ALERT: Sea Princess- Possible Pirate Threat Impacts Cruise from Sydney to Dubai (August 9, 2017)

August 9, 2017

Passengers aboard the Princess Cruises’ Sea Princess were asked to abide by a dusk-to-dawn blackout for 10 days due to possible pirate threats on the cruise line’s World Cruise.

According to the UK’s Telegraph:

Tourists on a luxury cruise were suddenly subject to a dusk-till-dawn blackout by the captain and ordered to go without the standard entertainment and trappings for ten days because of a “pirate threat”.

The 1,900 passengers aboard the Sea Princess for a 104-day world cruise departing from Sydney, were apparently stunned to learn that all curtains must be drawn and shutters closed as the vessel was turned into a “ghost ship”.

Passengers say the captain apologized for alarming everyone onboard but insisted that the threat was real and the ship “must be prepared for a pirate attack.”

According to the UK’s Independent:

The Sea Princess was on a 104 day journey when the Captain reportedly told his 1,900 passengers that a dusk-til-dawn shutdown would be imposed. Deck parties, outdoor bars and movies were all cancelled and curtains and shutters were drawn at night. The ships lights were also dimmed to avoid attracting attention.

All passengers were required to take part in a compulsory “pirate drill”, where they were told to return to their rooms so they could be counted by crew when an alarm sounded.

The measures were taken while the ship was sailing through the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal. The cruise was on the first leg of its journey from Sydney to Dubai.

Speaking to the Telegraph a spokesperson said: “Any measures aboard Sea Princess were simply taken out of an abundance of caution and not in response to a specific threat and are common to international ships sailing in the region.”

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