With the recent Carnival Cruise man overboard incident, the cruise safety discussion has intensifiedSo is it dangerous to be on a cruise?Here are 10 facts about cruise safety to help you to decide
All cruise ships are designed and operated in accordance with strict International Law. Maritime and U.S. Laws heavily regulate the cruise industry.
1
Statistically, cruises are one of the safest forms of travel; the odds of dying on a cruise ship are roughly 1 in 6.25 million.
2
As per a Daspit Law Firm research, cruise ships have the lowest rate of deaths per billion passenger miles with 0.08, which is 11.9 for rail travel, 3.3 for cars & trucks and 0.8 for commercial air
3
As per CLIA, one cruise ship undergoes as many as 60 safety and other types of inspections to ensure that it is seaworthy and complies with international safety standards.
4
As per CLIA, from 2009-2019, the cruise industry’s capacity grew by 68%, but during this period, the number of operational incidents declined by 41% & man overboard incidents declined by 35%
5
As per requirements, all cruise ships are equipped with enough survival crafts, including lifeboats and liferafts, to accommodate at least 125% of the number of persons on board.
6
All survival crafts onboard a cruise ship are required to be tested ashore before fitting on the vessel and meet rigorous international guidelines.
7
An average cruise ship carrying 2700 passengers and 800 crew has5 firefighting teams4000 smoke detectors500 fire extinguishers5000 sprinkler heads6 miles of fire hose
8
As required by the International Maritime Organization, all crew members are constantly trained to handle emergencies and give first aid.
9
Modern cruise ships must have state-of-the-art electronic navigational instruments, & most ships substantially exceed these regulatory requirements, making them less prone to navigational disasters
10
So, overall, cruise ships are safe, & like all other transport modes, one needs to be alert. Ensure to familiarize yourself with the ship & attend the drills. Keep cruising!