Safety and Security - CLIA Report

The cruise industry places the highest priority on the safety and security of its passengers and crew. With more than 12 million passengers cruising each year, the industry goes to great lengths to ensure that its passengers are safe and that they have a fun and enjoyable vacation experience.

A cruise ship is comparable to a secure building with a 24-hour security guard. Since a vessel operates in a controlled environment, access can be strictly enforced. Every person on board a cruise ship, from the captain to the cleaning staff and all guests, are placed on an official manifest. Passengers and crew may embark or disembark only after passing through security. Once the ship is underway, access is strictly limited to documented employees and fare-paying passengers.

A cruise ship’s work force is pre-screened. The U.S. State Department oversees the issuance of work visas to foreign nationals who sail with ships into U.S. ports. U.S. embassy personnel in the crew member’s country of origin conduct background checks.

Cruise lines operate within a very strict legal framework that gives both federal and state authorities the right to investigate crimes on board cruise ships. Unlike most instances of shoreside crime, the FBI has the authority to investigate and prosecute alleged crimes in international waters involving Americans.

In 1999, the member lines of the CLIA adopted a zero tolerance industry standard for crimes committed on board. In the rare instance crimes occur on board, cruise lines report and cooperate with the appropriate law enforcement authorities.

The U.S. Coast Guard has jurisdiction for inspection and enforcement of international safety and security standards for all ships calling at U.S. ports.

Cruising is one of the most popular vacation options, in large part because of its excellent safety record and the high level of quality service provided on board cruise ships. The cruise industry is committed to providing a secure environment for its passengers and crew. We will continue to work with all appropriate federal and state agencies to ensure the safety and well-being of all passengers and crew on board our vessels.

 

Security

The cruise industry's highest priority is to ensure the safety and security of its passengers, crew and vessels. The industry has an enviable record when it comes to security and safety and in 1995, the U.S. Coast Guard emphasized that record when stating that passenger vessels are among the safest mode of transportation. We find this statement to be true today due to our stringent security policies and procedures.

A cruise ship is inherently secure because it is a controlled environment with limited access. In order to maintain this secure environment, cruise lines have established strict ship security procedures that are, in part, outlined in internationally agreed-upon measures set forth by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The IMO, the United Nations body that establishes international maritime safety standards, has taken initiatives to address port and shipboard security. Most recently, worldwide security regulations known as the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code were implemented as amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). Through the IMO, these regulations established international security regulations that require all ships, port facilities and governments to have formal security plans, screening measures, access control, waterside security and communications between ships and ports. The United States implemented similar legislation in the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA). MTSA and the ISPS Code came into effect on July 1, 2004.

Prior to these international regulations, CLIA cruise line members had U.S. Coast Guard-approved security plans in place since 1996, in which many of the future requirements of the ISPS Code and MTSA were already included. These plans allowed cruise ships to implement their highest level of security within hours of the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

Heightened security measures are standard for cruise ships today and include passenger screening procedures similar to those found at U.S. airports including the use of metal detectors. Security procedures include the 100 percent inspection of all passengers, their carry-on baggage and luggage. Each crewmember holds a U.S. seafarers visa and has thus undergone a U.S. State Department background check prior to visa issuance. In addition, all crewmembers and guests are placed on an official manifest and may embark and disembark only after passing through a security checkpoint. Once a ship is underway, only documented employees and fare-paying passengers are on board. Cruise lines employ security experts and advisors and train onboard personnel in security procedures. Many additional security techniques are routinely utilized by both port and cruise line security but remain invisible to the passengers' eye.

The cruise industry works closely with federal, state, and local agencies. CLIA has a security committee that is comprised of corporate security officers from each cruise line, many of which have military or law enforcement backgrounds. The committee meets every 60 days with law enforcement, government and intelligence agencies to discuss port and ship security, law enforcement and criminal information as well as federal intelligence assessments. These agencies include the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Transportation, Customs and Border Protection, Office of Naval Intelligence, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, among others.