Cruise ship passengers found themselves in an unexpected predicament after receiving strict instructions from the captain during what was meant to be a relaxing holiday.
Aboard Cunard’s Queen Anne cruise ship, passengers experienced firsthand one of the serious risks of cruising the globe in a massive luxury liner.
The 111-night journey, which began in Germany in January, recently took the ship between Darwin, Australia, and Manila in the Philippines, passing through the Sulu-Celebes Sea.
However, this comes with its own set of dangers—and we’re not referring to rough seas or bad weather.
Cruise ships are known for luxury but security measures must be taken to protect guests from unfavourable incidents
At one point during the journey, in a loudspeaker announcement, the ship’s captain informed passengers that they would be operating at a ‘heightened level of security alertness’. This is because they were passing through areas known for piracy.
As a result, passengers were told the external promenade decks would be closed overnight, and only essential open-deck lights would remain on to minimize the ship’s visibility.
In addition, guests were instructed to turn off their stateroom lights when not in use and to keep their curtains closed.
A video captured by a passenger of the announcement has started circulating on social media, with many expressing their surprise over the situation.
The captian asked passengers to draw their curtains and turn off their lights to decrease their visibility
One TikTok user commented, “That sounds terrifying.”
The TikToker replied, “Not really, it’s just a safety precaution—the risk is very low.”
Another user remarked, “I don’t know why, but every time I hear about real-life pirates, I’m always shocked/amazed that they actually exist.”
A third user added, “I used to work on a cruise ship, and there are a few areas where piracy is a risk. We’d have a special security team come on board with guns when we passed by Somalia. You’re safe.”
Another commenter noted, “Honestly, if a cruise or passenger vessel were attacked by pirates, the response from naval vessels would be quick and decisive—much faster than if it were a regular merchant ship.”
While precautions are regularly taken by vessels, actual attacks on cruise ships are rare as pirates typically target oil tankers and container ships.
A spokesperson for Cunard later told Business Insider: “As part of standard maritime procedures, our captains may issue precautionary announcements when sailing through certain regions.
“There was no specific threat to the ship or its passengers, and the onboard experience remained unaffected.”
