As cruising has become one of the most rapidly growing sectors of tourism, it recently has been experiencing a significant movement in cruise passenger demographics, for which Generation Z is increasingly becoming an appealing market. Previous research has indicated that perception of risks, safety and security is a mediator in the cruising decision-making process, which significantly influences cruising intention and satisfaction. By using an online survey, this empirical study investigated Generation Z’s perceptions of safety, security and risks on cruise ships. The findings highlight this market is concerned about cruise-related accidents, terrorism, piracy and crime, and motion sickness, and to a lesser extent about infection outbreaks and sexually transmissible infections. The findings suggest significant implications of how cruise operators can develop policies, customise on-board mitigation strategies and develop marketing communications to fulfil this market’s demand.