Cruise ship season has begun in Florida. As cruise ships leave the coasts of Europe and Alaska, seeking warmer waters in Florida and the Caribbean, many Americans are choosing cruise ships as the venue for their wintertime vacations. Cruise lines have been reporting increased numbers of bookings from last year, with Carnival Cruise Corp. boasting a 20% increase in early 2016 bookings from the previous year. With an increased number of Americans choosing to sail on cruise ships comes increased numbers of accidents that cruise ship companies could be liable for. If you were injured or lost a loved one aboard a cruise ship, contact an experienced Miami Cruise Ship Accident Attorney today.
Cruise Ship Season in Florida
Cruise ship season in Florida typically stretches from November until April. Americans suffering cold winters flock to Florida for reprieve from blizzards and subzero temperatures. 62% of all people who have left the US on a cruise ship has done so through a Florida port. With Hurricane season ending in October, the winter months are some of the safest times to travel the sea.
Florida is home to the three busiest cruise ship ports in the world – Port Miami, Port Canaveral near Orlando, and Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. In the fiscal year of 2015, 2.54 million cruise ship passengers embarked from Port Miami, 1.76 million from Port Canaveral and 1.94 million from Port Everglades.
These numbers are only expected to increase in 2016. Due to an improving economy, more and more Americans are choosing the luxury of cruise travel and cruise lines are stepping up their marketing, hoping to reach the 70% of Americans who have never traveled on a cruise. These marketing campaigns are an attempt to convince people that cruise ship travel can be less expensive than typical land vacations. With every expense included, without the cost of airfare and other additional expenses, there certainly is an argument for the economy of a cruise vacation.
While cruise ship season means fun for most, sometimes these vacations can end in disaster. Slipping and falling on narrow stairways, crime aboard the ship, and various other dangers of the high seas may leave you wanting to file a lawsuit. But because of various stipulations that you agree to when becoming a cruise ship passenger, litigation can be more difficult against cruise ship companies than with most personal injury suits.
Contact an Experienced Cruise Ship Accident Attorney Today
Due to the complex nature of maritime law, an experienced South Florida Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer is crucial when seeking damages for an accident. At the Law Office of Gerson & Schwartz, P.A., we have a collective 80 years of fighting cases against all the major cruise line companies. Our law firm represents cruise ship passengers and crew members who are seriously injured in every type of incident including, missing persons, slip and fall, and victims of a crime aboard a ship. All our cases are conducted on a contingent fee so there are no attorney’s fees unless we recover money on your behalf. Contact us today for a free consultation.