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Safety Onboard
There are a large number of rules and regulations for passenger and crew safety onboard your cruise ship. Regular inspections of ships are carried out by the ship's country of registration and current operation to ensure they comply with the emergency-response procedures. Ships are built and operate under international rules known as Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) that require ships to have lifeboats and lifebelts for all passengers and crew and on most cases smoke detectors, sprinklers and low-level emergency lighting for escape routes. Within 24 hours of sailing, you will be asked to participate in a safety drill that will involve wearing your assigned life jacket and going to your assigned lifeboat.

Security
Security procedures on all ships have been increased in recent years. The International Ship and Port Facility Code (ISPS) sets out new international rules that require all ships and ports to have both security officers and security plans. These are set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), part of the United Nations charged with the regulation of maritime transport and commerce. Similar rules are legislated in the UK, US and Europe.

Security Onboard

• All ships must display an identification number visible from the air and by satellite.
• Cruise lines are now required to report names of passengers before each cruise.
• Passengers and crew are provided with boarding cards (often computer readable) and must provide photographic identification when boarding and re-boarding the ship - this may mean you have to take your passport or photo driving licence ashore with you as well as your boarding card.
• However on some ships your photograph is taken at the start of the cruise and stored on computer to recognise you each time you board with your boarding card.
• On boarding or re-boarding your bags will be checked and x-rayed.
• Your cabin door will have a lock and key - in most cases this will be an encoded plastic card.
• Many ships now provide a personal safe in your cabin to store your passports, credit cards and other valuables. Check Cabin Details on our Ship pages to see if they are provided on your ship.
• If there are no cabin safes then there probably will be safety deposit boxes at the ship's Reception or Purser's Office.

Security in Port
Every port has been required to upgrade its security procedures, improving surveillance and security of the port area. This inceased level of security will mean that documents and bags may be checked both by the port authority and the ship before re-boarding.