I found this on private yachts
http://www.alphecca.com/mt_alphecca_archives/002253.html
"April 28, 2006
Guns on the High Seas
What with piracy on the increase, the Yacht-set are thinking about sailing with guns. From the Triton:
Even though no flag state allows firearms onboard their megayachts, nearly everyone at The Triton 's recent Connection seminar on piracy wanted to know if having one would keep pirates off their boats.
While the panel discussion on piracy and security at sea on April 5 could have taken one of any number of veins – from complying with the ISPS code to dealing with vendors – most in the audience of more than 50 had questions about guns.
“If they are going to confiscate your weapons or arrest you, isn't it better to hide them?”
“What authority do they have to come after you if you kill someone?”
The experts on the panel assembled at Bluewater Books & Charts in Ft. Lauderdale were cautious to offer answers, though, since weapons are illegal to carry on board yachts in most places.
The conversation began in a general way, noting that there have been no recent piracy attacks on yachts in the areas they frequent most – the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and along the U.S. coasts.
“It's all about risk assessment,” said Stephan Mort, vice president of maritime operations at Wright Maritime Group in Ft. Lauderdale . “No flag says you can carry a weapon. If you are going to carry a gun, know the local laws where you are traveling. Weapons just add another risk to the situation.”
[...]
[Warned one delivery captain,] “If you are going to carry them, you have to be prepared to fire them,” he said. “And if you are going to fire at one of the bad guys, you have to be prepared to finish what you started, because his son there on the boat with him will surely tell the police that his father was approaching the yacht for some food or some ropes. So if that son is a 16-year-old kid, are you prepared to reload and shoot him? There will be consequences for what you do.”
To be honest, I have no idea what some of these terms are, such as "no flag state" and I have no intention (since I get off from work in 10 minutes) of researching all this but I thought it was interesting. Even on the high seas it seems you can't get away from mutants!"
So you can't even carry a gun on your own boat? That's rediculous.
Oh I also found this about carnival cruise lines.
But he also noted that attacks on cruise ships are rare - this was the first since Palestinian terrorists hijacked the Achille Lauro in the Mediterranean in 1985 and killed a wheelchair-bound American.
Cruise lines are reluctant to talk about their specific security plans, fearing that the information could help those willing to pounce on ships. Crye said companies are permitted to arm their crews, but he wouldn't say if they did.
Kenneth Bissonnette, staff manager for surveillance and security at Carnival Cruise Lines, told The Associated Press in March 2004 that security personnel for the world's largest cruise line didn't carry firearms, but had defenses like pepper spray. He said the company's security staff recruited heavily among Gurkhas, elite Nepalese soldiers renowned for their fearlessness.
http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,80133,00.html?ESRC=eb.nl
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