Safety and security

Health and safety on board

Feeling unwell prior to joining your cruise

If you feel unwell within 72 hours of the departure of your voyage and feel you are unable to travel as intended, please speak to your travel agent or call our Customer Contact Centre for advice.

In light of the changing picture of public health best practice on cruise ships, we are modifying our processes. New signage placed on check-in counters in the terminal will advise all guests to notify a member of check-in staff if they have experienced fever, diarrhoea or vomiting within the 72 hour period prior to boarding the ship. Handling this information sensitively and respecting guest privacy, our on board medical team will be consulted to discuss the best course of action.

General emergency signals and procedures

All guests must watch the in-stateroom safety video and report to their assigned on board muster station after embarkation. On arrival your voyage card will be scanned electronically to record attendance, therefore please ensure you carry your voyage card with you. This applies to all members of your party, including children.

The general emergency signal is used to call passengers to their muster station, which is an area of the ship designated as an official assembly point, in the event of an emergency. Your muster station is shown on the safety notice on the back of your stateroom door. The general emergency signal consists of seven or more short rings followed by one long ring on the ship’s alarms. It is accompanied by the same signal on the ship’s whistle.

If you hear this signal, whether the ship is at sea or in port, please return to your room immediately and collect your life jacket, warm clothing, head covering, sensible footwear and any medication that you may require, before proceeding to your muster station. Lifts should not be used, as you may become trapped if there is a power failure. Don’t put your life jacket on until you reach your muster station and are instructed to do so, and try not to allow your life jacket belt to trail on the floor.

When you reach your muster station, please wait quietly for instructions and information over the PA system, or from the officer in charge of your station.

Guests with mobility issues will have reported their requirements for emergency assistance in advance of sailing via our On Board Need Questionnaire, and should receive such assistance quickly.

Safety of children on board during an emergency

All children aged 2 to 12 inclusive are required to wear a safety wristband while on board the ship.  The wristband is issued at check-in and must be affixed prior to boarding.  Once on board the wristband should not be removed. 

This wristband indicates the muster station that the child has been designated to. In the event of a child being separated from their parent during an emergency, the information on the wristband will assist the crew in reuniting them as quickly as possibly at the correct muster station. 

Broadcasts

In the event of an emergency, special announcements are automatically broadcast across all decks and to all staterooms. General information announcements are broadcast over the open decks throughout the day, but these are not broadcast into your stateroom. If you would like to hear these announcements, please switch to the live mast camera channel on your in-stateroom television.  

Life jackets

Your life jacket is kept in the closet of your stateroom. If you are unable to return to your stateroom in an emergency, please proceed directly to your muster station. Spare life jackets, which are stowed in lockers on deck, will then be given to you by a crew member. 

Fire prevention

All vessels are equipped with automatic fire detection and suppression systems. If you smell smoke or discover a fire, press one of the red manual call point (MCPs) situated around the ship. Although you won’t hear the alarm sound near you, the Bridge will be notified and immediate action will be taken. Once you have activated an alarm, or if you can’t find a manual call point, notify the first crew member you see. If you find yourself trapped in your stateroom by smoke or fire, please push the quick-dial button for the Purser's Desk, or dial the ship's emergency telephone number and advise them of your situation. Personnel will be dispatched to assist your escape.

Man overboard

If you see anyone in the water, or fall overboard, you can raise the alarm by shouting “MAN OVERBOARD”. Immediately throw a lifebuoy, or anything else that will float, over the ship’s side.

Not only will this help the person to remain afloat, it will also mark the spot of where the incident occurred. Then alert a crew member as soon as possible.

Swimming pools and whirlpool spas

Please keep in mind that the ship’s pools are deep and unsupervised. Our whirlpool spas are the ideal place to relax, but please read the safety notices in the vicinity before you get in. Like the swimming pools, the whirlpool spas are also unsupervised and they are relatively deep and powerful.  

Use of electrical appliances

Passengers are not permitted to bring on board irons, kettles or appliances with heating elements, however hair dryers, straighteners and curling tongs are permitted. Electrical chargers, adaptors and e-cigarette charging devices are to be CE marked and should not be left unattended or left charging overnight or when the stateroom is unoccupied. Personal extension leads are not permitted on board unless to be used with essential medical equipment (e.g. CPAP and nebuliser machines). These will be checked for electrical safety along with your piece of medical equipment prior to sailing. Surge protected extension leads are not accepted in any circumstances as they interfere with the ship's electrical distribution. Visit our webpages for more information on prohibited items and bringing medical equipment on board.

Going ashore by tender

In some ports it is necessary to anchor off shore rather than alongside the dock or quay. When this is the case, we use a tender to take you ashore. A tender is a small vessel that carries around 100 guests. In order to board the tender, you will be required to have a certain level of mobility. Please visit our accessibility webpages for more information about tenders and other mobility queries.

Accident prevention

For your safety, we recommend that you use all available handrails in case of movement during periods of inclement sea or weather. There are raised thresholds or doorsills of varying degrees and height throughout the ship, so please take care, especially at the entrances to rooms, toilets and exterior decks. 

  • Always hold the handrails when using stairs, the ship’s gangways and accommodation ladders.
  • Take extra care on steps in lounges and dining rooms, especially when lights are dimmed.
  • Please do not climb or sit on handrails.
  • Outdoor decks and steps become slippery when wet, so please be careful. We suggest you wear rubber-soled, low-heeled or flat shoes on deck. Similar footwear should be worn when using tenders to and from shore.
  • Take care when undertaking activities and ensure that physical activity is of a suitable level for you.
  • Certain areas of the ship are marked ‘Crew only’ or ‘Private’. Due to health and safety and security issues, we would ask you to please respect these signs and not to enter these areas.
  • Be cautious when opening and closing all doors as the ship’s movement and wind force may affect them. Please keep your hands away from the frames of open doors and elevator doors.

If you have mobility difficulties and feel you may need assistance, please tell your stateroom steward and the Purser's Desk as soon as possible.  

Information Security

All guests are reminded that travel information is personal, and guests should always protect their personal information – including their booking number. Whether booking a new cruise, making booking changes or simply asking questions, guests should only call Cunard on 0344 338 8641, or their travel agent.

For more details on how we store and use your personal information before, during and after your voyage, view our privacy policy.