Lights out, music off for cruise passengers to avert ‘pirate attack’

[Jason]

Passengers aboard a luxurious 104-day world cruise were ordered to go dark and remain silent at night for 10 days to thwart off possible “pirate threats,” news reports state.  

The Sea Princess took off from Sydney and as it approached and crossed the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal, it was turned into floating mass of darkness, according to The Telegraph. 

Curtains had to be drawn, no late-night evening strolls on the deck, no movies under the stars.

“No lights, no party atmosphere, no lapping up tropical breezes on their balconies,” passenger Carolyne Jasinski told The Telegraph. “All around the ship, as the sun set, all curtains were drawn and all shutters closed. Bright lights, which normally signal the presence of the Sea Princess on the ocean, were dimmed or turned off altogether.”

Jasinski said the captain alerted the 1,900 passengers apologizing for alarming them, but insisting they must be prepared for a possible pirate attack, The Telegraph stated. 

A spokesperson for the cruise line, who was not named, told The Telegraph: “Any measures aboard Sea Princess were simply taken out of an abundance caution and not in response to a specific threat and are common to international shipping sailing in the region.”

Operated by Princess Cruises, The National said, the Sea Princess is expected to finish its journey in September in Dubai.

By Sandra Nortunen, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

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[Shari2]

No fun for those nights, but better to be safe than sorry,

 

[WeCruiseToo]

In other articles I’ve read, the passengers were not disappointed or particularly concerned by this.  There was still plenty of entertainment inside the ship and everyone enjoyed their cruise.