Like autonomous mini-cities on the sea, cruise ships operate under a unique set of rules that distance them from oversight. With considerable political influence and substantial economic clout, cruise companies engage in extensive lobbying efforts, both in their headquarter countries, primarily the United States, and in the countries where their vessels are flagged, such as Panama.
These efforts have a singular goal: to maintain a system of weak regulatory oversight and ambiguous international laws, enabling the industry to generate billions in profits.
This project, Beneath the Waves, is the first comprehensive investigation into the cruise ship industry and its impact on communities, marine life, the environment, and the workforce that sustains it.
