Jacksonville Cruise Ship Accident Attorneys
Helping passengers injured on cruises departing the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal
Jacksonville’s cruise terminal is smaller than some of the particularly large ports in Florida, like PortMiami and Port Canaveral. Still, more than 200,000 cruise passengers set sail from or returned to the port last year. Major cruise lines, including Carnival and Norwegian, start some of their journeys from Jacksonville’s JAXPORT. While cruises are a popular vacation option for people worldwide, unfortunate circumstances on these vessels happen more often than people realize and can lead to serious injuries. If you were among those injured in a cruise that departed from JAXPORT, you need the assistance of a Jacksonville cruise ship accident lawyer. Call Hickey Law Firm today to learn how we can help.
WAS A LAWYER FOR THE CRUISE LINES. NOW A LAWYER FOR YOU ®
Frequently Asked Questions
- Maintenance negligence on older cruise ships
- Cruise line liability for alcohol over-service
- Gangway and terminal boarding accidents
- Using CVSSA crime data to prove a pattern of negligence
- Why choose Hickey Law Firm
- Jacksonville cruise ship accident FAQs
- Contact a Jacksonville cruise ship accident lawyer
Maintenance negligence on older cruise ships
The JAXPORT Cruise Terminal primarily serves ships sailing to the Bahamas and Caribbean. Some ships sailing from Jacksonville are older vessels or have undergone refurbishments, which can make maintenance issues especially important. Aging ships may require extensive maintenance.
Potential hazards include:
- Rusted railings
- Worn stair treads
- Corroded deck hardware
- Deteriorated safety barriers
When properly maintained, older ships can be perfectly safe. However, neglect can lead to conditions that can create serious safety risks. If someone is injured because of negligent care and maintenance, the cruise line can be liable.
WHEN PEOPLE NEED A SPECIALIST IN LIFE CHANGING INJURIES,
PEOPLE CHOOSE HICKEY LAW FIRM.
Cruise line liability for alcohol over-service
Many passengers on cruise ships consume alcohol, with some even purchasing all-you-can-drink packages. Cruise ship bartenders and servers need to be responsible when it comes to providing guests with alcoholic beverages (under maritime law, cruise lines may be liable if negligent alcohol service contributes to foreseeable harm). Negligence may occur when crew members:
- Continue serving alcohol to visibly intoxicated passengers
- Fail to monitor dangerous behavior
- Allow intoxicated passengers to enter unsafe areas
Without proper care, alcohol-related incidents may lead to falls, passenger altercations, and even overboard incidents. In one tragic case, staff served a passenger 33 drinks, which resulted in him becoming disoriented and belligerent. The passenger, a 35-year-old man, died in custody on the ship.
Gangway and terminal boarding accidents
Sometimes, injuries may occur before the trip really even begins. Passengers boarding ships in Jacksonville may be injured during the transition from the terminal to the vessel. Hazards during boarding may include:
- Unstable gangways
- Inadequate lighting
- Slippery boarding ramps
- Poorly maintained stairwells
Embarkation and disembarkation are two of the riskier times on a cruise because large numbers of passengers are moving simultaneously. It’s critical that the cruise line keeps things orderly to avoid accidents and injuries.
Using CVSSA crime data to prove a pattern of negligence
Criminal incidents also take place on cruises, sometimes fueled by alcohol consumption, negligent hiring, poor lighting, or a lack of security, among other issues. The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA) keeps track of data on criminal acts on cruise ships that are reported to the FBI. In 2025, the FBI received 181 reports of alleged criminal incidents on cruise ships operating from U.S. ports. Of that total, 121 were classified as sexual assaults or rapes. Among reported crimes, 67% in 2025 fell into this category, making it the most common crime on cruise ships. However, cruise ship crimes likely occur more often, and not all crimes make it into the data at all. Crimes on foreign-flagged ships without a U.S. port of call don’t factor in, neither do physical assaults unless they result in "serious bodily injury," and thefts only get counted if they involve values of $10,000 or more.
In some cases, these reports may help demonstrate that cruise lines knew about dangerous conditions or individuals but failed to act. Cruise lines may be liable for harm caused by crimes like sexual assaults.
