Cruise Law News : Maritime Lawyer & Attorney : James M. Walker : Walker & O'Neill Law Firm : Admiralty Law, Cruise Ship Accidents & Injuries

The MSC Poesia cruise ship ran aground into a reef in the Bahamas this weekend while sailing to  Port Lucaya near Freeport, Bahamas.

The 93,000-ton cruise ship needs twenty-five feet of draft but sailed into only fifteen (15) feet of water.  The video below show that the vessel ground into and destroyed a substantial length of the fragile reef.

Several tugs were called to prevent the cruise ship from further grinding into the reef as the wind tried to push the vessel into more shallow water. 

MSC was not able to get off the reef until high tide.  According to Cruise Radio where I first learned of the grounding, the incident did not stop the cruise ship from tendering cruise passengers to Port Lucaya.  Ed Owen who writes for the Examiner also was one of the first to report on this incident.

Were you on the Poesia when it ran aground?  Do you have photos, video or comments to share? 

Video credit:   YouTube (Fredgbscuba) 

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A local news station in Palm Beach Florida reports that a fire broke out yesterday on a Palm Beach-based cruise ship in the Bahamas.

WPBF Channel 25 reports that the fire occurred Bahamas Celebration cruise ship.  The cruise ship operates between Palm Beach and Freeport, Bahamas.  According to Wikipedia, the cruise ship is available for cruises to be purchased directly from Celebration Cruise Lines; however, it is primarily used as a lure by time share companies to attract clientele. 

The report indicates that the crew doused the fire themselves and no Coast Guard crews were called to the ship.

The ship is expected to return to the Port of Palm Beach this morning.  No one was reported injured.

There is no explanation regarding the cause or the extent of the fire.  The cruise ship is operated by the Celebration Cruise Line. 

The ship was previously known as the Princesse Ragnild.  It entered service in 1981 and was owned by Jahre Lines until 1991.  From 1991 until 2008, it was operated by the Color Line.

This is not the first fire on the cruise ship. On July 8 1999, a fire erupted in the engine room resulting in the evacuation of the ship. After repairs in Germany, ship resumed operations in September 1999. On March 1,  2002, the cruise ship experienced another engine room fire, which was quickly extinguished.

If you were on the cruise or know what happened regarding this latest fire, please leave a comment below.

December 13, 2001 Update: The Freeport News reports today that the Bahamas Celebration avoided a "potentially disastrous situation" after a fire erupted in the engine room of the ship some four miles off Grand Bahama early Monday morning.  The vessel was hauled into the harbor in Freeport by tugboats.

Seven-hundred-seven passengers and a crew of 300 plus were on-board the ship as it came into the harbor where a fire truck and an ambulance were stationed.

The fire was caused by generator number three which threw a rod and oil caught fire.

The newspaper reports that the fire was ultimately contained within 25 minutes and nobody on-board was injured.

The remaining generators were then shut down deliberately. 

The crew and passengers were led up to deck nine. Some of the passengers were quoted as describing the incident as "unsettling" and  "nerve-racking." 

A cruise line representatives called the incident a "minor fire." 

The cruise ship's engine will require a complete overhaul because a lot of cables which melted need to be replaced. 

Photo credit:  maritimematters.com

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A number of readers of our blog have contacted us asking for information about a jet ski mishap where a cruise passenger apparently died in the Bahamas on November 24th.

The incident reportedly occurred after the cruise passenger rented a jet ski at the Atlantis resort in Nassau.  The passenger had sailed to Nassau aboard the Carnival Magic cruise ship.

There are no news accounts regarding the incident which we have been able to find.  

 One reader wrote to us saying: 

" . . . I think it would be good to have more openness so that people can make better informed decisions about activities when they go on vacation. I think it's atrocious that it is obviously being covered up. I also checked all avenues before I wrote you a note. It is real but I don't know how to get the information out."

The U.S. Department of State has the following warning about water sports rentals in the Bahamas:

"The water sports and scooter rental industries in The Bahamas are not carefully regulated.  Every year people are killed or injured due to improper, careless, or reckless operation of scooters, jet-skis, and personal watercraft or scuba/snorkeling equipment.  Visitors should rent equipment only from reputable operators, and should insist on sufficient training before using the equipment. There have been reports that some operators do not actually provide insurance coverage even when the renter opted (and paid) for insurance coverage.  Visitors should insist on seeing proof that operators have sufficient medical and liability insurance."

There are lots of articles on line about jet ski accidents in the Bahamas, including this article dating back to 2004. 

If you were on the Magic and have information about this incident, please leave a comment below.

