Are cruise ship attacks by pirates a concern?

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Karli D

when dealing with pirates... everything is a concern, man.

Paul in San Diego

Yes and no. The pirates who are actively hijacking ships are down off the coast of Somalia. Somalia doesn't really have an organized government. So, the pirates can operate out of Somalian ports and waters without fear of anyone in Somalia trying to stop them. But, if you're not taking a cruise anywhere near there, you don't really have anything to worry about.

There was an attack on a cruise ship down there last year. But, the cruise ship was so big and fast that they outran the small outboard skiffs the pirates use. They also used fire hoses to keep the pirates from boarding.

bobsanden

Terrorists have attacked cruise ships before, but pirates would have a difficult time. First, there are just too many people that they would have to round up and detain. Second, their goal is to ransom the goods that the ship is carrying for large sums of cash. Hostages are a bigger risk than hijacking cargo. A 20 person crew on a container ship is a whole different situation than 2000 people on a cruise ship. The cargo ship is definitely the superior target.

DKT

yes in places like the coast of Africa,indian sea and south east asia
u should be every careful

Julian's Mommy

Yes and No.....for one there is someone watching around the boat 24/7, for 2 I dont think they can get onto the ship since the first deck is soo high, and for 3 one cruise ships there are 2,000+ people where as the boats they are taking over have way less people, that they can control more

sha

no have you seen the sive of cruise ships and they do not sail in those waters

5 pirates could never take the ship so not really a threat but i can understand peoples concerns

Time travler

First off, cruise companies avoid areas like Somalia. Second, when a cruise ship heads into port, they are guided by an outside vessel which goes along side it. After they are in port, they are guarded by ships on all sides and security is tight. Cruise ships have a lot to loose and so therefore they take all precautions to avoid pirates. One time in the Caribbean where some pirates have known to be, the cruise staff basically told all the passengers to avoid certain areas. Another time,last year in Ensenada, they told us not to walk around town as it was not safe(drug lords hang out in Ensenada). So, the bottom line is cruise ships are as safe if not more then any other ways to travel. I have cruised 9 times and I notice that Princess does not cruise to Somalia at this time.

kellifromkeller

If you are going on a cruise to Africa or near Africa, possibly, I haven't heard of any recent pirate attacks in the caribbean or pacific.

A cruise ship would be hard to over take from a pirate group who is on a little boat (the Somalian pirates have zero money and little to know resources... they may try but the chance of them being able to overtake a cruise ship is unlikely)

Boggy

Definitely on coast of Africa - Gulf of Aden. Earlier this year a Fred Olsen ship was chased - the cruise ship picked up on their radar that 2 vessels were chasing them. They took evasive tactics and went at full speed and shook them off. A US naval ship stayed with them until it was all clear. It does happen, I think it would be harder for pirates to board a cruise ship (think of the amount of people on board - passegers and crew) but they definitely get cargo ships (which only have 15 or 20 crew). Hopefully something will be done, there was the recent rescue of a captain from a cargo ship and only today it is in the news a French warship captured 11 pirates from a 'mother ship'. What they will do with them is another matter of course. Let them go I expect.

Russ

Yes, and I hope more countries see the concern and do something to help rather than leave it all up to the USA to stop these thugs.

crottychop

mabye.
but i dont think that priates will attack a big ship like that

VYFX.com

What kind of question is this? Yes, it's a concern. Gunmen are taking hostages and seizing ships with hopes of scamming people out of money for the return of the ship and hostages. Everything's wrong about it.

Peter J

yes, but not the alaska trip.

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