Cruise industry fails to protect passengers from crime

[cathyz]

Senator: Cruise industry fails to protect passengers from crime

 

 

This story was written by Johanna Jainchill, who covers cruising for Travel Weekly. Jainchill is serving as Guest Editor of The Cruise Log this week while USA TODAY Cruise Editor Gene Sloan is on vacation.

The cruise industry does not adequately protect its passengers from crime, according to supporters of a bill that would place an ocean ranger on every cruise ship in California waterways.

State Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Calif, introduced the California Ocean Ranger program in a bill that will be argued today before the state’s Public Safety Committee.

Simitian’s bill says that the cruise industry “has failed to adopt adequate measures to protect passengers from theft, rape, assaults, and suspected homicides.” Victims of cruise ship crime are expected to testify in support of the bill.

The ranger would also monitor cruise ships’ compliance with environmental laws, which Simitian says the cruise industry has a poor record of self-policing.

The measure echoes Alaska legislation that citizens voted into law in 2006 that put an ocean ranger onboard cruise ships while in state waters, and slapped a $50 head tax on all cruisers sailing in Alaska. Those rangers monitor the ships’ wastewater discharge practices and pollution control systems, but do not deal with passenger safety.

According to the California proposal, the ranger would be a licensed marine engineer and would be granted peace officer status. The cruise lines would pay for the program through a fee of $1.00 per passenger for each day the ocean ranger would be onboard.

[selucrey]

Senator: Cruise industry fails to protect passengers from crime

 

 

This story was written by Johanna Jainchill, who covers cruising for Travel Weekly. Jainchill is serving as Guest Editor of The Cruise Log this week while USA TODAY Cruise Editor Gene Sloan is on vacation.

The cruise industry does not adequately protect its passengers from crime, according to supporters of a bill that would place an ocean ranger on every cruise ship in California waterways.

State Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Calif, introduced the California Ocean Ranger program in a bill that will be argued today before the state’s Public Safety Committee.

Simitian’s bill says that the cruise industry “has failed to adopt adequate measures to protect passengers from theft, rape, assaults, and suspected homicides.” Victims of cruise ship crime are expected to testify in support of the bill.

The ranger would also monitor cruise ships’ compliance with environmental laws, which Simitian says the cruise industry has a poor record of self-policing.

The measure echoes Alaska legislation that citizens voted into law in 2006 that put an ocean ranger onboard cruise ships while in state waters, and slapped a $50 head tax on all cruisers sailing in Alaska. Those rangers monitor the ships’ wastewater discharge practices and pollution control systems, but do not deal with passenger safety.

According to the California proposal, the ranger would be a licensed marine engineer and would be granted peace officer status. The cruise lines would pay for the program through a fee of $1.00 per passenger for each day the ocean ranger would be onboard.

 

I wonder if he realizes that there is probably more "crime" per capita in his own hometown than there is in the entire cruise industry in any given year.

[cherylandtk]

I am just as curious to learn just how they expect one person onboard (who's primary job is an ecological one, at that) to effectively 'police' the behavior of 3000 passengers 24/7 so as to prevent all mentioned crime, including thefts. Although at $1/day x 7 days x 3000 pax = $21,000 per week; I'll take that job. Fire me after a month or two.

[earlethepearl]

If he tried to arrest me he would be shark bait..

[big_duck]

Senator: Cruise industry fails to protect passengers from crime

 

The cruise lines would pay for the program through a fee of $1.00 per passenger for each day the ocean ranger would be onboard.

 

$3K a day for one officer? :eek: Must be a government program.

 

Besides isn't ocean waters a Federal jurisdiction? :confused:

[selucrey]

The "Ranger" would only have jurisdiction in State waters. I would imagine that most cruiseship "crimes" take place in International waters.:rolleyes:

I guess a good question would be.... how much time does a ship spend in State waters?:confused:

[big_duck]

The "Ranger" would only have jurisdiction in State waters. I would imagine that most cruiseship "crimes" take place in International waters.:rolleyes:

I guess a good question would be.... how much time does a ship spend in State waters?:confused:

 

And once in port aren't they Federal again?:confused:

[nashwl]

As usual, another Washington idiot makes a clown out of himself.

[jame_g]

I wonder if he realizes that there is probably more "crime" per capita in his own hometown than there is in the entire cruise industry in any given year.