November 30, 2011 Update:

A reader left a comment below and alerted us that there is a video from the Bahamas about the incident.  The victim was apparenty 47 years old and from Texas. 

Video credit:  Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas

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This weekend, the Freeport News reported on  the saga of a well respected Bahamian family who purchased a cruise through a travel agent for 39 family members to sail with Carnival Cruise Lines on the Carnival Freedom cruise ship. 

Written by reporter Yasmin Popescu, the newspaper article reports on what it described as a family "torn apart" because of the fraudulent conduct of a local travel agent and the harsh conduct of the cruise line. 

The story involves the Edden family of Smith's Point in Freeport which went through what is described as a "vacation from hell."

Thirty nine family members ranging from age 4 to age 71 had booked the Carnival cruise through Morris Travel which issued Carnival Fun Ship cards but actually never paid the cruise line for all of their fares. 

The large extended family flew from Freeport to Fort Lauderdale to meet the cruise ship the following day.  However once they arrived at the port, the family faced problems.  Carnival told many of the family members that they didn't have confirmed reservations.  Many of the family members were separated from their family members, including children, who were frightened by the ill treatment.   Carnival representatives treated them like they were criminals and threatened to take their mug shots and finger-print them and turn them over to the police.  

Ten of the family members were taken away from the check in area and forced to sit behind a cordoned off area, which subjected them to the scrutiny of and ridicule from other passengers.   

Carnival left these ten family members at the port terminal while the remaining twenty-none family members left on the cruise.  Carnival did not provide any explanation for the mistreatment, leaving them abandoned at the port without any transportation or accommodations. They were separated from the family and crying when the cruise ship sailed without them.

For the family members who Carnival permitted to board the cruise ship, many of them did not receive the type of cabins they booked.  One one young woman in a wheelchair with spina bifada was forced to leave her wheelchair outside of the non-accessible cabin and crawl into the cabin and in and out of the bathroom.

After sailing for five days, Carnival finally discovered that one of the credit card used by the travel agent was fraudulent.  Carnival then treated the family members like they were criminals.  It demanded $17,000 immediately.  Carnival belittled them and threatened arrest once they returned to South Florida. 

Carnival also told them that they would not be permitted to leave the cruise ship when it called on Nassau because the cruise line was afraid that they would flee and not return to the ship.  Carnival insisted that it confiscate their passports if they decided to go into Nassau. 

Fortunately, a former Member of Parliament in the Bahamas, David Wallace, kept the family group from being arrested or being held on the ship. 

When they returned to Ft. Lauderdale, the family members felt that they would be arrested and taken to jail.

Once back home in Freeport, the family hired prominent Bahamian lawyer, Jacy Whittaker (above left), of the law firm of Parris | Whittaker to represent their interests.

Mr. Whittaker retained our firm as well as high profile Miami lawyer Roberto Villasante (photo right) to investigate legal action against Carnival for its outrageous mistreatment of the family during the cruise.

On Friday, we met with some of the aggrieved family members, from little children to grandparents.  A photograph I took of the family members is below.

Freeport reporter Yasmin Popescu took the photo at the top of me interviewing some of the family members. 

Ms. Popescu has covered this story from the beginning.  An earlier article can be read here.

My cruise travel agent friend Chris Owens wrote an article about the debacle in July:

"Be Sure Your Cruise Travel Agent Is Not A Crook"

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The Nassau Guardian reports that a cruise ship passenger went missing sometime Saturday after he left a Paradise Island beach on a rented jet ski and did not return.  The newspaper reports that the U.S. Embassy has been notified of the passenger's disappearance, and that two friends who accompanied the passenger on the cruise left with the ship.

The Bahamas Tribune also reports on the story and states that the missing passenger is a 32 year old man from West Chester, Ohio, was last seen on the jet ski which he rented on Cabbage Beach at around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Police informed the Tribune that the passenger arrived in Nassau on the Carnival Imagination cruise ship at around 10:45 a.m. on Saturday, and was reported missing at 10.30pm.

His wife, identified as Cincinnati resident Sonia Wells, called and reported her husband missing.

Officers from various police, airforce and marine agencies reportedly searched the area where the passenger disappeared without success. 

The U.S. Department of State has the following warning about water sports rentals in the Bahamas:

"The water sports and scooter rental industries in The Bahamas are not carefully regulated.  Every year people are killed or injured due to improper, careless, or reckless operation of scooters, jet-skis, and personal watercraft or scuba/snorkeling equipment.  Visitors should rent equipment only from reputable operators, and should insist on sufficient training before using the equipment. There have been reports that some operators do not actually provide insurance coverage even when the renter opted (and paid) for insurance coverage.  Visitors should insist on seeing proof that operators have sufficient medical and liability insurance."

