Assult on a cruise ship

[BruceMuzz]

1 hour ago, Aquahound said:

 

On a major line like Costa, I find it very unlikely that the only working cameras were in the casino.  In fact, there's no way that's true.  Nowadays, almost every square inch of public space is captured on one camera or another.  

There are several major cruise lines that have very few working cameras onboard their ships - especially the older ones.

Most HAL ships have only a few working cameras in the casinos - but there are no recorders and no dedicated crew to monitor those cameras.

[Heidi13]

4 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

Out of curiosity if a ship wants to disembark a passenger would they need permission from the country they want to send the passenger to? I would assume the country would want some proof that said passenger can realistically make their way home in a timely manner from their forced disembarkation point🤔? 

 

Affirmative, it would be the next port agreeing to accept a disembarkation.

[Heidi13]

4 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

I believe @Heidi13 and @chengkp75 can confirm, but I'm not sure that is the case.  If I am incorrect I'm sure they will correct me. But we witnessed a man and his wife being escorted off the ship in St. Martin several years ago, the man in handcuffs, and being handed to the local police after what is best described as a domestic dispute that occurred the night before.  Their luggage was taken off with them and they drove off the pier in the police vehicle.  I have heard of other instances of passengers being "disembarked early" at the next port of call due to other circumstances as well.  I'm not sure the cruise line cares too much about their disposition once they are off the ship - just that they are in fact off the ship.

 

Affirmative, based on most cruise line terms & conditions, if disembarked for cause, you are responsible for your own arrangements.

[MBP&O2/O]

3 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Affirmative, based on most cruise line terms & conditions, if disembarked for cause, you are responsible for your own arrangements.

Yup. I have seen a couple of crew members suffer the same way. Sacked on the spot, disembarked, and flown back to the UK at their own expense. One from the Bahamas and one from Capetown. 

[CDNPolar]

I say to the OP - Wow - I am shocked at this and how this man reacted to your concern and right to be in a non-smoking area.  You were completely within your rights to say what you did and you should expect that the passenger would appreciate the situation and put the joint out.

 

However - with all due respect - what I have learned in the last few years (or more) is when there is something happening that is against the rules or just plain wrong, I leave the area and don't say a word.  I just up and leave.  We don't know today how anyone will react.  We have violence happening all over the place today.

 

This man obviously felt entitled and you challenged his entitlement to be there smoking a joint.  

I understand and appreciate your situation and your desire for retribution, but next time, please, just walk away and protect yourself.  

 

 

[sparks1093]

20 hours ago, CocktailPrincess said:

I was very upset by the incident and tried my best to deal with it onboard but my illness on board (which was nothing to do with the assault or the ship) made it harder for me to deal with it whilst on board.

 

I'll try to address the questions and statements posed by people in their posts now.

 

I was on Costa Fortuna

 

To the people who keep mentioning spitting is not assult- that's not what I said the drink in my face was the assault (according to UK laws) 

 

I totally understand the laws are different at sea, hence me posting in the first place to ask how to report this, obviously I feel  that I was assaulted (I can only go by the laws in my own countrty) and would like to report it to the police, if that was at all possible but I wanted to understand the process as I didn't know and couldn't find an answer via goggle.

 

In answer to what do I want? I just want to report a crime, I want the man to understand that he shouldn't act like that, it worrys me that he could or already does do a lot worse on land, if he could do that on a ship where he couldn't really hide, what could he do to a girl in a city where he can disappear! 

 

In response to wanting to know more details of the incident- here goes.

 

I was sitting with my boyfriend eating food on a high quiet deck, nearest people were 30 metres away, a man came and sat near us, he started to roll a joint, my bf said 'excuse me sir, just so you know this is a non smoking deck' the man shrugged and lit up his joint.

My bf went downstairs to find a staff member to ask him to stop. While he was gone, I told the man I was suffering with a chest infection and had come to an area where I wouldn't breathe in any smoke, so could he please go to a smoking deck. He laughed and blew smoke at me. I got up to move away from the smoke and said he was very rude, he said I was rude for eating outside and not in a restaurant (which was a weird comment as I had got the food from the poolside bar) I was leaning over to the deck below to see if my bf was returning and as I turned back I caught him spitting in my food. I called him pathetic and sarcastically laughed and said his plan didn't work as I had seen what he had done, and wouldn't be touching the food now, he shouted in his own language and then at point blank range threw his drink in my face, i inhaled it and was choking and shouting for my bf as he ran off. 

 

In response to being told I've learned a valuable lesson- well I respectfully tell you that no I haven't! That response was callous and uncalled for

 I was attacked - regardless of it was actually assult in my vessels country. 

