Florida cruise ship lawyers

Cruise Ship Employee Allegedly Rapes Passenger While in St. Kitt’s Territorial Waters

June 26, 2014 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Over the last year, our Florida cruise ship accident attorneys have discussed a number of incidents in which cruise ship passengers have been the victim of sexual assault or rape at the hands of crew members or other passengers. Several weeks ago, two U.S. men were accused of raping a female passenger aboard Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Sea, which docked in Jamaica.

In February, we discussed an Inside Edition interview with a young woman who claims that she was held down by two crew members in their cabin and raped repeatedly onboard a Carnival cruise and, in April, we talked about sexual abuse allegations against a Disney Cruise Line crew member who has been charged with two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation and one count of false imprisonment of a 13-year-old female cruise passenger.

Recent Allegations

News Report Highlights Growing Concern Over Drowning Deaths Aboard Cruise Ships

June 10, 2014 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

On a number of occasions, our Florida maritime attorneys have commented on the negative aspects of the ever-increasing size of cruise ships, specifically, that these giant vessels have so many more areas in which passengers can get hurt. With more entertainment areas comes the greater risk of harm to passengers, especially when cruises feature options such as on-board surfing and giant waterslides. Many ships now boast several gigantic pools, which are unsupervised by lifeguards or other crew members.

Late last year, one of the problems associated with these large, and numerous pools was brought to light when 6-year-old Qwentyn Hunter of Winter Garden, Florida, drowned in one of the pools aboard the ship where no life guards were on duty. Hunter was spotted underwater in a mid-ship pool by passengers as the ship was completing the final leg of a four-day journey.

A ship DJ saw Hunter struggling in the water and another passenger guest then jumped into the pool and pulled the boy out. A crew member attempted to revive the unconscious boy, but was unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead shortly after. According to one passenger’s account, there were a number of adult passengers in the pool area, but no lifeguards.

South Carolina Man Disappears After Falling Overboard From Celebration Cruise Line Ship

May 23, 2014 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Late last month, South Florida news outlet CBS Miami reported that the U.S. Coast Guard launched a search for a 30-year old man who reportedly jumped over the railing of Celebration Cruise Line’s Bahamas Celebration. James Miller of Charleston, South Carolina, was reported overboard shortly after 2 a.m. on April 27, as the ship headed back to its home port in West Palm Beach. According to ship officials, the vessel turned around when Miller was discovered missing, but the ensuing search was unsuccessful. Our cruise ship accident attorneys are monitoring this story closely.

On April 28, Fox 4, reported that one couple who was aboard the Bahamas Celebration when Miller went overboard were shocked at how unprepared officials seemed during the search and rescue mission. One of the couple commented that it didn’t seem like the crew put enough effort into the rescue, and the incident had the couple hesitant to ever bring their 10-year-old son with them on a cruise.

In response to the incident, Celebration Cruise Line issued the following statement: