Is There Prostitution On Cruise Ships?

The issue of sexual assault and rape on cruise ships is not limited to larger ships with over 1000 passengers. Crew members, such as personable bartenders and fit entertainment staff, are often targeted for sexual activities. However, there is a difference between clothing-optional cruises and those geared towards swingers. Nude cruises are rarely marketed as such. In 2023, the FBI received 52 reports of sexual assault and 79 reports of rape from passengers, representing less than 1% of the tens of millions of cruise ships that are hotbeds of sex and scandal. Most sexual assaults reported aboard cruise ships since 2010 occurred on vessels owned and operated by Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line. Since 2015, sexual assault has been the most reported crime on cruise ships, with more than 450 cases reported between 2015 and 2022.

Cruise ship operators forbid sexual relationships with passengers, so the majority of these relationships would have been with fellow crew members. Prostitution is legal but not management activities, so it would be highly unlikely for a single woman to use her services on a cruise ship. Dating is not just allowed but tacitly encouraged among the crew, who live onboard throughout their contract without days off.

While line and ship staff cannot control who books a cabin, they retain the right to a cabin. Everyone on the ship expects to have sex with others during the cruise, but they are very clear about limits and expectations.