Is there a jail on a cruise ship?
I bet you were wondering after the news of the “mass brawl” on a cruise ship in July 2019.
You’ll be glad to know that, yes, a cruise ship does actually have a prison.
In The Brig
Searching the good old internet, I discovered that the prison is more formally known as the brig – a small holding cell with little to no furnishings.
Depending on the Captain’s orders, a trip to the brig will either result in lockdown for the remainder of the cruise followed by a fine or arrest upon return.
Or the Captain may decide to simply leave the unruly passenger with the local authorities at the next port of call.
But don’t worry. The brig is only used if a cruiser’s actions pose a threat to other cruisers’ safety.
It’s hard to discover whether the man and woman who caused the disturbance on the P&O Britannia in July were kept in the brig or confined to cabin.
Yes, some tabloid newspapers said they were confined to cabin.
But the same tabloids called the Britannia cruise ship a “ferry” and appeared to exaggerate the story.
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Send Her Down!
Speaking of ferries, once I was on an overnight ferry and was awoken by shouting, screaming, and foul language.
After what seemed like a few hours it went quiet again.
In the morning, I asked at the desk.
“The woman was drunk and went wild. We had to put her in the cell until we could hand her over to the Dutch police on arrival. She won’t be allowed to return on our ship.”
I was shocked, then relieved, and thankful that they take these matters seriously.
Who Decides To Lock You Up?
Ultimately, the Captain has the first and last word of what happens if a passenger is arrested at sea.
Obviously, he’ll be answerable to his actions when he returns to land. So he’ll only lock someone up as last resort.
And the good news is…
That’s got to be a very good reason to choose a cruise!
Not only does the Captain “drive” the ship…
He’s also the jailer.
There’s no messing about with a cruise ship Captain!
Talk about being on a safe holiday.
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