Alleged Cover-up By Princess Cruises
Senior Captain molests 14-year-old
By Mike Groves
In what has to be one of the most disturbing emails I have received during my time with Cruise Bruise, a Ships Officer with Princess Cruise Lines contacted me recently to first expose the alleged cover up by the company concerning one of their own Captains appetite for sexual depravity with minors. Captain Peter Russell, 64, a once popular and highly respected figure within the cruise industry was recently convicted and jailed for child molestation - onboard his own ship!
The Ship's Officer who contacted me in order to expose this incident as well as others, and who I must say at this point is showing remarkable fortitude by coming forward and on more than one occasion, was equally disgusted with the company’s ‘apparent’ exploitation and bullying of crew onboard? Bearing in mind the officer's service record, it would ‘appear’ the officer may have been witnessing these and other similar incidences of bullying for some considerable time?
As stated the Officer sent me a number of emails and which I have complied together for ease of reading, however when you read these I want you to focus on those areas that I have underlined. I say this because what you will see is clear evidence, in my opinion, that even this officer was not positive if the sexual assault against this minor at the hands of Russell had actually took place. I think this perfectly highlights how this company (again owned by Carnival Cruise Lines) are experts in distracting attention and hiding behind their immoral veil of ‘apparent deceit and lies?’
I have since confirmed to him that the ‘rumors’ were true.
Having personally witnessed and experienced such ‘misdirection’ immediately after the attack against the Seabourn Spirit, and which is still going unchallenged because international reporters are failing to dig deeper as they really should…(Pls – why don’t you call me for ‘a chat’) this is yet another example of how some cruise operators continue to believe they are a law unto themselves and do not have to answer to anyone – including one of their own sexually molested young guests.
The Officers emails are below although some text has obviously been removed in order to afford appropriate protection around this individuals name and position.
"**************** ****** Princess. They talk the talk re security but in reality they only pay lip service to it. On ************ a rape was reported by a passenger but the Ships Security wasn’t allowed to report it to head office or to investigate it. ****** that was an individual’s unwillingness [Head Office] to do things properly and I don't want to label the company due to his mishandling of a situation. It's important that I say that. ******* dealt with a number of serious situations onboard and ***** were very forthcoming with details and reported fully to authorities."
They have serious problems with too many people taking decisions based on commercial principles and not the welfare of crew and passengers. Don’t know if you are aware that Capt Peter RUSSELL was recently convicted of sexual assault onboard one of their ships. They managed to keep that one quiet!!…..He was a really lovely guy (aside from what it seems he did) and truly one of the best Captains I worked with if not the best. But I am amazed that it never hit the headlines. I could be completely mistaken of course but I have heard the story from a number of people so think it’s pretty accurate.
These cruise companies are making HUGE profits off the back of exploitation of people locked into slavery onboard. I can tell you a few interesting stories. I think there is a big market for a fly on the wall style documentary exposing the way these companies make money and that it would sell worldwide. I know a little bit about these things. Give me a shout if you want to know more!
There is bullying galore going on onboard. Again, I only know a little snippet but I understand that a crewmember on a P&O ship committed suicide and that a British Officer in Food and Beverage got dismissed over it. But again, purely hearsay (though I know that story to be fairly accurate too) I just think that they need a massive investment in training and that legislators should basically force ships to become floating bastions of UK or US employment law and legislation dependant on who owns them so that everyone has to be treated as they would on land. I don’t blame them for trying to discredit people in a way - they get away with it.
I think the cruise industry has lots of positives. But they cut corners and cover things up because they can. No one actually truly makes sure legislation is enforced.
Deeply concerning email as muted earlier, and one wonders if the cruise industry really is willing to embrace change, are they really intent to both endorse and honor the new Cruise Vessel Security & Safety Act 2009? Surely if they are still conducting their affairs in such a shameful manner and only weeks after President Obama signed this important legislation into law, I really do wonder! Now is the time for change, now is their opportunity to show past victims that they've ignored to put their trust in them, as they should be doing for all passengers boarding a cruise ship and yet what did they do – they blew it!....
They blew it through their utter contempt of anyone other than themselves; they blew it by adopting a stance of arrogance and pulling a veil across the wider implications of this attack – what else had the Captain been up to during his 'honorable' service with them?
What should have happened is that the company should have boarded that vessel and seized the company’s computer from the Captain's cabin, together with any other USB, Disc’s, iPhones, iPads or private laptops that would have reasonably come into his possession. They should have then handed these to the relevant authorities for forensic imaging [digital examination of anything and everything that has been viewed on that device] in order to show themselves as a thoroughly decent and professional company, a company that cares for its passengers and their safety – but they blew it!
As Jan Huggard rightly points out, ‘Are we do believe that Russell woke up one morning, late in his life, and decided to be a child molester?’ God I hope so, I pray this was the only time he committed such a depraved act, as abhorrent as that was for the victim, her family and all those involved. Sadly I feel, I know I am kidding myself.
Can you imagine it, a Ships Captain, a person who holds a universally recognized position of trust uses his own Master Key Card* to access a ‘child’s’ cabin during the dead of night and onboard his own ship, the Sea Princess! Then once he gained entry with his own master card, a key card that is only issued to four key officers onboard any cruise ship, Russell carried out this depraved act for his own perverse satisfaction.
Did he just pick that cabin out of the blue, did he have the ability to see through doors – no! What clearly happened earlier that day or during the cruise was that Russell had already targeted / selected this young female from the masses with clear intent in his mind and in doing so, stole this child’s innocence.
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Princess Cruises Captain Peter Russell
Convicted of sexual assault on child during sailing
By Mike Groves QGM
Cruise Bruise Security And Safety Advisor
March 26, 2011
