Archive · 23 Sep 2025
Cruise Ship Crime Rates Rise, Raising Safety Concerns
Imagine a city that floats on the water, called a cruise ship.
Many people love to go on vacation there.
But, sometimes, things go wrong.
Crime, like getting hurt or having something stolen, is happening more often on these ships.
From the start of 2025, the number of crimes has risen to an almost two-year high.
Most of the reported crimes are violent, like rape and sexual assault.
Experts say it's important to be careful, just like you would anywhere else.
Keep your door locked, don't leave drinks alone, and be mindful of who is around.
While crime rates are increasing, these types of vacations remain one of the safest.
Crime rates on cruise ships are rising, reaching a two-year high in early 2025.
From January to March 2025, 48 crimes were reported to the FBI, the highest since April-June 2023.
Sexual assault and rape are common crimes reported on cruise ships.
Disney Cruise Lines reported a notable increase in sexual assault allegations in recent years.
Experts recommend standard safety measures like locking doors and being aware of surroundings.
- Who
- Passengers and crew on cruise ships.
- What
- Rising crime rates, particularly sexual assaults and rapes.
- When
- Rising since at least April-June 2023 and continuing into 2025.
- Where
- On various cruise ships, including those operated by Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian, and others.
- Why
- Unclear, but may be related to the confined environment and large numbers of people.
- Reported Crimes (Jan-Mar 2025)
- 48
- Highest Reported Period
- April-June 2023 (55 Incidents)
- Primary Crimes
- Rape, Sexual Assault, Assault
- Disney Sexual Assault Allegations (2024)
- 18
- Cruise Line Zero-Tolerance Policy
- Yes