There’s a certain thrill in being amongst the first few to enjoy a new experience, so it’s no surprise that many vacationers jump at the opportunity to be on a new cruise
If You’re Injured on a Princess Cruise, Cruise Ship Injury Attorney Andrew Winston Can Help
Princess Cruises recently launched a $20 million ad campaign based around the tagline “Come Back New.” As part of their rebranding efforts, they are emphasizing their commitment to traveling to exotic locales, offering shore excursions, and exciting onboard entertainment. Their cruises no doubt provide fun and memorable vacations for thousands of travelers each year but, as with other cruise lines, the recreational activities, shore excursions, and environment onboard their ships may also pose certain risks.
If you or a loved one is injured or becomes seriously ill due to the negligence of Princess Cruises, it is up to you to stand up for yourself and your right to compensation. Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone. The Law Office of Andrew Winston can help by looking at the details of your accident and constructing the strongest possible case. Between our four partners, we have more than 70 years experience practicing maritime law and handling cruise ship accident cases just like yours. We know the ins and outs of this often complex area of law, and we are not afraid to go up against large cruise lines because we have done it – and won – before. If we can get you the compensation you deserve by settling out of court, we will do it, but we are also not afraid to go to trial if that is the best course of action.
Princess Offers Wide Range of Cruises, but None are Accident-Proof
Although smaller than competitors Carnival and Royal Caribbean, Princess is still a formidable cruise line that prides itself on its customer service and meticulously-planned itineraries. They currently have a fleet of 17 ships, including two smaller ships, the Pacific Princess and the Ocean Princess, that carry around 672 adult passengers. Vacationers can also choose one of their larger ships:
- Regal Princess (arriving in May 2014)
- Royal Princess (currently the newest ship in their fleet)
- Caribbean Princess
- Coral Princess
- Crown Princess
- Ruby Princess
- Dawn Princess
- Sapphire Princess
- Diamond Princess
- Sea Princess
- Emerald Princess
- Star Princess
- Gold Princess
- Sun Princess
- Grand Princess
- Island Princess
Since Princess is working hard to create experiential vacations, they have a large selection of activities and amenities, including spas, casinos, movie theaters, live shows, and themed parties. They also offer shore excursions in 5 categories:
- Sightseeing and city tours
- Nature and wildlife
- Activities and adventures
- Special interests (such as cuisine, history, or art and culture)
- Exploring on your own
With all of these exciting activities on offer, it is Princess Cruises’ responsibility to do everything they reasonably can to keep passengers safe at the same time that they are having fun. Of course, there may be true accidents where no one can be found at fault or the injured party must shoulder some of the blame, but there are also situations where someone is injured because the cruise line itself was negligent. If Princess fails to live up to their duty of care and someone gets hurt, they should be held accountable.
Recent Accidents and Illnesses on Princess Cruises
Norovirus outbreak. There have been huge norovirus outbreaks on several major cruise lines recently, and the Caribbean Princess was one of the unfortunate victims of the virus, which causes vomiting and diarrhea. 175 passengers and crew members caught the highly contagious illness, and the ship was forced to dock in Houston a day earlier than planned. Princess Cruises may not have been responsible for the outbreak itself, but they were certainly responsible for deciding to send the Caribbean Princess out on a new trip less than a week after the outbreak – a questionable decision considering norovirus is difficult to kill and can survive outside of a host for three weeks or longer.
Crew member goes overboard. On a recent cruise from San Francisco to Hawaii, a Grand Princess crewmember went overboard and was not recovered. Cruise line officials believe the man intentionally jumped from the ship, in which case the cruise line could not be held responsible. However, in our opinion, they should be held responsible for the fact that even though state-of-the-art equipment to locate people who go overboard exists, Princess Cruises does not use it and that may have contributed to the inability to recover the man.
Know Your Rights If Injured on a Princess Cruise Ship
While the official Princess website provides plenty of information about their ships and the stunning locations they visit, the cruise line seems somewhat quiet about their safety and security policies. If you dig through their site, you can find a wordy passage contract that reminds passengers they will be subject to maritime law and that the cruise line cannot be held responsible for accidents caused by the actions of passengers. They do not, however, explicitly tell passengers what rights they have if they are injured as a result of the cruise line’s negligence.
If you or a loved one is injured aboard a Princess cruise ship because of something done – or not done – by the company, it is up to you to contact a skilled maritime lawyer and learn what rights you may have to compensation. Keep in mind that you have a limited amount of time to do this – the statute of limitations for cruise ship injuries is just one year, meaning you must file suit within one year of your accident lest you be forever time-barred from doing so.
The Law Office of Andrew Winston work with both passengers and crew members who are injured on cruise lines like Princess, helping them recover the monetary compensation they deserve to pay medical bills, make up for lost wages, and get their lives back on track. The attorneys at The Law Office of Andrew Winston work on a contingency basis, meaning that you won’t owe them any attorney fees or the cost of representation until you receive compensation.
Schedule a free, no-obligation legal consultation with our firm today by calling us at 954-606-6606, or toll-free at 866-306-9606 or by filling out our quick and easy online contact form. Don’t wait any longer to speak out against a negligent cruise line.