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Ryan Pardue

May 2, 2023

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Cruise Ship Crime

 

Taking a cruise is a fun and relaxing experience that the whole family can enjoy, but no one expects to fall victim to a crime. 13 million people world wide ride on a cruise ship as of 2021 (Grucela). The cruise industry made an estimated 18 billion dollars in 2022 alone and is projected to make 30 billion dollars in 2024 (Grucela). Although they seem safe, a vast variety of crimes are committed aboard these ships. The crimes committed range for physical and sexual assault to thefts and to drug smuggling (Peyroux). These crimes are heavily underreported due to a multitude of reasons, including the cruise companies covering them up to save face (Peyroux). The best way to crack down on these crimes is to have stronger enforcement of the laws and better preemptive measures put in place in the event of a crime.

Back in 2010 the United States government sloppily and hastily put in place a set of acts called the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act or (CVSSA) in order to hopefully put a stop to crimes aboard cruise ships (Peyroux). The acts failed for many reasons, including a complete lack of effort by the government; “These events underscore the importance of the CVSSA and why it is imperative that each portion of the bill is implemented or amended to achieve Congress's intent and to the fullest extent” (Peyroux). These acts very well could have been successful if not for government nonsense watering them down and never fully implementing them. The proposed additions of surveillance cameras to catch crimes, as well as Long-Range Acoustic Device or (LRAD) to combat piracy and terrorism, could save many people's lives. The most effective approach to fighting this epidemic is to fully commit to stopping it. You cannot make half measures when it comes to people's safety, especially when it comes to the safety of 13 million people. If there are more provisions that can be implemented to protect people then they should be implemented to the fullest extent. We should put in place laws better than the CVSSA and hold the cruise ships accountable for any crimes committed upon them. Dr. Ross A. Klein agrees that immediate actions should be taken to improve safety aboard these ships.

One way to properly enforce the law on the high-seas is to “require ship owners to register only with maritime powers that are prepared to supervise their ships around the world” (Harotounian 5). With our current system in place, many of the crimes committed on these ships are unenforceable because underdeveloped nations are put in charge of the cases. Maritime law subjugates the ship to the laws of the country whose flag they fly. This leads to complications because developing countries are unable to regulate their ships. This proposed idea would greatly help out the victims of a crime seek justice. A temporary solution to put in place before fully implementing that is that the “United States should amend the current statutory regime so that a cruise ship that either embarks or disembarks passengers in any U.S. port must be U.S. flagged,” (Harotounian 5-6). This would have similar effects to fully implementing it but would be much easier and simpler to implement. The United States is a very qualified country to be put in charge of this task. If introduced, many more crimes on the seas would be reported and properly enforced. Some people say that this idea would lead to conflict between countries, however these fears are outlandish and based entirely on one's opinion.

Another solution is to raise workers wages. Low worker wages inevitably leads to drug smuggling: “According to the Baltimore Sun, the latest drug deal involved three Royal Caribbean crew members – 35-year-old Gavin Excell and 27-year-olds John Swart Garth and Kishurn Neptune – who picked up heroin and cocaine in the Dominican Republic during a stop of the Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas. Law enforcement arrested them after they delivered the drugs to a Walmart after the cruise ship reached Baltimore. The crew members are identified as working in the galley of the cruise ship” (Walker). One solution to this situation is to run better background checks on the crew and to pay them more money. The cruise industry makes at least 18 billion dollars per year so they have far more than enough money to properly pay their workers. Many of the workers on these ships are underpaid overworked immigrant workers who desperately need money. We need better enforcement of labor laws on board these ships. These workers are being paid far less than the legal minimum wage. These cruise ship companies regularly skirt labor laws in order to “pay their workers as little as $2.27 per hour,” (Harotounian 10). The best solution is to get rid of drug smuggling by getting rid of the incentive by paying the workers a livable wage.

Another solution is to address the issue of pirates on the seas is one that cruise ships have to deal with. These pirates raid the cruise ships, often armed with highly dangerous weapons, putting the lives of the crew and the passengers in grave danger. The cruise companies, however, do not wish to keep the ship guarded by armed troops so another deterrent needs to be put in place. What some ships have started doing is installing a LRAD. This device can “emit painfully loud sound frequencies that are concentrated in a narrow beam and easily direct them at a target, not unlike using a spotlight” (Greig 1). This device effectively deters pirates from approaching ships while not employing lethal force or having the ship covered with troops with weapons. The LRAD system is not perfect however. It can “be rendered harmless by simply wearing hearing protection” (Greig 1). Even though it can be easily made redundant, it is a massive stepping stone towards a foolproof solution to piracy on the high seas. This device needs to be implemented onto every cruise ship in order to help put an end to the major issue of pirates.

By far, the most effective solution to all of these problems would be to fully and properly implement a set of acts like the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act but to actually try and care about the passengers and the crew. If the lawmakers really did care about safety then the CVSSA would have been an instrumental help in stopping cruise ship crime. The CVSSA had many proposed solutions to every possible crime on open waters, however many of these were never fully implemented or even implemented at all. The best solution would be to add all of these proposed solutions. If executed properly the threat of crime aboard cruise ships would likely become a problem of the past.

