Cunard’s Queen Anne cruise ship told passengers to stay alert as they went through a part of Southeast Asia known for piracy, according to a TikTok posted on March 13.
The Queen Anne is on a 111-night world voyage
The TikToker is sailing on Queen Anne’s first-ever 111-night world cruise, according to Cruise Mapper. The trip kicked off in Hamburg, Germany, on Jan. 7 and has already made stops in England, New York, Hawaii, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, China, and more.
The ship is set to return to Hamburg on April 29, after visiting Vietnam, South Africa, Singapore, and Malaysia.
Passengers were informed of the news through a loudspeaker announcement
A speaker announcement let passengers know they were entering the Sulu-Celebes Sea, a place “known for piracy threats.”
In the TikTok video, you can hear the message being played as the ship traveled from Darwin, Australia, to Manila, Philippines.
The ship operated at a heightened security level
Because of this, the ship was on high alert for security. The crew announced that the promenade deck would stay closed overnight, and some deck lights would stay on to keep the ship’s outside lighting low.
Passengers were asked to turn off lights and close curtains
Passengers were also asked to switch off their stateroom lights when they didn’t need them and keep their curtains closed.
Cunard confirmed there was no specific threat
A Cunard rep told Business Insider that it was just a standard precaution. “Our Captains may make precautionary announcements when sailing through certain regions,” they said. But they made it clear—there was no actual threat, and everything on board stayed normal.
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The announcement included piracy emergency instructions
The announcement also covered what to do in case of a piracy emergency, making it clear that keeping everyone safe was the top priority.
“I assure you that measures to prevent any unlikely incident have been well planned, and the chances of this happening on a big ship like Queen Anne are extremely low,” the message said.
A TikTok user shared footage of safety precautions
The TikTok user also posted more clips showing the ship’s safety measures while sailing through the Sulu-Celebes Sea, including dark rooms with curtains closed.
The region has a history of piracy and abductions
The waters between Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines used to be a hot spot for ransom kidnappings. A group called Abu Sayyaf, known for piracy and militant activity, was behind many of them, according to MarineInsight. But since 2020, no kidnappings have been reported.
