Cruise Ship Accidents
Who Is Liable If I’m Injured on a Cruise Ship?
If you are a passenger on a cruise ship and get injured, there will be a few things you will have to prove in order to determine liability. The number one thing you will have to confirm in court is that the cruise ship operator was negligent in some way. This is the main way…
Read MoreAre Cruise Ship Workers Protected by Maritime Law?
Last week, we wrote about how a cruise ship employee died during a safety drill on the Harmony of the Seas, which is the world’s largest cruise ship. At the time, the ship was docked in France. Due to the fact the accident took place in another country, some may be confused about what the…
Read MoreAre Safety Drills Causing Maritime Accidents?
Earlier this month, a seafarer died and four were injured in a maritime accident on the Harmony of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world that just sailed its inaugural voyage this year. Specifically, a lifeboat fell 30 feet from its davit and into the water during a ship safety drill. Of the…
Read MoreWhy are Passengers Calling Royal Caribbean a Nightmare Cruise Line?
Last month, a cruise ship passenger from Texas fell 100 feet into the water from a Royal Caribbean cruise line. After an exhaustive effort covering more than 2,500 miles, the Coast Guard called off the search and explained the fall would have likely killed the passenger or stunned him, which means he would have drowned.…
Read MoreCarnival Crewmember Killed in Elevator Accident on a Cruise Ship
A Carnival crewmember was tragically killed in an elevator accident on a cruise ship, according to CNN. The incident took place the last Sunday in December aboard the Carnival Ecstasy, which travels through the Caribbean out of Miami. Reportedly, the crewmember was a 66-year-old electrician who was repairing the elevator at the time of the…
Read MoreAre Cruise Ship Pools Safe?
In July, a 4-year-old boy nearly drowned, suffering critical injuries, following an incident involving a cruise ship pool. The boy was on a family vacation when he was “swept under” a pool aboard the Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas. It is believed that he was underwater for an estimated five to 10 minutes. The…
Read MoreBrain Injury: Man Awarded $21 Million For Cruise Ship Accident
According to KING-TV, a Seattle jury recently awarded an Illinois man $21.5 million after he sued a cruise line over a traumatic brain injury (TBI) accident. KING reported that the accident occurred on a Holland America Line cruise when an automatic sliding door aboard a vessel hit the man. He reportedly was on an eight-month cruise…
Read MorePembroke Woman Seriously Injured in Cruise Ship Fall
According to WFXT-TV, on September 10, a New Hampshire woman was critically injured aboard the Carnival Victory after slipping and falling on the vessel. The news outlet reported that the woman, 24, is “fighting for her life”. The incident happened less than 24 hours after she boarded the vessel. The woman allegedly “fell hard” and…
Read MoreCoast Guard Rescues Injured Cruise Ship Passenger
According to KSWB-TV, an 80-year-old woman had to be rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard following a cruise ship injury that occurred on August 28, near the California coast. The news outlet reported that the Coast Guard received an emergency call at around midnight that the woman was experiencing severe headaches and was nauseous after…
Read MoreWhy Do Passengers Fall Off Cruise Ships?
According to the Boston Globe, the body of a 59-year-old woman was recently recovered off the coast of Cape Ann after she fell off a cruise ship. The news source reported that the US Coast Guard received a call on September 11 about a woman who had fallen overboard the 650-foot Seabourn Quest. The ship…
Read MoreHave You Been Injured in a Cruise Ship Slip-and-Fall?
In a decision that could have ramifications in future cases, recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled that a lower court should not have dismissed the testimony of an expert in a slip-and-fall case. According to Daily Business Review, the decision came after a district court judge in Florida ruled that…
Read MoreHow Were Two Cruise Ship Workers Injured in a Hawaii Accident
Two crewmembers aboard the Pride of America were injured recently in Hawaii when they were performing a check on the vessel’s rescue boats. According to KHON-TV, the cruise ship accident took place on July 28, when the vessel, operated by Norwegian Cruise Line, was docked in Hilo. Investigators say that the employees, who are in…
Read MoreRoyal Caribbean Ship Catches Fire, Crew Member Injured
According to WFTV-TV, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that departed from Port Canaveral, Florida, recently caught fire in Jamaica, leading to burn injuries for a crewmember. The news outlet reported that Freedom of the Seas experienced a fire in its mechanical space as the ship was pulling into Falmouth, Jamaica on July 19. “The ship’s…
Read MoreWhat is the Cruise Passenger Protection Act?
