Security onboard princess cruises

[Optotronics]

Im wondering about security at sea and what princess provides.

I know most of us are civilized people, but with an all inclusive beverage package (I'm not a tea totaler, I enjoy a drink or 2)there is potential for both physical as well as sexual assault to take place among other crimes when 3000 people get together.

Does princess cruises have security personnel? Is there a brig on the ship?

I've heard they have plenty of video cameras to document this for legal proceedings. Has anyone seen any security action take on their cruise?

I would hope that if someone gets beaten by another passenger or their wife/ daughter gets their you know what grabbed, that the person caught doing this spends the rest of their cruise in the brig and handed over to authorities upon their return.

[Pam in CA]

Yes there's security and yes, there's a "brig" although most of the time, the offender is put in their cabin with a guard at the door. Yes, I have seen this done although it was quite a few years ago. A 26-year old man was caught in the hot tub with a 15 year old girl late at night. Both were nude. He was held in his cabin and disembarked at the next port where he was turned over to the FBI.

 

Less likely to see physical or sexual assault on a Princess ship than other lines.

Edited December 11, 2016 by Pam in CA

[Cruiser411]

Im wondering about security at sea and what princess provides.

I know most of us are civilized people, but with an all inclusive beverage package (I'm not a tea totaler, I enjoy a drink or 2)there is potential for both physical as well as sexual assault to take place among other crimes when 3000 people get together.

Does princess cruises have security personnel? Is there a brig on the ship?

I've heard they have plenty of video cameras to document this for legal proceedings. Has anyone seen any security action take on their cruise?

I would hope that if someone gets beaten by another passenger or their wife/ daughter gets their you know what grabbed, that the person caught doing this spends the rest of their cruise in the brig and handed over to authorities upon their return.

 

There seems to be a large security contingent onboard. They are the ones who take your picture as you board and they are there when you leave or come back on the ship. I have been told that there is a brig onboard each ship. I also believe that, depending on the severity of the crime, they will hand offenders to the authorities in the local port.

[fishywood]

I would hope that if someone gets beaten by another passenger or their wife/ daughter gets their you know what grabbed, that the person caught doing this spends the rest of their cruise in the brig and handed over to authorities upon their return.

 

Far more likely the perpetrator would be confined to their cabin (with a guard at the door) until reaching the very next port where they would be escorted off left totally to their own devices. If behavior in violation of the passage contract has occurred Princess' first inclination is to cease providing accommodation and meals even in a brig.

 

All cruise lines that operate in the USA are obliged to report to the US authorities if anywhere in the world a US resident is the victim or alleged perpetrator of a serious crime on board the ship. But should you be the victim, and the perpetrator also a US resident, how aggressively they are prosecuted often depends on your follow-up at the US Embassy/Consulate/Interest Section at the next port after the incident in question. This is why you will find in the 'Passenger Information' notebook in your cabin a worldwide directory of contact numbers of the overseas branches of USA law enforcement.

 

(the above is undoubtedly a gross oversimplification; perhaps one of the "insiders" who regularly visit this board will come along and explain a lot better)

Edited December 11, 2016 by fishywood

[Thrak]

I would worry about it far more on other lines. Carnival springs to mind... Granted, I only have 7 Princess cruises under my belt so far. However, I have seen exactly ONE really rude passenger and zero drunks. Princess simply isn't the line to have the clientele that is likely to get out of hand in that manner.

 

Most of the folks who cruise Princess seem more likely to go to bed if they are inebriated rather than getting into fights. I am definitely not saying it's not it's possible. I just think it's unlikely.

[shredie]

I once saw a guy escorted off the ship in handcuffs right before we were ready to sail. This was in San Pedro. I don't know what he did to get that treatment, but he seemed to be going willingly.

[pablo222]

I would hope that if someone gets beaten by another passenger or their wife/ daughter gets their you know what grabbed, that the person caught doing this spends the rest of their cruise in the brig and handed over to authorities upon their return.

 

I have only seen fights on Carnival.

 

On Princess, you're more likely to be run down by a scooter.

Maybe bright colors would help?

