Passengers Told to Hide in Cabins as Cruise Ship Faced Pirate Threats

It sounded like something out of a Hollywood movie — but for passengers aboard Cunard's Queen Anne, the piracy warning was very real. While sailing from Darwin, Australia, to Manila in the Philippines, the luxury liner asked guests to dim lights, close curtains, and brace for a heightened security alert while passing through a notorious piracy zone.

Pirate Precautions Announced Over Intercom

In a now-viral TikTok video posted by user @lillydapink, passengers could hear a ship-wide announcement warning that they were sailing through "an area known for piracy threats." Crew instructed guests to turn off their cabin lights and keep curtains drawn. "Only essential open deck lights will be on to reduce the ship's external lighting," a crew member announced.

Passenger Lilly McGinley told Fox News Digital, "All the outside lights on open decks were turned off ... The curtains and blinds were also closed to keep the ship as dark as possible."

Cruise Ship Goes Dark, but Guests Stay Calm

In addition to the blackout, decks were closed to prevent passengers from being outside during the night. Some guests reportedly grabbed binoculars to scan the horizon for pirate ships. Others responded with humor online. "The way I would crawl and hide under the bed," one user joked on TikTok according to Fox News.

McGinley later shared on TODAY that the ship's security team did "an amazing job" and said she felt "completely, completely safe." The ship is equipped with security measures including water cannons and Long-Range Acoustic Devices, also known as sonic cannons, which emit high-pitched sound to repel potential threats.

Why Was This Cruise Sailing in Pirate Waters?

The Queen Anne is currently on a 111-night maiden world voyage that began in January in Hamburg, Germany. The leg through the Sulu-Celebes Sea—a region with a history of kidnappings by the Abu Sayyaf militant group—is one of the few places still flagged for piracy risk.

Stewart Chiron, a cruise industry expert, told Fox News Digital, "It's rare for cruise ships to traverse pirate-infested areas and wouldn’t do so if unsafe. Over the years, cruise ships have avoided these areas or sailed along with military escorts."

According to Cruise Critic, about 46.9% of modern pirate attacks occur in East Asia and the Pacific, with 21.2% in sub-Saharan Africa.

How Cruise Ships Keep Passengers Safe in Pirate Zones

Cruise ships sailing through high-risk areas are equipped with serious security tools and protocols to keep guests safe. These include blackout procedures, closed decks at night, and onboard pirate drills to prepare passengers in case of emergency. Behind the scenes, advanced surveillance systems — like night vision cameras and thermal imaging — monitor for threats, while some ships carry armed guards or travel with naval escorts.

For defense, ships may use Long-Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs) to blast high-frequency sound at approaching vessels, and powerful water cannons like the Nemesis 5000 to create a physical barrier. Razor wire along railings and 24/7 security watches add another layer of protection. While the idea of pirates may sound alarming, the cruise industry is well-practiced in keeping potential danger at bay.

A Scene From a Thriller — But No Real Threat

Cunard responded in a statement to NBC News, saying, "There was no specific threat to the ship or its guests, and our onboard experience remained uninterrupted," TODAY reported.

Cruise Critic editor Chris Gray Faust said on TODAY that while the announcement may have sounded alarming, it was a standard maritime safety measure: "Keep in mind that pirates are not looking, generally, to harm people … They are looking for financial gain."

Still, it's not something most cruise-goers expect to hear at sea. Even on a luxury voyage, the shadow of real-world threats can dim the glow of the open ocean.

References: Cruise ship fearing pirates warns passengers to turn off all lights in cabin | Cruise passengers told to turn off bedroom lights and stay alert as they pass through waters known for piracy | Queen Anne cruise ship issues warning to passengers due to heightened risk of pirates | Do pirates attack cruise ships? How cruise lines protect passengers