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Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
Royal Caribbean deals with violent drunk; Tests man overboard tech
It's actually fairly rare that you see drunken idiocy on cruise ships. People will certainly sometimes have too many drinks, but cruise ship security tends to get involved before the situation becomes too serious. Bartenders and servers are also well-trained in observing when someone is nearing their limit or has already had too they just do something subtle like offer the passenger a bottle of water. In other cases, they may just slow walk service to that passenger. It's rare that things become an issue, but bartenders will shut someone off if they're obviously intoxicated. Security only gets involved when the passenger has an issue with that situation. If that happens, the person involved is usually given the option of returning to their room (and staying there for the night) or risking more dire consequences. It's rare that things get more serious, but they did on one recent Royal Caribbean ship and Doug Parker has all the news on Cruise News is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker. Good morning. Here's your cruise news for Tuesday, April 1. A late-night incident aboard Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas left passengers rattled on early Monday morning after a reportedly drunk man caused a disturbance on other people's balconies. Yeah, now according to witnesses on the March 27 sailing, the man accessed the Vitality Spa on deck 11, then went outside, hopped a railing, and began moving across the junior suites on 11. Now, around 1 a.m., he started banging on doors, flipping over furniture, and threw a chair overboard. Ship security responded and detained him. No injuries were reported. A reminder to always keep your balcony doors locked, especially at one cruise line is now testing a cutting-edge AI system called ZOE, designed to detect and track anyone who falls overboard. Now, using infrared cameras with a 360-degree view of the ship and smart sensors, ZOE alerts the bridge team in real time. It continuously tracks the person in the water, even in darkness or in rough seas, helping crews respond faster and hopefully saving a life. This new tech that Ambassador Cruise Line is using adds an extra layer of both safety and eyes for the navigational team. 19 people were reported overboard last year. And Morella Cruises, a UK-based cruise line, is entering the Newbuild market for the first time, signing a deal with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for two cruise ships. Now, while less familiar to North American cruisers, Morella is part of the TUI Group, a company that is a joint venture with Royal Caribbean Group. The ships, set for delivery in 2030 and 2032, will target the British market. If you have a lead on a story, let us know. Tips@ Have yourself a great Tuesday. I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Yahoo
Cruise line shares pirate warning, Carnival faces delay
Pirates seem like something out of another time, but they remain an issue in certain parts of the world. It's incredibly rare that a cruise ship faces a pirate attack, but that does not mean cruise lines don't monitor potentially dangerous situations. Cruise ships might change their route, engage with local military as a deterrent, or take other steps to make clear that pirates should stay away. In some very rare cases these include taking preventative measure like closing outdoor decks at night. "Exceptionally trained ship security personnel are on call 24/7," according to the Cruise Line International Association. "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 crew member on board specifically trained in crime prevention, detection, and reporting." One cruise ship, however, had to take steps to avoid a potential pirate attack. Doug Parker has the full story and more on the March 17 Cruise News is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker. Over the weekend, passengers aboard Cunard's Queen Anne were warned to stay indoors overnight as the ship sailed through pirate-prone waters between Darwin, Australia, and up to Manila in the Philippines. The captain advised guests to turn off balcony lights, keep curtains closed, and avoid outside decks through the overnight hours as a precaution. The Sulu Sea region is known for piracy, with armed groups targeting ships in the region. Now, while cruise ships are rarely attacked, ships do carry defense systems like water cannons and sound-based deterrents. Queen Anne is on its maiden world cruise, which began in January. The last reported cruise ships to actually be attacked by pirates are the Seabourn Spirit in 05 and MSC Melody in 09, both off the coast of a storm system is delaying the departure of Carnival Sunshine from Norfolk. Now originally set to leave for a six-night cruise yesterday, the ship will now be leaving this morning due to strong winds and heavy rains. Now, passengers boarded the ship as scheduled, but the delay does mean one less stop in the Bahamas. This is the second weather-related delay for Norfolk this year, with a similar incident happening last month. And Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas has submitted its corrective action report to the CDC that's addressing the over 50 infractions following a recent health inspection. In February, the ship narrowly avoided a failing grade, scoring just 86 out of 100. Below 86 is failing. Strikes against them included improper food storage, hygiene issues, and mishandling illness reports. Improvements in the corrective action report ... included stricter illness protocols, enhanced food safety measures, and better sanitation procedures. The ship is currently sailing and had no delay to any voyages. If you have a lead on a story, let us know. Tips@ Have yourself a great Monday. I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
