Disney Cruise Lines has seen a rise in reported sexual assaults occurring aboard its U.S.-based cruises, according to data from the Department of Transportation (DOT).
Over the past five years, Disney Cruise Lines has gone from having between one and three sexual assaults on its cruises to reporting 15 assaults in 2023 and 18 assaults in 2024. The cruise‐vacation arm of The Walt Disney Company reported five assaults in the first quarter of 2025.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of our guests and crew members,” a Disney Cruise Line spokesperson told Newsweek. “We have zero tolerance for this type of behavior and take allegations of this nature seriously. We fully cooperate with law enforcement and local authorities in their investigations into any such allegations. We’re committed to promoting safety onboard our ships, continuously reviewing our procedures and providing our crew with specialized training to uphold the highest standards.”
The sudden rise in assaults comes amid a multi-billion dollar push by the entertainment behemoth to expand its fleet of ships from six to 13 by 2031, according to The Wall Street Journal. The company has already added two ships since 2020, one in 2022 and another in 2024, which Newsweek understands has led to a 40 percent increase in guest capacity.
The DOT collects data on serious crimes committed aboard major cruise lines that embark and disembark in the U.S., and where the victim or perpetrator is a U.S. citizen.
Companies are mandated to report these crimes, including sexual assault and rape, to the FBI, which in turn share its data with the DOT.
All crimes documented by the DOT are alleged and based on ship reporting, and do not reflect the outcome of any law enforcement investigation.
The DOT did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Context
The passage of the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010 (CVSSA) created a number of victim response facilities to address sexual assaults on cruise ships.
The CVSSA mandates that passengers have access to medical care, a sexual assault forensic exam on board, and the ability to report the assault while on board.
In 2014, it was amended to make cruise ships report to the FBI all alleged serious crimes that occurred during a voyage.
The FBI has jurisdiction over all cases in which the victim or perpetrator is an American national, and if their ship has sailed from or to a port in the U.S.
Board Certified Admiralty & Maritime Lawyer, John H. Hickey of Hickey Law Firm, a firm that has worked on cruise sexual assault cases for 20 years, spoke with Newsweek about why so many assaults occur on cruise ships.
“A cruise ship is an island of drinking and partying. The crew on board the ship are usually young men. These young men are onboard for usually 6 to 10 months at a time when they work seven days a week for 12 to 14 hours,” said Hickey, who was speaking in general about cruise ships, not directly about Disney.
“They are away from their friends and family for that time…To make matters worse, the cruise lines recruit crew members from developing countries with little infrastructure for accurate criminal records on people.”
He said that although the FBI has jurisdiction over the ships that dock and depart from the U.S., “Much of the time, where the next port is an island nation, they do not have the interest or the resources to investigate.”
A spokesperson for the Cruise Line Industry Association — of which Disney Cruise Lines is a member — contacted Newsweek to say: “Crime is extremely rare on cruise ships as a result of our member lines’ comprehensive security measures, hiring protocols, and training, which makes cruise one of the safest holiday options.”
That spokesperson cited data collected by criminologist Dr. James Fox of Northeastern University, who found that when comparing the rate of violent crime per every 100,000 people, the rate of violent crime on cruise ships is 95 percent lower on cruise ships compared to on land.
What To Know
DOT data is broken up into alleged crimes committed by either passengers or crew. Although sexual assaults reportedly committed by crew members rose in 2023 and 2024, the largest rise in reported sexual assaults was committed by passengers during the same years.
Between 2020 and 2022, there were a total of four reported assaults committed by crew members. However, in 2023 and 2024, there were nine reported assaults committed by crew members in the two years combined.
In terms of passenger assaults, the rise is even more stark. Between 2020 and 2021, there were zero reported assaults committed by passengers, and in 2022, there were two. In 2023, there were nine assaults, and in 2024, there were 14.
Disney, like many cruise lines, paused full operations between March 2020 and August 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and did not resume normal operations until late 2022. Reported sexual assaults on board Disney cruises were also low pre-pandemic, in 2018 and 2019.
The DOT started to categorize rape separately from sexual assault in 2023 in its data tables. Prior to that, sexual assault was recorded as a single category.
In 2023, Disney Cruise Lines reported four alleged rapes on their U.S. cruises, and in 2024 they reported three.
According to Hickey, who was speaking on the totality of DOT reporting, not Disney’s specific numbers: “The DOT website statistics on onboard rapes and sexual assaults is way low,” given that it only covers assaults that occur on ships docking and departing from the U.S., and if the victim is a U.S. citizen.
“So all of the rapes and assaults which happen to passengers who are citizens of a European country for example do not get reported. Or the rapes and assaults of a U.S. citizen on a cruise in Europe which did not start or stop in the U.S. does not get reported,” said Hickey.
According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), victims can report their assault to the FBI and to the DOT. They can also report to a cruise ship security officer.
“You have the right to insist that the scene of the crime be secured until law enforcement officials arrive,” says RAINN guidance. “It may be helpful to write down the names and contact information of any individuals, both crew members and passengers, who witnessed or were involved in the incident.”
What People Are Saying
John H. Hickey told Newsweek: “Because of the nature of a cruise on a ship often in isolated or developing parts of the world, a sexual assault of a passenger by, for example, a crew member can be a harrowing, traumatic experience.”
The Cruise Line Industry Association spokesperson said: “Any allegation of misconduct is deeply concerning to our cruise line members, who have zero tolerance for abhorrent behavior and take immediate action to address any situation that does not represent who we are or the values we hold as an industry. Our member lines have a strong track record of providing a safe and secure holiday experience for passengers, as well as a safe and secure workplace for crew.”
Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010: “Passengers on cruise vessels have an inadequate appreciation of their potential vulnerability to crime while on ocean voyages, and those who may be victimized lack the information they need to understand their legal rights or to know whom to contact for help in the immediate aftermath of the crime.”
What Happens Next
The FBI and DOT will continue to collect data on assaults occurring on ships.
Hickey told Newsweek: “The best recourse for any rape victim onboard a cruise ship is to report it onboard to the physician in the infirmary and insist — before you shower — on a rape kit (standard rape pelvic) exam.
“If you are a U.S. citizen, contact the FBI at once and report it. Take photos of your bruises, cuts, scratches, lacerations, and bumps, and anything else that shows what happened.
“Call an attorney who specializes in representing passengers or crew members against the cruise lines. Look for attorneys who are Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Admiralty & Maritime and who really have done this kind of work for years.”
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual violence, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673, or contact the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) helpline via their website rainn.org.
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