Cruise ship attacked by pirates.
As usual, the Brits are the masters of understatement
“A bit?” I’d think it’d be a little more than that.
This part gets me, though
Okay, I realize that this is the first time they’ve gone after a cruise ship, but wouldn’t you think that with those kinds of numbers that somebody in the cruise industry would realize, “Hey. This is a pretty dangerous place, maybe we ought not to go anywhere near there.” before now?
Somalia was already filed in my mind under “not a good place to go”. Maybe it’s just me.
That film produced by the Tourist Board there, you know, Blackhawk Down, didn’t make you want to pay the place a visit then? 
The US Navy or Coast Guard needs to outfit a Q Ship to deal with this problem.
“Q ship”? What is that?
It sounds like somebody needs to put a decoy ship out there. Call it the HMS Cupcake – a cute little frigate or something that’s tricked out to lure pirates, but which under the icing disguise turns out to be heavily armed.
Either that, or send the Marines. That worked for Thomas Jefferson in 1805. 
That is what a Q ship is, more or less. :rolleyes:
It’s not just Somalia; here is a report on a attack on two yachts near Yemen. Fortunately, they beat them off ( I do like the fact that the Gandalf rammed one of the pirate, destroying them ).
Well, the Marines are pretty tied up in a place called “Iraq” at the moment. . .
If Somalia is on a prospective cruise ships Sights-To See, it’s time to stay on land.
Preferably in Kansas.
Seriously. If I think of a list of ‘pleasant places to go on a cruise to’, Somalia isn’t really high on the list.
A bit of an unpleasant experience? Uh, yeah.
You kind of have to pass by Somalia when you use the Red Sea and the Suez Canal to get from the Med to the Indian Ocean.
Unless you would rather go around Africa.
Hmm… I wonder if the NRA might be interested in a sight-seeing trip? 
What I particularly like about this story is that the answer to the “vs” OP is:
Capt. Stubing, if he’s prepared.
ordurves
No I don’t think Captain Stubing using “hors d’oeuvers” will fend off Somali pirates. Sorry for errant post.