Why choose Hickey Law Firm
Hickey Law Firm’s team of experienced litigators has the maritime law qualifications necessary to fight back against cruise lines on behalf of those injured in cruise ship accidents. Jack Hickey, the founder of the firm, is triple Board-Certified (Admiralty, Civil Trial, and National Trial). He’s built a team of maritime specialists to represent cruise accident victims.
Jack spent 20 years as a defense attorney representing cruise lines, but then he switched sides. Now, he’s a lawyer for injury victims. Jack leans on his unique background when advocating for those injured on cruise ships. He knows the legal strategies cruise lines and their lawyers are likely to use, and he’s prepared to challenge them.
At Hickey Law Firm, we’re the only firm that has won two trials in federal court against cruise lines in the last two years. With our litigation experience, you can rest assured that we’re prepared for your cruise accident claim all the way through a jury trial.
If you suffered an injury on a cruise ship, you need a specialized maritime law firm. Call Hickey Law Firm today to get in touch with dedicated legal advocates for those who’ve suffered from cruise ship injuries.
MAKING OUR WORLD SAFER ONE CASE AT A TIME ®
Jacksonville cruise ship accident FAQs
As Jacksonville cruise ship attorneys, we frequently hear from cruise ship injury victims. They often have questions, including:
What is a cruise passenger ticket contract, and why does it matter after an injury?
When you purchase a cruise ticket, you are also agreeing to the terms contained in the cruise line’s passenger ticket contract. These contracts often include important provisions that affect injury claims, such as notice requirements, filing deadlines, and where a lawsuit must be filed. Courts generally enforce these provisions so long as the passengers had a reasonable opportunity to review them. Because the ticket contract can significantly affect your legal rights, it is important that you connect with a maritime attorney who can review it as soon as possible after an injury.
Where do I have to file a lawsuit if I was injured on a cruise leaving Jacksonville?
Even if your cruise departed from the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal, you may still have to file your lawsuit in federal court in Miami. Most major cruise lines include forum-selection clauses in their passenger ticket contracts that require cases to be filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. It doesn’t matter if you’re from another state. A lawyer can review the language in your ticket contract to determine the proper venue for your claim.
How long do I have to file a cruise ship injury lawsuit?
Cruise ship injury cases usually have shorter deadlines than standard personal injury claims. While Florida’s state law allows you two years to file a claim in something like a car accident, you don’t have that much time to file a lawsuit against a cruise line. Many cruise ticket contracts require passengers to provide written notice of an injury within six months (180 days) and file a lawsuit within one year of the incident. You should expect the court to enforce these deadlines under federal maritime law. If you wait too long, you could lose the right to seek compensation. On top of that, gathering evidence and connecting with witnesses only becomes harder as time passes. The cruise line likely has the evidence you need to prove your claim in its possession. The sooner we’re involved, the more likely it is that we can find and preserve evidence to build a successful cruise accident injury claim.
What are some common causes of cruise ship injuries?
Cruise ship injuries can occur in many ways. One of the most common injury causes is slip and fall accidents on wet decks. Others may include gangway boarding incidents, defective recreational attractions, alcohol-related altercations, or negligent maintenance of ship equipment. In some cases, injuries may also result from negligent security, medical malpractice by shipboard medical staff, or unsafe shore excursions. Determining the cause of an accident is an important step in identifying who may be legally responsible.
What evidence can help prove a cruise ship injury claim?
Evidence is critical in cruise ship injury cases, but much of the information about what happened will be in the hands of the cruise line. You’ll need to obtain photographs or video of the hazard, witness names and contact information, shipboard medical records, and copies of incident reports. Cruise ships also often have surveillance cameras that may capture the accident. Unfortunately, they don’t always preserve that footage for long. Contacting an attorney quickly is the best way to push the cruise line to preserve evidence and to gain access to it.
Contact a Jacksonville cruise ship accident lawyer
Cruises should be fun, relaxing opportunities to unwind and connect with friends and loved ones. When something goes wrong, the consequences can be devastating. At Hickey Law Firm, we fight on behalf of those injured because of negligent cruise lines and cruise line staff or crewmembers. We offer free consultations for prospective clients. If you were injured on a cruise ship, fill out our contact form to speak to a JAXPORT cruise ship personal injury attorney.