[Darcy15]

I have been fortunate enough to have sailed with Princess many times - and never seen any kind of security incident

 

I believe that Princess recruits largely from ex Gurkha regiment soldiers for security personnel ..........and anyone who chooses to mess with those guys is not very sensible :D

 

I'm a solo female traveller and have always felt very safe :)

[floridalover5623]

I have only seen fights on Carnival.

 

On Princess, you're more likely to be run down by a scooter.

Maybe bright colors would help?

 

Maybe they should require all scooter people to wear bright orange. At least we could see them coming.

[chengkp75]

Im wondering about security at sea and what princess provides.

I know most of us are civilized people, but with an all inclusive beverage package (I'm not a tea totaler, I enjoy a drink or 2)there is potential for both physical as well as sexual assault to take place among other crimes when 3000 people get together.

Does princess cruises have security personnel? Is there a brig on the ship?

I've heard they have plenty of video cameras to document this for legal proceedings. Has anyone seen any security action take on their cruise?

I would hope that if someone gets beaten by another passenger or their wife/ daughter gets their you know what grabbed, that the person caught doing this spends the rest of their cruise in the brig and handed over to authorities upon their return.

 

There will be a Senior Security Officer and approximately 6-8 Security Officers. Many of these are ex-LEO or ex-military. NCL uses Ghurkhas, predominately (and their shoulder boards display the curved Khukuri knife of the Ghurkas).

 

As stated, there is a brig, but cabin restriction as Pam noted is more common.

 

There is also a separate Surveillance Department, whose personnel monitor the hundreds of security cameras. Their original purpose was to monitor the casino play exclusively, but that has expanded over the years. While the cameras can and are used to view criminal behavior or accidents of the passengers, their main function is to "supervise" the crew for disciplinary action.

 

As fishywood says, legal jurisdiction is a bit of a minefield. The US has claimed FBI jurisdiction for violent crimes against US citizens on the foreign flag ships while in US waters, or in international waters. However, when the ship is in another country's waters, either that country's laws ("port state") or the ship's country of registry ("flag state") apply.

 

The only physical assaults that I saw on cruise ships were domestic issues, with their usual complicated emotions and outcomes. The worst was the 70 something man standing in the buffet line who apparently had had enough badgering from his wife of 50 years, and hauled off and decked her.

Edited December 11, 2016 by chengkp75

[Griller]

Less likely to see physical or sexual assault on a Princess ship than other lines.

 

Really? Less likely than on Crystal? Regent? Azmara? Oceania? Seaborne? Cunard? Viking? Fred Olsen? etc etc?

 

Why?

[PrincessLuver]

I have been fortunate enough to have sailed with Princess many times - and never seen any kind of security incident

 

I believe that Princess recruits largely from ex Gurkha regiment soldiers for security personnel ..........and anyone who chooses to mess with those guys is not very sensible :D

 

I'm a solo female traveller and have always felt very safe :)

 

We have seen at least 5 times on Princess voyages where people got into verbal and pushing fights and crew officers had to be called (3 over pool chairs, one in the theater over a saved seat and one in the health club where a man thought another man spent too much time on the treadmill)...Princess people are just as rude as others and often because they are older and do not care what others think....Princess is just like real life and the people are nothing that special...every form of behavior joins the cruise too....:cool:

Edited December 11, 2016 by PrincessLuver

[skynight]

Im wondering about security at sea and what princess provides.

I know most of us are civilized people, but with an all inclusive beverage package (I'm not a tea totaler, I enjoy a drink or 2)there is potential for both physical as well as sexual assault to take place among other crimes when 3000 people get together.

Does princess cruises have security personnel? Is there a brig on the ship?

I've heard they have plenty of video cameras to document this for legal proceedings. Has anyone seen any security action take on their cruise?

I would hope that if someone gets beaten by another passenger or their wife/ daughter gets their you know what grabbed, that the person caught doing this spends the rest of their cruise in the brig and handed over to authorities upon their return.

AIBP - My observation is that a small percentage of passengers have this unlimited drink package. In over 30 Princess cruises I have never seen anyone so drunk that they become violent. Of course anything can be possible.

As others have mentioned security does take action when needed. It isn't advertised around the ship, so if some action is necessary most passengers are not aware.

