A recent surge in violent incidents involving passengers on major U.S.-based cruise lines — including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Virgin Voyages — has alarmed travelers and triggered urgent calls for reform. As assaults and altercations continue to disrupt voyages and compromise onboard safety, cruisers are demanding a unified “Do Not Sail” blacklist to prevent offenders from simply booking with another cruise line. The absence of cross-brand data sharing has exposed a critical loophole, prompting widespread concern across the cruise industry and among U.S. passengers.
Passengers and safety advocates argue that the current system, where each cruise line independently manages its “Do Not Sail” list, falls short in protecting guests. The recent spike in violent incidents involving passengers on major U.S.-based cruise lines, such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Virgin Voyages, has alarmed travellers and sparked urgent calls for reform. As assaults and altercations continue to disrupt voyages and compromise onboard safety, cruisers are demanding a unified “Do No
Battle during the Carnival in Galveston Encourages the Enforcement of Policies When Carnival Jubilee passengers disembarked at the Port of Galveston in Texas on April 26, a huge brawl broke out. In response, Carnival Cruise Line promptly placed 24 of the participants in the incident on its Do Not Sail list, so barring them from taking any other voyages with the firm. Carnival promised to keep the ship’s interior safe and reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy for physical violence. This event highlighted the increasing safety concerns in cruise ports in the United States and sparked debate about whether those who were banned from one cruise line could just board another.
On Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas, a passenger assaults another cruiser, sparking violence in the lift. Following a violent attack in one of the ship’s lifts, authorities detained an 18-year-old guest on Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas in a different incident that occurred in April. The attacker was charged with a felony by the police after the victim sustained severe injuries. The occurrence heightened passengers’ worries about ship security’s efficacy and brought attention to the possible risks in public spaces with scant supervision.
Virgin Voyages Incident Raises Alarm at Sea
Just days earlier, a passenger aboard a Virgin Voyages ship physically assaulted another guest in a bar, reportedly choking and threatening to kill them. Security intervened quickly, but the dramatic nature of the incident — including the location in a nightlife setting — ignited further fears over safety, especially among passengers traveling alone or with children.
These back-to-back violent episodes on U.S.-linked cruises exposed a clear vulnerability in the current system, leading travelers to question whether cruise companies share vital safety data with each other.
Cruisers Push for a Unified Industry Blacklist
Across online platforms, including Reddit, concerned passengers began to raise calls for a shared “Do Not Sail” list across all major cruise operators. One cruiser questioned whether guests banned from Royal Caribbean could simply book a trip on Carnival or Disney instead, without consequences.
Many supported the idea that cruise lines should create a collaborative ban system — especially for passengers involved in:
- Assault and battery
- Sexual harassment
- Dangerous or reckless behavior
- Repeated violations of safety protocols
One post suggested that cruise lines such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney, and MSCshould exchange data on guests guilty of serious misconduct. This would prevent known offenders from simply hopping between brands after being banned by one.
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