Cruise ships move millions of people around the world every year. Even with so many cruisers taking worry-free vacations each year, incidents at sea quickly become sensational headlines.
This can make isolated incidents feel common, but the best way to judge safety is to look at transparent data, the regulatory framework behind modern ships, and practical traveler behavior.
When you start to dig into the statistics, it’s clear to see that cruising is a very safe way to travel.
In fact, Forbes reported, “The odds of dying on a cruise ship are roughly 1 in 6.25 million. While any fatality is one too many, recent data confirms that cruising is still one of the safest forms of recreation and travel.”
Let’s dig into some of the supporting data for cruise ship safety and why you shouldn’t be worried about setting sail.
Crime rates are very low on cruise ships
Under the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA), cruise lines calling at U.S. ports must report certain serious alleged crimes to the FBI. DOT publishes the tallies quarterly, so data is readily available to the public.
In Q1 + Q2 2025, there were 91 reported incidents industry-wide. Across the same six months, roughly ~18.85 million passengers cruised globally. Let’s add a conservative 0.25–0.30 million crew onboard as well, and you get around 19.1 million people at sea.
That works out to ~0.48 incidents per 100,000 people.
This is an exceptionally low rate for serious alleged offenses at sea. In 2025, there have also been no reports of suspicious deaths, homicides, or kidnappings.
With millions of people cruising each year, the numbers are pretty clear that the odds of something happening are extremely low.
Operational incidents keep falling as the industry grows
A CLIA-commissioned analysis by maritime consultancy G.P. Wild reviewed 2009–2019 and found that even as global fleet capacity grew 68.1% across the industry, significant operational incidents (fires, power failures/technical breakdowns, groundings, collisions, storm damage, sinkings) trended downward.
In 2019, there were only 13 significant incidents reported and no passenger or crew fatalities. Minor operational incidents also declined to the lowest levels in 2019. Even as the cruise industry has continued to grow, operational incidents are declining with increased safety measures and improved technology.
The same report also shows man-overboard (MOB) risk trending down: 0.00004 overboard reports per active lower berth in 2019. This is roughly 64% of the 2009 rate, which is a huge decline.
Across 2009–2019, 212 overboard incidents were identified, and 28.2% resulted in successful rescues. The report states, “In discussions with cruise line representatives, they indicated that in every case where the cause of the MOB was established following a careful investigation, it was found to be the result of an intentional or reckless act.”
Health and sanitation onboard
Cruise ships calling at U.S. ports undergo twice-yearly unannounced inspections by CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP). In addition, cruise ships must also adhere to public health inspections around the world, not just U.S. policies.
Health scores range 0–100 for cruise ships, with scores of 86+ being satisfactory. Since 1990, only about 1% of cruise ships have scored below 86 on VSP inspections. The long-term average rating is ~95.76, and the recent 24-month average is ~95.95. Not to mention, post-pandemic practices have improved public health on cruise ships.
Cruise ships take health and safety very seriously, as illnesses can spread due to close living quarters.
VSP also posts GI outbreaks only when cases reach ≥3% of passengers or crew, which is a high bar. CLIA has also summarized multi-decade inspection results and notes that GI illnesses on cruise ships are rare.
“Occurrences of gastrointestinal illness (GI) illnesses are rare on cruise ships (1 in 5,500 chance) compared to other settings (1 in 15 on land). According to information on the CDC website, the most common settings for GI are healthcare facilities, followed by restaurants or catered events, schools, [and] daycares.”
“By comparison, spread in cruise ship settings is far less common (only 1% of all cases), but CDC requires it be reported,” states CLIA.
In addition, cruise ships must have onboard medical facilities and meet guidelines from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). Cruise ship medical facilities are like emergency rooms at sea with highly-trained doctors and nurses to handle a variety of emergencies.
The medical facility on a cruise ship is staffed 24/7 and equipped to handle labs, monitoring, and isolation capacity. For most, the readily available medical care is more convenient than they’d have at home.
Catastrophic events are rare because of technology and ship design
Modern cruise ships are engineered to prevent catastrophic events. A ship’s hull is divided by watertight bulkheads and remotely controlled doors. This means if one area floods on the ship, the water stays contained while damage-control teams go to work.
