Carnival Cruise Ship Passenger Arrested on Rape Charges

[CtheW0rld]

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4953

 

Such a tragic event. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to the victims, but that will no doubt be a very long process.

 

I can only hope the criminals experience the same terror when they are sent to prison.

[kazu]

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4953

 

Such a tragic event. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to the victims, but that will no doubt be a very long process.

 

I can only hope the criminals experience the same terror when they are sent to prison.

 

very sad indeed. The poor girl. Thanks for the post CtheWorld (tragic as it is)

[cricri7]

It is very sad indeed but they should print this article and give it to every parent that comes on board. They have a tendancy to think that their kids are safe and let run around the ship because they think it is safe. There is a tradition that teenagers spend the whole last night onboard without sleeping and staying in public areas or in cabins. How can parents let a 15 year old girl, or boy, run around with strangers all night long? It is not because we are on vacation at the same time that we become friends and know everything about the other people. There is a false sense of security.

 

I have been a witness to 2 little 5 year old girls running around at 11 at night....teenagers running in the hallways countless times laughing and yelling....I once heard a couple laughing when they telling another couple that they had told their 11 year old that they would see him in 7 days and to take care! They were laughing about leaving an 11 year old alone for 7 days. In my home town, we would call child services for less than this!

 

I may sound harsh but I am a high school teacher and am wary of parents not taking their responsabilities and assuming that others will take care of their kids.

[DaveOKC]

Great points about "where are the parents?" IMO, too often today parents are too focused on their own good time, instead of primarily worrying about their children.

[uppitycats]

Great points about "where are the parents?" IMO, too often today parents are too focused on their own good time, instead of primarily worrying about their children.

 

I think there's another issue here too -- people somehow think that a cruise ship is a "safe environment", and let their kids do things that they'd NEVER allow at home, like stay up late; roam around unattended; etc. When I see parents on boards here talking about letting their kids (and not just teens, but younger kids, too) roam unattended, I ask them, "If you were to move to a small town of 2,000 tomorrow, would you open your door and let your kids roam around town without you, the first few weeks or months? If so, then let them do it on the cruise ship. If the answer is No Way! -- that's what a cruise ship is!! A small town, where people of all different backgrounds have congregated, mostly good people, but some not. And you can't tell the difference by looking!"

 

People somehow get this sense of "we're all on vacation we're relaxed; these people we'll meet for the first time will become our lifelong friends", and let down their protective guard. They shouldn't.

[iancal]

Caution is a good thing. But let's not go down the path of blaming the parents or the victims.

 

Sexual predators are everywhere. The congregate where they have the best chance of fnding victims and either not being caught or not having any consequences of being caught.

 

If anyone is not sure about this, just do some research on sexual abuse of children by those in positions of trust in churches-in all faiths and all denominations and in service organizatons that cater to children/adolesents/teens. It is scary. There is another world out there that few of us are aware of.

[Viesczy]

Agreed about a (false) sense of security on board.

 

That is the exact reason I never drink when I'm in public anywhere as it goes against all my experience and training; too much can go wrong when you are not functioning @ 100% and the bad guys are at 100% with a plan.

 

I hope for the best for the victim and the worst for the perpetrators.

 

Derek

[kitty9]

Something is strange about this story. How can the other girl be locked in the bathroom, since the bathroom door is locked from the inside and not the outside? You can't lock someone in a bathroom when the lock is IN the bathroom.

 

But I agree. I just wonder how some parents can let their kids, regardless if they're 5 or 15, run all over the ship with no control? Nuts are on every cruise, no matter how safe parents think they are.

[Cruising-along]

Something is strange about this story. How can the other girl be locked in the bathroom, since the bathroom door is locked from the inside and not the outside? You can't lock someone in a bathroom when the lock is IN the bathroom.

 

But I agree. I just wonder how some parents can let their kids, regardless if they're 5 or 15, run all over the ship with no control? Nuts are on every cruise, no matter how safe parents think they are.

 

Possibly some of the boys held the door or one stayed with her?

 

Very sad story indeed.

[PathfinderEss]

Where was this guys wife when this all took place? Very sad thing to happen. Very sad.

[Hlitner]

The entire incident is sad. But it is also unreasonable to expect parents to watch a 15 year old every minute of the day and night. The reality is that teens tend to hang with other teens (at home, on cruises, etc) and parents can only do so much! You certainly can tell your kids to only stay in public spaces with other kids....but unfortunately some teens leave common sense behind and do risky things. We do the best we can do to educate and warn our children and teens, but at some point you have to hold your breath and pray they have learned some good judgement. Going to a cabin with a stranger to drink booze and party is not good judgement!

