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Few things are scarier than being alerted of a new and potentially deadly illness, only to find that you've been trapped in a confined space with people who already have it. The world was not prepared for COVID-19, however, few industries were less prepared than the cruise ship industry.
Not only did cruise lines continue to operate during the earliest phases of a global pandemic, but they undeniably failed to mitigate the crisis. In fact, until they were mandated to do so, some cruise lines did not cancel trips despite ongoing warnings. It's certainly not surprising then that hundreds of cruise ship passengers have filed COVID-19 lawsuits.
How Cruise Lines Failed
During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, major outbreaks occurred on a number of cruise ships owned and operated by the Carnival Corporation. These occurred across the Holland America Line, Costa Cruises, and Princess Cruises. Passengers on the Carnival Corporation's Diamond Princess were held at sea for several weeks, just off the coast of Japan.
Unlike airline companies, bus companies, and train services, the Carnival Corporation and other cruise lines did not have any contingency plans in place. Moreover, they continued to delay the cancellation of trips, to the detriment of their customers.
Cruise Passengers Unnecessarily Exposed to COVID-19 Quarantine Conditions
Two-thousand passengers on the Grand Princess were forced to quarantine on United States military bases. It is reported that at least one passenger developed symptoms of COVID-19 during a February round-trip cruise from San Francisco to Mexico. Despite having firsthand experience with the virus, Carnival still failed to cancel additional excursions.
The ship immediately proceeded with its next cruise to Hawaii, using the same vessel and much of the same staff. Several people who were on board during the San Francisco to Mexico round-trip journey, continued on to Hawaii despite their possible exposure. These included both paying passengers and members of the ship's crew.
In addition to unacceptable on-board conditions, many passengers were held for significant lengths of time which caused major conflicts with personal and professional responsibilities. For instance, detained passengers were unable to:
- Return to work at the expected time
- Resume care of minor children and other dependents
- Receive scheduled medical procedures
- Attend to their properties and other basic responsibilities
Moreover, passengers who were exposed to COVID-19 were taking cruises under the assumption that all recommended mitigation strategies were being used by companies that had existed in the cruise industry for quite some time, and had dealt with highly contagious illnesses multiple times before.
Putting Profits Before Passenger and Crew Safety
Carnival Corporation continued to make decisions affecting all three of its cruise lines that placed profits before the health of both passengers and crew members. The consequences of these decisions for passengers included:
- Avoidable exposure to COVID-19
- Lengthy quarantines on military bases
- Being held at sea for extended periods of time
If you took a Carnival cruise during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's important to note that filing a claim against a cruise line is indeed possible. Carnival and all other corporations like it have a responsibility to provide not only sea-worthy vessels for their clients, but on-board conditions that do not compromise their safety, mental well-being, or physical health.
When paying for and taking cruises, people expect to have enjoyable experiences that last the duration of their planned vacations. Whether held at sea, exposed to a serious illness, or quarantined for indefinite stretches of time, many cruise line passengers missed work, were unable to make important appointments, and had to delay essential medical treatments.
Sadly, all of these developments could have been avoided had cruise lines not prioritized their profits over the health of passengers and crews.
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