More Passengers, More Risk


With today’s cruise ships carrying 6,000 passengers and 3,000 crew, shipowners, brokers and underwriters are considering new concerns, ranging from piracy to food contamination.


“They’re floating cities. And, as you would have with any land-based city you would have all of the attendant issues that are related to that.”


Tom Denniston, Lockton


Royal Caribbean’s new passenger cruise ships, valued at $1.4 billion, carry significantly more people than typical cruise vessels. And with their size come risks similar to those in a city: crowd control, medical concerns, food contamination, even mortuary services for older passengers who may pass away at sea. If a vessel becomes disabled, ship operators must have a plan for getting passengers off and transporting them to safety. Beyond the risks of everyday life, cruise ships also may be targets for terrorists and pirates in the Gulf of Aden as well as areas around the Far East. If cruise ships, like commercial ships, bring armed escorts onboard for security, there is an increased risk of a weapon discharging accidentally and injuring a passenger.


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