You can read about other jet ski accidents in the Bahamas here. 

"Jet Ski Operators Defend Industry After Death" explains some of the problems with renting jet skis in the Bahamas.

June 7, 2011 Update:  Newspapers and television stations in Ohio are reporting that the missing passenger is Nathan ("Nate") Wells, from West Chester Ohio, married with one daughter.  The jet ski was located in the waters off of Nassau.  He had cruised to Nassau with two friends.  In additionto the Bahamian authorities, the U.S. Coast Guard is searching for him. 

WLWT television in Cincinnati has a video interview with friends and family about Mr. Wells.  

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Multiple news stations are reporting today that a passenger from the Carnival Sensation cruise ship was fatally injured while in a serious accident involving a jet ski rented during a port call in Nassau. 

A second passenger sustained injuries and is recovering at a hospital in Nassau. 

Carnival states that the cruise passengers rented the jet ski directly from a local vendor.  The U.S. Department of State has the following warning about water sports rentals in the Bahamas:

"The water sports and scooter rental industries in The Bahamas are not carefully regulated.  Every year people are killed or injured due to improper, careless, or reckless operation of scooters, jet-skis, and personal watercraft or scuba/snorkeling equipment.  Visitors should rent equipment only from reputable operators, and should insist on sufficient training before using the equipment. There have been reports that some operators do not actually provide insurance coverage even when the renter opted (and paid) for insurance coverage.  Visitors should insist on seeing proof that operators have sufficient medical and liability insurance."

Carnival flew a "care team" from Miami to provide assistance to the passengers' families.  Carnival issued a statement: "All of us are deeply saddened by this event and extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of those involved."

May 10th Update:

Accident like this are not isolated incidents.  BahamasB2B.com has the following story entitled "Another Bahamas Tourist Dies on a Jet Ski:"

"The continued failure of the Bahamas government to enforce jet-ski regulations might possibly be viewed as criminal negligence.

A female tourist from the United States died in a horrific jet-ski accident in Nassau Harbour around 5:00pm on Saturday.

The 27-year-old woman from Florida, and a male companion also in his late 20s, had rented a jetski after arriving in Nassau on a Carnival Cruise ship.

The pair was riding the jet-ski in Nassau Harbour when they crashed into a boat near the entrance of the harbour, off the Montagu Foreshore.

Despite efforts by paramedics, the woman died almost immediately upon arriving at the hospital.

Her male companion is in serious condition after suffering head injuries.

Police investigations are underway as police try to figure out who was actually driving the jet-ski, where they acquired the vehicle and the circumstances leading up to the deadly accident.

Concerns over the dangers of jet-skis and other watersports have been ignored for years by the Bahamas Government, depsite numeorus deaths and serious injuries.

There is a poorly enforced law that requires jet-ski operators to provide a 15-minute training session to anyone interested in renting a jet-ski. However, that is rarely done and never enforced.

The names of the victims have not yet been released."

You can read about other jet ski accidents in the Bahamas here. 

"Jet Ski Operators Defend Industry After Death" explains some of the problems with renting jet skis in the Bahamas.

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Today, we received the following statement from Senor Frog's in Nassau, about our articles "Cruising To The Bahamas - Is It Safe?" and "Cruise Passenger Beaten and Raped in Nassau - Are Royal Caribbean and Senor Frog's to Blame?

"We, at Senor Frogs, are deeply saddened, concerned and disturbed by this news.

Senor Frogs is part of a chain of restaurants that has been operating for 40 years in tourist destinations. Our number one priority has always been and, continues to be, the well-being and safety of our guests. We take every step necessary to ensure the safety of guests within our premises. Unfortunately, our jurisdiction ends at the front door and we cannot see where each guest goes after they leave. We are aware of the situation being reported and have been providing all assistance to the Bahamian Government and Royal Bahamian Police in this case.

Senor Frogs has several security officers on-site. Some security members are off duty police officers. In addition, there is a small police station approximately 20 feet from our front entrance. The Bahamian Government assists us by sending police officers to patrol inside and around Senor Frogs restaurant, in addition to several other businesses.

Each of our Floor Managers has 10 – 20 years of experience, working in this environment. As I mentioned before, our priority is to safeguard our guests, in addition to providing high quality service and products.

We have 32 closed circuit cameras within Senor Frog’s premises. We reviewed the tapes for this incident and spoke with our security staff that witnessed the guest leaving. They reported, and the tapes confirm, that on that particular day, the guest that was involved in the incident was seen leaving Senor Frogs through the front entrance walking normal and not intoxicated. A male who did not appear to be intoxicated accompanied her. The male appeared to be another tourist. No flags were raised because there was no aggression, despair or any abnormal activity that would cause us to think something was wrong. They left the premises walking fine and in a friendly manner.

