Sexual Crimes/Assault

Disney Arrests Reveal Dark Side of Cruise Employment: Passenger Safety and Employee Vetting Failures

May 10, 2026 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

When families board a cruise ship, they trust that the crew surrounding their children has been carefully screened. A recent federal operation in San Diego shattered that assumption, as officials conducted an enforcement operation involving child sexual exploitation material (CSEM). According to the New York Post, agents arrested 28 crew members, including some from a Disney cruise vessel.

The incident exposes an alarming failure in cruise line employee vetting, resulting in families with young children being in close contact with dangerous criminal offenders. A Miami cruise ship accident lawyer the potential remedies available, and some information about the relevant legal concepts is useful.

What is a Cruise Line’s Duty of Care to Passengers?

Cruise Ship Sexual Assault: A Survivor’s Guide to Maritime Law

May 8, 2026 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

It is unthinkable that sexual assault could happen on board a cruise ship, but the statistics show that the threat is real. A USA Today report reveals that there were 131 sex crimes on US-based vessels in 2025, an increase compared to 2024.

You have legal options as a survivor, so retain a Miami cruise ship sexual assault lawyer to help seek justice and pursue all available remedies. This guide also provides useful information about your rights.

Your Rights Under US Maritime Law

Hold Cruise Lines Accountable for Sexual Assault Claims

May 1, 2026 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Federal law requires cruise operators to report incidents involving criminal activities, and those convicted of crimes face severe punishment. However, while the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA) mandates reporting, it does not provide civil remedies for survivors of sexual assault.

You still have legal remedies, as maritime law allows victims to seek compensation when a cruise company’s negligence contributed to sexual assault. Read on to see how a Miami cruise ship accident lawyer can help hold a cruise line accountable for your losses.

When Cruise Lines Can Be Held Liable for Passenger Assaults

Tips for Miami Singles Cruises – and Singles Going on Cruises

June 17, 2022 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Yes, there is a difference, and it can be a significant one. Singles cruises are geared toward younger individuals, with activities, excursions, and events planned around the themes of meeting new people and breaking the ice. Being a single ON a cruise means you are a passenger enjoying amenities alongside families, couples, and often other solo travelers. There are numerous attractions with both scenarios, but they do share a common element: You are surrounded by strangers, at least initially. Though you may meet new friends and rely on cruise ship crew to do their job in terms of security, you are on your own in terms of protecting yourself.

As such, it is important to take into account a few safety tips for singles cruises and singles going on cruises. Plus, since you do have rights if you are injured, you can use some additional recommendations on what to do if you suffer harm in a Miami cruise ship accident.

Safety Tips for Singles on Cruise Vacations

How Miami Cruise Operators Handle Onboard Crime

January 28, 2022 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

When you board one of the enormous cruise ships that sail out of Miami and South Florida ports, you are essentially stepping onto a floating city. Unfortunately, this means the potential for criminal activity exists just as it does on land. The US Department of Transportation maintains a list of cruise line incident reports, and the good news is that most are related to public intoxication and crew swiftly diffuses conflict. However, sexual assault, violent attacks, theft, and related offenses are still a threat.

Cruise vessels have a wide array of amenities for passengers, but they are also equipped with much of the same infrastructure and personnel that you expect in a typical municipality. Despite efforts to establish safety initiatives and maintain skilled security staff, criminal activity is still a problem. You should consult with a Miami cruise ship accident lawyer if you suffered harm, though it is also useful to know how cruise operators handle onboard crime.

Investigations of Criminal Activity

Disney Sued for Toddler Molested at Cruise Daycare Center

October 26, 2021 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

There can be no doubt that a Disney cruise is fun for people of all ages. As a result, many parents entrust their children to onboard daycare facilities when they want to enjoy shore excursions or other adult activities. However, the adventure of a lifetime quickly turned to tragedy for one family who relied on this service to take care of their 3-year-old daughter. According to an October 14, 2021 article in South Florida’s NBC affiliate WPTV News Channel 5, the parents are suing the cruise line after the toddler was sexually assaulted by an older child at the facility. Representatives from Disney issued an official statement that the claims are without merit.

The lawsuit lists five separate claims for monetary damages, and a Miami cruise ship injuries lawyer can explain the details if you are facing a similar situation. You may also benefit from reviewing how allegations of sexual assault may lead to multiple claims for compensation, based upon multiple breaches of duty by the cruise line.

Negligence for Sexual Assault: While this type of misconduct is obviously criminal in nature, this claim does NOT focus on the perpetrator. Instead, the allegation is that the cruise line did not exercise reasonable care in terms of security against criminal activity. Specifically, the family claims that the daycare center was understaffed, and that Disney failed to notify the parents about the attack.

