WATCH: What happens on a cruise ship in pirate territory?

Ever wondered what happens on board a cruise ship when it sails through pirate territory?

A travel content creator, @allcruising, recently shared a video on TikTok documenting an incident involving the Cunard Queen Anne as it navigated through waters infested with pirates near the Philippines.

“I’m so scared,” he expressed in the video, which has since garnered over 9.1 million views, despite the incident occurring in March 2025.

The video provides a glimpse into life aboard a cruise ship navigating unsafe waters.

A voice from the ship’s intercom can be heard delivering a reassuring message to the passengers on board:

“This area is known for piracy threats. 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 pm to 5 am, and no guests will be allowed access during these hours.

“During the hours of darkness, only essential deck lights will be on to minimise the ship’s external lighting. Please take care if you need to access the upper outside decks.

“We also request that you turn off your stateroom lights when not needed and close the curtains of your stateroom windows or balcony. In the unlikely event of an emergency, a broadcast will be made by the bridge,” the voice stated.

Commenting on the video, netizens shared their thoughts.

@alisaelder26 remarked, “Pirate ships are scary. We went past one on a Carnival Cruise going to the Caribbean.”

Another user, @niclucia6, added, “Everything I hear about cruises just makes me never want to go on one.”

@dunderbrain commented, “The way I’d be sitting in the dark watching out the window all night….”

Meanwhile, @smore.adventures reassured viewers, “Don’t worry. It’s super rare for a cruise ship to be targeted, and even if they did spot and target your ship, it is most likely equipped with a sonic deterrent device and other powerful measures to stop them.”

According to reports, while there have been a few encounters between cruise ships and pirates, potential passengers need not be concerned, as these incidents are quite unusual.