MIAMI, March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Cruise lines are more focused on making
a profit than protecting passengers, says a veteran maritime attorney,
who says vacationers must take steps to protect themselves from the
crimes and tragedies that could befall them at sea.

"More than 12 million people a year take cruises. What they don't know
is that the cruise lines only focus on their own bottom line, not on
keeping passengers safe," says Charles Lipcon, author of "Unsafe on the
High Seas -- Your Guide to a Safer Cruise".

"This book reveals all of the dirty secrets the cruise lines don't want
you to know about," says Lipcon, a leading expert in maritime law for
over 30 years.

Lipcon explains the cruise lines make a profit of over $1 billion per
year, but do not pay a dime of federal income tax due to the "flags of
convenience" they fly. He says because their vessels are not registered
in the United States, cruise lines can avoid being subject to U.S. labor
and tax laws.

According to Lipcon, out of the 206 crimes aboard cruise ships that were
actually reported from 2003 to 2006, 86 percent were sexual assaults.
Lipcon says children as young as 12 have been lured into the bowels of
the ship and sexually assaulted by crew members.

Lipcon advises passengers to stay in public areas, set rules for their
children, use all locks on the cabin door and only drink beverages they
have witnessed being prepared.

If passengers do become a victim of a cruise ship crime, Lipcon
recommends taking pictures of the crime scene and the victim, demand
that gloves and booties be worn by anyone entering the crime scene, and
to immediately contact the FBI.

Source: Charles R. Lipcon

  Unsafe on the High Seas - Your Guide to a Safer Cruise

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