Safety guidelines according to international standards
The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority. We take reports of criminal offences and missing guests as well as medical emergencies very seriously and treat them confidentially. All ships in the Mein Schiff fleet have appropriately trained security staff as well as doctors and nurses.
If you notice during your cruise holiday that another person is injured, behaving in a dangerous or possibly illegal manner, you should report this immediately to the security staff or other members of the ship's management. This can be done by using one of the ship's telephones or by speaking to a member of the crew and asking for help. Failure to report an injury or dangerous/unlawful behaviour immediately may result in a delay in the ship's personnel being able to respond effectively to the situation. Delayed reporting may also result in the crew not receiving relevant information or evidence, potentially resulting in delayed referral to appropriate law enforcement or other officials.
As a company, we report criminal allegations to law enforcement authorities so that the offences can be further investigated and prosecuted - regardless of where the ship was at the time of the incident. Criminal allegations are reported to the nearest port and the ship's flag state for prosecution. As required by United States law, we also report criminal allegations to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) and the United States Coast Guard (USCG).
TUI Cruises is required by U.S. federal law for voyages originating or terminating in the United States to report serious criminal offences on board (such as murder, suspicious deaths, kidnappings, assaults resulting in serious bodily injury, sexual assaults as defined by federal law, arson or tampering with the ship, or theft of money over $10. 000 and missing U.S. citizens) to the F.B.I. by telephone, the United States Department of Homeland Security electronically and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) in writing as soon as possible. The F.B.I. may initiate prosecution under any circumstances. All countries approached, the flag state and Germany may initiate prosecution and impose further reporting requirements.
For cruises that begin or end in the United States, you may independently contact the F.B.I. or the U.S. Coast Guard at any time during the voyage in the event of a missing person or serious criminal offence. For incidents within a country or in other territorial waters and harbours, you may also contact local law enforcement authorities.
Contact information for these agencies and the locations of U.S. embassies and consulates in the ports we plan to call at while travelling to the U.S. is provided below. If you need assistance, or if the information has changed or is incorrect, please contact the reception desk on board.
1. Contact details for US victim support groups
National Center for Victims of Crime
(Organisation that finds appropriate local contacts for victims of violent crime)
855-484-2846
National Organization for Victim Assistance
(Organisation that finds local contacts for victims of violent crime)
800-879-6682
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network
(24-hour emergency number, organisation that finds appropriate local contacts for victims of sex crimes)
800-656-4673
2. Contact details of the FBI and the US Coast Guard in the sailing area
A list of US diplomatic missions worldwide can be found at:
http://www.usembassy.gov
US citizens can also contact the US Overseas Citizens Services. You can find the contact details at:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/emergencies.html
A list of the diplomatic missions of the Federal Republic of Germany worldwide can be found at:
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/DE/Laenderinformationen/03-WebseitenAV/Uebersicht_node.html
A list of the diplomatic representations of the Republic of Austria worldwide can be found at:
https://www.bmeia.gv.at/botschaften-konsulate/
A list of Switzerland's diplomatic representations worldwide can be found at:
https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/de/home.html
A list of the diplomatic missions of other countries worldwide can be found at:
http://www.learn4good.com/visa.htm
If you require an overview of the above contact details on board, please contact reception.