After leaving Senor Frogs, we have no information about where the guest went. For that information, you would need to contact the Police Department or Bahamas Government.

We are very concerned by these reports and will continue to ensure the safety of our guests. We also know that the Bahamian Government is concerned and is making great efforts to ensure tourists are safe while visiting Nassau.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the guest who was violated."

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This past week, the news has been filled with stories of cruise lines canceling calls to ports around the world because of concerns for their passengers' safety. 

Carnival, Disney and Holland America Lines announced that they would no longer sail to Mazatlan because of violence in this Mexican city.  Carnival called the decision a "precautionary measure," noting that "there have been no incidents involving cruise passengers."

Royal Caribbean Cruises said that its Rhapsody of the Seas will not call on Port Moresby in Papua, New Guinea because of concerns for the safety of cruise passengers.  But  according to an interview with a local tour operator in Papua, "no tourist that I heard in my lifetime taking tours around in Port Moresby have been rolled or have been attacked or been murdered."  Royal Caribbean says the latest visit was canceled "in an abundance of caution."

"Precautionary measures" and an "abundance of caution?"  If these are the governing standards for canceling cruises to violent ports, then what explanation do the cruise lines have for disembarking their passengers in Nassau? 

Yesterday, the Tribune, one of the leading newspaper in Nassau, blared the headline "66 Armed Robbery Victims in 2 Months."  At the same time, the other major newspaper, the Nassau Guardian headlined "Cruise Sector Not Expecting Decline in Business," reporting that cruise passenger arrivals grew by six per cent in 2010, continuing the rapid growth experienced over the past 40 years, with the numbers climbing from just over one million cruise visits in 1970 to over 20 million last year." 

The Bahamas has the highest incidence of rape in the Caribbean according to a 2007 United Nations report on crime and violence.  But this is not an academic statistic.  It's real.  Earlier this week, we reported on a young cruise passenger who was beaten and raped in downtown Nassau near the cruise wharf. 

The last year and one-half has seen an epidemic of crime against cruise tourists.  We were the first publication in the U.S. to report on Eleven Cruise Passengers Robbed in Nassau and 18 Passengers From Royal Caribbean & Disney Cruise Ships Robbed By Shotgun in the Bahamas.  We have also written about Bahamas Cruise Crime Nightmare Continues and Nassau Welcomes Oasis of the Seas as Bahamas' Murder Count Reaches Record-Breaking Level.

If the cruise lines are acting responsibly in avoiding a port like Mazatlan because of the potential for violence against passengers, then why are cruise lines sailing their ships into a dangerous port in the Bahamas where unsuspecting guests have actually been robbed and raped?

Photo credit:  BahamasPress.com

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A horrific crime occurred in Nassau involving a twenty-four year old Canadian woman cruising to the Bahamas. 

"Jane Doe" (whose name is being withheld to protect her confidentiality) cruised aboard Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas from Miami, leaving February 21st.   Jane Doe sailed with her father and friends.  The cruise ship docked in Nassau on February 23rd. 

While ashore the group ended up at Senor Frog's, a popular local bar, early in the evening.  Senor Frogs is located at the end of a promenade called the "Woods Rogers Walk," near the Straw Market, close to the wharf where the cruise ships dock. 

After leaving the bar to head back to the cruise ship, the young woman was viciously attacked and sustained physical injuries.  Looking for help, Jane Doe was then sexually assaulted by a second man (pretending to be a good samaritan) who raped her.  She treated in a local hospital in Nassau and then eventually flew home to Canada to recover.

The high crime rate in Nassau is an issue which I have written about frequently on this blog.  We have represented and written about many cruise passengers raped or robbed at gun point in Nassau.  The Bahamas has the highest incidence of rape in the Caribbean according to a 2007 United Nations report on crime and violence.  

Cruise lines are legally obligated to warn passengers of crimes in the ports of call where the cruise ships sail.  Unfortunately, cruise lines like Royal Caribbean do not warn of violence against passengers before disembarking them in Nassau, although the U.S. State Department does.  A year ago,  I was interviewed by Time Magazine in the article "Cruise-Ship Port Call: Gauging Crime in the Bahamas."  I also  wrote an article warning about violence against women in bars ashore in Nassau.  The article is entitled Cruising To The Bahamas - Is It Safe? 

