# Could one provide legal prostitution on a cruise ship? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 23, 2000, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-one-provide-legal-prostitution-on-a-cruise-ship/23372 "2000-06-23T23:54:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2000, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-one-provide-legal-prostitution-on-a-cruise-ship/23372/21 "2000-06-25T05:20:07Z")
Prostitution can be done illegally? OK, I guess I won’t have to save up for that Nevada trip. The reason Liberia and other countries are very popular for registering ships is not that Liberia has very lax laws, but that its ship registration laws are designed purposely to encourage foreigners to register ships there. The United States requires, IIRC, that the entire crew of the ship be US citizens and stuff like that. I wouldn’t be too worried about the captain not knowing where Liberia is. I highly doubt that they require the ship to stop by all that often. It’s mainly a way for the country to make money off of ship registration fees. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2000, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-one-provide-legal-prostitution-on-a-cruise-ship/23372/22 "2000-06-25T11:12:45Z")
As sailor mentioned there are a wide variety of theme cruises. One of the themes I’ve heard of is “porno” cruises. A group of x-rated filmmakers and performers travel on the ship along with the paying passengers. I believe an x-rated movie is made during the cruise and the passengers are invited to watch the filming. I’m guessing it’s no too difficult to find some actress who’d be willing to give you a more intimate performance as well. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2000, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-one-provide-legal-prostitution-on-a-cruise-ship/23372/23 "2000-06-25T23:39:44Z")
I am watching on 60 minutes a piece about cruiseships confirming what we were saying. You are on a piece of Liberia floating on the water and you do not have US protection as far as laws. No minimum wage for workers etc. If one day one of these ships is hijacked the Liberian navy will come to the rescue. 🙂 The ships owners pay NO taxes in the US but contribute a ton of money to political campaigns. Not being subject to US laws means they could easily have prostitution on board and I wonder if they may have it and it just isn’t publicised. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-one-provide-legal-prostitution-on-a-cruise-ship/23372/24 "2000-06-26T02:55:13Z")
Is prostitution legal in Liberia? Had to ask. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-one-provide-legal-prostitution-on-a-cruise-ship/23372/25 "2000-06-26T03:07:59Z")
The [CIA Factbook](http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/li.html#gov) says: > [@](#): > > Legal system: dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector So it probably is illegal, at least in the cities. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-one-provide-legal-prostitution-on-a-cruise-ship/23372/26 "2000-06-26T03:23:43Z")
what? what does _that_ have to do with anything? That refers to the legal system not to the _content_ of the laws which can be totally different. Am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![2sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e47774/32.png) [@2sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2sense)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-one-provide-legal-prostitution-on-a-cruise-ship/23372/27 "2000-06-26T06:12:55Z")
Thanks for the correction \*\*Doctordec \*\*. ---
**Author:** ![hflathead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@hflathead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hflathead)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-one-provide-legal-prostitution-on-a-cruise-ship/23372/28 "2000-06-26T12:28:21Z")
Not sure of the registry for this ship, I beleive it’s named Star of the Sea, or something like that. It just started cruising a few weeks ago, and offers nude adult entertainment. I’m not sure what this entails, but given the problems in most strip baars with lewd behavior and contact, I have my hunches. Has made the news here due to the big ‘Disney’ influence and the port wanting to be ‘family oriented’. A good point was made that we do have gambling ships and liquer is served on almost all boats, so it should prove interesting watching this unfold. Stamd by for further developments. later Tom [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-one-provide-legal-prostitution-on-a-cruise-ship/23372.md?page=1)