Crime and Safety

I don't know about Cruise Ships, but I for one wouldn't step foot on one if you paid me. I've never chartered a super yacht either, but I'd feel a **** sight safer on a private chartered boat. The crew is better trained, higher paid, and care more about you as an individual than a Cruise Ship employee. As for going port to port...once you get off the boat...you pays yer money and take yer chances.

I think in today's world you must remain aware of the risks surrounding you. It's whether you're passing through a piracy area or pulling to a marina where obviously you have money others might like. There are certainly places I would not go and they change from time to time. There are sites to keep you updated as to the latest crime. Most yachts are not equipped to provide security in high risk areas. If you're going to venture into them, you need to add some things. There are tools for security other than guns, things like light, sound, smoke.

I know a few world travelers who are loath to travel outside the U.S. anymore, regardless of the mode of travel. Cruise ships hire all sorts of people from all sorts of places. I'm sure that the main deciding factor is who will work the cheapest. You could face danger from said crew on a ship the size of a city, just like in any city. On a private (charter) yacht you're sailing with a crew selected for their ability to keep guests happy, and they depend on an end of voyage tip. Not much danger from them. When you step off onto a foreign shore, it's the same if you come by mega-yacht as if you stepped out of a Jeep. Choose your destinations with due diligence, and don't send your mind on vacation just because your body is.

There are two types of safety concerns. The first is just common crime, from petty theft to robbery. It's a concern everywhere in the world to one degree or another and not limited to the water. Most people lock their homes on land, but then I see many boaters who anchor out and refuse to lock their boats at night or when they go to shore. Dinghies and outboards are stolen because cruisers anchor and leave them in the water. Well, leave your ATV sitting unattended in your front yard at home and it's at high risk to be stolen too. Then people walk alone into areas that lead to theft. Well, I don't know of a city in the world that doesn't have some areas that are unsafe for that. We read about this crime on websites collecting information but in reality a lot less staggering than if we read the recent crime log of our hometown.

The second safety concern is violent crime against the boat typically in a form of piracy. This is not unlike driving into the wrong neighborhood you don't belong in. There are areas of high rates of piracy that recreational boaters should avoid and if they go into these areas should have a high level of security. Now that's not to say there is no risk elsewhere but the majority occurs in these areas. There are warnings all around of the areas. Most of the victims are commercial ships simply because they are the ones who have to travel through the areas. They continue to add security. But the huge difference is they have a compelling need to go through the area. The pleasure boater does not and should not.

I believe that is a mis-characterization of the Caribbean. The amount of reported crime there is higher, but the number of boaters there is much higher. Then looking at the reported crime, the vast majority is petty theft. I've argued until exhaustion with people who leave their boats but don't lock their doors because they don't want their doors damaged. Same with those who anchor in remote spots and those who leave their dinghies in the water.

Now there have been a couple of isolated instances of more serious crime and one does need to be aware of that. One thing we do have is excellent reporting of Caribbean instances. And, in the past, there has been some piracy near Venezuela. I personally would not cruise in that area today and certainly wouldn't cruise to Venezuela. Hopefully that changes in the future.

As an example of change. We just left the poorest country in Central America, Nicaragua. It had a history of crime and recently a resort on the west coast was built. One of the highlights of our trip. We felt secure the entire time and we felt welcomed. We did take a day trip with a guide to Leon as well, didn't have time to go to Managua. But we looked at recent reports and we saw the change. With all their issues they have reduced crime. Now, if we were cruising this area two years from now, we'd do our homework all again. And we don't leave the boat unlocked, unsecured, and with no one aboard. That combination is risky anywhere.

I'd suggest everyone read all the available information. Look at dates of incidents. If someone was robbed at gunpoint 5 years ago it might be time to dismiss that or at least lessen it. If someone had their boat anchored and went to shore, leaving it unlocked, and had their money, which was sitting on the table, taken, then unless you intend to do similar, it's probably not a huge concern. On the other hand if there have been several incidents of piracy in the past three years and the government of the near country is in disarray and has no interest at all in curbing the piracy, then I'd probably suggest staying away from there for a while. Cruise the Caribbean however and you'll see marinas and anchorages full of other cruisers. Cruise the Pacific, you'll be one of a very few. In our last five stops, we perhaps have encountered 4 other boats that are cruising. We've cruised 12 hours a couple of times and not seen a single pleasure boat.

common sense tells you to play it safe wherever and however you got there....I would be much more worried about getting sick or a serious toothache than the chance of being a crime victim

You don't bring a knife (or loudspeaker) to a gun fight. Someone armed and with nothing to lose is not going to be stopped by light, smoke, or sound. He's just going to get pissed off and be more apt to use his weapon. If water cannons and having to throw a 30' ladder up on the side of the Maersk Alabama, do you think smoke, light or sound is going to stop an armed pirate? 10- 12 gauge slugs into the bottom of their Panga would've sunk that Panga in a minute or two.

Well, actually I am just going by what the US Navy uses plus the recommendations from the US Coast Guard and MARSEC May 2009 Directive104-6 (Rev 2): “Guidelines for U.S. Vessels operating in High Risk Waters”. While there are no perfect system, there are some combinations that are more effective than traditional methods, especially when combining night vision with these systems.