MIAMI (AP) — It sounds like a scene in a Hollywood blockbuster: Pirates hit a luxury cruise ship with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns off a lawless African country. The cruise crew tries to ram both pirate boats, uses an earsplitting high-tech weapon on the attackers and evades them.

That was the real-life situation the crew and passengers of the Seabourn Spirit found themselves in off Somalia last weekend. With piracy common in some areas and terrorism fears present after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, cruise lines say they train their crews and have security measures to respond effectively to these threats.

An Australian spokesman for the vessel, John Richardson of Carnival Australia, which includes P&O Cruises, confirmed that the dish-shaped device was targeted at the attackers.

Mr Richardson said the device had been fitted to other liners in the Carnival group. "We are keen to assure passengers that we have effective security measures in place."

''The captain did a wonderful job. We had a cocktail party last night and the captain was given a standing ovation,'' Bob and Gayle Meagher, who were among 19 Australians aboard the Spirit, told The Courier Mail of Queensland, Australia.

The Spirit, one of three ships operated by Seabourn, carried 151 passengers and 161 crew members. Its passengers -- who paid $5,000 or more for the 16-day voyage departing Egypt -- included 48 Americans, two from South Florida, Good said, declining to disclose their names.

The attack comes amid one of the best years on record for cruise-ship companies. More than 11 million people are expected to take cruises this year, up from 10.5 million in 2004, according to the New York-based Cruise Lines International Association.

Analysts following the cruise-ship industry have long warned that demand for cruising would fall off if it no longer was seen as safe. But Jake Balzer, an analyst for Guzman & Co. in Coral Gables, said he doesn't think that will happen as a result of the attack.

''It turned out OK, so the fact that there was an event and the cruise line handled it well might mean it's not necessarily a negative for them. If anything, it could be a positive,'' Balzer said.

Good said Seabourn was now focused on making sure its passengers get to where they need to be, such as lining up flights for passengers between Mombasa, Kenya -- where the Spirit was headed before the pirates attacked -- and the Seychelles. He said he knew of no passengers who asked to be let off the Spirit.

''They're having champagne and caviar in the Seychelles right now. They're OK,'' Good said, adding that the incident hasn't hurt bookings, either.

'I had one e-mail from a woman saying, `My husband and I were considering several cruise lines, and after we read about what your captain did, we're going with you.' That's gratifying,'' Good said.