A Connecticut Senator has introduced the Cruise Passenger Protection Act of 2015 aimed at providing more protections for U.S. citizens who are traveling aboard vessels. “Since January 2015 alone, 12 passengers have fallen overboard while on cruise ships,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who is co-sponsoring the legislation, according to the Greenwich Times. The Cruise Passenger…
Read MoreSeventeen People Injured in NY Cruise Ship Accident
According to CNN, a cruise ship struck a wall in the Eisenhower Lock in New York on June 18, injuring 17 passengers. The news outlet reported that several passengers had to be sent to an area hospital for treatment following the accident. There were 274 people on the Saint Laurent, a 286-foot vessel, when the…
Read MoreWhy Do Norovirus Outbreaks Occur on Cruise Ships?
Recently, it was reported that Celebrity Cruise’s Infinity returned to San Diego after 106 passengers aboard the vessel, including six crewmembers, came down with a norovirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is investigating the outbreak, said that it has collected stool samples from passengers to determine how the outbreak occurred. Those who…
Read MoreAre Cruise Ships with Insufficient Regulations Above the Law?
Are Cruise Ships with Insufficient Regulations Above the Law? A recent New York Times opinion columnist has written an article about cruise ships and their insufficient regulation. According to the columnist, cruise ships cut corners in the area of safety to lower ticket costs so that they can raise profits, which can increase the safety…
Read MoreDo Cruise Ship Crews Know What to Do in Case of a Fire?
The last thing cruise ship passengers are often thinking about while onboard the vessel is that it’s going to catch on fire. However, it can happen, and when it does, passengers should be able to count on the crew to know what to do to keep them safe. Earlier this month, when a fire broke…
Read MoreWho Can I Call If I Was Hurt While Working on a Cruise Ship?
In late October, two cruise ship employees were involved in an on-the-job accident, which resulted in one being seriously injured and the other losing his life. According to Cruise Critic, the incident took place on Princess Cruises Coral Princess while the vessel was docked in Colon, Panama. Both the workers were in a lifeboat at…
Read MoreNew Patented Water-Activated Life Raft
In far too many marine disasters, life rafts are in fact available for use, but passengers and crews either were not trained in how to deploy the life rafts, or the rafts were inaccessible. The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) is an international maritime safety treaty, designed to ensure that…
Read MoreLocal Victims Hope Laws At Sea Will Change
BOSTON — Team 5 Investigates has learned that cruise ship companies are not required to report crimes committed on board if their ships are 12 or more miles from shore. It’s a painful lesson that countless families have learned the hard way, including Kendall Carver, whose 40-year-old daughter, Merrian, disappeared while on a cruise in…
Read MoreMassive Maritime Salvage Begins to Re-Float Costa Concordia
As the final phase of the Costa Concordia salvage operation gets underway, Italian locals, maritime engineers and government officials shared a moment of silence to commemorate the 32 people who died when the massive cruise ship ran aground back in 2012. When the Concordia was built in 2004, it was among the largest cruise ships in the…
Read MoreLatti Wins Jury Award of $791,000 in Cruise Ship Injury Case
On January 16, 2014, Latti & Anderson LLP was able to secure a jury award of $791,474.70 with 50 percent contributory negligence for a verdict of $395,732.39 for a client injured on a Norwegian Cruise Lines ship. According to the lawsuit, which was recently tried in Miami Federal Court, on the last night of our…
Read MoreBridge Shutdown for 60 Days After Louisiana Barge Accident
Bridge Shutdown for 60 Days After Louisiana Barge Accident According to WAFB CBS 9, due to the damage caused by a February 28 barge accident, a Grosse Tete, Louisiana bridge will be closed for at least 60 days. The bridge is a major crossing for area residents as well as those passing through, and closing…
Read MorePassenger Fell From Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship, Police Say
Police released on January 1 that they believe a passenger that was reported as missing from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship may have fallen overboard around dawn on December 31. According to officials, the passenger was a 65-year-old man that may have fallen off the cruise ship in British Caribbean territory, 13 miles northwest of…
Read MoreNew Documents Show Carnival Knew of Fire Risk Before Carnival Triumph Disaster
New documents filed this month show that Carnival Cruise Lines knew of the risk of fuel leaks from engine hoses before the Carnival Triumph caught fire at sea in February. According to a “compliance notice report” sent to Triumph a month before it left Galveston on February 7 for a four-day cruise, spray shields were…
