15 Nightmarish Facts That Will Make You Never Want to Set Foot on a Cruise Ship
Cruise ships market the illusion of a floating escape with unlimited buffets, sunsets on demand, and zero dishes to wash. But behind the floating resort vibe is where things get weird, really fast.
These facts about how cruise ships operate—and what can go wrong—might make you think twice about setting sail.
Ships Don’t Sink Often, but the Ones That Do Leave a Mark
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No, cruise ships don’t sink every week—but when they do, they make headlines and documentaries. Remember the Costa Concordia in 2012? The ship ran aground, tipped over, and tragically took over 30 lives. From 1980 to 2012, 16 cruise ships sank, and many more got stuck. On average, 2.5 ships run aground every year.
Mechanical Breakdowns Routinely Disrupt Voyages
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Engine failures have stranded thousands. In 2019, Viking Sky’s engines failed in rough seas near Norway. It’s not an isolated case. Technical failures that stop propulsion or power can abruptly end vacations and create safety concerns for passengers and crew.
Passenger Deaths at Sea Are Surprisingly Common
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Between 2000 and 2019, over 600 passengers died aboard cruise ships. The usual suspects are heart attacks, accidental falls, and in some heartbreaking cases, suicide. The ocean isn’t exactly five minutes from an ER, so even minor medical issues can escalate fast when you’re hundreds of miles from land—and the onboard doctor isn’t exactly House, MD.
Cruise Ships Are Legally Required to Store Bodies Onboard
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Every cruise ship has a built-in morgue. Most are hidden near crew areas and hold up to four bodies. If there’s an overflow (gulp), walk-in freezers get repurposed. It’s not creepy, it’s protocol. Cruise ships are floating cities, and cities, well, have to plan for everything. Even that.
Sanitation Failures Are More Common Than You’d Expect
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Toilet overflows are not rare. Vacuum systems clog easily, especially when passengers flush items like clothing or food waste. In extreme cases, power loss disables plumbing altogether, which leads to backed-up sewage, foul smells, and unusable bathrooms. The 2013 Carnival Triumph incident earned the nickname “Poop Cruise” for a reason.
Cruise Ships Legally Discharge Waste Into the Ocean
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One mid-sized cruise ship can release over 150,000 gallons of sewage in a single week. Some of it’s treated, some not so much. Even when it’s legal, it’s not exactly environmentally friendly. It’s a big reason marine biologists don’t love the cruise industry—and neither do fish.
Air Pollution on Ships Is Worse Than You Might Think
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Cruise ships run on heavy fuel oil, which emits dangerous levels of sulfur dioxide and particulate matter. One European report found emissions from cruise ships were thousands of times higher than from cars. Even onboard, air quality can be up to 20 times worse than city street levels.
Fires and Explosions Do Happen at Sea
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In 2022, one Carnival ship caught fire while docked, and let’s just say the sun wasn’t the only thing heating up that day. About once every six weeks, a cruise ship somewhere has a fire onboard. Most are minor, but “minor” and “middle of the ocean” don’t pair well. Electrical issues, kitchen accidents, and fuel mishaps are the usual suspects.
Mass Food Service Leads to High Illness Risk
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Feeding thousands from food stored for days creates sanitation challenges. Norovirus outbreaks are common and spread rapidly through shared dining areas. From 2008 to 2014, over 129,000 cruise passengers reported gastrointestinal illness.
Overboard Incidents Happen More Often Than Assumed
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Between 2009 and 2016, 150 people fell off cruise ships or ferries. Only about 25% were rescued. Sometimes it’s alcohol. Sometimes it’s foul play. Sometimes it’s just one wrong step. Either way, the ocean is huge, and finding someone in open water is heartbreakingly difficult.
Violent Crime Does Occur on Cruise Ships
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Just like on land, not everyone on a cruise is there for the shuffleboard. Since 2010, 70% of reported cruise ship crimes were sexual assaults. The tricky part? Ships often sail under foreign flags, meaning legal jurisdiction can get murky. If something happens, the nearest police department might be in another hemisphere.
Pirate Threats Have Shaped Real Cruise Policies
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Pirates still exist—and yes, cruise ships prepare for them. In 2017, one ship even went into full blackout mode every night for 10 days near East Africa. In 2005, pirates actually fired on a cruise ship. They didn’t get aboard, but the ship added water cannons and trained the crew in evasive maneuvers. Suddenly, those lifeboat drills feel a little more relevant.
Pest Infestations Do Occur, Even on High-End Ships
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Even luxury liners deal with infestations. Bedbugs hitch rides in luggage and quickly spread from cabin to cabin. Cockroaches and ants have been spotted in food prep areas. It’s not the image they show in the travel ads, but with thousands of guests cycling through weekly, pest control is a full-time job behind the scenes.
Cabin Privacy Can Be Limited and Inconsistent
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Most cabins aren’t soundproof, crew quarters are shared, and public areas are under constant surveillance. Some passengers report maintenance staff entering without knocking, and those inside-facing rooms? You might be sleeping across from someone else’s window.
Cruise Ships Accelerate the Spread of Contagious Disease
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Cruise ships are, basically, very fancy floating Petri dishes. When COVID hit in early 2020, the Diamond Princess outbreak showed just how fast things can spread at sea—over 700 passengers infected, quarantined in their cabins for weeks. Since then, the CDC has kept a close eye on ships. So yeah, maybe skip the communal hot tub.