The safety and security of our guests is our highest priority and we have processes in place to help ensure a safe and enjoyable vacation experience.
Allegations of criminal incidents onboard Royal Caribbean International ships do occur, just as they do on land. However, their rate is significantly below the rate of crime on land. By policy and by law, all such allegations are reported to law enforcement, including the FBI, and they can and do board our ships to investigate and prosecute.
Overall, it is recommended that guests exercise the same level of precaution as they do in social settings on land.
[/otw_shortcode_content_toggle] [otw_shortcode_content_toggle title=”How do I report a crime or emergency situation while at sea?” css_class=”rcfh-toggler” opened=”closed”] You may dial a designated emergency number (9-1-1 on most ships but check your Guest Services Directory to confirm) from any shipboard telephone to report an emergency. A ship’s officer will ensure that appropriate security and medical personnel, if necessary, are immediately sent to your location to assist.Royal Caribbean International crewmembers undergo a layered vetting process that includes the following:
Hiring agencies, identifying potential candidates from more than 100 countries, assist Royal Caribbean International in obtaining background information on potential crewmembers. This includes information from local police officials such as any criminal history. Prospective crewmembers are also interviewed to further assess their suitability for employment and undergo medical evaluations to ensure their fitness for duty.
Crewmembers (other than US or Canadian nationals) must also obtain US work visas and undergo US State Department screening prior to working on any Royal Caribbean International cruise ship. The majority of our crewmembers join our ships in US ports. This requires them to also enter the US via a border check point (airport immigration checks, etc.) and undergo government interview and verification prior to admission.
Subsequent to employment, crewmembers’ names are included in ship manifests provided to the US Customs and Border Protection agency prior to each departure and re-entry into the US. As designed, this manifest is checked against various government databases. Some other countries require similar manifest reports and conduct similar checks. These recurring government database checks are unusual in the business world and aid in ensuring our crewmembers uphold our highest standards of personal fitness for duty.
[/otw_shortcode_content_toggle] [otw_shortcode_content_toggle title=”What type of background investigation is conducted of your passengers?” css_class=”rcfh-toggler” opened=”closed”] Identifying information for every guest is obtained by Royal Caribbean International prior to sailing. This information is verified during check-in and any discrepancies must be resolved before boarding. This process includes prior screening against an internal corporate watchlist to detect whether any guest has been involved in prior incidents on any of our ships. Some forms of prior cruise behavior may make a guest ineligible to sail with Royal Caribbean International in the future. On cruises that embark in a US port, we are required to submit guest names to government officials for their screening. Some other countries also require similar checks.