 

Hank

[Hawaiidan]

Both Carnival and Royal Carrib. have a long history of everything from rape drugs..even child porn...:o

 

Check out Cruise Bruise.. I was wowed by the stuff.

 

I now take only child free ships and cruises because of the diminished responsibility levels on many parents, reguardless of any demographic

[vbmom87]

Where was this guys wife when this all took place? Very sad thing to happen. Very sad.

 

 

Per the article:

 

"Also noted was the fact that Dickerson and his wife were given access to a second cabin because they had complained about a noise issue with their first room. They retained key cards to both rooms."

 

She could have been in the newly assigned cabin and he may have been in the original cabin. Just a possibility.

[iancal]

I think that it is just a little naive to assume that this could not, or does not, or other crimes do not occur on HAL, Celebrity, Princess,,,and all the cruise lines. And any other crime as well.

 

It can happen whenever there is a victim, a perpetrator, and opportunity.

[DaveOKC]

Per the article:

 

"Also noted was the fact that Dickerson and his wife were given access to a second cabin because they had complained about a noise issue with their first room. They retained key cards to both rooms."

 

She could have been in the newly assigned cabin and he may have been in the original cabin. Just a possibility.

 

I cannot believe that Carnival did not VOID out the old key cards. I know they did this to my relative on a recent Carnival Cruise, when her cabin mate lost her key (they did it remotely). My relative could not get back into the cabin and could not figure out what was wrong.

 

DaveOKC

[Krazy Kruizers]

So sad to read this.

Some people never get over such an incident.

[LindaM]

I think that it is just a little naive to assume that this could not, or does not, or other crimes do not occur on HAL, Celebrity, Princess,,,and all the cruise lines. And any other crime as well.

 

It can happen whenever there is a victim, a perpetrator, and opportunity.

 

I think it's more than naive to compare the general party atmosphere( where kids aren't supervised) on Carnival with the lines you mentioned. If something is going to happen with kids going wild in the middle of the night, the odds are in favor of it happening on Carnival vs the other lines. Not saying it couldn't happen, but much more likely on Carnival. I was rather appalled to hear that the teens are allowed to stay out all night. And we aren't supposed to blame the parents? Parents of today have abdicated their reponsiblity, wanting the educational system to do their job for them. I know....teens need to be taught in school to understand that crimes of opportunity occur on cruise ships!!

[SusanSmithJr]

I am shocked! shocked that CC would allow, let alone encourage, this article. One can not report on violent crime on TripAdviso Dot Com, the sister company of CC. Murders, robberies and rapes can NOT be part of a review on TA.

[canadarocks]

I am shocked! shocked that CC would allow, let alone encourage, this article. One can not report on violent crime on TripAdviso Dot Com, the sister company of CC. Murders, robberies and rapes can NOT be part of a review on TA.

 

I strongly disagree. While I do not approve of sensationalizing or exploiting news of violent crimes (and that has certainly not happened in this thread), the public has a right to know if they occur on ANY cruiseline.

[serendipity1499]

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4953

 

Such a tragic event. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to the victims, but that will no doubt be a very long process.

 

I can only hope the criminals experience the same terror when they are sent to prison.

 

It is very sad indeed but they should print this article and give it to every parent that comes on board. They have a tendancy to think that their kids are safe and let run around the ship because they think it is safe. There is a tradition that teenagers spend the whole last night onboard without sleeping and staying in public areas or in cabins. How can parents let a 15 year old girl, or boy, run around with strangers all night long? It is not because we are on vacation at the same time that we become friends and know everything about the other people. There is a false sense of security.

 

I have been a witness to 2 little 5 year old girls running around at 11 at night....teenagers running in the hallways countless times laughing and yelling....I once heard a couple laughing when they telling another couple that they had told their 11 year old that they would see him in 7 days and to take care! They were laughing about leaving an 11 year old alone for 7 days. In my home town, we would call child services for less than this!

 

I may sound harsh but I am a high school teacher and am wary of parents not taking their responsabilities and assuming that others will take care of their kids.

 

Completely agree with you..In addition I cringe when I hear about Parents leaving the ship to shop or take a land tour while their kids are in the HAL Kids club..

