Safety and Security 

P&O Cruises Australia has made significant changes to its policies and procedures as part of its commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for our passengers to have enjoyable cruise holidays. We have made the following changes since the tragic death of Mrs Dianne Brimble in 2002 and continue to review our operations.

Changes 

We said we would: Extra information
Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA)
No more staff commission for sales Crew receive a fixed salary.
Prohibit passengers from bringing alcohol onboard Alcohol is now confiscated and only returned at the end of the cruise.
Close bars in the early hours of the morning Bars close at 4am.
Compulsory RSA training for crew

Crew trained within 48 hours of joining or rejoining a ship.

Training refreshed every two months.

Staff trained to look for signs of intoxication in passengers.

Crew face disciplinary action, including dismissal, for failing to prevent underage or intoxicated passengers being served alcohol.

Controls for ensuring minors are not served alcohol

Different colour cruise cards (these cards are necessary to purchase drinks onboard) for minors.

Onboard point-of-sale systems disallow purchase of alcohol from a minor’s cruise card, and this functionality is being enhanced with the introduction of the passenger’s photo at the point of sale prior to completion of beverage (and other purchases)

Introduction of roving RSA officers.

Introduction of Youth Security Officers.

Safety and security arrangements
One senior officer responsible for all onboard security Clear chain-of-command for crime scene management with Ship Security Officer taking responsibility and control of any potential crime scene.
New department formed under company security officer Sydney-based position hooked into global network.
Introduce improved training programs for crime scene preservation, response and investigation.

Security personnel have specialised training.

Allegations are automatically treated as suspicious unless management, with the assistance of authorities, determines otherwise.

Allegations of crime are fully investigated.

Clear procedures for collecting evidence, preserving crime scenes and taking statements.

Increase number of onboard security personnel

Base number has been doubled to at least 20.

However, there could be more depending on the cruise (duration, time of year etc).

In addition, we have introduced Youth Security Officers to monitor teenagers. Complement depends on numbers of minors onboard.

Ensure security specialists are licensed or have special expertise in Australia or NZ  
Implement more rigorous random drug search procedures

100% baggage screening and personal X-ray at embarkation.

Drug sniffer dogs at the start of all cruises.

Random scanning for drugs at overseas ports.

Install Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance

CCTV in the ships’ public areas.

Between 300-500 cameras operating on a rolling 24 hour basis.

Introduce enhanced medical and security procedures for dealing with serious allegations Training is systematic and reporting procedures are uniform.
Deploy sniffer dogs Drug sniffer dogs at the start of all cruises.
Zero tolerance for excessive behaviour

Passengers displaying inappropriate behaviour disembarked from ship.

Video alerting passengers of policies regarding excessive behaviour, RSA, dangers of binge drinking and spiking shown on in-house TV in every passenger cabin. Staff also shown video.

Improved complaint handling procedures

Streamlined the process for dealing with customer complaints including guidelines for response times and handling.

Toll-free number available and advertised in cruise literature for past passengers who wish to speak with customer relations.

Ensured our landside emergency number is answered 24-hours a day.

Advertising and marketing
No more “schoolies” cruises  
Stopped promoting the ships as “party cruises”. Marketing has shifted to promoting cruising as a relaxed family holiday that appeals to all age groups.
Ban tasteless or unacceptable advertising. Images used in advertising and collateral reflect this shift.
Management & other changes
Introduce customer service training program for onboard personnel

Crew are trained to support passengers in difficult situations.

In addition, we proactively contact these passengers on their return to offer support and counselling.

Restructure management

New CEO, Ann Sherry, appointed mid 2007.

Ms Sherry has restructured management team to reflect the direction of the new business.

Create independent oversight

Katie Lahey appointed as Chairman in February 2007.

Since Ms Sherry’s appointment, we been regularly consulting with industry, government, International Cruise Victims Association, conducting passenger focus groups and seeking external review of processes and procedures to achieve this external view.

Meetings with the International Cruise Victims Ms Sherry regularly meets with Mr Brimble as the ICV’s representative in Australia.
We said we would: Is it done? Extra information
Ongoing reforms
Seek clarity around jurisdictional issues for crimes at sea Ongoing

We have actively worked with police both in Australia and the South Pacific to develop clear protocols and jurisdiction for managing crimes at sea.

South Pacific police chiefs ratified new protocols at a meeting in PNG earlier this month.

New protocols are also on the agenda for Australian police commissioners.

Passengers surveyed about safety and security July 2008

We conducted focus groups that show passengers feel safe onboard.

We plan to include safety and security questions as part of our Onboard Evaluation Surveys we ask passengers to complete at the end of each voyage. The questions will be added following the introduction of new onboard technology, which automates the survey process and more easily highlights any issues. This will be rolled out from November.

Linking the display of a passenger’s photo to their cruise card From November 2009 A new onboard IT system will display a passenger’s photo when they use their cruise card to make a purchase at the bar, coffee shop or any retail outlet on the ship. This will enable crew to check the cardholder’s identify before completing the transaction. The technology will be introduced onto Pacific Jewel in November.

Cruise Personaliser

Crewmember tugging hat
Our free Cruise Personaliser lets you update your pre-cruise information and see a summary of your booking at a glance. 
personalise your cruise

Nautical Glossary

Abaft the beam
Further aft than the beam: a relative bearing of greater than 90 degrees from the bow: "two points abaft the port beam".
Beam ends
The sides of a ship. "On her beam ends" may mean the vessel is literally on her side and possibly about to capsize; more often, the phrase means the vessel is listing 45 degrees or more.
Handy billy
A loose block and tackle with a hook or tail on each end, which can be used wherever it is needed. Usually made up of one single and one double block.
Hand bomber
A ship using coal-fired boilers shoveled in by hand.
Beating to windward
Making progress against the direction of the wind, by steering alternately close-hauled on the starboard and larboard tacks.
Dog-watch
The watches from four to six and six to eight in the evening.
Gunnel
The large plank that runs along the upper part of a ship's side.
Water line
The line made by the water's edge when a ship has her full proportion of stores on board.
Under the lee of the shore
Close to the shore, which lies to windward of the ship.
Fresh away
When your ship increases its velocity.

Need Help?

Find answers to all your questions.

What payment options do I have to pay for my cruise?
Accepted payment methods include; cash, cheque, direct bank deposit and selected credit cards (1% surcharge applies). More info here.
Once onboard, how do I pay for extra items?
Multiple ways of purchasing goods onboard are available to you - from Credit Cards to cash. More info here.
I have kids. What facilities do you have for children?
Qualified staff run a great choice of awesome activities for kids of all ages, giving you the option to spend the day child-free. Here's how it works.
What's actually included in the cruise price?
Accommodation, all main meals, entertainment and use of facilities such as swimming pools, gym, spas, table tennis, children's centres (excluding late night group child-minding) and library are all included in your cruise package.
What are the different types of cabins available? What's the difference between them?
Choose from outstanding balcony cabins with ocean views, great-value internal cabins, 4-berth options to share with family or friends or outside cabins with windows. Click here for more information.

For the answers to many other questions check out our Frequently Asked Questions

Internet Access

Passenger using a laptop
Internet access is available on all P&O Cruises ships in our on-board Internet Café.
Internet Access