Cruise Ship Safety Statistics
The federal reports behind the headlines.
Get Free Quotes From a Cruise AdvisorSearches for cruise ship safety statistics turn up a lot of opinion. The official figures for ships sailing from the United States come from one place: the quarterly reports the U.S. Department of Transportation publishes under the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010. Here is what they contain, how to find them and how to read them fairly.
The Law Behind the Numbers
The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (Public Law 111-207, signed in July 2010) applies to passenger ships that embark or disembark passengers in the United States. Among other things it requires:
- Rails at least 42 inches high around passenger areas.
- Peepholes or an equivalent means of seeing who is at every cabin door.
- Security latches and time-sensitive key technology on cabin doors of newer ships.
- Video surveillance to help document crimes, with footage provided to law enforcement on request.
- Reporting of alleged serious crimes and missing U.S. nationals to the FBI.
- Publication of those reported incidents on a Department of Transportation website.
Where to Find the Reports
The U.S. Department of Transportation cruise line incident reports are published quarter by quarter, each as a downloadable table. They list incidents by cruise line and type — for example homicide, suspicious death, missing U.S. national, assault with serious bodily injury, sexual assault and theft over a set value — and whether the alleged offender was a passenger or crew member.
How to Read Cruise Ship Safety Statistics Fairly
- They count reports, not convictions. An entry is an allegation reported to the FBI, not a proven crime.
- They are dated by reporting. DOT notes that a quarter’s figures are incidents reported to the FBI in that quarter, not necessarily ones that happened in it.
- Compare like with like. A line with many large ships carries far more guests than a small line, so raw totals are not rates.
- Minor incidents are not included. The reporting categories are defined by law and focus on serious matters.
Government auditors have questioned in the past whether all incidents are captured, so treat the figures as a floor rather than a complete count. Even so, they are the only standardized public source, and they allow fair comparisons over time.
Putting the Numbers in Context
Millions of guests sail from U.S. ports each year, and the quarterly reports typically list incidents in the dozens across all lines combined. That is why most security professionals regard a cruise ship as a controlled environment: guests are screened at boarding, cabins lock electronically, security teams patrol, and cameras cover public areas. None of that removes personal responsibility. The incidents in the reports often involve alcohol, unlocked doors or a guest alone with someone they have just met, which is why our safety tips focus on those situations.
Other Safety Records Worth Knowing
For health, use CDC’s inspection scores and outbreak list. For the ship itself, the U.S. Coast Guard examines foreign-flag ships that embark passengers in U.S. ports; see who inspects cruise ships.
Questions About a Line’s Record?
Tell us which lines you are comparing. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will talk you through the public records and send free quotes.
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