The Rising Tide of Cruise Fraud and What It Means for Passengers and Jobseekers

Cruises are often marketed as dream holidays, with all-inclusive escapes promising relaxation, adventure, and luxury. Yet behind the glossy brochures and enticing online offers, fraud is increasingly targeting both cruise passengers and those seeking work at sea. From fake recruitment adverts to spoofed helplines, the risks are becoming harder to ignore.

Recruitment Fraud: Exploiting Jobseekers at Sea

For many, working on a cruise ship represents an exciting career opportunity. Unfortunately, fraudsters are capitalising on this dream by posing as recruiters. These scams often appear on social media platforms such as Facebook, offering well-paid roles with attractive perks. Victims are typically asked for personal information or upfront “processing fees”, only to later discover the job never existed.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has repeatedly warned seafarers to be cautious. Genuine recruitment never requires upfront payments and should always be verified through official cruise line websites or trusted maritime unions.

Passenger Fraud: A Growing Concern

Holidaymakers are equally at risk. Fraudsters use increasingly sophisticated methods to trick passengers into paying false balances, surrendering personal data, or falling for fake promotional offers.

A real-life example in January 2025 involved scammers impersonating Carnival Cruise Line. Passengers received emails, online adverts, and spoofed phone numbers claiming that unpaid balances were due. One traveller narrowly avoided losing $456 by checking directly with Carnival through its official website.

Other scams lure consumers with the promise of “free cruises” or exclusive offers. In March, reports emerged of postcards promoting 3-to-7-night cruises, airfare, and bonus gift cards. Each postcard contained an RSVP code, QR code, and a phone number. Research revealed these were linked to nationwide fraud campaigns designed to harvest money and personal information.

The Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker has also seen a surge in complaints, with victims reporting that too-good-to-be-true cruise deals left them out of pocket and disillusioned.

A Cruise Fraud Case Close to Home

One of our consultants recently shared the story of an elderly passenger who fell victim to a particularly troubling scheme. After misplacing her booking confirmation, she searched online for her cruise provider’s number. Unfortunately, she called a fraudulent helpline.

The scammers took her booking details and convinced her that she still owed $700, even though the cruise had already been paid in full. Fearing she might lose her trip, she paid immediately. What made this case even more alarming was that the scammers then contacted the legitimate cruise provider to amend her booking, creating both financial loss and a potential data breach.

Protecting Yourself Against Cruise Fraud

The rise of cruise-related fraud highlights the need for both awareness and vigilance:

• Verify all contact details directly through official cruise line websites and avoid relying solely on search engine results.
• Be cautious of unsolicited communications, including emails, calls, and postcards that demand payment or offer free trips.
• Never pay recruitment fees for cruise jobs, as legitimate employers cover these costs.
• Report suspicious offers to the ITF, the BBB Scam Tracker, or relevant authorities to prevent others from being victimised.

Conclusion

Cruise holidays should be memorable for the right reasons, not for falling victim to fraud. Whether you are a passenger booking a trip or a seafarer seeking employment, vigilance is key. Fraudsters are exploiting trust and urgency, but with the right precautions, travellers and jobseekers alike can protect themselves against this growing wave of scams.

AJC: Supporting You Through Every Stage of Fraud Risk

At A Jolly Consulting, we help organisations strengthen their fraud prevention, detection, and response strategies – with a focus on both technical resilience and customer trust. From policy audits to staff training, we work with businesses, educational institutions, and government bodies to build robust frameworks that protect both people and data.

Fraud may be on the rise, but with the right strategy, it does not have to cost you your customers.

If your organisation is ready to step up its fraud response, contact us at AJC to find out how we can support your journey.

Click here, to find out more about our Fraud Prevention services.

Contact us on 020 7101 4861 or email us at info@ajollyconsulting.co.uk if you think we can help.

Sources:

• International Transport Workers’ Federation. “Cruise Ship Recruitment Scams on Facebook.” Link.
• International Transport Workers’ Federation. “Cruise Ship Facebook Scams.” Link.
• Mirror. “Cruise Passengers Warned over ‘Little-Known’ Scam.” Link.
• Bitdefender. “Cruise Scams: How They Work and How to Stay Safe.” Link.

Image accreditation: Alonso Reyes (April 2019) from Unsplas.com. Last accessed on 24th September 2025. Link.