As I understand it, we regularly put some sort of security detachments on transport ships heading into warzones now. Maybe we could do the same here. Put together some clear guidelines as to the ROE, make sure they're communicated around the world equally. Then if someone's stupid enough to attack, they deserve what they get.

I'm thinking it'd be especially fun to have some pirates try to sneak up at night. Against a ship we're guarding. Why? Because we like night vision scopes, infrared detection systems, and the like. We could let them get very, very close and then sink their little boat.

Which is bad when you're on the ocean. Not that I'd go as far as suggesting that we chum the ocean as we leave them behind, but I get the feeling that this would serve as a nice deterrent...

Unfortunately, if you're the average wealthy and effete world-traveller out to pretend to immerse yourself in other cultures without leaving your air-conditioned luxury cabin, the sight of rough men ready to do violence on your behalf is exactly what you DON'T want to see. I wouldn't be surprised if a group of passengers filed suit claiming that the cruise lines didn't look hard enough for some way to protect them from pirates without having a drab warship spoiling their view of the quaint pirate coves along the shore.