A legal battle is brewing between a cruise company and an individual who filed a lawsuit against Carnival Cruise Lines last year. In June of 2021, the lawsuit was filed in federal court in California. The lawsuit contends that Carnival Cruise Lines knew in advance that individuals on a previous voyage had severe CO VID-19 symptoms but loaded new guests on board anyway. In some cases, the lawsuit says that individuals became ill after they bathed. When one individual went to the doctor, Carnival said they had “no record” of the person’s having such a problem. In other instances, the lawsuit says Carnival was aware of the possibility of individuals contracting deadly diseases aboard their boat, yet did nothing about it.
The cruises later agreed to resume operation, but with some changes. No longer would Carnival allow passengers with such chronic conditions as asthma and cardiovascular problems on their ships. They would also require those passengers to seek medical treatment at the ship’s hospital instead of at the port. The lawsuit claims that this was done in direct violation of their contractual obligations. If successful, the plaintiffs hope that they can receive compensation for suffering endured while traveling on a boat filled with harmful materials.
Part of the problem with cruise ships is the way they treat their guests. A passenger once told the Associated Press that, after sailing for 24 hours, her skin started to hurt. Another woman told the news agency that she suffered back pain after sitting in the stateroom for three hours. Both women say that they were improperly treated by Carnival cruise ships.
One of the most-sought-after cruise ships, the Costa Cruise Lines, has been sued repeatedly by former passengers over injuries caused by their carelessness. The most-famous case involved a woman who died after not receiving proper treatment from a casino. The cruise ship, the Costa Concordia, was docked in Puerto Vallarta. A German woman died on the ship because of heart failure brought on by alcohol. A Mexican chalet that served alcohol to the woman and other passengers as well was later found to be responsible. No one was criminally charged in the case.
In another lawsuit against Carnival, a Florida man was killed while strapped to a seat in the front passenger seat of a ship. The lawsuit claims that this man, Daniel Kalonan, died because of being jammed between a cruise ship in the Caribbean and a cargo ship. No criminal charges were filed against Carnival. He died two days after being buckled into the seat. No passengers reported any injuries before or during the trip.
An Italian man died while strapped to a seat in the middle of a plane. This man, Mare Nostra, claimed that he was not breathing and that his suit was not waterproof when he went missing. A plane sent to look for him ended up taking him on and off while the plane was in flight. No criminal charges were filed against Carnival Cruise Line. He later died at home.