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Disney Cruise Line’s Sexual Assault Problem

Disney Cruise Line constructed its fame because the most secure, most household pleasant trip at sea. The information tells a special story. In line with U.S. Division of Transportation (DOT) cruise crime information collected below the Cruise Vessel Safety and Security Act (CVSSA), sexual assaults and rapes on Disney Cruises have exploded over the previous three years.

From 2019-2022, Disney had simply one-to-three incidents reported annually. These numbers surged to 19 in 2023, 21 in 2024 and a projected 22 in 2025 (primarily based on information from first 6 months of 2025). A graph showcasing this drastic enhance is under.

Disney Cruise Line Sexual Assault and Rape Incidents by 12 months

Reported sexual assaults have elevated seven fold beginning in 2023 in comparison with the earlier 4 years. Highlighting this surge, Disney had extra sexual assaults and rapes within the 4th quarter of 2024 (11), than within the 4 12 months interval from 2019-2022 mixed (10).

And the numbers solely worsen.

With simply 6 ships, Disney’s fleet measurement is a fraction of its opponents. Its passenger capability is lower than 25% of Royal Caribbean and Carnival. When normalized for fleet measurement, Disney reviews 75 sexual assaults or rapes per 100,000 passenger berths prior to now 12 months of accessible DOT cruise crime information (July 2024 – June 2025). That is the best per-capita price among the many main U.S. reporting cruise strains.

Reported Sexual Assaults & Rapes per 100,000 Passenger and Crew Berths (Jul 2024 – Jun 2025)

Cruise LineFleet CapacitySexual Assaults/RapesRate per 100,000 BerthsDisney30,8142375Carnival128,8003830Royal Caribbean157,0943220NCL83,4541316

Crime information from U.S. DOT CVSSA incident reviews; Fleet capability consists of passengers and crew; Fleet capability information from Cruise Market Watch and Cruise Fever; Charge per 100,000 calculated utilizing complete alleged sexual assaults & rapes ÷ fleet capability × 100,000

Disney Cruises’ per-capita sexual assault and rape price is sort of double the USA per-capita common of 41.4. In comparison with particular person states, Disney is second solely to the state of Alaska.

The precise variety of kids or proportion of sexual assault victims who’re minors on Disney ships is unknown as a result of cruise trade lobbying Congress to not disclose when minors are victims of intercourse crimes through the creation of the CVSSA of 2010. Nevertheless, cruise consultants agree, particularly on cruises like Disney that cater to households with youngsters, that sexual assault victims are sometimes kids and youngsters.

Cruise strains additionally lobbied Congress to not report crimes on ships which name on ports exterior of the U.S. or contain non-U.S. victims or assailants and to not report crimes such because the possession and transportation of kid sexual abuse materials. Moreover, not all crimes are reported to the FBI and subsequently to the DOT as we wrote final week.

This implies Disney Cruises’ sexual assault price is almost definitely increased and doesn’t embody predators like Tirso Anthony Neri, Amiel Joseph Trazo, and Alvin Gonzalez who had been arrested for the possession of kid exploitation supplies.

Disney Dream (higher left), Alvin Gonzalez (higher proper), Tirso Anthony Neri (decrease left), and Amiel Trazo (decrease proper).

Over my 24 years representing passengers and crew, many individuals have requested what cruise line would I like to recommend. I’ve routinely answered “a Disney Cruise,” for 3 causes. One Disney pays and treats its crew members higher than most different cruise strains. Two, Disney pollutes the air and water lower than perennial polluting cruise strains like Carnival. And three, Disney traditionally has had low charges of crime on its ships.

However in gentle of getting an extravagantly excessive sexual assault and rape price, which is increased than forty-nine out of fifty states within the U.S., I can’t in good religion suggest Disney Cruises to anybody.

Have a remark or query? Please go away one under or be a part of the dialogue on our Fb web page.

Picture credit score: Disney Dream – ajmexico from Melbourne, USA – CC BY 2.0 commons/wikimedia.


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Ryan

Ryan O'Neill is a maritime enthusiast and writer who has a passion for studying and writing about ships and the maritime industry in general. With a deep passion for the sea and all things nautical, Ryan has a plan to unite maritime professionals to share their knowledge and truly connect Sea 2 Shore.

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