Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Philippines Cunard’s Queen Anne Faces Piracy Threats on Its Maiden World Voyage, Passing Through the Sulu-Celebes Sea Known for Kidnapping Incidents

Passengers aboard Cunard’s opulent Queen Anne cruise ship have been advised to exercise heightened caution as the 113,000-ton vessel sailed through waters infamous for piracy. The ship, traveling from Darwin, Australia, to Manila, Philippines, passed through the Sulu-Celebes Sea, an area historically associated with piracy and kidnapping-for-ransom activities. Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and Philippines Cunard’s Queen Anne Faces Piracy Threats on Its Maiden World Voyage, Passing Through the Sulu-Celebes Sea Known for Kidnapping Incidents.

A TikTok video features an announcement made to passengers, cautioning them about the risks in these waters. The video also highlights the ship’s sonic cannon, a device designed to ward off potential attackers. Many cruise ships, including the Queen Anne, are equipped with Long-Range Acoustic Devices (LRAD), which emit high-pitched sound to deter piracy.

The Sulu-Celebes Sea has long been a hotspot for piracy, with groups like the Abu Sayyaf militant group notorious for their kidnapping activities. Since March 2016, the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia has reported 86 abductions in the area.

The Queen Anne, currently on its inaugural world voyage, embarked on its 111-night journey from Hamburg, Germany, on January 7. The cruise has already made stops in several countries, including England, New York, Hawaii, Mexico, New Zealand, and Australia. The ship is set to return to Hamburg on April 29, following visits to Vietnam, South Africa, Singapore, and Malaysia.

Despite the region’s history of piracy, the Queen Anne’s passengers remain safe, with the last major pirate attacks on cruise ships dating back to 2005 and 2009, both of which ended without harm to the ships.

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