Cruise Safety: Amy Bradley is Missing and DCL M.O.B.

Over the past few weeks. a few news stories have come to light that have some travelers doubting the safety of cruising. Let’s take a look at these stories.

Amy Bradley is Missing (Netflix show)

Amy Bradley is Missing is a documentary on Netflix that has remained in the Top 10 TV shows since its release on July 16, 2025.

• 23-year-old Amy Bradley sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas in March 1998 with her brother and parents
• She was last seen on the balcony of the family’s stateroom around 5:30 a.m. after a late night of drinking
• Her father awoke from a noise around 6:00 a.m. and Amy was gone
• Her shoes were still on the balcony and a table was moved next to the railing
• Her body was never found
• Other passengers reported seeing Amy with a member of the ship’s band that morning
• Several sightings of Amy have been reported in Curacao and Barbados
• Amy’s family continues to search for her and they accept tips on this website

My take on this: 

Unfortunately, in this case, I think the most simple answer is the most probable answer: She likely jumped off the ship or accidentally fell over board in the wee hours of the morning from her balcony, and that’s the sound her father heard. It looks like she took off her shoes and pushed the table forward to stand on it.

It would be difficult for someone to have smuggled her off the cruise ship. Everyone, including crew members, have to swipe a badge when exiting the ship. It’s entirely possible that the sightings of Amy are cases of mistaken identity. In 1998, ships didn’t have the same man over board technology that they do now. Of course, if it were my daughter, I’d still be searching for her 27 years later, too.

I can’t find any statistics on the number of kidnapping or trafficking cases of cruise passengers, so I suspect it’s really low. However, cruise ships are not immune from criminals, both on the crew and passenger side. I’ve always told my kids to never enter anyone else’s stateroom. Don’t accept drinks from strangers and, if you are going to drink, have a buddy who can watch out for you.

Disney Cruise Line Man Over Board

On June 29, 2025, a 5-year-old girl fell over board on the Disney Dream. Her father jumped in after her, and they treaded water for about 20 minutes while they waited for crew members to rescue them. They both survived, which is a miracle.

Immediately after this occurred, many rumors were swirling around the internet as to how this happened. Initially, reports indicated that the father set the child on the railing to pose for a photo. However, the latests reports from the Broward County Sheriff’s Department indicate that the child climbed up on a railing on Deck 4 of the Disney Dream while her parents were playing shuffleboard. She lost her balance and fell through a porthole.

My take on this:

It’s pretty difficult to accidentally fall off a cruise ship, but it can be done, especially if your kid is a climber/runner. Kids should never be left unsupervised on outdoor decks. I know these parents must feel a lot of guilt about this incident, but it’s possible that it all happened very quickly. I’d be surprised if they cruise ever again due to the trauma.

When my kids were younger, I was too scared to get a balcony room. My boys were climbers, and I knew I couldn’t fully relax if we had a balcony. They could have easily climbed on a chair or table to haul themselves over the railing. But as they got older, we did splurge on balcony cabins, even though I still lectured them about not doing anything stupid.

I still think cruising is safe for young kids, but just like on land, they need to be supervised constantly.

Have you watched Amy Bradley is Missing or seen the news story about the DCL M.O.B.? What do you think of these cases?