Personal Injury

As the major cruise companies plan their return to operations there are myriad aspects of the business that require planning and mitigation. For example, much has been made about whether Royal Caribbean will continue to serve its signature buffet due to the inherent risks involved. But this is just one aspect of the cruise business…

The domestic travel industry was shocked over the weekend after a Massachusetts woman posted images of a cruise ship packed with people online. Now, authorities in the state have issued a cease-and-desist order to the company responsible for the cruise. NBCBoston.com reports that the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards ordered Bay State Cruise Company to cease operating…

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, most major companies across the globe have suspended operations since March. After cruise ships that were already at sea when the pandemic started arrived at port in April, no major cruies vessels have embarked on a voyage carrying passengers, until now.  Finally at sea – With 1200 passengers our “Mein…

In March, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control issued an order prohibiting international cruise ships from calling on U.S. ports through July 24. The CDC subsequently extended the order through September in order to give the cruise industry more time to put practices in place to help ensure passenger safety in the era of coronavirus.…

Among those in the travel industry, it is no secret that the cruise sector has been effectively paused since March. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has issued an order preventing major international cruise ships from calling on the United States through September, effectively shutting down much of the world’s cruise business. But despite the…

As cruise companies across the world announce the liquidation of cruise ships in an attempt to remain solvent, now does not seem to be the ideal time to launch an innovative new super ship. In the wake of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Royal Caribbean has announced that it will delay the rollout of its newest…

After the coronavirus pandemic caused the abrupt disruption of the cruise industry in March over 100,000 cruise ship crew members were left stranded aboard the ships on which they work. Countries closed their borders and turned cruise ships away, fearing that the ships may be carrying passengers sick with the virus. Now, four months after the…

In what may amount to little more than a technicality, on Thursday the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended its cruise ship no-sail order through September. The extension comes as little surprise as the confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States continues to soar. The CDC originally placed the order on…

Following the lead of its parent company Carnival Cruise Line, which announced the sale of 13 cruise ships last week, Holland America has recently announced that it will sell multiple ships as well. CruiseIndustryNews.com reports that Holland America will sell the Amsterdam, Maasdam, Rotterdam and Veendam.  In a statement Stein Kruse, CEO of both Holland America…

In an effort to help ensure passenger safety, at least two major cruise companies are teaming up to create a safety-oriented panel. USA Today.com reports that Royal Caribbean and Norweigan Cruise Line have created a task force to help the companies devise a solution for keeping passengers safe in the era of coronavirus. The so-called “Healthy…

If you contract the coronavirus on a cruise ship, can you sue the cruise line? Yes, you can. In this short video from AskTheLawyers™, Miami cruise ship attorney Jack Hickey discusses your rights and options following a virus outbreak on a cruise. If you have contracted COVID-19 while on a cruise, please call Hickey Law…

Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and the fact that most of the world’s international cruise ships will be grounded until at least September, a South Florida based cruise line was set to return to cruising later this month. But with the resurgence of coronavirus, the company has now scrapped its planned return. Bahamas Paradise Cruise…

Residents of Key West are reportedly considering banning large cruise ships from calling on the island city. CruiseIndustryNews.com reports that in November 2021 a referendum will be placed on Key West’s ballot which limit the size of vessels calling on the city. Ships with over 1,300 guests would not be allowed to call on Key West…

Carnival Cruise Line will not make a full comeback in 2020 or 2021, reports USAToday.com. Instead, the company plans to implement a phased return which will see it finally achieve full capacity in 2022. Arnold Donald, Carnival’s CEO, said that cruising will resume little by little as countries reopen. “[The] nature of restart is going…

For months the cruise industry has speculated that some cruise companies may not remain financially solvent throughout the era of coronavirus. A couple of smaller cruise lines have already declared themselves insolvent, and many are wondering if a major cruise line may be next. With dwindling resources, it was only a matter of time before cruise…

A Kansas court has sentenced a Topeka man to 12 years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend aboard a Carnival cruise ship. FoxNews.com reports that in December 2019, 55-year-old Eric Duane Newman pleaded guilty to one count of murder in the second degree. He had been accused of killing his girlfriend Tamara Tucker…

In yet another setback for the cruise industry, Carnival Cruise Line has announced that it will delay the launch of its Mardi Gras cruise ship until at least February 2021. Carnival Mardi Gras Debut Pushed to 2021 https://t.co/OSaCwfUDQr pic.twitter.com/roCq73esB7 — Cruise Industry News (@CruiseIndustry) July 7, 2020 CruiseRadio.net reports that the company issued the notification in…

Last week we blogged about the Spain-based cruise company Pullmantur, which recently declared itself insolvent as a result of financial strains caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Now, another cruise line has made a similar announcement. ThePointsGuy.com reports that Sweden-based cruise company Birka Cruises has announced that it will cease operations after suffering over 3 months…

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, many have wondered what would happen to international cruising. This was an especially pertinent question because the early days of the pandemic saw cruise ships play a central role in the spread of the disease. Now new guidelines from Health Gateways, an agency that is advising European officials…

Last month the Spain-based cruise line Pullmantur announced that it had become insolvent and would be filing to restructure under Spanish laws. Almost immediately industry watchers began to speculate whether the company would ever return to service and what would happen to the company’s cruise vessels. While both of these questions seem to be up…