We Read DOT’s Cruise Crime Report—Here’s What Most People Miss

The U.S. Department of Transportation quietly posted its cruise-line incident report for January 1–March 30, 2025, and the fine print matters more than the headline totals. If you’re judging a cruise line by raw counts alone, you’re probably reading it wrong.

What the Q1 2025 report actually covers

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the quarterly report lists alleged criminal incidents that cruise lines reported to the FBI for voyages in U.S. jurisdiction between January 1 and March 30, 2025. The offense categories follow FBI definitions and include serious crimes such as sexual assault, homicide, suspicious death, missing persons, and theft above a high-dollar threshold. DOT compiles and publishes the data in a standardized table by cruise line and offense type. See the report.

Key context: this is an allegations report, not courtroom verdicts. It captures incidents reported to the FBI that meet statutory criteria under the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act—not every disagreement, minor theft, or cabin scuffle. Most everyday guest-relations issues never enter this dataset.

Quick stats at a glance

• Report period: January 1–March 30, 2025
• Source: U.S. Department of Transportation; incidents reported to the FBI by cruise lines
• Covered vessels: large cruise ships on itineraries embarking or disembarking at U.S. ports
• Offense categories: serious crimes (e.g., sexual assault, homicide, suspicious death, robbery, theft above a set amount)
• Important: counts are allegations and not convictions; categories follow FBI definitions

The denominator problem: counts vs. rates (and why size skews perception)

Raw totals don’t adjust for scale. A line that sails dozens of ships from U.S. ports every week will almost always show more reports than a boutique brand with a handful of departures. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s less safe; it often just means it’s much bigger.

According to industry data from the Cruise Lines International Association, cruising has rebounded to—and in many markets surpassed—pre‑pandemic volumes, which raises the number of passenger-nights at sea. Without an exposure measure (like incidents per 100,000 passenger-days), comparing brands by counts is apples to aircraft carriers. DOT’s table is accurate, but it’s not a risk score.

If you want a fairer comparison, pair the DOT counts with: (1) fleet size and (2) U.S. sailings volume during the period. A bigger denominator can make a large line’s raw count look scary when the rate may be steady—or even lower—than a smaller competitor.

What the raw counts can still tell you

Even without rates, the DOT report is useful:

• It shows which serious offenses surface most. Historically, sexual assault is the most frequently reported category in these summaries, a point echoed by federal oversight. The Government Accountability Office has noted sexual assault as a primary concern in cruise environments, particularly among acquaintances or known parties.
• It spotlights reporting behavior. Consistent reporting by a line suggests established protocols; sudden spikes can reflect a busy holiday season, a high-capacity ship entering service, or better internal reporting—not necessarily a safety spiral.
• It’s comparable quarter to quarter. You can track seasonal patterns (spring breaks, holiday peaks) and see how lines’ totals move over time.

According to the GAO, cruise incidents are typically underreported in public discourse relative to the denominator of total passenger-days, and the majority of sexual assaults involve parties who know each other, not stranger attacks. That doesn’t minimize the harm; it reframes the context so travelers can plan realistically and take precautions that matter.

What’s missing—and why that matters

The DOT report isn’t a complete safety dashboard. It does not:

• Calculate incident rates adjusted for passengers or sailings
• Capture less-serious issues that stay within ship security or guest services
• Provide narrative details, outcomes, or convictions
• Show incidents on voyages with no U.S. nexus

There’s also a timing nuance. The report reflects alleged crimes reported to the FBI within federal jurisdiction; case outcomes may take months or years and won’t necessarily update this table. The FBI’s offense definitions drive how categories are recorded, not cruise lines’ internal labels.

Pros and cons of the DOT approach

• Pros
  • Standardized federal source with offense categories tied to FBI definitions
  • Comparable across lines and quarters
  • Focused on serious crimes where public visibility matters
• Cons
  • No rate normalization by passenger-days
  • Limited context on circumstances, outcomes, or preventive steps taken
  • U.S.-jurisdiction focus means some incidents won’t appear

How to read your cruise line’s line item

• Start with scale. How many ships and U.S. sailings did the brand operate in Q1 2025? Big lines move millions of guests; counts will be higher by volume alone.
• Scan the mix. Which categories appear? A cluster in one category may call for questions about onboard prevention and training.
• Track the trend. Compare with prior quarters (seasonality matters). A one-off spike can be school breaks; a sustained rise deserves scrutiny.
• Ask about protocols. Lines should be able to explain prevention programs, reporting pathways, and collaboration with law enforcement.

According to the FBI, sexual assault definitions used in federal data are specific and technical. Minor changes in classification can move an incident between “assault” subtypes without changing the underlying victim experience. Read category labels as statistical, not narrative.

Practical steps if you need help on board

• Report immediately. Use the ship’s emergency line or go to Guest Services/Ship Security. Early reporting protects evidence.
• Request medical and forensic support. Modern ships have trained security and medical teams; ask about evidence preservation.
• Get documentation. Ask for a written incident number and copies of any statements you make.
• Contact external authorities. You can also report directly to the FBI for U.S.-jurisdiction matters. Port agents can help connect you with local law enforcement when in port.

Timeline: what typically happens after a report

• Within hours: Ship security secures the scene, offers medical care, and preserves evidence
• Next port: Coordination with local authorities; decisions on interviews and follow-up
• Post-incident: Cruise line notifies the FBI when required; federal investigation scope depends on jurisdiction and evidence

Bottom line for travelers

DOT’s Q1 2025 report is a useful transparency tool—just not a scoreboard. Read it alongside fleet size and seasonality, focus on category patterns, and ask your cruise line how it prevents and responds to serious incidents. That’s the smarter way to compare risk.

In case you skimmed, here’s the short version

• Counts aren’t rates; big lines often show larger totals because they carry far more guests.
• The report focuses on serious alleged crimes reported to the FBI, not every onboard dispute.
• Sexual assault historically dominates the category mix; prevention and reporting pathways matter.
• Use multi-quarter trends and category patterns, not a single quarter’s topline number.

Sources: Read the DOT Q1 2025 table; see GAO’s oversight on cruise crime data and the FBI’s offense definitions; CLIA provides industry context on the scale of cruising.