Murders and unsolved deaths aboard cruise ships
About Cruise Ship Killers
You might ask yourself, Are there really enough murders at sea for an entire true crime show? Believe it or not, there is more than one series in this niche. Cruise Ship Killers focuses on murders and other deaths that occurred on pleasure cruises or at their ports of call. Some of the deaths are suicides, some are unsolved disappearances, and some are actual homicides complicated by the fact that they occurred at sea, with investigations impacted by the complex legalities of a jurisdiction based on maritime law or the absence of a body.
Presented in a linear fashion, each episode follows the story from the reasons the victim went on the cruise, to their death or disappearance, to the investigation and trial, fictionalizing the stories to protect those involved and including pseudonyms for most episodes.
Cruise Ship Killers is a bit slow-paced, with languid narration, re-creations, and commentary from a stock group of experts, including crime writer J.H. Moncrieff, retired detective Damian Turner, and former medical examiner investigator Kim Witt. Some episodes include stories from the victims’ friends and family (Season 1 only), but with less focus on them than other shows, and only a few episodes include the investigators involved. The show is reminiscent of the relaxed style of Heartland Homicide.
The Show Elements
Seasons: 2 (2020-2022)
Where to stream: Tubi, Peacock, The Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video
More shows like Cruise Ship Killers: Deadly Waters with Captain Lee, Dark Waters: Murder in the Deep, Dark Waters of Crime
See also this list of true crime shows
✘ Police interviews
✘ Trial clips
✓ Narration
✓ Re-creations
✓ Experts
✓ Victims’ families and friends
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