Passengers rarely go overboard on a cruise ship. Railings have been engineered, so going over them accidentally has become incredibly unlikely.
People who fall off generally have had too much to drink, are doing something very stupid, or go overboard intentionally.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line makes another ban very clear
No matter why someone goes overboard, however, all efforts are made to rescue the passenger. That includes getting help from any nearby ships.
The result, however, tends to be the same when someone goes overboard. Rescues, at least successful ones, are very rare.
“There were 212 recorded instances of passengers going overboard between 2009 and 2019, or roughly 21 times per year. Of those, 48 people were successfully rescued. The report said that after investigations, each case was found to be caused by ‘an intentional or reckless act,” according to data from the Cruise Lines International Association.
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80s Cruise passenger goes overboard on Explorer of the Seas
Transcript:
This is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker.
Good morning, here’s your cruise news for Tuesday, March 4.
A passenger went overboard from Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas during its 80s-themed cruise to the Bahamas.
The incident occurred around 11 p.m. on the first night of the voyage. Social media reports suggest a woman may have jumped from Deck 8 with her husband seen calling for help.
Crew members initiated a search, turning the ship around, while other cruise ships in the vicinity, like Norwegian Pearl and Carnival Sunrise, also assisted in the search.
At the time of broadcast, there has been no official statement from Royal Caribbean, and the passenger has yet to be found. The ship continued its itinerary, arriving in Nassau as scheduled.
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Cruise passenger arrested with gun; City ends cruise ban
A cruise passenger was arrested in Aruba after attempting to board Oasis of the Seas with a revolver.
The firearm was discovered during a routine security screening last week on the island. Local police detained the unidentified man, and authorities are investigating whether he brought the weapon on board in Florida or obtained it in Aruba.
Firearms are strictly prohibited on Royal Caribbean ships, as is the case on any ship, and it’s illegal to bring into port without special permits.
The ship continued its itinerary without disruption. This is the second Royal Caribbean guest to get caught with a firearm on board following a similar incident last spring in Grand Turk.
The mayor of Nice, France, has reversed its decision to ban large cruise ships following opposition from local businesses.
Instead, he plans to submit a compromise proposal to the Port Authority this week. Under the new plan, cruise ships with up to 2,500 passengers will be allowed to anchor, but only one ship per day. Smaller vessels under 450 passengers can still dock in Nice.
The Port Authority says it would allow 65 of the 90 scheduled cruise ships to continue their itineraries this summer. Environmental groups who initially supported the ban criticized the reversal, arguing it prioritizes the economy over ecological concerns. No timeline has been set for implementing the new rules.
If you have a lead on a story, let us know. [email protected]. Here aboard the Celestial Journey docked in Dubai.
Just got back from the Burj Khalifa, one of the, I guess, the tallest building in the world. Actually, killer view as you see here.
I’m Doug Parker with Cruise News Today.
Have yourself a great Tuesday.
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