Cruise ship at risk of pirate attack imposed 10-night curfew
Fears of a possible pirate attack forced a cruise ship to turn off all lights every evening for 10 days of a 104-day world cruise.
The Sea Princess, carrying 1,900 passengers, left Sydney for Dubai but was forced to impose a dusk-to-dawn curfew as it sailed the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal.
The threat of a broadside by Somali pirates was real, the ship captain told passengers.
That led to a silent blackout after dark with no deck parties, open bars or live performances.
All curtains were drawn and all shutters closed, said Australian media specialist Carolyne Jasinski, a passenger on the cruise.
A compulsory pirate drill was given, with passengers taught what to do if the ship ran into pirates and needed to take any evasive action.
"It was made very clear on the Sea Princess, very quickly, that this pirate threat was not something to be joked about," Jasinski said.
"Captain Gennaro Arma addressed the ship. He apologised for alarming passengers. However, the threat, he said, was real and the ship must be prepared for a pirate attack."
‘Any measures aboard Sea Princess were simply taken out of an abundance caution and not in response to a specific threat and are common to international shipping sailing in the region,’ a cruise line spokesperson said.
There have reportedly been half a dozen attempts to attack a cruise liner in the last 12 years.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026