In response to the article, we received a letter from Senor Frog's requesting the: 

".  .  .  immediate removal of our front entrance picture and name from your website. We feel that your website has a negative impact togards (sic) our facility and our pictures and name has been used causing damage to our name and reputation, regardless of the crime in the bahamas.  Senor Frogs Restaurant is a serious stablishment (sic) pro-security we have daily security staff plus the fact that our location is just 1 minute walking distance to a police station our staff always ensure that customers are safe and having a good time we have zero tolerance to crime or disrespectful manners."   

Needless to say, we did not retract the reference to Senor Frog's or omit the photo. 

We requested a comment from Senor Frog's about this latest incident, and a copy of its response is referenced below. 

We also contacted Royal Caribbean for a statement but have received no response. 

Below is our article dated March 14, 2010, "Cruising To The Bahamas - Is It Safe?"

The U.S. Department of State has issued a warning of dangers while traveling to the Bahamas, including sexual assaults on cruise ships in the port in Nassau:

"CRIME: The Bahamas has a high crime rate .  .  .  the U.S. Embassy has received reports of assaults, including sexual assaults, in diverse areas such as in casinos, outside hotels, or on cruise ships. In several incidents the victim had reportedly been drugged."  

This type of warning, although certainly warranted, is not what the Bahamas wants to hear.  Nassau is a preferred port of call for many cruise ships, which line up like cars in a crowded parking lot.  

Today's the headline in the Washington Post's travel section is also not what the Bahamas or the cruise lines which sail there wanted to hear: "Violent Crime Is Up In The Bahamas"  Here is a portion of the article:

"Bahamas-bound travelers, beware.

Credits:

Top photo - interior of Senor Frog's looking at cruise ships    

Middle photo - Oasis of the Seas - Nassau Bahamas Press

Bottom photo - Senor Frogs Casch52 Flickr photostream

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I have written many articles about the high crime rates in many of the Caribbean islands frequented by cruise lines - Crime in Caribbean Ports of Call Against Cruise Passengers.  Consider the following articles in the last year alone: 

Antigua - Cruise Passengers Attacked & Robbed in Antigua While Cruise and Tourism Officials Meet and Passenger From Star Clippers Murdered in Antigua

Bahamas 18 Passengers From Royal Caribbean & Disney Cruise Ships Robbed By Shotgun in the Bahamas,  Eleven Cruise Passengers Robbed in Nassau, and Cruising To The Bahamas - Is It Safe?

Guatemala - Norwegian Cruise Line Passenger Murdered in Guatemala  

Mexico -  Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines Pull Ships From L.A. Due To Crime In Mexico

St. Lucia - Norwegian Cruise Line Drops St. Lucia and 14 Cruise Passengers Robbed at Anse-La-Raye Waterfall in St. Lucia

St. Thomas - More Caribbean Crime - Carnival Passenger Killed In St. Thomas

Cruise lines have port agents in all of these destinations and are familiar with the crime which exists in these beautiful, tropical locations.  Do you think that cruise lines should warn passengers of the substantial dangers which exist in the ports they select to disembark their passengers?

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TIME Magazine just published an article entitled Cruise Ship Port Call: Gauging Crime on the Bahamas. 

Time addresses the November 2009 armed robbery of cruise ship passengers during Segway shore excursions in Nassau, Bahamas.  Cruise Law News was the first one in the U.S. to report on the robbery in our article - 18 Passengers From Royal Caribbean & Disney Cruise Ships Robbed By Shotgun in the Bahamas.

TIME comments that "none of the passengers were injured, and all were compensated by the cruise lines."  Unfortunately, this is not true.  Several of the passengers were physically injured, being hit and kicked, and one of the robbers discharged his shotgun hear the head of a woman lying in the ground.  Many on the tour were emotionally traumatized.  No Royal Caribbean passengers were compensated for their injuries.

Aside from this inaccuracy, the article correctly concludes that crime is on the rise in the Bahamas and explains that tourists are now being targeted.   

The Bahamian government sent TIME statistics detailing crime against tourists in 2009, showing only one murder and 19 cases of armed robbery — 18 of which came in the single November Segway excursion robbery.  This statistics are incomplete.

The Bahamas did not tell TIME about another crime spree we wrote about - Eleven Cruise Passengers Robbed in Nassau.   We have also represented women raped in Nassau and are aware of other tourists robbed in Nassau.

Crime during cruises is an issue which neither the cruise lines nor the tourist dependent Caribbean islands like to discuss.  It's disappointing see the Bahamas tourism officials covering up the facts like this.

The Tourism Minister in the Bahamas recently took cruise line officials on a tour of the country to show that there are increased police patrols and closed circuit television cameras have been installed in areas of downtown Nassau.  The Nassau Guardian explains that tourism officials are trying to reassure the cruise line that it's sate to bring their guests to Nassau.  