Read MoreCruise Ship Injury? Our Nationwide Maritime Attorneys Can Help
Our nationwide maritime attorneys can help victims of cruise ship accidents, injuries and assault. A recent string of cruise ship accidents have shown that passengers and crew on board these large vessels are at risk for serious injuries and death when there is negligence or recklessness. Most recently, a woman leaped overboard a cruise ship…
Read MoreNationwide Maritime Trial Lawyer: Carnival Cruise Ship Accidents
A recent string of accidents has occurred aboard Carnival cruise ships. On October 23, a 52-year-old woman on board the Carnival Sensation fell in an elevator and broke both of her legs. The Coast Guard Air Station Miami hoisted the woman off the ship via helicopter and took her to a nearby medical center. At…
Read MoreLawmakers Concerned About Large Cruise Ship Dangers
In an interview with The New York Times, lawmakers expressed concern about the overwhelming size of cruise ships and the dangers they present for both passengers and crews. According to the articles, safety experts, regulators and lawmakers are worried about the oversight and enforcement that cruise ships do not have. A string of accidents that…
Read MoreCarnival Cruise Ship Worker Killed in Accident at New Orleans Port
Carnival Cruise Ship Worker Killed in Accident at New Orleans Port A Carnival cruise ship worker was killed while working on the outside of the Carnival Conquest in a New Orleans port on October 20. The worker was killed while operating a man lift, a piece of equipment that raises workers up to the exterior…
Read More6-Year-Old Drowns in Carnival Cruise Ship Swimming Pool
6-Year-Old Drowns in Carnival Cruise Ship Swimming Pool A six-year-old boy drowned in a pool aboard a Carnival cruise ship, according to a statement released by Carnival Cruise Lines on October 14. The young boy drowned on October 13 in a midship pool aboard the Carnival Victory. His family and friends were near the pool…
Read MoreAlaskan Cruise Ship Docked for Engine Trouble, Shines Light on Dangers of Cruise Ships
Alaskan Cruise Ship Docked for Engine Trouble, Shines Light on Dangers of Cruise Ships In the wake of Venice’s possible ban on cruise ships due to tourist accidents and deaths, an Alaskan cruise ship has been docked due to engine trouble. The Celebrity Millennium’s Alaskan cruise has been cancelled and the ship is being worked…
Read MoreNew Orleans Tugboat Accident Causes Cruise Ship To Alter Its Course
The Carnival Conquest, a 3,000-passenger Carnival Cruise Lines cruise ship, was diverted to Mobile, Alabama last month because of a tugboat accident that prevented it from reaching its intended destination, New Orleans, Louisiana. According to the Cruise Critic, the 48-foot tugboat capsized and sank in the Mississippi River near Venice, Louisiana, forcing the U.S. Coast…
Read More‘Cruise Industry Passenger Bill Of Rights’ Addresses Inconveniences, But Does Nothing For Injustices
‘Cruise Industry Passenger Bill Of Rights’ Addresses Inconveniences, But Does Nothing For Injustices After there were a number of highly publicized problems with cruise lines, US Senator Charles Schumer of New York called for the cruise ship industry to adopt a “bill of rights” that guarantees passengers certain protections. On May 22, the Cruise Lines…
Read MoreCARNIVAL LEGEND is Cruise Line’s Fourth Ship to Have Issues at Sea
CARNIVAL LEGEND is Cruise Line’s Fourth Ship to Have Issues at Sea As this video from Canada’s Global National newscast notes, the CARNIVAL LEGEND became the cruise line’s fourth ship in less than a month to experience problems while at sea when it was forced to cancel a port of call to Grand Cayman on…
Read MoreBoston Maritime Attorneys Examine Coast Guard Medevacs on Cruise Ships
Boston Maritime Attorneys Examine Coast Guard Medevacs on Cruise Ships During the four days that it took to tow the disabled CARNIVAL TRIUMPH to Mobile, Alabama, the US Coast Guard provided valuable assistance. On the evening that the fire in the cruise ship’s engine room resulted in the loss of power that left the TRIUMPH…
Read MoreFive Crewmembers Killed in Lifeboat Drill Accident on THOMSON MAJESTY
On Monday, we discussed the passengers who were stranded at sea following a fire in the engine room of the Carnival Triumph. It is important to remember that maritime law also protects the crew of cruise ships as well, and this BBC News video discusses five crewmembers who were killed on February 10 during a…
Read MoreCARNIVAL TRIUMPH Fire Leaves Thousands Stranded at Sea for Days
CARNIVAL TRIUMPH Fire Leaves Thousands Stranded at Sea for Days This video is Carnival Cruise Lines President and CEO Gerry Cahill speaking at a news conference on February 12. It was the first time that a company representative spoke publicly since a fire had erupted in the engine room of the CARNIVAL TRIUMPH while the…
