From Linda Garrison,
Your Guide to Cruises.
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There are two things that can ruin a wonderful vacation in a hurry. The first is to become ill or injured in an accident. The second is to become a victim of a crime. Sometimes we tend to think that everyone on a cruise ship is part of our extended family for the week. Don't let your guard down! A cruise ship is like a small city. All crimes that might happen back home can happen on the ship or while in port. Let's talk about the steps cruise lines take to help make your vacation safer.

While on a Mediterranean cruise vacation, our table of five women was lucky enough to be joined for dinner one night by a man traveling by himself. We quickly determined that his name was Al Papa, and he was working as a cruise security specialist. Al works for CruiSecure, and his company consults on security issues for cruise lines. He had been to a security briefing in Barcelona, and was only on the ship for a day. I found his job fascinating and thought visitors to the About Cruises Web site might too. Al was kind enough to agree to answer some questions for our readers.

Question: What types of things does a Security Specialist do for a cruise line? Do most of the major cruise lines use security specialists?

Answer: Cruise lines today are as richly and diversely populated as small cities. As such, most have a security staff onboard that is responsible for ensuring the security of the ship, passengers and crew. Cruise companies often rely on companies such as CruiSecure for coordinating security requirements for the fleet, hiring shipboard security professionals, conducting risk analyses of ports, audits of ships, and providing advice on everything from casino security to counter terrorism.

Question: What types of input does CruiSecure provide to cruise lines to help them make decisions on ports of call?

Answer: CruiSecure obtains information from a variety of government and private sources on the countries and ports our clients visit. The decision as to which ports ships will visit is based on a variety of factors, one of which is security. It is my job to conduct a risk analysis of the port and to ensure that the port authority and regional law enforcement are aware of, and will comply with, our requirements for ensuring the security of our ship while it is in port, and our passengers while they are ashore as guests in their country.

Question: How often do you travel to cities like Barcelona to have status briefings from the city officials? How long do the meetings usually last, and who does the briefings? Do representatives attend the briefings from more than one cruise line?

Answer: Security assessments of current or projected ports of call are conducted as necessary, depending upon the individual circumstances. In the past three years, we have visited over 90 countries and 145 ports! Ports with clearly established, visible and effective security protocols may need only an annual visit, while venues with the potential for political or economic turmoil that could impact on passenger safety require more frequent monitoring. Good security is a process, and can only be effectively evaluated on site. Port security assessments usually include a survey of the port, evaluations of the shore excursions and their routes and independent venues, as well as meetings of the local, provincial, and national law enforcement communities. Whenever possible, a call is made on the Consular and Regional Security Officers at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Question: Do the cruise lines ever collaborate on making a decision to begin service to a particular city? For example, I know that a couple of cruise lines did not cruise to Dubrovnik for several years. What types of things did Dubrovnik have to demonstrate before they decided it was safe to return? If one cruise line decided to start visiting, does that usually mean the others will soon follow?

Answer: Individual cruise lines have their own criteria for determining their travel itineraries. However, the ability to ensure the security of the ship, passengers, and crew is a critical factor all cruise lines consider. Many cruise lines belong to organizations such as the Maritime Security Council (MSC) where they meet to discuss and develop strategies, policies, and procedures for dealing with issues of crime and security in the international maritime community. Representatives of the various international ports authorities, as well as representatives of the Ministries of Travel, Tourism, and Justice from countries on cruise ship travel itineraries, are invited to attend the MSC meetings where they interact directly with maritime security professionals.

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