Do cruise ships have jails?
Asked by: Lue Olson | Last update: November 18, 2025Score: 4.5/5 (46 votes)
There are no police officers on cruise ships, but most vessels have small jails known as the brig, and unruly passengers could find themselves locked up if the ship's security team determines that they have violated the cruise line's code of conduct.
Are there jails on a cruise ship?
What Is a Cruise Ship Jail? Most cruise ships have a facility known as a “brig” or “holding cell.” These are small, secure rooms designed to detain passengers or crew members who pose a threat to themselves or others.
What happens if you go to jail on a cruise ship?
They do have jail cells on board. Depending on the circumstances, you could either get sent to your room or held in a jail cell until the next port where you're either arrested or kicked off.
Do they have police on cruise ships?
There are no police on a cruise ship. Everyone from passenger to crew is subject to the control of the master or captain who answers only to the cruise line. The cruise line industry has orchestrated a public campaign to mislead the vacationing public here and abroad about the risk of crime and dangers at sea.
Do cruise ships have morgues?
Onboard morgues allow a ship's crew to store bodies in the event of a death during a cruise, according to Winkleman. The facilities are refrigerated, stainless steel rooms accommodating between two and 10 bodies on the lowest deck of the vessels, The New York Times reported.
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Do cruise ships have surgeons?
Only if your medical situation requires it will you see a separate area with hospital beds, a small surgical suite where wound suturing and other minor surgeries may be conducted, or the ICU or isolation rooms.
How much does a cruise ship captain make?
The average salary of a cruise ship captain is around $96,000 a year. However, some captains may earn more than $200,000 a year, while others may earn less than $50,000 a year. Generally, the more experienced and qualified a captain is, the higher their salary will be.
Does anyone on a cruise ship have a gun?
All firearms and weapons, ammunition, explosives and incendiary devices are strictly prohibited.
Why is there no deck 13 on cruise ships?
👀 🛗 On Royal Caribbean's largest ships, such as the Oasis and Icon Class ships, it may seem like the elevators skip a level between decks 12 and 14. But deck 13 doesn't actually exist, the reason being the well -known fear that the number would bring bad luck.
How are crimes handled on cruise ships?
Coast Guard: The US Coast Guard has law enforcement powers in maritime regions near US shores. They may board ships docked at US ports if federal crimes are suspected. Private Ship Security: Cruise ships have internal security forces that first respond to any crime reports on board.
What does the jail look like on a cruise ship?
The brig, usually a bare-bones room with a bed and bathroom facilities, does not have iron bars like a traditional jail cell. It is used to detain guests who commit serious crimes like assault or possession of illegal substances.
Would a cruise ship pull you under?
Although some have busted the whole "ship pulling you under" myth, actual survivors have reported it happening. Now, if you're in the water and there's no life jacket, life preserver, or floatation device, your last chance will be to create a makeshift life jacket out of your pants.
Do cruise ships have curfews?
For cruisers ages 17 and under, Royal Caribbean has a curfew of 1:00 A.M. Security staff onboard take measures to enforce this curfew by asking kids to return to their staterooms and checking the SeaPasses of passengers in public areas.
Can cruise ships leave you behind?
If you aren't onboard for the all-aboard time, the cruise ship can - and will - leave you behind. This is where the term "pier runners" comes from. As you can literally imagine, passengers running behind schedule are often seen sprinting along the pier to prevent the ship from departing without them.
Do cruise ships have security against pirates?
Additional Military Support: Cruise ships may deploy additional military support on board, such as armed guards or naval escorts, to bolster security measures and deter pirate attacks.
Can you smoke on a cruise ship?
Can you smoke on a cruise ship? You may smoke on a cruise ship, but only in designated smoking areas. On most ships operated by U.S. cruise lines, all indoor public spaces are off-limits with the exceptions being the casino (or part of the casino), a cigar lounge (if the ship has one) and one or two other lounges.
Did Titanic have a deck 13?
No. Titanic had 7 decks for passengers (8 counting the open air boat deck on top) and 2–3 decks ( depending on how you count them) for engineering space.
Why should you avoid the top deck of a cruise ship?
If you absolutely don't want to risk motion sickness – and you aren't fussed about much else – then you'll want to go for the lowest passenger deck possible. The top of the ship tends to sway more than the bottom, so go for something as close to the waterline as possible.
Are police on cruise ships?
Cruise lines don't have police onboard. Instead, they have security teams they employ. The captain has the ultimate authority in decision-making on the ship regarding what should happen to those suspected of criminal activity.
Do ships carry guns for pirates?
As someone sailing in merchant Navy on LNG carriers I can verify that we are not allowed to carry nor operate firearms onboard ships. All our training involving pirates basically says to harden the ship against unauthorized boarding and take onboard security detail for passage through High Risk Area.
Do cruise ships have doctors?
Many large cruise ships have at least one other doctor, as well as a small team of nurses, though this is down to company policy rather than legal requirements.
Who is the highest paid person on a cruise ship?
Most people answered with the Captain, Executive Chef, Chief Engineer, Cruise Director, etc. Those are all very high paying jobs onboard a ship but the ones that make the most are the commission based employees.
Can cruise ship captains bring their family?
Can I bring a family member or friend onboard? Crew members who meet specific length-of-service criteria have the option of requesting "relatives travel," a benefit that allows family members to sail onboard for a limited period of time.
How fast does a cruise ship go?
Ship speed is measured in knots. One knot is equivalent to one nautical mile per hour, which is 1.852 km/h to be precise. The larger passenger cruise ships will travel around 21 to 24 knots, which is 38.9 to 44.4 km/h. For a car on the road, that doesn't seem fast.