Article - Cruises - CaptainJacksCruise.info

Staying Safe aboard a Cruise Ship
It's easy when you know how

Every summer thousands of individuals take a cruise.  The majority leaves the ship with great memories and new friends. But like 'real life' misfortunes happen on a cruise ship as well. But fortunately cruise ship accidents are few and far in between.

Over the past few years, there have been numerous reports cruise ship crime. While it may seem like the cruise ship industry has a problem, the reality is that they do not. Cruise ships are a safe place. But despite the fact that you are safe aboard a cruise ship, you should still take some precautions. Most of these precautions are simple and can be done with little effort.

Many individuals believe that cruise ship safety should begin once they board the ship. Well, let me assure you: they are wrong. It should begin well in advance. At home. In every port (yes, every port!) cruise ship employees have to deal with passengers that show up without the proper documents or that lost their documents on shore.

Lesson number 1: check your documents BEFORE you leave your home
Lesson number 2: make copies of all of these documents
Lesson number 3: leave one copy at home, leave one in your cabin and carry one in addition to the originals 

So far for the preaching...

When you finally board your cruise ship, there are a number of steps that you should take to ensure your safety.  The most important is to familiarize yourself with the ship. Get to know it. It may take some time to examine the ship, but please do it anyway. And ask one of the 'sailors' for a map if one wasn't given to you. Carry it with you and you'll never get lost.

When walking around a cruise ship, you are advised not to travel alone. Especially after sunset. It hardly ever happens, but you ARE on a ship and 'man overboard' is possible. If you must move around the ship alone, you need to inform a number of individuals where you will be headed and when you expect to return.  In the event that something does happen, a relative or friend should know exactly where to find you.

When on a cruise ship, your personal safety should be your first concern.  In addition to personal safety, the safety of your belongings should also be important.  If you are traveling with expensive luggage or large sums of money, you may want to take extra precautions.  Before you leave home, you way want to consider leaving your expensive belongings behind.  Most cruise ships will not reimburse their passengers for lost money or belongings; therefore, if you can’t afford to replace it, you might not want to bring it.

When it comes to theft, cash and credit cards are often the most sought after items. Instead of carrying a purse or a wallet, you are encouraged to carry a money pouch.  In the event that you are unable to use a money pouch, be smart and divide up your money.  Keeping your money in multiple locations may provide you with financial protection if a theft does occur.  Oh and please: do not forget where your money was hidden. No, that's not a joke!.  

Cruise ships are exciting and, for the most part, safe. With a few simple precautions, you can safely enjoy your vacation aboard a cruise ship without fretting over the safety of yourself and your belongings.

Did you know you can submit your own articles? Tell the rest of the world about your cruise. Isn’t that fun? Go to ‘Submit articles’ on the left and you’ll see how easy it is. I love to hear your cruise stories!

Cruise and have Fun!
Jack