During its 111‑night maiden world voyage, the Cunard cruise ship Queen Anne took a mandatory safety measure that startled many passengers. While sailing through the Sulu‑Celebes Sea—waters between Darwin, Australia, and Manila, Philippines—the captain made an announcement asking everyone to turn off all unneeded lights in their cabins, draw curtains, avoid windows and balconies, and stay away from open decks overnight.

These instructions were part of a heightened security protocol because those waters are known for piracy and kidnapping‑for‑ransom incidents, historically involving groups such as Abu Sayyaf. Although piracy incidents in that region have declined significantly—with no known abductions since early 2020—the cruise line considered the area still risky enough to warrant caution.

Alongside the cabin‑light blackout, the ship closed its external promenade deck overnight, dimmed exterior lighting, and otherwise reduced its visible profile at night. The goal: make the ship less conspicuous and reduce the chance of being targeted.

Despite the alarm such measures caused among passengers, Cunard emphasized that there was no specific threat to the ship or passengers—this was a precaution following standard maritime safety practice in piracy‑prone regions. The ship completed this leg of its itinerary safely, and no incident occurred.