TIME also mentions to "steer clear of Jamaica. Experts agree that it's currently the most dangerous country in the Caribbean."

For other stories about crime in the Caribbean, read:

Cruising To The Bahamas - Is It Safe?

Nassau Welcomes Oasis of the Seas as Bahamas' Murder Count Reaches Record-Breaking Level

Crime in Caribbean Ports of Call Against Cruise Passengers

Bahamas Cruise Crime Nightmare Continues

Travel Writers and the Ethics of Reporting Cruise News

14 Cruise Passengers Robbed at Anse-La-Raye Waterfall in St. Lucia

Norwegian Cruise Line Passenger Murdered in Guatemala

Credits:

Newspaper article    bahamasuncensored.com

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The U.S. Department of State has issued a warning of dangers while traveling to the Bahamas, including sexual assaults on cruise ships in the port in Nassau:

"CRIME: The Bahamas has a high crime rate .  .  .  the U.S. Embassy has received reports of assaults, including sexual assaults, in diverse areas such as in casinos, outside hotels, or on cruise ships. In several incidents the victim had reportedly been drugged."  

This type of warning, although certainly warranted, is not what the Bahamas wants to hear.  Nassau is a preferred port of call for many cruise ships, which line up like cars in a crowded parking lot.  

Today's the headline in the Washington Post's travel section is also not what the Bahamas or the cruise lines which sail there wanted to hear: "Violent Crime Is Up In The Bahamas"  Here is a portion of the article:

"Bahamas-bound travelers, beware.

Some Bahamians attribute the crime wave to high unemployment (hovering around 15 percent on New Providence Island, according to the Guardian) and the nation's status as a gathering spot for drug traffickers."

We have warned passengers cruising to Nassau about crime for the past 6 months:

Eleven Cruise Passengers Robbed in Nassau 

18 Passengers From Royal Caribbean & Disney Cruise Ships Robbed By Shotgun in the Bahamas

Bahamas Cruise Crime Nightmare Continues

Nassau Welcomes Oasis of the Seas as Bahamas' Murder Count Reaches Record-Breaking Level

The problem with crime in Nassau is real.  Many passengers let their guard down and think Nassau is safe for no reason other than the cruise line is sailing there.  But we have represented passengers raped in Nassau, passengers raped on cruise ships in the port in Nassau, and multiple passengers robbed in Nassau.   

A major problem is when young women go into Nassau and drink at the popular bars near where the cruise ships dock.  Many women have been sexually assaulted after leaving the bar even though it is a short distance from the cruise ships.  The cruise lines do not provide security at the port nor do they warn about the dangers of date rape drugs and sexual assaults while in Nassau.

The U.S. Department of State warns about young women being sexually assaulted after leaving the cruise ships in Nassau:  

"Visitors should exercise caution and good judgment at all times.  Engaging in high-risk behavior such as excessive consumption of alcohol can ultimately be dangerous as it greatly increases the vulnerability of an individual to accidents or opportunistic crime.  Visitors should not accept rides from strangers or from unlicensed taxi drivers."   

Credits:

Oasis of the Seas - Nassau          Bahamas Press

Senor Frogs                                      Casch52 Flickr photostream

Cruise ships in Nassau                 Elenor Snow

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Nassau's venerable newspaper, the Nassau Guardian, published two interesting headlines in its weekend edition.

The first headline was "Oasis Makes Grand Arrival."

The second? "Record-Breaking Murder Count."

The newspaper reports that the arrival of Royal Caribbean's new mega-ship Oasis of the Seas brought out the Government of the Bahamas in great display. 200 government officials were in attendance as the Oasis arrived in Nassau Harbour. 

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham presided over a "Plaques and Keys" ceremony welcoming the cruise ship to the country.  The Prime Minister boarded the ship along with hundreds of government officials to meet and greet Royal Caribbean International President Adam Goldstein and the Master of the vessel, William Wright.

The newspaper also reports that the Bahamas Defense Force Band played with great fanfare, as it welcomed the 4,000 Royal Caribbean passengers into the country.

Perhaps it was only fitting that the Bahamas had a military band in attendance given the recent high profile robberies of cruise passengers.  29 passengers were robbed at gunpoint in Nassau in the last two months, including Royal Caribbean passengers who paid for cruise sponsored excursions. 

We have reported on this before in Bahamas Cruise Crime Nightmare Continues.  

The newspaper quotes the new Commissioner of Police, Ellison Greenslade, that crime in the Bahamas is at a significant and unacceptable level:

"This year our country has experienced one of the highest murder rates in its entire history. Individuals are now concerned because crime has crept into our number one industry [and] the lifeblood of our economy, tourism. The Royal Bahamas Police Force is mandated to act and act we must."