Stability is built with wide beams, low centers of gravity, active stabilizer fins, and computerized ballast systems that keep the ship upright and comfortable. This is meant to keep the ship stable, even in rougher conditions during storms.
Cruise ships also stay safe with redundant critical systems. Ships carry multiple engines and generators in separate compartments, independent steering and navigation backups, and an emergency generator that can power essential functions if the main plant goes offline.
Since 2010, “Safe Return to Port” rules require many passenger ships to keep core capabilities (power, fire main, communications, navigation, accommodation support) after certain casualties so they can sail to a port instead of evacuating at sea.
Cruise ships are also divided into fire zones with self-closing fire doors and thousands of smoke and heat detectors. In addition, cruise ships are built with extensive water-mist/sprinkler networks, fixed CO₂/foam systems in machinery spaces, and dedicated firefighting teams that drill constantly.
On the bridge, modern radar, ECDIS (electronic charts), AIS, and weather-routing tools help officers avoid hazards long before they’re a threat. Bridge resource management procedures ensure multiple trained eyes are cross-checking each decision.
Finally, even if the worst were to happen, lifesaving capacity is designed without compromise. Cruise ships carry lifeboats and additional life rafts for everyone onboard, with launching systems tested to work under a list, and muster drills before (or immediately upon) departure ensure guests know exactly where to go.
Between compartmentalization, redundancy, detection/suppression, and trained crews, truly catastrophic outcomes are exceptionally rare in modern cruising.
Can cruise ships tip over?
It’s highly unlikely that a cruise ship would fully capsize.
Cruise ships are designed with wide beams and low centers of gravity. Every cruise ship must demonstrate acceptable stability over large heel angles per international rules.
Classification societies and regulators continuously study and refine passenger-ship stability (e.g., European Maritime Safety Agency recommendations and class-society guidance).
In practice, ships can roll or “heel” in stormy weather or during sharp maneuvers, but design margins and operational limits make tipping over extremely rare in normal service.
Can cruise ships sink?
It’s the nightmare scenario most people imagine, but you should know it’s extremely, exceptionally rare.
Modern cruise ships are built with watertight compartments to contain flooding, redundant safety systems for power and navigation, and damage stability standards that allow the ship to remain afloat even with multiple compartments compromised.
After the Costa Concordia disaster in 2012, regulators strengthened requirements even further. For example, musters (emergency drills) now take place before or immediately after departure.
How many cruise ships have sunk?
In the modern era, very few cruise ships have actually sunk. Industry trackers count around two dozen ocean-going passenger ships lost in the last century, but only a handful in recent decades, without loss of life.
- MTS Oceanos (1991): Flooded off South Africa due to mechanical failures. All 571 people aboard were rescued by helicopter before the ship went down.
- MS Sea Diamond (2007): Hit a reef near Santorini, Greece, and sank overnight. Two passengers were lost, the rest evacuated.
- MV Explorer (2007): Struck ice in Antarctic waters and slowly sank. All 154 people on board were evacuated safely.
- Costa Concordia (2012): Grounded on a reef off Italy, partially sank, and capsized. Thirty-two lives were lost; the ship was later refloated and scrapped.
These incidents are exceptional against the backdrop of tens of millions of passengers cruising safely each year. Thanks to modern ship design, strict international regulations, and advanced safety technology, complete sinkings are exceedingly rare today.
How many cruise ships sink each year?
The short answer: essentially none in most years.
In the modern era, full cruise ship sinkings are extremely rare. Industry records show only a handful in the last 30 years: MTS Oceanos (1991), MS Sea Diamond (2007), MV Explorer (2007), Costa Concordia (2012).
That’s four cases in more than three decades, meaning the annual average is effectively close to zero. Most years see no cruise ship sinkings at all.
Instead, modern incidents usually involve mechanical failures, storm encounters, or power loss, where the ship is disabled but remains afloat. Thanks to strict international regulations, advanced ship design, and the “Safe Return to Port” rules, the chance of a cruise ship sinking in any given year is extraordinarily small.