[cruisemom42]

I think the cruise lines have appropriate security personnel and procedures in place to handle most issues.

 

Not sure I'd say Princess is any better or worse than any other line. The only physical altercation I've ever witnessed on a ship took place on a Princess ship -- it was on Caribbean Princess when she was sailing out of NY to the Caribbean one summer, around eight years ago. A guy was trying to save seats in the theatre for a very popular and crowded show (Sarge); another guy told him he couldn't save them and fisticuffs ensued We were seated right behind them and it was a bit scary but was handled very quickly by Princess.

[Cruiserkenn]

Princess security does a great job.

 

I must say, though, that I haven't seen anything so terrible, on 30+ Princess cruises. Yes, there are minor annoyances, but I haven't seen anything terrible.

 

Minor annoyances include people who jam onto the elevator, before others get off, people who speak loudly during musicaal presentations or other presentations, or those who don't have enough sense to properly stand in line. But nothing so terrible that security is needed. Not that it couldn't happen, but it is not common.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Woobstr112G]

I have only seen fights on Carnival.

 

On Princess, you're more likely to be run down by a scooter.

Maybe bright colors would help?

 

I saw one fight on the Ruby. It was in the Piazza as many were waiting to get off the ship at the end of our T/A. It was dealt with rather quickly.....

 

Bob

[MrMan]

You will be more likely harmed by the security stress you are causing yourself than the reality of anything happening to you on the ship

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited December 11, 2016 by MrMan

[Optotronics]

Thanks everyone, it's good to know they have decent security. I had tried searching on security, but most the threads were about sneaking liquor onboard or people smoking on their balcony and ships personnel doing nothing about it.

[EDDY0827]

I took the Ultimate Ship's Tour on the Ruby December 2nd. The specific question raised "Does the Ruby Princess have a brig?" The answer from the security detail that accompanied us was "No brig aboard the ship". Confinement to quarters with a 24/7 guard at the door.

[Rosethorn40]

Bad behavior isn't restricted to one particular cruise line, or class of passenger, nor do I feel one cruise line is particularly "Safer" then another. In 2014 a woman passenger was raped, beaten, and the perpetrator tried to throw her overboard (Attempted murder) on a Holland America ship. Before I read that, I would have thought Holland America the safest of the mass market lines.

 

I do agree that the shorter, party cruises tend to attract younger, more likely to drink in excess crowd, and alcohol is usually a contributing factor is bad behavior.

[beg3yrs]

Really? Less likely than on Crystal? Regent? Azmara? Oceania? Seaborne? Cunard? Viking? Fred Olsen? etc etc?

 

Why?

 

I too was wondering about that statement. Come on, inquiring minds want to know!

[KandMB]

On our recent sailing to Hawaii on the Grand there was a ' security ' request over the tannoy late at night in the International Cafe. We were later told a man was drunk and abusive to staff and demanded a bottle of champagne - he was given it and given time to calm but when he didn't he was forcibly removed and taken away in handcuffs...... Not sure what happened after that?

[Cruise Raider]

In over 50 cruises along all different cruiselines, the only time I saw an incident requiring quick action by security was on Princess. There was a young man that was obviously drunk and lost a lot of money in the casino. As rumor would have it (from the captain's circle host), when he realized what he had done, he tried to jump over the railing from an upper floor surrounding the Piazza. They quickly tackled him to the floor and put up a sheet to keep all this from view of other passengers....which made sense.

[Colo Cruiser]

There will be a Senior Security Officer and approximately 6-8 Security Officers. Many of these are ex-LEO or ex-military.

 

 

 

Maybe on the Pacific Princess.

On The Grand Class there are 2 times that.

Edited December 11, 2016 by Colo Cruiser

[RickEk]

In over 50 cruises along all different cruiselines, the only time I saw an incident requiring quick action by security was on Princess. There was a young man that was obviously drunk and lost a lot of money in the casino. As rumor would have it (from the captain's circle host), when he realized what he had done, he tried to jump over the railing from an upper floor surrounding the Piazza. They quickly tackled him to the floor and put up a sheet to keep all this from view of other passengers....which made sense.

 

I was on that cruise. That was the story that I had heard too. The security team was very professional.