Are You More Likely to Die on a Cruise Ship or a Plane?

By Robert Palmer

When it comes to choosing a mode of transportation, there are pros and cons to both cruise ships and planes. While cruise ships offer the luxury of leisurely enjoying the scenery at sea, planes provide greater speed and convenience.

But when it comes to safety, which is the better option? Are you more likely to die on a cruise ship or a plane?

To answer this question, we must first look at the data. According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), there were about 25 million passengers travelling by cruise ship in 2019.

During that same period, there were 8 million aircraft departures in the United States alone. While overall fatalities due to air travel have been steadily declining over the past several decades, accidents involving cruise ships have increased in recent years.

When we compare these two figures, it is clear that air travel is significantly safer than cruising on a ship. In fact, studies show that you are almost 80 times more likely to die in an aircraft accident than in a cruise ship accident. This is because planes are subject to much stricter safety regulations than cruise ships.

In addition, plane crashes are typically much more catastrophic than ship accidents due to their high speeds and resulting impacts. The chances of survival after a plane crash are much lower than after a ship accident because passengers have less time to evacuate or prepare for impact.

Of course, this does not mean that passengers should avoid taking cruises altogether – as long as they take basic precautions and stay aware of their surroundings, cruises can still be safe and enjoyable experiences. However, if safety is your top priority when choosing how to travel then flying should be your go-to option.

Conclusion:

Based on available data, it is clear that air travel is far safer than cruising on a ship – you are almost 80 times more likely to die in an aircraft accident than in a cruise ship accident. Therefore if safety is your top priority when choosing how to travel then flying should be your go-to option.