Read MoreDrunk Boating Accidents Cause Damage Across Country
Earlier this month, we discussed the role that alcohol can play in some cruise ship injuries, but it is important to remember that operating under the influence is also a common cause of recreational boating accidents. Two recent stories in separate areas of the country demonstrate how piloting a private vessel while intoxicated not only…
Read MoreUVA Student Killed by Boat Propeller While Snorkeling on Final Stop of ‘Semester at Sea’
Casey Schulman was a University of Virginia (UVA) senior who was studying abroad as part of the school’s “Semester at Sea” program. The Washington Post reported that the 22-year-old spent 14 weeks visiting London, Portugal, Africa and the Amazon. On December 1, 2012, Schulman and other students were snorkeling during the ship’s final stop on…
Read MoreBoston Maritime Attorneys Discuss Danger of All-You-Can-Drink Packages on Cruise Lines
Boston Maritime Attorneys Discuss Danger of All-You-Can-Drink Packages on Cruise Lines On November 15, 2012, ABC News reported that Norwegian Cruise Line will be testing an all-you-can-drink package on three of its ships. As ABC noted, this is “a trend among cruise lines that appears to be gaining momentum.” The story pointed out that cruise…
Read MoreSecond Norovirus Outbreak on Celebrity Constellation This Year Leaves Hundreds Ill
BBC News reported on November 6, 2012, that the Celebrity Cruises vessel CELEBRITY CONSTELLATION delayed its departure from Southampton, England, after a suspected outbreak of norovirus. The United Kingdom’s Southern Daily Echo reported that a spokesman for Celebrity Cruises said that “a small number of guests experienced a gastrointestinal type illness,” but BBC reported that…
Read MoreSpecial Interest Groups Requests Records from Boating Accident
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is requesting to see the records of a Montana boating accident in 2009 involving U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg, according to the Missoulian. The accident occurred at Flathead Lake, and the group suspects the records may contain information that the public has a right to know concerning the…
Read MoreThirty-Eight Killed in Hong Kong Ferry Accident
A boating accident in Hong Kong killed 38 people on October 3, according to sources. A ferry owned by Hong Kong and Kowloon Holdings collided with a vessel. The ferry was damaged but managed to make it to port. The vessel, the LAMMA IV, was half submerged and retrieved by a salvage crew. Approximately 100…
Read MoreCOSTA CONCORDIA Captain Admits He Was “Distracted”
COSTA CONCORDIA Captain Admits He Was “Distracted” July 13 marked six months since the COSTA CONCORDIA capsized near the Italian island of Giglio, resulting in the deaths of 32 people, including two Americans. Island residents and victims’ relatives offered prayers, while ships sounded their horns in honor of those lost. Church bells rang out at…
Read MoreWhen Cruise Ships Encounter Bad Weather
People often picture cruises as being nothing but clear skies, calm waters and good times. However, cruise ships can encounter rough seas and stormy weather just like any other vessel. In 2010, for instance, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship got caught in a Mediterranean winter storm. The Brilliance of the Seas survived the hurricane-force winds…
Read MoreCosta’s Forum Selection Clause
Costa’s Forum Selection Clause The COSTA CONCORDIA disaster took the world by surprise. Not only did this tragic cruise ship accident shake many people’s confidence in cruise ship safety, it also thrust the issue of forum selection clauses into the mainstream. Like all major cruise lines, Costa Cruises has a forum selection clause in its…
Read MoreAre Cruise Ticket Forum Selection Clauses Always Enforceable?
Are Cruise Ticket Forum Selection Clauses Always Enforceable? Cruise tickets typically contain a forum selection clause, which stipulates where claims against the cruise line can be filed. For example, Carnival Cruise Lines includes in its ticket contract a section entitled “Jurisdiction, Venue, Arbitration and Time Limits for Claims.” This clause states that claims must be…
Read MoreForum Selection Clauses in Cruise Tickets
Not all cruise passengers read the fine print included with their ticket package. One clause that all passengers should know about is the forum selection clause. If you sustain an injury onboard a cruise ship, or if your loved one dies in a cruise ship accident, the forum selection clause dictates where you can file…
Read MoreCOSTA CONCORDIA Performers File $200 Million Lawsuit
COSTA CONCORDIA Performers File $200 Million Lawsuit Four Hungarian musicians and dancers who were onboard the COSTA CONCORDIA cruise ship when it capsized off the coast of Italy on Jan. 13 have filed a federal lawsuit in White Plains, N.Y., against Costa Cruises and its parent corporation Carnival Cruise Lines. The performers were part of…
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