The National Transportation Safety Board is to hold a public forum on cruise ship safety in March, to encourage more dialogue between the cruise industry and the general public.
The move comes in the wake of heightened scrutiny of the cruise industry after recent outbreaks of norovirus and the drowning of a young child on a cruise ship this week.
The NTSB said it would discuss "some recent high-profile incidents."
The forum is titled ‘Cruise Ships: Examining Safety, Operations and Oversight’ and will take place March 25-26 in Washington DC.
Attendees will include the US Coast Guard, cruise operators, industry groups and tourism leaders.
A NTSB press release said its aim is to "to encourage dialogue with the cruise industry, regulators, and the general public."
A full agenda for the event has yet to be announced but topics up for discussion will include regulatory framework, ship design, cruise operations and corporate oversight.