 

IMO a must read Paperback book for Passengers especially Parents/Grandparents would be "Unsafe on the High Seas" by Charles R. Lipcon, a veteran maritime attorney from Miami...He's been practicing law since the cruise industry started up..Mr. Lipcon says a "cruise ship is not a play land for children" & the "number one crime on Cruise Ships is sexual assault"..... He states that there were 206 reported crimes between 2003 & 2006..Of these 86% were sexual assaults & the majority of crimes are committed by crewmen assaulting passengers.. Many crimes are unreported & can't be prosecuted by Land based authorities, only because ships Officers want to get rid of the person (passenger or crew) who committed the crime..They are often disembarked at the next port of call & sent home...This book is actually a guide to a safer cruise & has excellent advice to help you protect yourself & your family while on a cruise..

 

I am shocked! shocked that CC would allow, let alone encourage, this article. One can not report on violent crime on TripAdviso Dot Com, the sister company of CC. Murders, robberies and rapes can NOT be part of a review on TA.

 

First of all why would you be shocked..This is not an article nor is it a review..

This is a News Story & reported by a Journalist....This is exactly the right place to air these important stories..If it saves one kid then it is worthwhile..Too many Psgrs think that cruise ships are safe & they are not!

Every person should read Copper 10-8's advice to a Grandparent..Check out this thread:

Copper10-8 post 4

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=24636284&posted=1#post24636284

Betty

[CtheW0rld]

I cannot believe that Carnival did not VOID out the old key cards. I know they did this to my relative on a recent Carnival Cruise, when her cabin mate lost her key (they did it remotely). My relative could not get back into the cabin and could not figure out what was wrong.

 

DaveOKC

 

i had serious noise issues on the grand princess. they gave me the key to another cabin so i could sleep there the last few days of the cruise. they specifically asked that i not completely move into the other cabin.

[CtheW0rld]

I am shocked! shocked that CC would allow, let alone encourage, this article. One can not report on violent crime on TripAdviso Dot Com, the sister company of CC. Murders, robberies and rapes can NOT be part of a review on TA.

 

i agree with the others. CC is the largest and busiest cruise site going. this is the perfect venue. safety begins with awareness.

[Typhoon1]

i agree with the others. CC is the largest and busiest cruise site going. this is the perfect venue. safety begins with awareness.

 

Very tragic indeed. Yet, typical of the party type atmosphere on Carnival Ships.

[hammybee]

I think it's more than naive to compare the general party atmosphere( where kids aren't supervised) on Carnival with the lines you mentioned. If something is going to happen with kids going wild in the middle of the night, the odds are in favor of it happening on Carnival vs the other lines. Not saying it couldn't happen, but much more likely on Carnival. I was rather appalled to hear that the teens are allowed to stay out all night.

 

I sailed all mass marketed cruise lines when my daughter was a minor. Every cruise line allows a child to sign themselves out at young ages. No cruise line supervises teens. Best case, there are some ice breaker events.

 

 

Staying out all night has been a right of passage on RCL for as long as I can remember. If teens are reasonably quiet and well behaved, no cruise line, including HAL, stops them from pulling an all nighter.

 

It's common for parents to book two cabins with mom/teen in one and dad/other teen in the other. Reality is that mom/day sleep in their own cabin and the kids are in a separate inside cabin many decks removed from their parents. Some parents will check in and make sure their kids are in cabin by their curfew. Once the parents depart, the kids are out and about all night long.

 

This stuff happens on all cruise lines.

[LindaM]

I sailed all mass marketed cruise lines when my daughter was a minor. Every cruise line allows a child to sign themselves out at young ages. No cruise line supervises teens. Best case, there are some ice breaker events.

 

 

Staying out all night has been a right of passage on RCL for as long as I can remember. If teens are reasonably quiet and well behaved, no cruise line, including HAL, stops them from pulling an all nighter.

 

It's common for parents to book two cabins with mom/teen in one and dad/other teen in the other. Reality is that mom/day sleep in their own cabin and the kids are in a separate inside cabin many decks removed from their parents. Some parents will check in and make sure their kids are in cabin by their curfew. Once the parents depart, the kids are out and about all night long.

 

This stuff happens on all cruise lines.

 

That is unfortunate. Another reason why we sail lines where there is less liklihood of that happening. My point to the person I responded to (and your post validates it) that it IS the parents responsibility in the end. And, certain cruiselines are more likely to have more opportunities for tragedies because they attract those who don't mind the party atmosphere. Which cruiseline has had the most people gone overboard? I would guess the party ships!!