New DOT report shows decline in cruise ship crime in 2024

The latest cruise ship crime data for the second quarter of 2024 shows a decrease in reported incidents compared to the previous quarter.

The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act requires cruise lines to report criminal incidents on board ships arriving from the United States. These reports are produced quarterly to ensure transparency and keep passengers informed.

The Department of Transportation reported 36 suspected criminal incidents aboard cruise ships on U.S. routes between April and June 2024, a decrease from the 47 incidents reported in the first quarter of the year.

Breakdown of alleged crimes by cruise line

Once again, Carnival Cruises The highest number of suspected incidents were recorded at sea, with the Carnival fleet accounting for a third of the incidents, with 12 reported cases.

These included nine sexual assaults, one attack causing serious bodily harm, one suspicious death and one missing U.S. citizen.

Royal Caribbean recorded a significant decline in reported crimes, from 11 in the first quarter to just 5 in the second quarter. However, all of these incidents were related to sexual assault.

Norwegian Cruise Line In the second quarter, eight incidents were reported, including four attacks causing serious bodily harm. This represents an increase of three incidents compared to the previous quarter.

Disney Cruise Line reported three sexual assaults, while Princess Cruises had two. Cruises with Celebrity, Lindblad ExpeditionsAnd MSC Cruises each recorded an incident in the last quarter.

Although the number of sexual assaults has decreased compared to the first quarter, they still represent a significant proportion of the total crimes reported on cruise ships.

In 2023, a total of 131 cases of sex crimes aboard cruise ships were reported to the FBI. However, many violence organizations believe that the actual number is probably much higher, as it is widely estimated that only about a third of assaults are reported in the United States.

Reported crime on cruise ships during 2024

(Note: The DOT report does not include passenger numbers. Cruise lines generally do not break down quarterly passenger numbers by individual brands in their earnings reports.)

Cruises are becoming increasingly popular, with 31.5 million passengers set to set sail in 2023 and forecasts predicting 35.7 million passengers in 2024. Therefore, it is important to be aware of your surroundings and keep safety as a top priority while on a cruise.