Rape and Sexual Assaults on Cruise Ships Increase from Last Year

October 24, 2016 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Sexual Assaults on Cruise Ships Increase from Last Year

For a number of years, many have argued that cruise lines should be subjected to more stringent requirements for reporting crimes that happen both on board and in the numerous destinations these ships visit. Cruise ship injury attorneys have argued that cruise lines should make passenger safety a top priority and that they should thoroughly explain the measures they are taking to maintain and improve passenger welfare. Unfortunately, a number of cruise passengers are raped, or sexually assaulted every year. In the past, many of these incidents may not have been reported or are under reported by the cruise lines. A major factor that plays in to the prevalence of these terrible crimes is because cruise ships provide inadequate safety and security measures on their ships. Some cruise ships do not even have security cameras in common areas making a cruise ship an easy target for predators.

Without a clear understanding of the incidents that occur on board, cruise lines often attempt to dodge legal liability for failing to remedy unsafe conditions. For example, a crew member commits a rape or sexual assault, the cruise line is strictly liable under federal maritime law. In order to avoid legal liability cruise line operators often send the employee back to their place of origin. If a rape or sexual assault is committed by a passenger, then the victim must establish that the cruise line operator failed to act with reasonable care under the circumstances.

The Occurrence of Sexual Assaults on Cruise Ships

July 15, 2016 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Though they do not often make the news, crimes on cruise ships do happen. Sometimes said crimes are serious and life-altering, such as sexual assault. Sexual assaults are, unfortunately, not uncommon aboard cruise ships. Recently, 25-year-old Karen Seechurn pleaded guilty to unlawfully entering the cruise ship cabin of a sleeping passenger and sexually assaulting her. In brief, Seechurn entered the victim’s cabin, groped her and threatened to burn the ship down if she told anyone of the incident. The cruise ship was reported as the Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas.

Again, sexual assaults aboard cruise ships are not uncommon. In 2014, alone, three of the leading cruise lines, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian reported 18 cases of sexual assaults and 27 cases of rape against cruise ship passengers.

Please note that cruise ships do not have law enforcement officials onboard. Yet, you are not without security personnel. Cruise ships employ other forms of security personnel who are typically trained to maintain the safety on cruise ships and to protect evidence of a crime. If you a rape victim of such an offense, it is critical that you report the incident to the FBI as soon as you reasonably can. Ask your cruise line to allow you to contact the FBI. Cruise lines are required to allow passengers to speak to the FBI upon request. Once reported, the FBI will investigate the incident. Of course, the cruise line will want to give the FBI their side of the story. Once your cruise ship has ported, you should visit the nearest rape treatment center.

Rights and Protections for Sexual Assault Victims on Cruise Ships

June 24, 2016 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Sexual assaults often occur during cruise ship voyages. Just recently, the Royal Bahamas Police Force took a United States citizen into police custody in connection with an alleged sexual assault incident. Both the suspect and the victim were passengers of a cruise ship. This incident was reported shortly after 9:00 a.m. when the female victim informed Bahamian police that she was sexually assaulted. The suspect was arrested and taken into police custody. Given that these crimes are not rare, it is important that victims have certain rights and protections on board cruise ships for when they are, or may have been, victimized. This article will touch on the victim rights expounded in the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010.

If you or a loved one is a victim of a crime at sea, it is important that an experienced maritime lawyer is retained for the case. Cruise ship companies have their own lawyers who work for them following an incident and so should you. The Miami maritime lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz, PA provide high quality legal representation. For more information call us toll free at 1-877-475-2905 or contact us online.

Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010

Minor Sexually Assaulted on Cruise Ship

June 17, 2016 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Recently, Brock Christian Hammerstein, 25 years of age, was one of two individuals accused of sexually assaulting a minor on a Dolphin cruise. Once said cruise ship ported, the victim visited a local hospital to report that she was sexually battered. At the time of the assault, the victim and her family were visiting Destin, Florida, and went on one of the Sunset Cruises. While on the cruise, an employee, 22 years of age, served her wine without first requesting her identification. On the completion of the cruise, said employee invited her back onto the boat. The employee and Hammerstein then took her to the ship’s lower level where they allegedly sexually battered her. The two men maintain that the victim said she was 24 years of age and that she consented to the sex.

If you or a loved one is a victim of a crime, it is imperative that you hire an experienced attorney. The Miami crime victim lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz, PA are here for you. We are available at 1-877-475-2905 and/or at info@gslawusa.com.

Sexual Assault on Cruise Ships