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Industry sets new policy on allegations
Cruise trade group announces 'zero tolerance' for crimeJuly 27, 1999 (CNN) -- Following recent reports of alleged sexual assaults and other security problems aboard cruise ships, the 16 member-companies of the International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL) trade association have announced new guidelines for reporting allegations of crime at sea. In an open letter dated Friday and released Tuesday, the four senior executives of the ICCL back up the new policy with a pledge of "zero tolerance for crimes committed on our vessels." The CEOs of Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess and Crystal cruise lines signed the letter, which says, in part, "If crimes do occur, the appropriate law enforcement authorities will be called in to investigate and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law." Pressure to reportThe announcement of a tougher policy -- adopted at a Friday membership meeting of ICCL in Washington -- comes as members of the United States Congress raise questions about shipboard security and compliance with environmental regulations. The stated intent of the industry move is to establish what ICCL officials say is the first uniform standard requiring that all reports of crime at sea be passed on to the FBI for any ship that makes calls in U.S. seaports and for any incident involving a U.S. citizen. The ICCL says its companies operate 87 ships, carrying more than five million passengers annually and accounting for some 90 percent of the North American cruise-line industry. But ships are normally registered outside the U.S. Until now, most cruise companies have left it to individuals to report any allegations of crime they wanted to make. There have been complaints that some ships' staffs discouraged such reporting. Concern was raised earlier this month when Carnival Cruise Lines, the world's largest, acknowledged that in the five years up to last August crew members were accused of sexual assault 62 times. The public disclosure resulted from a lawsuit by a registered nurse who says she was raped last summer by a fellow crew member. Carnival attorney Curtis Mase said the figures show staff members were accused of rape, sodomy and molestation. But Mase said the instances of such allegations at sea are far less frequent than they are in normal life. Carnival carried 6.5 million passengers and 14,000 crew members during the five-year period in question. Nevertheless, the number of allegations surprised many, and some observers say the cruise industry could suffer if would-be vacationers begin to see the ships as unsafe. "We're trying to be more aggressive," says Bridget Serchak, director of communications for the ICCL. Environmental regulationsThe cruise industry also faces questions about environmental issues. On July 21, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno announced the government is charging Royal Caribbean $18 million for dumping oil and hazardous chemicals into the ocean and lying to the U.S. Coast Guard. That was its second such violation in just over a year. In guilty pleas filed in six cities, Royal Caribbean admitted that its fleet routinely dumped waste oil in U.S. waters. The company also admitted to dumping hazardous chemicals in U.S. harbors and coastal areas. Cynthia Colenda, ICCL president, tells the New York Times that the cruise industry is regulated by the International Maritime Organization -- affiliated with the United Nations -- as well as by countries in which the ships are flagged and by the U.S. Coast Guard. "It's not accurate that we are not regulated by anyone," Colenda tells the Times. "This industry is very highly regulated."
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