I am 100% aware that rules/laws are different onboard, but I didn't know exactly how, hence my post which clearly asks is there any point in pursuing this. I am not as you put it a  'US cruise passengers simply cannot fathom, that when you set foot on a vessel of another country, your home country's laws, rights, and protections go right overboard'

 

Maybe  be a little more kind and less condescending to someone asking for advice, especially if that person was attacked, and when they clearly have said in their op they also know it may be possible nothing can be done.

 

 

I tried to push it higher onboard, but I had very little energy. The security when called for by the waiter told me to wait, they took 20 mins, if they had come immediately they would have caught him. I told them what happened, and asked them to speak to the nearest people as they saw what happened as witnesses security just said sorry and I should go to reception as he couldn't speak the language of the witnesses, at reception they were shocked I had been sent there and called security back to do a report. They didn't take the witness names or cabins so they were lost as I couldn't remember what they looked like. Then they took 1 day to come back to us with photos of the potential perpetrator, we had described him as white with olive /tan skin, we were shown 10 black & Asian passengers, it took them another day to show as more photos and we identified the man this time.

Then another day later and they say they have found and spoken to him. And that's it, I asked what would happen and told nothing. Even just the fact he was smoking an illegal substance I thought would have meant the ship took it seriously. But obviously not.

 

 

I understand after the comments that if I want police involved then I need to do this in Italy, My follow up question would be does anyone speak or read Italian or know if my attack would be against the law in Italy as it is in the UK?

 

I can understand how you feel but at the same time I think you are tilting at windmills. This is a minor crime that won't result in police actually doing anything and the person that did this is unlikely to learn anything at all. If it were me I would just let it go because any result achieved is not going to be worth the effort.

 

[CocktailPrincess]

5 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

I say to the OP - Wow - I am shocked at this and how this man reacted to your concern and right to be in a non-smoking area.  You were completely within your rights to say what you did and you should expect that the passenger would appreciate the situation and put the joint out.

 

However - with all due respect - what I have learned in the last few years (or more) is when there is something happening that is against the rules or just plain wrong, I leave the area and don't say a word.  I just up and leave.  We don't know today how anyone will react.  We have violence happening all over the place today.

 

This man obviously felt entitled and you challenged his entitlement to be there smoking a joint.  

I understand and appreciate your situation and your desire for retribution, but next time, please, just walk away and protect yourself.  

 

 

I understand what a few people have said that walking away is often best. I agree on some level, but I also have a strong desire to stand up for what is right. Often at home I do just walk away as I never know what someone is capable of. 

 

The trouble is on a crowded cruise ship, being unwell with a chest infection, it had taken a lot of effort to find a quiet spot away from smokers, and honestly I didn't want or really have the energy to move.  

I guess I felt safer on a cruise ship, knowing they are unlikely to have weapons and knowing they can't run away.

[ldubs]

7 hours ago, CocktailPrincess said:

I understand what a few people have said that walking away is often best. I agree on some level, but I also have a strong desire to stand up for what is right. Often at home I do just walk away as I never know what someone is capable of. 

 

The trouble is on a crowded cruise ship, being unwell with a chest infection, it had taken a lot of effort to find a quiet spot away from smokers, and honestly I didn't want or really have the energy to move.  

I guess I felt safer on a cruise ship, knowing they are unlikely to have weapons and knowing they can't run away.

 

It was the idiot's actions not yours.   I know it is probably hard, but like others have suggested, stewing about it isn't going to get you anywhere.  Sadly we have created a world where some individuals know they will not be held accountable for their actions and standing up for what is right might carry a heavier penalty.   

[clo]

On 12/16/2023 at 11:03 AM, Heidi13 said:

With respect to another pax reporting somebody smoking drugs, that is insufficient evidence, as it becomes he said/she said. However, the pax report may be sufficient justification to conduct a cabin search, and if drugs were found, the Master may be able to take action, depending on type and quantity.

 

This.

[clo]

13 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

We don't know today how anyone will react.  We have violence happening all over the place today.

This*  I am far less likely to make a scene now than I used to be for that reason.

[shipgeeks]

I believe there is the possibility that the offender has been dealt with, and management did not consider it appropriate to pass that information along to you.  

[ontheweb]

37 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

I believe there is the possibility that the offender has been dealt with, and management did not consider it appropriate to pass that information along to you.  

Let us hope that is true. 🤞

[CocktailPrincess]

2 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

I believe there is the possibility that the offender has been dealt with, and management did not consider it appropriate to pass that information along to you.  

They wouldn't want me to to feel safe?? 

[Heidi13]

4 minutes ago, CocktailPrincess said:

They wouldn't want me to to feel safe?? 

 

Unfortunately, as with everything these days, "Privacy Laws" must always be considered. As part of the EU, I suspect Italy, as the Flag State, has rigorous privacy laws, which may restrict any information provided to you. 

[CocktailPrincess]

1 minute ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Unfortunately, as with everything these days, "Privacy Laws" must always be considered. As part of the EU, I suspect Italy, as the Flag State, has rigorous privacy laws, which may restrict any information provided to you. 

