A viral video has shattered the image of a carefree family vacation.
The carefully curated image of a cruise as a safe and idyllic family vacation has been rocked by a recent, violent incident aboard a Royal Caribbean ship. A massive, multi-family brawl that was captured on video and went viral has sparked a wave of public concern about the reality of safety and security on these floating cities. The incident has left many questioning the industry’s ability to control its passengers.
This is a look at the key concerns that have emerged in the wake of this disturbing event.
1. The ship’s security team was completely overwhelmed.
The viral videos of the incident made one thing abundantly clear: the ship’s small, private security team was completely overwhelmed by the scale and ferocity of the brawl. They are not a police force; they are a small team trained primarily to handle minor infractions and to de-escalate situations, not to break up a massive, violent melee, CBS News reports.
This has raised serious questions about whether the security staffing on these mega-ships, which can carry over 5,000 passengers, is adequate. It revealed that in a large-scale incident, the crew has very limited ability to restore order, leaving other passengers feeling vulnerable and unprotected.
2. “All you can drink” packages are fueling the fire.
A major contributing factor to many of these onboard conflicts is the prevalence of “all you can drink” alcohol packages. These packages encourage a culture of excessive drinking, which can dramatically increase the likelihood of aggressive and violent behavior when thousands of people are in a confined space. The recent brawl reportedly started late at night in a high-traffic bar area.
This has led to a growing debate about whether these unlimited alcohol packages are a responsible business practice, as mentioned by FOX 10 Phoenix. Critics argue that the cruise lines are prioritizing profits from alcohol sales over the safety and security of their passengers and crew.
3. Viral videos are exposing a long-hidden problem.
Violent fights on cruise ships are not a new phenomenon, but the ubiquity of smartphones means that these incidents are now being recorded and broadcast to the world in real-time. What used to be a contained problem that could be quietly managed by the cruise line is now a public relations nightmare that is being seen by millions of potential customers.
These viral videos are shattering the industry’s carefully crafted, family-friendly image. They are exposing a raw and violent side of cruising that the companies have long tried to keep hidden, forcing a public conversation about a problem they can no longer ignore, according to Yahoo! News.
4. The complex legal jurisdiction of “the high seas”.
A major concern for passengers is the confusing legal jurisdiction that applies once a ship enters international waters. Crimes that occur on the high seas are governed by a complex mix of maritime laws and the laws of the country where the ship is registered, which is often a small country like Panama or the Bahamas for tax purposes.
This can make it very difficult to investigate and prosecute offenders properly. The FBI has jurisdiction over serious crimes involving U.S. nationals, but the process is complicated. This legal gray area can leave victims feeling like there is no real accountability for what happens on the ship.
5. A “floating city” has real, big-city problems.
Modern cruise ships are no longer just ships; they are massive, floating cities with populations larger than many American towns. As they have grown in size, they have also begun to experience some of the same social problems as a city, including violent crime. The problem is that these ships do not have the same level of law enforcement and emergency services as a real city.
They are trying to manage big-city problems with a small-town security force. This incident has served as a wake-up call that as the ships get bigger, the cruise lines need to make a much more serious investment in security and crowd control.