HEALTH AND SAFETY

Cruise ships are one of the safest vacation options in the world, with rates of serious crimes that are exceedingly lower than those on land. Data from the FBI supports this fact, and due to multiple layers of security, allegations of major crimes on cruise ships are extremely rare.

• Comprehensive Security: The cruise industry follows comprehensive security protocols, both prior to departure and at sea. Passengers, crew, and baggage must pass through rigorous security checkpoints before boarding. In addition to video surveillance and around-the-clock onboard emergency contacts, cruise ships keep an official manifest that lists everyone onboard. Proof of identity is required to access a cruise ship, and only crew, ticketed passengers and those on a pre-approved list may enter. See Cruise ships safety study
• Highly Trained Security Personnel: Exceptionally trained ship security personnel are on call 24/7. Major cruise lines have sophisticated security departments run by former federal, state and military law enforcement officials and are staffed by competent, qualified security personnel. Every ship sailing to or from the U.S. must have at least one crewmember onboard specifically trained in crime prevention, detection, and reporting.
• Transparency in Crime Reporting: The cruise industry is deeply committed to transparency in crime reporting. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Cruise Line’s voluntarily report any serious crime allegation involving an American on oceangoing voyages worldwide, regardless of the ship’s location and flag. For alleged crimes involving foreign citizens outside of U.S. waters, the victim’s home country has the full authority to investigate, as well as local law enforcement and the country where the ship is registered.
• Sample Prohibited Items List: The Sample Prohibited Items List includes items that the security professionals of CLIA’s members have identified as potentially being dangerous or posing a risk to the crew, passengers or ship. Possession by passengers or crew of these items is generally not permissible without a valid reason, unless required in direct support of ship operations, as part of a crew member’s official duties, and with consent of a duly authorized ship representative. Sample Prohibited Items List PDF

CLIA ocean-going member cruise ships are cleaned and sanitized, under normal circumstances, with a frequency that is nearly unparalleled in other settings.

• CLIA ocean-going member cruise ships are cleaned and sanitized, under normal circumstances, with a frequency that is nearly unparalleled in other settings.
  • Multiple times each day, cruise ship crews clean and sanitize surfaces known for transmitting germs, such as handrails, door handles, faucets, etc.
  • Cruise passengers are reminded to wash their hands regularly and hand sanitizers are readily available in public locations on a cruise ship.
  • At the end of every cruise, crewmembers clean the ship from top to bottom using designated cleaning supplies and sanitation procedures.
• Cruise ships are the only form of travel or transportation that are medically equipped to care for passengers or crew in the event of illness.
  • CLIA oceangoing member cruise ships must be equipped with medical facilities that meet or exceed the standards set forth by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).
  • ACEP guidelines mandate that doctors and medical personnel be available onboard 24/7 and cruise ships must have the ability to isolate contagious passengers to minimize the risk to others onboard.
  • Cruise ships must have an examination room, an intensive care room and equipment and procedures for processing labs, monitoring vital signs and administering medications.
  • Patients requiring more comprehensive facilities or treatment are typically referred to a shore side medical facility.
• Passenger and crewmember health is protected by a robust system of oversight and enforcement. 
  • Public health authorities worldwide inspect cruise ships and enforce health requirements.
  • In the United States, for example, CLIA ocean-going cruise line members have a longstanding collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through the agency’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP)https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/.
  • The VSP provides a level of federal scrutiny that is unparalleled within the travel and hospitality industry. There is no similar federal program for hotels, airlines, trains, or short-term rentals.
  • The VSP conducts unannounced sanitation inspections onboard any cruise ship sailing to or from a U.S. port twice a year. If a ship sails outside the U.S. for an extended period of time, it will be inspected again upon its return to the U.S.
  • Following inspection, the VSP publishes reports for each individual cruise ship. Scores are made public on the CDC’s website.
  • As part of these unannounced inspections, the VSP looks at eight core areas of cruise ships: Medical facilities, Potable water systems, Swimming pools and whirlpool spas, Galleys and dining rooms, Child activity centers, Hotel accommodations, Ventilation systems, Common areas of the ship
  • Cruise lines are also governed by the International Health Regulation of the WHO, which require that Health Declarations detailing illnesses of individuals on board be provided to port authorities around the globe prior to a ship’s entry.
• Pre-boarding health screenings for passengers and crew help prevent onboard illness.
  • The most common health screening protocol is a health questionnaire.
  • Medical personnel on board can assess passengers and crewmembers who may be ill before they interact with other guests.
  • COVID-19 vaccine and/or testing requirements for all guests prior to boarding the ship
    • For more information regarding COVID-19 Protocols, please see: https://www.royalcaribbean.com/healthy-cruising-panel

CLIA cruise line members have maintained an exceptional safety record, and cruise ships today are the safest that have ever sailed. A study by GP Wild analyzing cruise ship operational incidents shows that while worldwide cruise ship capacity grew by more than 55 percent from 2009 to 2018, over that same period the number of operational incidents has trended down 37 percent, making cruise lines’ safety record ahead of other modes of leisure transportation.

• Crewmember Training: Crewmembers receive robust training in safety, security and first aid to prevent and respond to potential emergency situations.
• Heavily Scrutiny: Cruise ships are among the most scrutinized vessels at sea. With oversight beginning at design and construction, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), flag and port state authorities, and classification societies provide strict safety standards and oversight throughout a ship’s operations.
• Constant Improvement: CLIA and its Cruise Line Members constantly work to improve safety by reviewing operational procedures to improve safety processes and technology. With new polices implemented and continual meetings with an Independent Panel of Experts comprised of top maritime and transportation professions to provide advice on measures to enhance safety, the cruise industry is always looking to improve.
• Precautions: Every cruise ship must be equipped with enough survival craft, including life boats and life rafts, to accommodate at least 125 percent of the number of persons on board. In addition, all survival craft must be tested and meet rigorous international guidelines.

Cruise ships today are the safest that have ever sailed, thanks to the rules, regulations, and technological innovations that govern their design.