One passenger said said the ship was shrouded in darkness as it passed through the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal. Photo / Princess Cruises / AP
One passenger said said the ship was shrouded in darkness as it passed through the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal. Photo / Princess Cruises / AP
Terrified holidaymakers were ordered to turn off all lights and music on a luxury cruise liner for 10 days because of the risk of a pirate attack.
The Sea Princess was on a 104-day world cruise, starting in Sydney, when the trip of a lifetime turned to horror for nearly 2000 passengers.
Travellers, many of whom paid more than $50,000, revealed how the vessel became a "ghost ship" as it passed through dangerous waters known for Somali pirate activity.
Carolyne Jasinski, a media specialist from Australia, said the cruise liner was shrouded in darkness as it passed through the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal.
"Captain Gennaro Arma addressed the ship. He apologised for alarming passengers.
"However, the threat, he said, was real and the ship must be prepared for a pirate attack," she wrote for news.com.au.
The live music, "dazzling magic shows", comedy acts and bustling nightclubs promised on board the lavish ship were reportedly brought to a sudden halt.
Curtains were drawn and shutters were closed throughout the ship, and lights were turned off from dusk until dawn.
There were no lavish deck parties and late-night outdoor bars were closed, the Daily Mail reported.
Jasinski revealed how the 1900 passengers were also put through a "pirate drill".
"It was made very clear on the Sea Princess, very quickly, that this pirate threat was not something to be joked about.
"Any remaining smirks soon disappeared as the pirate drill alarm sounded and the crew was instructed to move to their designated muster stations."
Terrified holidaymakers were ordered to turn off all lights and music on luxury cruise liner the Sea Princess for 10 days because of risk of attacks by pirates. Princess Cruises
During the drill, passengers were sent to their cabins to be counted.
Advice issued to those on board was to sit on the floor and hold on to handrails in case the boat had to swerve away from pirate boats.
In the event of a direct threat, passengers in outer cabins were told to lock their balcony and entrance doors and take shelter in the corridors - so there would be two doors between them and pirates.
The potential attack didn't eventuate and Jasinski said there were surprisingly few complaints about the restrictions.
A masked Somali pirate standing near a Taiwanese fishing vessel that washed up on shore after a ransom was paid to release the crew. Photo / AP
A Princess Cruises spokesperson said the company doesn't discuss specific security procedures.
They said piracy specific training is always done before its ships enter "areas of concern".
"Any measures aboard Sea Princess were simply taken out of an abundance caution and not in response to a specific threat and are common to international shipping sailing in the region," the spokesperson said.
Six attempts by pirates attacking cruise ships have been reported over the past 12 years.
In March, Somali pirates hijacked their first commercial ship since 2012.
The Aris 13 oil tanker was captured by two dozen armed men after they approached pretending to beg for water.
Lights were turned off from dusk until dawn, with no deck parties or late night outdoor bars allowed. Photo / Princess Cruises
Dramatic footage of a private security team engaging in a fire fight with the pirates later emerged online.
A speedboat was seen hurtling towards the vessel as a private security contractor wielding a sub-machine gun took aim.