 

It's actually quite similar. The reported crime on a cruise ship is very similar to the reported crime in the average american city when looked at on a per capita basis. Did a little research and analysis on this a couple years back based on stats reported by the cruise industry vs US crime stats.

 

The real question is: How much crime goes unreported in an average city versus how much does the cruise industry not report plus how much crime goes unreported on a cruise ship. Is there a significant difference here?

[pe4all]

"the cruise industry has failed to adopt adequate measures to protect passengers from theft, rape, assaults and supected homicides."

 

DD16 was jumped and mugged last year (robbed of her cell phone) less than 1 mile away from our house in a "safe" neighborhood. Should I sue the local police dept? The state of NY? The U.S. government? With over 3,000 people on board a ship - this number may be larger than some small towns - you will have crimes and problems. One Ranger can't be everywhere on a ship. Unbelievable!

[Snorkel2Much]

The "Ranger" would only have jurisdiction in State waters. I would imagine that most cruiseship "crimes" take place in International waters.:rolleyes:

I guess a good question would be.... how much time does a ship spend in State waters?:confused:

State jurisdiction = 3 miles offshore, extended to include closed bays. Sounds like an efficient use of tax dollars. :rolleyes:

[Ellanora]

How about "Senators fail to protect constituents from crime"?

 

I think that's a better headline.

[janetz]

http://www.internationalcruisevictims.org/

 

 

 

 

:)

[Kurbanfan]

Interesting.......

[calgarygary]

As usual, another Washington idiot makes a clown out of himself.

Being a Canadian, I may not be quite up to date with U.S. politics and geography but wouldn't he be a Sacramento idiot?

[tandemcruzr]

Interesting.......

 

For a state senator, I'd think there were more important issues on his plate.:(

[tandemcruzr]

Being a Canadian, I may not be quite up to date with U.S. politics and geography but wouldn't he be a Sacramento idiot?

 

Absolutely! :D

[ClipperMiami]

Being a Canadian, I may not be quite up to date with U.S. politics and geography but wouldn't he be a Sacramento idiot?

Yes, an Idiot-In-Training, Sacramento Class. More Nanny-State "trust us, we'll take care of you".

[Magus]

I would be more disturbed by this line:

Alaska legislation that citizens voted into law in 2006 that put an ocean ranger onboard cruise ships while in state waters, and slapped a $50 head tax on all cruisers sailing in Alaska

 

Lets go back to our assumed 3K passengers. For every ship, the state gets 150,000 PER WEEK! Not to mention tax on anything purchased in ports.

I just wasn't aware of that tax.

[jessemon]

Senator: Cruise industry fails to protect passengers from crime

 

 

This story was written by Johanna Jainchill, who covers cruising for Travel Weekly. Jainchill is serving as Guest Editor of The Cruise Log this week while USA TODAY Cruise Editor Gene Sloan is on vacation.

The cruise industry does not adequately protect its passengers from crime, according to supporters of a bill that would place an ocean ranger on every cruise ship in California waterways.

State Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Calif, introduced the California Ocean Ranger program in a bill that will be argued today before the state’s Public Safety Committee.

Simitian’s bill says that the cruise industry “has failed to adopt adequate measures to protect passengers from theft, rape, assaults, and suspected homicides.” Victims of cruise ship crime are expected to testify in support of the bill.

The ranger would also monitor cruise ships’ compliance with environmental laws, which Simitian says the cruise industry has a poor record of self-policing.

The measure echoes Alaska legislation that citizens voted into law in 2006 that put an ocean ranger onboard cruise ships while in state waters, and slapped a $50 head tax on all cruisers sailing in Alaska. Those rangers monitor the ships’ wastewater discharge practices and pollution control systems, but do not deal with passenger safety.

According to the California proposal, the ranger would be a licensed marine engineer and would be granted peace officer status. The cruise lines would pay for the program through a fee of $1.00 per passenger for each day the ocean ranger would be onboard.

I think the Senetor of his state of California should be more concerned with his states murders, robberies, muggings, kidnappings, car thefts, car jackings, child molestations, prostitution, drug sales, gang violence, illegal immigration and so on and so on. They (government in that state) are about to release 22,000 people from jail because they can't afford to keep them in jail.

Guess the people that cruise from that state or into that state should just foot the bill because they can't figure out how to create, oversee or control an out of hand budget.......:eek: :eek: