Crime aboard cruise ships departing U.S. ports has surged to a two-year high, with 48 incidents reported in the first quarter of 2025, casting what one expert calls a “dark cloud” over the industry.
The spike, driven by allegations of rape, sexual assault, and violent brawls, has intensified scrutiny on passenger safety as cruise tourism booms.
According to Department of Transportation data, the 48 reported crimes from January 1 to March 30, 2025, included 23 alleged rapes, 10 sexual assaults, and seven assaults.
Robert McDonald, a former Secret Service agent and criminal justice lecturer at the University of New Haven, told Fox News Digital, “All of that negative vibe and negative information puts a dark cloud over the industry, an industry that wants people to come to it and wants them to be comfortable spending their money.”
McDonald attributed the rise to crowded environments and alcohol consumption, noting, “Anytime we get large numbers of people together, whether it’s at a Super Bowl game or at a World Series game or an NBA Finals or graduations or whatnot, whenever there’s alcohol involved, whenever there are people being able to let loose a little bit from their normal personality, I think that exacerbates the ability for numbers to rise in that regard.”
The Port of Galveston, America’s fourth-busiest cruise hub, has seen record passenger volumes, with 3.4 million in 2024 and a projected 3.6 million in 2025. This surge has strained law enforcement resources.
Don Gay, Senior Supervisory Resident Agent at the FBI’s Texas City office, told Click2Houston, “They’re floating cities. If something happens that’s illegal, you’re going to meet the FBI at your port when you get back.”
The FBI investigated 168 cruise ship crimes nationwide in 2024, with sexual assault, assault with serious bodily injury, and high-value theft topping the list. Gay estimated that alcohol plays a role in 80% of incidents requiring federal investigation.
A March 21 incident aboard Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas highlighted the issue. Two illegal immigrants, Jose Prudencio Diaz, 36, and Ricardo Daniel Mondragon Leal, 37, were arrested for allegedly molesting a 14-year-old boy in the ship’s sauna, facing charges of child molestation and exhibition.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X, “We WILL get these sickos out of our country.”
Another high-profile case occurred on April 26 at the Port of Galveston, where a brawl involving dozens of Carnival Cruise Line passengers erupted during disembarkation. Video showed passengers punching and kicking one another in the terminal.
Carnival placed 24 individuals on its “Do Not Sail list,” with a spokesperson stating, “We will not tolerate such behavior.”
The matter was handed to local law enforcement.
Despite the uptick, experts emphasize that cruise ship crime remains rare. Dr. James Fox, a criminology professor at Northeastern University, said the rate of violent crime at sea is about 95% lower than in an average U.S. city.
A Cruise Lines International Association spokesperson told The Independent, “Crime is extremely rare on cruise ships – and significantly lower than on land – as a result of comprehensive security measures, hiring protocols and training.”
Security teams onboard handle incidents, secure scenes, and interview witnesses. Captains have the authority to confine suspects to cabins or a ship’s brig.
“We have a very small window to investigate the scene because you have a moving target, the ships in port, they’re doing a turnover and moving out of port,” Gay said.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection uses facial recognition technology and passenger manifest vetting to identify individuals with warrants. Acting Area Port Director John Landry noted, “Almost every cruise we see somebody.”
Cruise content creator Jenni Fielding, who runs the Cruise Mummy blog, said, “Despite what the headlines might suggest, cruising remains one of the safest ways to travel.”
She advised basic precautions like locking cabin doors and monitoring drinks. Authorities recommend booking vetted excursions, checking bank accounts for fraud, and practicing responsible alcohol consumption to ensure safe voyages.