As the whole world knows, on Sunday, Nov. 31 Oceania Cruises‘ 684-passenger Nautica was fired upon by pirates in the Gulf of Aden .  When officers spotted the small boat, Nautica increased speed and easily left the pirates in the dust — er, in the water.   From start to finish, the incident lasted five minutes, hardly a disruption in the voyage.

But this is the third time cruise ships have been approached by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden so the situation bears exploring.   First of all, cruise ships either repositioning (the Mediterranean to Asia) or on a world cruise cross the Suez Canal because the only alternative would be to sail around Africa, a continent loaded with very boring ports.    

 Cruise lines have a firm policy of never discussing security.  Those East Asian men checking you on and off the ship are typically Nepalese Ghurkas, considered to be the finest soldiers on earth.  You may spot an Israeli, also top notch.  Prior to 9/11, this was the extent of a cruise ship’s security force.   And while European warships patrol the gulf, the Somalis have been very successful at stoping ships and boarding them. 

According to the web site ShipTalk, there have been around 95 pirate attacks in 2008, with 40 freighters held for ransom. 

 By the way, when you think about Somali pirates trying to capture a cruise ship, do not envision Johnny Depp.  Somalia has no government, its population is starving, so some citizens try to make a living by capturing a ship — cargo or passenger, it doesn’t matter — to hold for ransom.   The pirates, who apparently feel misunderstood, recently agreed to be interviewed by the New York Times saying they only want food and money. 

Shiptalk reports that companies around the world are increasing private security firms to accompany vessels through this area.   Nick Davis, chief executive of the Anti-Piracy Maritime Security Solutions, says his company has 10 teams on board ship in the region.   According to Davis, when pirates approached a ship with his men aboard, they abandoned the vessel upon discovering that there were professionals aboard.    Personally I won’t be surprised if cruise ships start carrying weapons for self-defense when cruising in the Gulf of Aden.

Seabourn Cruises’ ships have been approached twice by pirates.  During the first incident in 2005, officers turned a Sonic Gun on the pirates.  Created by the U.S. Defense Depart, the device emits an hellishly loud sound that repels pirates.   While the government is sharing its technology I have no way of knowing which cruise lines use it.

So, should you be concerned enough to avoid cruising in this area of the world?  It wouldn’t stop me.   You see there’s a big difference between a freighter carry a crew of 10 who know how to tie ropes and a cruise ship with hundreds of staff, including the best soldiers in the world.