Better to be safe than sorry when sailing the vast ocean
Cruise ship passengers found themselves in a unique situation after they got strict instructions from the captain on what should have been a relaxing holiday experience.
Passengers aboard Cunard’s Queen Anne cruise ship found out one of the real da:ngers of sailing across the world in a massive luxury vessel.
The 111-night voyage set off in Germany in January and recently saw the ship traveling between Darwin, Australia, and Manila in the Philippines, passing through the Sulu-Celebes Sea.
However doing so comes with inherent dangers, and we aren’t talking about choppy oceans or bad weather.
At one point during the journey, in a loudspeaker announcement, the ship’s captain informed passengers that they would be operating at a ‘heightened level of security alertness’. This is due to the fact that they were passing through areas known for piracy.
As a result, passengers were told the external promenade decks would be closed overnight, and only essential open-deck lights would remain on to minimize the ship’s visibility.
Also, guests were asked to turn off their stateroom lights when not needed and to keep their curtains drawn.
A video taken by a guest of the announcement has begun to circulate on the internet, with many remarking on their surprise at the event.
One TikTok user said: “Well that sounds terrifying.”
To which the TikToker responded: “Not really it’s just safety precautions the risk is very low.”
Another said: “Idk why but every time I hear about real life pirates I’m always shocked/amazed that they really exist.”
A third added: “I used to work on a cruise ship and there are a few areas where you get piracy. We used to get a special security company that used to come onboard with g*ns when we go past Somalia. You’re safe.”
And another commented: “To be honest, if a cruise or passenger vessel was attacked by Pirates, the response from naval vessels would be swift and sudden, moreso than if it was a regular merchant vessel.”
@lillydapink I didn’t know there were pirates around this area. We are crossing from Darwin to Manila #cruisetok #cunard #fyp
Though precautions are regularly taken by vessels, actual attacks on cruise ships are rare as pirates typically target oil tankers and container ships.
A spokesperson for Cunard has since told Business Insider: “As part of standard maritime procedures, our Captains may make precautionary announcements when sailing through certain regions.
“There was no specific threat to the ship or its guests, and our onboard experience remained uninterrupted.”