Cruise’s precautions in pirate-prone waters « Euro Weekly News
Cunard’s Queen Anne. Credit: Instagram @cunardline
Passengers aboard the luxurious Cunard’s Queen Anne were advised to shut curtains and turn off lights as the ship sailed through waters known for piracy in Southeast Asia.
The warning came as the ship crossed the Sulu-Celebes Sea, located between the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, while on a 111-night maiden world voyage.
A TikTok video shared by user @lillydapink, which has received nearly nine million views, revealed the announcement broadcast to passengers. “This area is known for piracy threats,” said Captain Inger Klein. “Therefore, we will be operating at a heightened level of security alertness during this period.”
According to reports, precautionary measures included closing the external promenade deck between 9 pm and 5 am, dimming external lights, and asking passengers to keep curtains drawn and cabin lights off.
Despite the warnings, Cunard confirmed there was no specific threat to the ship or its guests. A spokesperson told Cruise Passenger: “As part of standard maritime procedures, our Captains may make precautionary announcements when sailing through certain regions. There was no specific threat to the ship or its guests, and our onboard experience remained uninterrupted.”
The Cunard’s Queen Anne, which can carry over 3,350 passengers, set sail from Hamburg, Germany, on January 7. It has since visited England, New York, Hawaii, Mexico, New Zealand, and Australia. The ship is due to return to Hamburg on April 29 after stopping in the Philippines, Vietnam, South Africa, Singapore, and Malaysia.
In some follow-up TikTok posts, @lillydapink wrote: “The security did an amazing job keeping watch over the ship last night. Well done guys.” She also showed off the Queen Anne’s sonic cannon used to repel attackers.
Reactions were mixed. One TikTok user quipped: “You won’t be meeting Captain Jack Sparrow out there,” while another wrote: “Imagine paying top dollar for a luxury cruise, only to be told to turn off the lights and hide like a zombie apocalypse drill!”
Pirate-prone waters
While recent pirate attacks on cruise ships are rare, the Sulu-Celebes Sea has a long-standing history of maritime crime. According to The Independent, the region has seen 86 abductions since 2016, often linked to groups like Abu Sayyaf, a violent separatist group operating in the southern Philippines. The last known abduction was reported in 2020.
The New York Post cited a quote about the area as once being a “hotbed for crime, piracy, and terrorism,” by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism.
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