Although pirates generally do not bother cruise ships, there was an assault and hijacking of a cruise ship was carried out in 1985, when on 7th October 1985 the Italian MS Achille Lauro was hijacked by four men representing the Palestine Liberation Front off the coast of Egypt, as she was sailing from Alexandria, Egypt …
How does a cruise ship defend against pirates?
Cruise ships generally avoid areas with piracy risks, and if they have to sail through them they typically rely on passive defensive measures instead. Armed guards on board are relatively common on cargo vessels, but while they have occasionally been employed on cruise ships it's not at all common.
Do pirates go after cruise ships?
Why aren’t ships armed against pirates?
A big reason is liability. If you put someone on a ship with a machine gun to ward off pirates', what happens if he shoots someone who is not a pirate? The shooter and possibly the Captain could end up in prison for murder, and as well the Captain and the owners and everyone who has cargo on board could be sued.
When was the last time a cruise ship was attacked by pirates?
In 2005, Seabourn Spirit was about 100 miles off the coast of Somalia when pirates fired AK-47 machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades in an attempt to highjack the ship. They failed. An April 2008 pirate attack on Le Ponant, a French luxury sailing vessel, was more successful.