By New York Post (World News) | Created at 2025-03-21 01:55:11 | Updated at 2025-03-28 01:00:05
6 days ago
The ship must go on.
Passengers on board a Cunard Cruise Line ship received an ominous warning last week as the luxury ocean liner navigated pirate-prone waters in Southeast Asia during its 111-night maiden world voyage.
The unexpected announcement alerted travelers aboard the Queen Anne that heightened security measures would be implemented as the 1,060-foot-long vessel crossed the Sulu and Celebes seas – a passageway with a long history of piracy and maritime crime, according to footage shared on TikTok.
Fares for Cunard’s first-ever world voyage started at $16,379 per person, according to Cruise Critic.
Passengers were ordered via a loudspeaker to turn off all cabin lights, shut their curtains and stateroom doors and avoid open decks or external windows as the ship traversed the western Pacific Ocean to the Philippines, according to the March 13 video, which has amassed nearly 9 million views.
“This area is known for piracy threats,” Capt. Inger Klein said in her startling announcement.
“Therefore we will be operating at a heightened level of security alertness during this period. The external promenade deck will be closed on both sides from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. overnight between the night of 14th and 15th of March. And no guests will be allowed access during these times for the duration of the transit.”
The ship’s external lighting was also dimmed to allow the cruise liner to travel safely overnight, with pressurized fire hoses installed on the promenade to thwart potential attackers.
The body of water surrounding Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines was once described as a “hotbed for crime, piracy, and terrorism” by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism. The last known abduction was reported in 2020.
“I would like to emphasize that the safety and security of the ship, all guests and crew onboard is my highest priority,” the captain continued, according to the video.
“I assure you that measures to prevent any unlikely incident have been well planned and the likelihood of this happening on a big ship like Queen Anne is absolutely minimal.”
A follow-up video showed curious cruisers and personnel using binoculars to look out at the open blue sea just before arriving safely in Manila, Philippines, on Sunday.
Commenters on social media reacted to the alarming warning, with some shocked by the warning and others stating a high-end cruise carrying wealthy passengers would be a “jackpot” for pirates.
“Some of yall need to watch Captain Phillips,” one person remarked on TikTok.
“You won’t be meeting Captain Jack Sparrow out there.”
“You could not sell this kind of holiday to me just doesn’t sound fun at all,” another TikToker commented.
“Imagine paying top dollar for a luxury cruise, only to be told to turn off the lights and hide like a zombie apocalypse drill!” one critic wrote on Facebook Thursday.
“Cunard’s Queen Anne was sailing from Australia to the Philippines through pirate-infested waters, reminding everyone that the real-life swashbucklers still exist. Would you still book the trip, or is this a hard pass?”
A spokesperson for the ritzy ocean liner confirmed there was no threat to the ship or its guests.
“As part of standard maritime procedures, our Captains may make precautionary announcements when sailing through certain regions,” the rep told Business Insider.
“There was no specific threat to the ship or its guests, and our onboard experience remained uninterrupted.”
The Queen Anne, which can hold more than 3,350 passengers, set sail on its 111-night voyage from Hamburg, Germany, on Jan. 7, making stops in England, New York, Hawaii, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, China and more, according to CruiseMapper.
The ship will return to Hamburg on April 29 following planned stops in Vietnam, South Africa, Singapore, Malaysia and England.
Cunard Cruise Line did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
