smoke in designated areas.
• Lighting candles in your cabin or on your balcony is more than foolish — it's dangerous. If you smell smoke anywhere on the ship, report it immediately.



This article first appeared in Westways,
the magazine of the Auto Club of Southern California.