Yes, but I'm sure as a valued passenger they would have at least assured me, that even if they couldn't tell me what, that something was done and I was safe....but clearly nothing was done As they basically told me all they could do was chat with him.

[navybankerteacher]

3 minutes ago, CocktailPrincess said:

Yes, but I'm sure as a valued passenger they would have at least assured me, that even if they couldn't tell me what, that something was done and I was safe....but clearly nothing was done As they basically told me all they could do was chat with him.

Yes,  but without knowing the content of that chat you should not assume that nothing was done. If they had made it clear to him that any further problems involving him would put him off the ship, for example, that would have been something.  Privacy laws need to be observed.

[CocktailPrincess]

Just now, navybankerteacher said:

Yes,  but without knowing the content of that chat you should not assume that nothing was done. If they had made it clear to him that any further problems involving him would put him off the ship, for example, that would have been something.  Privacy laws need to be observed.

I can't explain it, but the way they were with me and the offhandness etc I could just tell they were not interested and didn't do anything, it took 4 days from the incident till then telling me, he had been located and spoken too.

[navybankerteacher]

1 minute ago, CocktailPrincess said:

I can't explain it, but the way they were with me and the offhandness etc I could just tell they were not interested and didn't do anything, it took 4 days from the incident till then telling me, he had been located and spoken too.

I am curious: what would you like to have seen done to him?

[Heidi13]

3 minutes ago, CocktailPrincess said:

Yes, but I'm sure as a valued passenger they would have at least assured me, that even if they couldn't tell me what, that something was done and I was safe....but clearly nothing was done As they basically told me all they could do was chat with him.

 

In similar circumstances, the Purser or I would meet with the complainant, advising we followed up on the information provided, identified the alleged offended and have taken appropriate action.

 

As part of the meeting with the alleged offender, they would be advised to have no further contact with the complainant, so the complainant would be advised to contact a crew member immediately, if they encounter the alleged offender again.

 

We took the time to respond effectively to the complainant and endeavoured to ensure they were satisfied with our response and felt safe. However, privacy laws prevented me from providing any details, as unfortunately perpetrators also have rights.

[Toofarfromthesea]

IMO taking a confrontational stance with a person you don't know, from a different culture, is rarely a good idea.

[CocktailPrincess]

2 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

I am curious: what would you like to have seen done to him?

Maybe banned from that cruise line.

Everyone I met on the ship (the ten people at my dinner table) all thought he should have been disembarked.

[CocktailPrincess]

2 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

In similar circumstances, the Purser or I would meet with the complainant, advising we followed up on the information provided, identified the alleged offended and have taken appropriate action.

 

As part of the meeting with the alleged offender, they would be advised to have no further contact with the complainant, so the complainant would be advised to contact a crew member immediately, if they encounter the alleged offender again.

 

We took the time to respond effectively to the complainant and endeavoured to ensure they were satisfied with our response and felt safe. However, privacy laws prevented me from providing any details, as unfortunately perpetrators also have rights.

Yes that sounds good, but I saw him several times again and he was laughing at me. They certainly didn't say he had to stay away from me.

[Aquahound]

OP, I am with you and this latest part.  I'm not sure how informing of you of their actions violates any privacy laws.  Privacy laws are in place to protect personal information.  Actions taken by a cruise line, whether it be confining to quarters, removal from ship, lifelong ban, etc, does not violate privacy laws so I find it a little odd that the line is not more forthcoming with you on simply stating what action they took.  They can do so without providing his identity.  

 

I've never had the pleasure of dealing with Costa's security department, but Carnival Corporation is usually pretty good at communicating their actions.  Try reaching out to them.

Edited December 18, 2023 by Aquahound

[sparks1093]

11 hours ago, CocktailPrincess said:

I can't explain it, but the way they were with me and the offhandness etc I could just tell they were not interested and didn't do anything, it took 4 days from the incident till then telling me, he had been located and spoken too.

Which is exactly what the reaction would have been if you had tried to file a complaint with a police department.

8 hours ago, CocktailPrincess said:

Maybe banned from that cruise line.

Everyone I met on the ship (the ten people at my dinner table) all thought he should have been disembarked.

Since they don't do that for more serious infractions it is highly unlikely they would do it for this one. Yes, the guy was a jerk and out of line, but getting someone to do anything will be fruitless.

[sanger727]

It certainly sounds like the ship's security is not competent to deal with an issue like this. I think that complaining to the cruise line about the staff's response is entirely reasonable and justified. 

 

I would not put any effort into finding a police department with jurisdiction to report this to. Between the lack of witness statements, investigation, and security footage- its difficult to believe any law enforcement agency would find sufficient evidence to prosecute. Also, they would have to find the person, get a local police department to arrest and extradite, which is incredibly unlikely for a low level offense.