Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of sexual crimes.
A TikTok video of a male crew member from MSC Cruises allegedly filming a female passenger in the bathroom has gone viral, with over ten million views to date. This incident highlights the disturbing reality of sexual voyeurism on cruise ships, which is not unique to MSC Cruises.
A female passenger on the MSC Meraviglia cruise ship shared a TikTok video alleging that a crew member was filming her while she was in the bathroom. The video shows the passenger enlisting a member of the housekeeping staff to knock on the stall door, and upon getting no response, a female passenger runs up and bangs on the door, demanding that the occupant opens the door. A man wearing an MSC uniform emerges and admits to wrongdoing, saying “I was wrong.” The cruise line fired the crew member responsible for the alleged unlawful surveillance after conducting an investigation with the authorities.
MSC Cruises has stated that their security team cooperated fully with the authorities during the investigation and has a zero-tolerance policy for any misconduct onboard their ships. The passenger stressed that her goal was not to disgrace the cruise line, but rather to shed light on the unsettling phenomenon, which she insisted was not unique to MSC.
Sexual voyeurism occurs on cruise ships just like in other public accommodations (hotels, bathrooms, etc.). When crew members commit crimes like this, there is rarely criminal accountability, and the cruise line usually terminates the crew member’s employment and flies the ship employees home after the crime.
The incident is not the first case of alleged cruise ship misconduct, with a recent lawsuit against Princess Cruises alleging rape and HIV transmission during an assault aboard one of their ships. This case is just one of many examples of the crisis of rapes and sexual assaults on cruise ships. Maritime attorney Michael Winkleman, of the Miami-based Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, told The Post that the crisis is due to the absence of independent law enforcement and the over-service of alcohol, but arguably the most dangerous part is how unaware the general cruising public is of the significant risks they face while at sea.
The passenger stressed that her goal was to shed light on the unsettling phenomenon, and urged all women to be aware of their surroundings at all times, vacations included. It is important to note that women are not the only targets of sexual misconduct onboard cruise ships, and all passengers should be vigilant and take precautions to ensure their safety.
The incident on the MSC Meraviglia cruise ship is just one example of the disturbing reality of sexual voyeurism on cruise ships. Cruise lines need to take stronger measures to prevent these types of incidents and hold their employees accountable for their actions. Passengers should also take precautions and be aware of their surroundings at all times while on vacation.
