Sexual assault on a cruise ship is a crime, and it can also be the result of a cruise line’s failure to protect its passengers. Survivors are often far from home, surrounded by crew who work for the company and unsure who to trust.
SE HABLA ESPAÑOL · No Recovery. No Fee.
*Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Aronfeld Trial Lawyers represents survivors of sexual assault on cruise ships in civil claims against cruise lines. Conversations with our firm are confidential, and we move at your pace.
Under maritime law, cruise lines owe their passengers a duty of care. When the person responsible is a crew member, the cruise line can often be held responsible for that employee’s conduct toward passengers.
When the assault is committed by another passenger, the question is usually whether the cruise line provided reasonable security. Understaffed security, broken or unmonitored cameras, crew giving out cabin access and over-serving alcohol can all play a role.
Much of the evidence is held by the cruise line, which is why it needs to be requested and preserved quickly:
Important: a criminal conviction is not required to bring a civil claim against a cruise line.
There is no right or wrong way to respond after a sexual assault. If you are able to, these steps can help protect your health and your options:
Federal law requires cruise ships that embark or disembark passengers in the United States to report alleged sexual assaults to the FBI. You do not have to handle that process alone.
Claims against cruise lines are governed by maritime law and by the fine print in the passenger ticket contract. Most major cruise lines require lawsuits to be filed in a specific federal court, often in Miami, and many require written notice within months of the incident.
Our firm is based in Miami, and Spencer Aronfeld has spent more than 30 years representing passengers in claims against cruise lines. See all cruise ship injury practice areas.
If the assault happened on land, learn about our sexual assault practice.
We investigate what the cruise line knew, how security was staffed and what happened before and after the assault. We send preservation demands for video and key-card data, request ship records and work with medical and counseling providers to document the impact on your life.
Compensation in a civil case may include medical and counseling costs, lost income and damages for emotional distress and pain and suffering. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Learn more about our other practice areas.
Port Of Athens
Port Of Baltimore
Free, confidential consultation. Available 24/7 in English and Spanish.
Call 866-597-4529Send us a messageOften, yes. Maritime law can hold cruise lines responsible for assaults on passengers by their crew members. The details of what happened and the terms of your ticket matter, so a lawyer should review your case.
You may still have a claim against the cruise line if inadequate security, staffing, cabin access controls or alcohol service contributed to the assault.
No. A civil claim against a cruise line is separate from any criminal case, and it does not depend on charges being filed or a conviction.
The deadlines in your cruise ticket contract can be short, often requiring written notice within months and a lawsuit within about a year. Contact a lawyer as soon as you feel able to.
Tell us what happened. The consultation is free, and you pay nothing unless we recover for you — no attorney’s fees and no costs.
Sending this form doesn’t make you a client or create an attorney-client relationship. Please don’t include confidential details until we’ve spoken.
