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kidnapping on Royal Carribbean


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Dr. Phil had parents on his show whose daughter was supposedly kidnapped from an RCI ship a couple of years or more ago - but she was in her late teens or early twenties if I remember correctly. They think she left the ship with members of a band who had been brought on board.

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This site has no report of this type of incident. Therefore, it likely did not happen.

 

http://www.cruisejunkie.com/events.html

 

I'm not totally sure I would trust that they get every incident on that website. 12/04 I was on a cruise in which as I recall, 3 people died and at least 5 had to be taken to local hospitals. We had to turn around/make 3-4 extra stops to drop people off. We went more than full speed ahead (as I recall the max the ship was able to go was 22 knots... we were going 24 and at one time 25!).

 

Because of all of this, we arrived to port quite a few hours late. Many people missed flights (my family got stuck in Florida and Salt Lake for four days and almost missed Christmas with the rest of our family!) and a lot of plans were changed.

 

The next group of cruisers had to board a few hours late and were given onboard credit for their time. Those on the first cruise got no compensation at all. Personally, it was pretty spendy for us, we had to pay for hotel and food for a few days until we could get home.

 

Anyways, I have no clue about the kidnapping, but I would check other sources before you rule it out!

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Guest cruzr44

I do remember hearing something about that, sort of like the Aruba story, smart girl makes bad decision. That is something that can happen anywhere. Sounds like that girl made a bad decision to leave the ship with the band. Not sure how that would be a kidnapping and/or the fault of RC. Teens just need to be informed not to go anywhere without a buddy. I think a cruise is a great place for a teen. I would not let them go on any tours or on any islands without me though, now that would make me nervous. Go and enjoy, just make some "rules" for their safety.

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Has anyone heard of an incident of a young girl being kidnapped aboard a cruise ship recently? How did this resolve, makes me uneasy to bring my daughter on a ship.

I don't know about the kidnapping, but please name me a city where a kidnapping has not ocured. Are you going to keep your daughter away from every city where a kidnapping has ocurred? I can understand you want to protect your child, but just leaving the house is dangerous. Are you going to let your daughter drive when she is old enough? As I am sure you know, driving kills many people.

 

My friend lives in Thousand Oaks which is constantly ranked as the safest or one of the safest cities in the US. So he bragged about it and left his wallet in his unlocked car. His wallet was stolen. Now he locks his cars.

 

There is a difference between the relative term "safer" or "safest" and the absolute term "safe". You can make almost anything "safer", but that does not make it "safe". A cruise on a cruise ship is safer than life in most cities. Nonetheless, you cannot act as though you are totally safe. Tell your daughter to use her head. Tell her she does not go into anyone else's cabin without you. Tell her no one comes in her cabin without your permission.

 

As to the kidnapping, if it did not make the news, it did not happen. If it did make the news, it would be discussed at length on this board and other similar boards.

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If you watch the News Programs on TV, you will learn that there are alot of crimes that cruiseships keep quiet to avoid publicity. Our Federal Govt is looking into tightening regulations regarding cruiseships that enter US ports to protect Americans. One thing I have read alot about on cruiseships is rapes. Single women are particularly vulnerable. I would never go anywhere on a ship alone. I would never allow my kids to go anywhere alone either. I would always keep my deadbolt on my door locked as well. A cabin is no safer than a hotel room.

 

The Amy Bradlee story is a very sad one. It is believed that she was kidnapped from her cabin early in the morning within 30 minutes of speaking with her father in the adjoining cabin. Months later a military man met her at a brothel in Curaco. She begged him to help her, but he was afraid of problems for himself from his superior for being in a brothel. He thought perhaps she made the story up. When he got home, he saw her photo on Time Magazine and came forward. By then, she had been moved off of Curaco.

 

I just don't understand why women don't use the same common sense on vacation. I always figure it is best to be safe than sorry. I especially would never let my guard down when it comes to my kids. If you can't trust a priest, then why trust a cruiseship full of strangers.

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you can always hold your kids sign and sail cards when in a port. You can not leave the ship without one.

 

There was another thread recently where a mother had done that to prevent her teenage daughter from leaving the ship - the daughter just went to the purser's desk & got another card & left anyway.

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All you can do is try to instill a sense of caution in your kids. Being a parent is tough work and I think the hardest is learning to let go and trust in (and hope for) your children's good judgement. I have 4 kids--from 17 down to 3--and it is so much easier when they are little to manage where they go and who they are with. Giving my 17 yo his freedom and trusting he will make sound decisions gives me many more sleepless nights than I ever had when he was a baby. But if you never give your kids the chance to make those decisions, how will they ever know how to govern themselves once they are adults? It's true what everyone is saying that it is just as dangerous, if not more so, living our everyday lives. Being on a cruise ship, or a resort, or any tourist spot, is not without risks, but that just means not letting your guard down just because you are on vacation. Conducting yourself with this sense of caution will let your children see how to behave on holiday and understand why you set rules and limits for them. And, hopefully, this will help them to make good choices for themselves.

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I'm not totally sure I would trust that they get every incident on that website. 12/04 I was on a cruise in which as I recall, 3 people died and at least 5 had to be taken to local hospitals. We had to turn around/make 3-4 extra stops to drop people off. We went more than full speed ahead (as I recall the max the ship was able to go was 22 knots... we were going 24 and at one time 25!).

 

What ship was this?

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I'm not totally sure I would trust that they get every incident on that website. 12/04 I was on a cruise in which as I recall, 3 people died and at least 5 had to be taken to local hospitals. We had to turn around/make 3-4 extra stops to drop people off. We went more than full speed ahead (as I recall the max the ship was able to go was 22 knots... we were going 24 and at one time 25!).
Unless the deaths/illnesses were somehow related to something that happened on the ship and not just an unusually bad week I doubt it would qualify as an event at sea.
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Unless the deaths/illnesses were somehow related to something that happened on the ship and not just an unusually bad week I doubt it would qualify as an event at sea.

 

As I read through that website, they had quite a few examples that were similar. Since most passengers missed their flights, the next ship boarded 8 hours late and compensation was given, I figured it would be on there!

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Sounds like you may be thinking of the Amy Bradley incident. Here's a link to info about her -

 

http://www.ctsi.net/amy/

 

If this were a kidnapping case, I would have to think that she left the ship willingly. I can't imagine how anyone would have gotten her off the ship in port without anyone noticing unless it was with staff involvement. If she were sleeping on a balcony, drinking that night, etc, this could just go as a person lost at sea case like all the others.

 

Yes, cruiselines do not report every incident that happens at sea. Also, most serious crimes at sea end up unresolved. Actually, not sure if any severe crimes at sea are ever solved. The cruiselines are really quick in cleaning up the scene which in all purposes gets rid of any evidence.

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