Mar

17

Are Cruises Safe?

Filed Under Cruise, General, Safety, Tips | Leave a Comment

One of the questions that came in when I was asking for suggestions was around safety. Without a doubt, how to ensure that your cruise is safe and worry-free is one of the most important issues cruisers and folks thinking about a cruise vacation ask about. What can you do to make your voyage as safe and care-free as it can be? Here are 5 suggestions:

  1. When the lifeboat drill happens, pay attention. I know that you likely want to just get on with enjoying your cruise, but when your ship’s lifeboat drill happens - they all have one, at the beginning of the cruise, as required by international regulations - be sure to listen to the announcements, find and put on your lifejacket and go where you are told to go. Your crew is trained extensively in safety related procedures - follow their lead. And remember, even though the likelihood of ever having to actually use that lifejacket is extremely remote, you’re much better off knowing what you should be doing in the event of an emergency.
  2. Think of your cruise ship like a condo with a really tough doorman. All carry on luggage and every passenger is inspected, not just when you first embark, but every time you re-enter the vessel. This often includes x-ray screening like at an airport. Many cruiselines screen checked baggage too. As well, each person leaving or boarding a ship is verified using photo identification. The one downside is, like a really good nightclub or restaurant, this means that there are sometimes lines to get in - but the wait is well worth it.
  3. On board, use common sense. Cruise ships are among the safest places in which you can vacation (in fact, per FBI statistics, cruise ships as a “place” are safer than virtually any other “place” in the country), but just because you’re on holiday doesn’t mean you should forget basic security. Lock your cabin door, use the deadbolt, keep your wallet, camera, documents etc. in your in-cabin safe or store valuables in a safety deposit box in the Purser’s Office.
  4. Bring photocopies of your Passport and Birth Certificate with you, and keep them separate from the actual documents. In the unlikely event that your documents are lost or stolen, having these two things will make it much easier to get replacements. I always take photocopies of other documentation as well, such as my credit cards and flight confirmations and itineraries, which I pack separately.
  5. Wash your hands. The easiest way to avoid “picking up a bug” while on a cruise (or in a hotel or convention center, for that matter) is by washing your hands frequently. When we travel, we keep a small squeeze tube of hand cleaner-plus-lotion with us, and use it all the time. We also bring a small package of disinfecting wipes to clean often-touched things like the cabin door handles and light switches, too.

It’s also worth remembering that the cruiselines themselves take safety and security very seriously. From often utilizing closed-circuit cameras, to on-board security staff who are frequently former law enforcement personnel, to modern vessels with the latest in safe design, to international rules and regulations designed with your well-being in mind, you should feel great about choosing to cruise. Tens of millions of your fellow cruise vacationers sure do.