Miami Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer
Serving victims of cruise ship injuries for ships leaving from PortMiami
Many major cruise lines leave from PortMiami, earning it the nickname the “Cruise Capital of the World.” While a cruise is meant to be a relaxing vacation that offers an opportunity to unwind, these trips can end in pain, medical bills, and sometimes, tragedy for some unfortunate passengers. So what can you do when your vacation becomes a nightmare? You can call the PortMiami cruise ship injury attorneys at Hickey Law Firm. Our Miami cruise ship accident lawyers specialize in maritime law, and we’re ready to stand up for you, your future, and your family. When cruise lines fail to maintain safe conditions, our team uses maritime law to fight back for injured passengers in need of compensation. Whether you were injured on a Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, MSC, or Celebrity cruise, there is a good chance that you’ll need to bring your case to court in Miami. Call us today to learn more.
WAS A LAWYER FOR THE CRUISE LINES. NOW A LAWYER FOR YOU ®
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why most cruise ship injury lawsuits must be filed in Miami federal court
- Why local maritime experience matters
- The strict deadlines for filing a cruise ship injury claim
- Common cruise ship accidents on ships departing PortMiami
- 2025 cruise crime statistics and passenger safety
- Legal rights after a sexual assault on a cruise ship
- Challenging cruise line liability waivers
- Why choose Hickey Law Firm for a Miami cruise ship injury case
- PortMiami cruise injury FAQs
- Speak with a Miami cruise ship accident lawyer today
Why most cruise ship injury lawsuits must be filed in Miami federal court
During the 2025 fiscal year (ending in September), PortMiami handled 8,564,225 cruise passengers, making it one of the busiest cruise ports in the world. The port serves the largest cruise ships in operation today. In fact, many cruises leave Miami carrying 5,000–6,000 passengers per voyage. In November 2025, PortMiami broke the record for most passengers served in a single day with 75,201 people hosted on ten cruise ships. Each of those passengers has a ticket they purchased allowing them to board a ship. Those tickets also function as contracts of adhesion. Within that contract, there is a forum selection clause that typically requires injured individuals to file their lawsuits in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami.
In fact, even if the cruise departed elsewhere or the injured passenger lives in another state, they must typically file their lawsuit in Miami federal court.
WHEN PEOPLE NEED A SPECIALIST IN LIFE CHANGING INJURIES,
PEOPLE CHOOSE HICKEY LAW FIRM.
Why local maritime experience matters
Federal maritime law governs cruise ship injury claims. It’s not the same law that applies to personal injury claims that take place on land, like car crash lawsuits. Not all lawyers handle federal court cases, have admiralty litigation experience, or familiarity with cruise line defense tactics. You need someone who’s ready to jump in, answer your questions, and advocate for you right away.
The strict deadlines for filing a cruise ship injury claim
You can’t delay reaching out to an attorney after a cruise ship injury. There are short and strict deadlines. You are likely subject to a 180-day notice requirement. Under 46 U.S.C. § 30508, cruise lines are allowed to enforce shortened notice requirements, and most cruise ticket contracts require passengers to provide written notice of their claim within six months (180 days). In addition to the notice requirement, there is usually a one-year deadline to file a lawsuit, starting the day of the accident or injury. If you miss that deadline – even by a day – you’re probably out of luck.
Even without the unforgiving deadlines, there are plenty of reasons to reach out to us right away. Remember that the cruise line likely controls most of the evidence. We can help preserve and acquire that evidence so that we can use it to support your case. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that evidence will become difficult to find. Surveillance footage may be deleted, and there tends to be high turnover of cruise ship staff. Your best course of action is to contact Hickey Law Firm as soon as possible.
Common cruise ship accidents on ships departing PortMiami
Cruise ship accidents can happen in all sorts of unexpected ways. However, there are some common categories of accidents that often lead to injuries on cruise ships, including the following.
Slip, trip, and fall accidents on cruise ships
Cruise ship slip and falls are among the most common passenger injury claims. There are many areas on board where an injury could occur, such as:
- Wet pool decks
- Recently mopped floors
- Spilled drinks in bars and nightclubs
- Slippery stairways
- Poor lighting in corridors
With thousands of passengers onboard, it’s not surprising that there are frequent spills and other hazards that pop up. However, cruise lines must respond quickly to remove dangerous conditions. When they don’t, they’re putting people at risk.
When faced with these cases, we often examine whether the cruise ship deck surfaces met the industry slip resistance standards. Investigations may involve:
- Coefficient of Friction (COF) testing
- Analysis of deck materials
- Examination of maintenance records
Experts may use recognized testing methods to assess whether a walking surface provided adequate traction under the conditions at issue. Decorative features and other factors may cause wet floors to become particularly slippery, which is a clear issue on a cruise ship.
Tender boat boarding accidents
Tender boats are used to transport passengers to shore when ships anchor offshore. Risks related to tenders include:
- Rough sea conditions
- Large gaps between vessels
- Poor crew assistance during boarding
- Instability while stepping between vessels
Older passengers may be especially vulnerable during tender transfers. Crew members should be especially cautious when transporting passengers via tender.
Pool and waterpark injuries
Modern cruise ships often feature large recreational water areas, including multi-story waterslides, surf simulators, and splash parks. Slippery surfaces, poor supervision, and defective equipment can all potentially lead to accidents and injuries.
