It seems like there is a new pirate attack every week. Which has some potential cruise passengers, a little worried. So what is the real concern?

Well let’s start with the good news.

In general passenger cruise shops are unlikely to get attacked or hijacked by pirates.

You want to know why?

There are just too many people on board for them to handle.

A small tanker with a modest crew … that you can hijack.

A cruise ship with 2,000 passengers … way too many.

Also many U.S. based cruise ships have a weapon on board called a sonic blaster, that sends out a sound wave at about 150 decibels, enough to make you break your eardrum, and you know what the system works.

And because of increased pirate activity in the gulf of Eden, north of Somalia, there are now more international forces patrolling the area.

And for cruise ships that are still transiting the region they are going 3-400 miles further offshore than they have before because the pirates don’t come out that far.

For now cruise lines like Seabourn, Oceana, MSC and Costa continue to sail ships in the Indian Ocean.

Get more information on medical tourism in our Cruises section.

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