The Bahamas has invested heavily into its relationship with Royal Caribbean.  It just spent over $40 million dollars to dredge the port to accommodate the cruise line's new mega-ship. 

There are around 2 million cruise passengers a year who venture into Nassau, each spending at least $100 in addition to the head taxes. 

An article in the Bahamas Tribune entitled "Welcome Oasis" suggests that the number may be as high as 2.8 million cruise passengers who enter the Bahamas. Each cruise line collect tens of millions of dollars selling excursions into the Bahamas. 

Cruise tourism in Nassau is big business.  Hundreds of millions dollars exchange hands between the U.S. passengers, the Miami based cruise lines, the Bahamian government, and the local vendors in Nassau.

But If substantial monies are not wisely invested into additional and better trained police officers to protect the cruise tourists (not to mention the citizens of the Bahamas), the headlines of the Nassau Guardian may be:

"Crime Increases" and "Oasis Makes Grand Departure."   

Credits:

Nassau Guardian                              Nassau Guardian

Bahamas Government Officials      BIS photo/Derek Smith via The Bahamas Weekly 

Bahamas Defense Force Band      Robin Whachell via the Bahamas Weekly

Oasis of the Seas                               BIS photo/Derek Smith via The Bahamas Weekly

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The Chicago Sun Times has an article today regarding the impact of crime against cruise passengers in the Bahamas.  The article is entitled "Sometimes, it's not better in the Bahamas - Armed robberies in Nassau have tourists, cruise lines on the defensive."

The article is by a Disney cruise passenger, Carney Milne, who took the now infamous Segway tour into the 160 acre nature preserve called "Earth Village" last month.

Ms. Milne toured the preserve with eight other passengers from Disney's cruise ship, the Wonder.  Two hooded and armed gunmen forced her and the other passengers to the ground.  She vividly describes that she was "paralyzed by fear" as one gunman pumped his shotgun and later fired a warning shot as he robbed the passengers of their valuables.

The robbers then turned their guns on nine cruise ship passengers, from Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, after they arrived on the scene riding their Segways.

After the robbery, the Bahamian police repeatedly told her that “this never happens in the Bahamas. Never.”  But after returning to the U.S., she learned that’s not true. She reports that "an almost identical mass armed robbery took place a month earlier at Queen’s Staircase, another popular tourist destination. Eleven cruise passengers were held at gunpoint and robbed of their cash, jewelry and other belongings."

We discussed the "Queen's Staircase" armed robberies in October - Eleven Cruise Passengers Robbed in Nassau.  No one else in the U.S. covered this brazen armed robbery of cruise tourists in downtown Nassau on a beautiful Sunday morning. 

The New York Times recently ran an story called "When Crime Comes to Paradise."  Written by Michelle Higgins in the Times' "Practical Traveler" section, the article suggests that crime is rising in Belize, Dominican Republic, Trinidad & Tobago, and St. Lucia. 

Just yesterday we reported on 14 Cruise Passengers Robbed at Anse-La-Raye Waterfall in St. Lucia. 

Again, no newspaper in the U.S. covered this story of cruise passengers being robbed while on a cruise sponsored excursion.

I was quoted today in the Chicago Sun Times article saying: "This isn’t random — these cruise tours are being targeted . . . you’re not going to be targeted for armed robbery as a cruise tourist on a ship from Seattle to Alaska. It’s more of a reflection of what’s happening in the Caribbean and the poverty that exists outside of the city limits, and people who are desperate for money.”

Now, the tourism boards in St. Lucia and the Bahamas are not going to be happy with stories like these.  But the fact of the matter is that 43 cruise passengers have been robbed at gunpoint in the last two months.

The Bahamas still sell t-shirts claiming that its "Better in the Bahamas."  And the cruise lines keep these crimes secret as they make hundreds of millions of dollars selling excursions to unsuspecting guests who are offloaded into increasingly dangerous ports of call. 

Credits

"Caribbean Crime and Violence"    Douglas A. Lawson

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The fall-out from last Saturday's robbery of 18 Royal Caribbean and Disney cruise passengers on the Segway Tour at "Earth Village" continues.  The Tribune, Bahama Journal, and Nassau Guardian newspapers have reported daily on the crime spree in the Bahamas and the inability of the government to do anything about it.

Fort Lauderdale's Sun Sentinel newspapers also recently reported on the cruise crime in an article entitled "Bahamas Security to be Beefed Up After U.S. Cruise Ship Passengers Robbed."

A Terrifying Near Death Experience

The cruise lines' PR departments initially released statements claiming that no one was injured.