Elevator and escalator accidents on mega ships
Large cruise ships rely heavily on elevators and escalators to move thousands of passengers between decks. As mundane as an elevator may seem, on a cruise ship, it may cause issues related to:
- Misleveling (elevator stopping unevenly with the floor)
- Sudden stops
- Door malfunctions
- Overcrowding during busy times
2025 cruise crime statistics and passenger safety
According to the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA) data reported to the FBI, there were 181 alleged criminal incidents reported to the FBI on cruise ships operating from U.S. ports in 2025, including 121 sexual assaults or rapes. At least as far as reported crimes go, sexual assault is the most frequent crime at sea. Approximately 67% of all reported incidents in 2025 fell into this category.
These statistics are also likely underreported. They do not include incidents that take place on foreign-flagged ships without a U.S. port of call, physical assaults that did not result in "serious bodily injury," and thefts of property valued at less than $10,000.
MAKING OUR WORLD SAFER ONE CASE AT A TIME ®
Legal rights after a sexual assault on a cruise ship
Cruise lines aren’t liable for everything that happens on board one of their ships. However, there are cases where they may be liable for sexual assaults that occur due to:
- Negligent security
- Inadequate background checks
- Failure to monitor crew members
- Poorly lit or poorly monitored areas
Cruise lines may be liable if a crew member commits an assault, particularly if negligent hiring, supervision, or security contributed to the incident. In these cases, the crew members are employees acting within the ship’s operations, creating more liability for corporate cruise lines.
Challenging cruise line liability waivers
Cruise lines offer recreational activities, and like many amusement parks and other facilities, they frequently attempt to limit liability through waivers. Passengers may find themselves signing a waiver to participate in activities such as:
- Surf simulators
- Rock climbing walls
- Zip lines
- Water slides
However, under 46 U.S.C. § 30509, cruise lines are not permitted to contractually eliminate liability for their own negligence. Imagine that a slide is defective, cracks, and falls onto the deck, or the cruise line hires a lifeguard who can’t swim. If the cruise line negligently caused an activity to become dangerous, they may be liable under the law. Although some courts have enforced waivers for certain recreational activities, these waivers cannot typically absolve the cruise line of liability for equipment failure or negligent maintenance.
Why choose Hickey Law Firm for a Miami cruise ship injury case
At Hickey Law Firm, we have unique qualifications when it comes to litigating cases against cruise lines, including:
- Our founding partner, Jack Hickey, is the only triple Board-Certified (Admiralty, Civil Trial, and National Trial) attorney in Florida who sues cruise lines.
- Jack is also the only attorney who represented cruise lines for 20 years before switching to exclusively represent those injured on cruises (giving him inside knowledge of cruise defense tactics).
- We’re the only firm where all lawyers specialize in maritime law.
- We’re the only firm to try two cases against a cruise line in federal court in a two-year period and win both.
When you’re injured on a cruise ship, you need a real maritime law firm with a team that knows what it takes to win one of these cases. We’re that firm.
PortMiami cruise injury FAQs
I don't live in Florida. Do I still need a Miami lawyer for my cruise injury?
Yes, in many cases, you’ll still need a Miami lawyer. Most major cruise lines operate out of Miami and have a clause in their passenger ticket contracts stating that Miami is the appropriate forum for any lawsuits. In fact, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the validity of forum selection clauses in cruise passenger ticket contracts.
Can the cruise line really shorten my time to sue to just one year?
Yes. While state law in Florida and many other states generally allows more time (typically two years) for personal injury claims, federal law specifically allows cruise lines to shorten the statute of limitations to one year. Don’t forget that most tickets require you to provide a formal written "Notice of Intent to Sue" within 180 days of the accident as well.
How much does it cost to hire a Miami cruise ship accident lawyer?
We represent injured passengers on a contingency fee basis, which means that there are no upfront hourly attorney fees for our services. We only get paid if we successfully recover compensation for you through a settlement or a court award. These costs are typically deducted from the final recovery. While there may be court fees or some costs involved, by working on a contingency basis, personal injury lawyers allow victims to go head-to-head with billion-dollar cruise corporations.
Is the cruise line liable if I was injured during a shore excursion?
Possibly, depending on the facts. Cruise lines often classify excursion operators as "independent contractors" to avoid liability. However, such designations don’t always hold up. If the cruise line marketed the excursion, sold you the tickets, used their branding, or led you to believe they vetted the operator for safety, they may bear some legal responsibility for injuries that occur during that excursion.
Lawyers for people with life changing injuries®
Your Florida maritime injury law firm
Speak with a Miami cruise ship accident lawyer today
If you sustained injuries while on a cruise ship, you can’t afford to sit back and wait before calling a lawyer. Time is limited, and if your medical bills are piling up, you need someone to fight to get you fair compensation for your injuries. Call us today for a free consultation with one of our experienced Miami cruise ship injury attorneys. We offer representation for cruise passengers nationwide on a contingency basis, which means you don’t pay attorney fees upfront. Visit us at our Miami office located at 12150 SW 128th Ct, Suite 225, Miami, FL 33186, call now, or fill out our online contact form to schedule your free consultation.