 

Word count: 1134

 

 

 

 

 

 

Albert Camus

 

Albert Camus was a French philosopher and author who was prominent in the mid-20th century and his work paved the way for many new writers even to this day. He grew up in a troubled household. His family was very poor, and his father died when he was young. He then grew up to be a firm believer in absurdism. Being an existentialist, he believed that our lives were insignificant. He thought that everything we do does not matter in the grand scheme of things. He would find that crimes that have happened on cruise ships are pointless.

Albert Camus’ philosophy was based on the idea of the absurd. Camus believed that “our lives are meaningless and will remain so” (Hendricks). He believed that everything we humans do is meaningless and that there is no logic to anything humans do. Nonetheless, he never considered suicide as a viable option. “He concludes that suicide is of little use to us, as there can be no more meaning in death than in life” (Hendricks). Any rash or bold decision would be considered absurd to him. He would therefore think that crime aboard cruise ships does not have a deep reason behind it. He would think that humans commit crimes to give meaning to the meaningless.

Camus would be disapproving of how these criminals are spending their time on earth. In his 1951 book The Rebel, Camus wrote “We all carry within us places of exile, our crimes, our ravages. Our task is not to unleash them on the world; it is to transform them in ourselves and others” (Camus 8). If he could talk to these criminals he would tell them that they are not spending their time the best that they can. They should spend their time trying to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. Camus understood that our time here was short and insignificant. Despite this he enjoyed many things in life and did not let the meaningless of it all weigh him down. He knew that if life was meaningless, then why should people spend it hurting others?

Camus would not approve of how these crimes are handled by those in charge. In his 1956 novel The Fall, Camus says “How many crimes have been committed for no other reason than that the perpetrator could not bear being in the wrong!” (Camus 8). He would think that the cruise ship companies commit the crime of perjury because they are afraid of being recognized as unsafe. A vast majority of crimes aboard cruise ships are never reported “Last year the cruise lines reported only 78 crimes on cruise ships. However, pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, the news station located reports of more than 300 crimes on just cruise ships leaving from Florida ports” (Walker). These companies likely find that the number of crimes committed are entirely pointless compared to the number of guests on their decks. Another reason the companies wouldn't care is because the guests have already paid for tickets.Camus would think that these crimes were committed in order to save face for the cruise ship. He would be in disagreement with the companies over whether committing crimes is worth it to make as much money as possible.

In order to cut costs, many cruise companies drastically underpay their workers. These cruises “pay their workers as little as $2.27 per hour,” (Harotounian 10). The lack of livable wages leads to drug smuggling “According to the Baltimore Sun, the latest drug deal involved three Royal Caribbean crew members – 35-year-old Gavin Excell and 27-year-olds John Swart Garth and Kishurn Neptune – who picked up heroin and cocaine in the Dominican Republic during a stop of the Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas. Law enforcement arrested them after they delivered the drugs to a Walmart after the cruise ship reached Baltimore. The crew members are identified as working in the galley of the cruise ship” (Walker). Camus would have had sympathy for these unpaid workers. He saw similar living standards from his time he spent during world war II. He wrote articles about the peasants who lived in Kabylie and the horrible conditions that they lived in (“Albert Camus”). He would still not approve of the way that these workers are getting money however. Camus understood that drugs are meaningless substances that harm people. His wife Simone Hie was addicted to the opiate, morphine. He would think that no matter how poor you are, it is not worth it to directly harm another person.

Many murders that are committed on a cruise are committed by someone close to the victim and normally occur after an argument has escalated (Teace). These murders are not premeditated and are committed in the heat of the moment. The actions are then furthered by the promotion of alcohol and open bars on cruise ships. “Binge drinking increases the likelihood of both becoming aggressive or angry and also being on the receiving end of someone else's temper” (“Alcohol and Aggression”). One famous Camus quote is that of “There are crimes of passion and crimes of logic. The boundary between them is not clearly defined.” (Camus). Camus would think that these murders are completely illogical and absurd. He would lean towards the idea that these were crimes of passion due to the prolonged period of interaction between the victim and criminal. He would think that an argument is an absurd reason to reach the point of murder and that little to no logic was being used. In turn he would have found the murders pointless.

Albert Camus had very unique philosophies that we can still find meaning from today. Even though he would not find any deep meaning behind cruise ship crimes, he would still heavily disapprove of them. If he was still alive today, and his writings were recently posted, they would reach a much wider audience. These writings would help garner support in order to change the laws and make cruises a safer place for all to enjoy.

 

Word count: 1010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

 

T "Albert Camus." New World Encyclopedia, . 11 May 2021, 01:15 UTC. 25 Apr 2023, 02:24 <https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Albert_Camus&oldid=1052490>.

 

T “Alcohol and aggression.” 27 Sept. 2022, https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/mental-health/alcohol-and-aggression#:~:text=Experts%20believe%20the%20reason%20some,way%20alcohol%20affects%20the%20brain.&text=Binge%20drinking%20increases%20the%20likelihood,end%20of%20someone%20else's%20temper.