Yet, recent interviews of cruise passengers reveal that some of the passengers were kicked, pushed, hit, and terrorized. 

A Royal Caribbean passenger reported being kicked by one of the robbers who discharged his shotgun as she laid on the ground.  The passenger was terrified that she would be murdered.  In an article in the Nassau Guardian entitled "Visitor from Ireland Tells of Ordeal with Gunman,"  she described one of the robbers instructing her: 

"Get your head down bitch' and he fired off a shot, which was just beside me. It hit the ground just beside me."

Another passenger from a cruise ship provides a graphic first hand account of the robbery in an article on AOL Travel entitled: " Danger In Paradise: I was Robbed at Gunpoint in the Bahamas."  She indicates that the Bahamian  police falsely told her after she was robbed that " this never happens here. Never."

Connection to Last Month's Crime?

The Bahama Journal's article "Tourist Robberies May Be Linked," suggests that there may be a connection between this crime and the robbery of 11 cruise passengers at the "Queen's Staircase" in downtown Nassau.  If you have not heard of this prior crime, its because no one in the U.S. reported on it and the cruise lines kept it a secret from their own guests.

We reported about this robbery last month and commented that most cruise lines are aware of crime problems in the ports which they choose to disembark their passengers, but they don't  warn passengers in order to maximize excursion sales.

Inside Job?

The Tribune indicates that a representative of Bahamas Association for Social Health (BASH), Mr. Terry Miller (below, left) , suggests that the latest robbery may have been an "inside job," although he declined to elaborate.  It is obviously suspicious that these two robbers would know exactly where and when to go in a 160 acre preserve to rob two groups of cruise passengers. 

"Chaotic Crime Nightmare" 

A popular Baptist preacher in the Bahamas, Bishop Simeon Hall (right), was interviewed about the crime problem and the recent attack on the cruise tourists. He is quoted in the Tribune newspaper as referring to  the "current crime nightmare" in the Bahamas as well as the "anarchy and chaos" of the Bahamian society. 

He criticizes the inability of the government to focus on issues of protecting the local citizens and tourists against crime.  Bishop Hall proposes a crime coalition to address the problem.

Serious Crime Up & The Police Release A Suspect

Today's Nassau Guardian reports that robberies in the Bahamas have increased 25% since last year. The Bahamian police are quoted as stating that there has been an increase in violent crimes like armed robbery and murder since July 1st of this year. Meanwhile, the newspaper indicates that the police released a suspect arrested in the "Segway" cruise excursion because of "insufficient evidence."   Police are not questioning any other suspects, the newspaper reports.

A 50% Cruise Discount & A Complimentary Excursion Tour?

The Tribune quotes Bahamas government official Mr. Miller as saying that "he would be willing to offer a complementary tour of the site to the victims."   And the popular cruise community Cruise Critic indicates that Royal Caribbean thinks its reasonable to "compensate" the victimized passengers with just a 50% off-your-next-cruise-with-us coupon.    

The trend of violent cruise crimes continue.  Yet,  the cruise lines remain clueless.

Who on earth would want to pay even 50% of the cruise fare to return to Nassau and visit the tour where you were robbed by shotgun? 

Credits:

Newspaper    The Tribune, Nassau

Bishop Hall photograph    New Covenant Baptist Church

Terry Miller photograph   The Tribune, Nassau

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The Tribune newspaper in the Bahamas reports that two men wielding shotguns robbed 18 cruise passengers who were on cruise sponsored eco-tours on Saturday. 

The passengers were from cruise ships operated by Disney and Royal Caribbean cruise lines.  They were part of two groups touring the "Earth Village," which is a preserve. 

The Nassau Guardian also reported on the brazen robbery and other robberies this past weekend in Nassau in an article "Multiple Tourist Robberies."

This was not a random excursion but was advertised and sold by the cruise lines and was in association with a governmental organization called the Bahamas Association for Social Health's (BASH). 

The excursion was a "Segway excursion" where passengers would use the two wheel "Segways" into the 162 acre natural preserve. One of the robbers fired his weapon during the robbery and passengers were physically battered.

We have reported on other crimes in the Bahamas in a prior blog entitled: "Eleven Cruise Passengers Robbed in Nassau." 

Cruise lines have a legal duty to use reasonable care toward their cruise passengers and to warn them of dangers in the ports of call where they frequent, particularly when they promote and sell the excursions.  

We also recently blogged about a Norwegian Cruise Line Passenger Murdered in Guatemala during a private tour.

Below is an interview of the one of the cruise passengers robbed during the "Segway Tour," by Bob Arno who was on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship: 

Credits:

Segway Tours - Bahamas

Video - Thiefhunters in Paradise (Bob Arno interview)

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