## 2 Methodology  
This systematic literature review effort aims to thoroughly assess and address the problematic aspects involved in the evacuation of cruise/large passenger vessels, while also suggesting viable remedies. The process of the review incorporates essential screening stages to guarantee a comprehensive and unbiased evaluation of the subject matter. Also, this systematic literature review is in compliance with PRISMA guidelines, to ensure the transparency, accuracy, and reliability of its results. This study uses, as a starting point, the delineation of the scope, which includes evacuation procedures, safety measures, emergency management, and human elements that are specifically relevant to cruise and passenger vessels. An important clarification is that since relevant practical studies are not the main focus of this effort, the time of evacuation from the assembly point (muster station) to the life-saving equipment was excluded from the relevant discussion. Searches across credible databases, including Scopus, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and specialized maritime journals, are guided by the following keywords: evacuation efficiency, passenger safety, cruise/passenger ship emergencies, emergency response, human factors, and ship design. It shall be noted that this effort includes the literature mainly referring to large passenger ships and cruise ships. Based on the fact that these ships are most commonly involved in international voyages (visiting ports of various different countries), they are consequently obliged to follow international regulations that are under the heavy influence of the IMO and do not solely follow the relevant legislation of their Flag State [13]. This choice also helps to ensure that the findings and analysis are broadly applicable and relevant to the global maritime industry as a whole. The inclusion criteria prioritize the selection of peer-reviewed papers and relevant gray literature that provide significant insights into evacuation methods and safety protocols that are specific to cruise/large passenger vessels. This review focuses on studies that investigate the intricacies of human behavior in emergency situations, including psychological reactions, decision-making mechanisms, and behavioral interactions among both crew members and passengers. Research focusing on the influence of human variables, such as stress, fear, and communication difficulties, during evacuation scenarios has been prioritized. Moreover, this research has sought the literature that explores the importance of ships design in regard to evacuation efficiency, technological improvements in maritime evacuation technologies, their efficacy in enhancing evacuation efficiency, and their integration with safety practices focused on human well-being. Additionally, in order to uphold the rigor and pertinence of the data collection, specific exclusion criteria were implemented. Excluded from consideration are literary works that largely concentrate on other parts of marine operations or that fail to particularly discuss the issues of evacuation, human dynamics, or safety standards aboard cruise and passenger vessels. In addition, research that lacks empirical data or case studies that do not offer clear insights on evacuation methods or safety protocols have been excluded. Furthermore, papers published in languages other than English have been omitted because of possible constraints in translation resources and the potential misunderstanding of important concepts discussed. To ensure the legitimacy and validity of the review's synthesis results, the literature that lacks defined techniques, data analysis, or transparency in reporting findings was also omitted. Initially, with just the application of the chosen keywords on the aforementioned databases, a total of 310 publications were found.