 

P Camus Albert and Justin O'Brien. The Fall. First American ed. Alfred A. Knopf 1957.

 

P Camus Albert 1913-1960. The Rebel; an Essay on Man in Revolt. Albert Camus. 19561951.

 

P Greig, David. The Long Range Acoustic Device: pirate deterrent, crowd controller or soft drink seller? New Atlas, 10 Apr. 2009, https://newatlas.com/lrad-long-range-acoustic-device/11433/

 

T Grucela, Adam. “Cruise Industry: 100+ Statistics, Facts, and Trends [2023].” 25 Jan. 2023, https://passport-photo.online/blog/cruise-industry-statistics/#:~:text=The%20cruise%20industry%20made%20%2418,industry%20supports%20over%201M%20jobs.

 

S Harotounian, Eda. Note, “Cruise Ship and Crime: How to Better Protect United States’ Citizens Who Are Victims of Crime on the High Seas.” 54 Loy. L.A. L. Rev. 959 (2021) https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3112&context=llr.

 

S Hendricks, Scotty. “Albert Camus on Suicide, Absurdity, and the Meaning of Life.” Big Think, 20 Mar. 2023, https://bigthink.com/personal-growth/the-meaning-of-life-albert-camus-on-faith-suicide-and-absurdity/#:~:text=Our%20lives%20are%20meaningless%20and%20will%20remain%20so.&text=He%20explains%20that%20to%20understand,be%20solved%20like%20any%20other.

 

S Peyroux, Tiffany L. "The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010 flounders on its maiden voyage." Loyola Maritime Law Journal, vol. 13, spring 2014, pp. 74+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A427961400/AONE?u=odl_tcc&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=3b7d4304.

 

T Teace, Emma. “Cruise Ship Deaths – Annual Statistics, Causes and Real Examples.” Emma Cruises, https://emmacruises.com/die-on-cruise-ships/#:~:text=Although%20cruise%20ship%20murders%20are,a%20previous%20history%20of%20abuse.

 

P Walker, Jim. “Cruise Crime: Three Crew Drug Arrests and a Closed Passenger Overboard Investigation.” Cruise Law News, 29 Dec. 2010, https://www.cruiselawnews.com/2010/12/articles/crime/cruise-crime-three-crew-drug-arrests-and-a-closed-passenger-overboard-investigation/.

 

P Walker, Jim. “Cruise Crime Cover Up: Cruise Lines Report Only Small Fraction of Crimes to the Public.” Cruise Law News, 27 Feb. 2014, https://www.cruiselawnews.com/2014/02/articles/sexual-assault/cruise-crime-cover-up-cruise-lines-report-only-small-fraction-of-crimes-to-the-public/

 

 

 

Reflective Essay

 

Throughout this semester, I have acquired many new skills that will help me in the future. Mainly, I have learned how to write argumentative essays as well as rhetorical analysis essays. I have learned how to properly make use of sources and how to find credible sources. I learned how to pick a side in an argument and analyze an author's writings. All in all, this class was a very worthwhile one to take.

Thanks to the first essay, I learned how to properly utilize sources. Before this class, I was not sure how sources were meant to be used. Once I looked at the lectures and sample essays, however, they started to make a lot more sense. When I submitted the essay the first time the quotes were still a bit messed up. After I revised it I was much happier with how I used the quotes to persuade the audience.

The argument essay also helped me to learn more about finding credible sources. Before this class, I would use almost any source I came across, regardless of its credibility. I quickly figured out that this strategy would be of no use in this class. I learned how to make effective use of the online TCC Library database to find credible sources. The online handout for distinguishing between the different types of sources was also extremely helpful for me. Without that handout, I likely would have used many more tertiary sources than I would have liked to.

The first essay helped me to learn how to better take a side in an argument. Before this class, I liked to stay more neutral in my essays, even argumentative ones. The lecture videos, as well as the guideline paper helped me to understand the importance of being opinionated. My essays have gotten significantly better since taking this class. I am no longer making the simple mistake of staying neutral.

Thanks to the rhetorical analysis essay, I learned what it means to actually analyze one's rhetoric. Before, I was unsure of what rhetoric was or how to even analyze it. Thanks to the guidelines, lecture videos, and the sample essays, however, I quickly picked up on the idea of rhetorical analysis. I used to find rhetorical analysis scary, but now I know that it is not as difficult as I was making it out to be.

I believe that this class was extremely helpful for advancing my English skills to the next level required by colleges. The weekly quizzes and readings were very helpful in broadening my understanding of the absurd. I have a much deeper appreciation for absurd works now thanks to this class. They are not my favorite genre of novels, but I will likely start to read them from time to time. I enjoy the fact that they require more critical thinking to fully understand what the author was trying to convey to us. I enjoyed the fact that there were no major tests on top of all of the essays and readings we did. I did not feel like there was any busy work for me to do. This was far different than any English class I have taken before now. I did not feel like my time and energy were being wasted on a pointless assignment designed to keep me distracted. The class did not feel overwhelming at all, which I really appreciated. If I was given the opportunity to take this class again, I definitely would.