RCCL is certainly at the cutting edge of the cruise line industry by unveiling ship after ship that can best be described as a floating themepark. The Quantum of the Seas, built at Germany’s Meyer Werft shipyard, is the newest member of Royal Caribbean’s fleet since the 2010 debut of the record-size Allure of the Seas. While it is one of the largest ships in the world, the Quantum is smaller than the Allure and Oasis of the Seas which at 225,282 tons are currently the world’s largest cruise ships.
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The Quantum of the Seas provides its nearly 5,000 passengers with activities ranging from a skydiving simulator to a Willie Wonka-like glass observation capsule attached to a crane that will take passengers high above the ship. The ride is called the North Star, and when fully deployed it extends more than 300 feet above the water. The Quantum of the Seas also boasts an indoor sports zone with a full-size basketball court, roller skating rink, a circus school, and a fully functional bumper car track–all of which are meant to be operated while at sea.
As lawyers who help people who have had accidents on cruise ships, we wonder if more and more activities simply will create more potentially unsafe conditions for passengers. Ice skating, for instance, is tricky enough on your local pond or rink, but while onboard a floating, rocking vessel, it simply does not make sense.
RCCL registered the ship in Nassau, Bahamas, even though RCCL maintains its corporate headquarters and fully staffed in-house legal team in Miami, Florida, and requires any injured passenger to file its claim in the Federal Courthouse located just a few block from the Port of Miami within one year of the date of incident, regardless of where in the world the passenger is from or where the accident happened. That can and does pose an enormous financial burden on injured passengers, who are forced to travel to South Florida to prosecute their cases, appear in depositions, and be subjected to medical examinations by doctors specially hired by RCCL to verify alleged injuries.
Not all accidents aboard a cruise are legally actionable; a passenger’s simply being hurt in a slip, trip, or fall does not necessarily mean that RCCL is legally responsible. However, we will investigate and help you understand when you have a case and how to maximize your recovery.
Our lawyers are passionate about protecting the rights of people hurt aboard cruise ships. If you have been injured on a cruise, it is important to consult with an experienced maritime attorney immediately. We offer anyone injured on a cruise or excursion a free initial legal consultation. Simply email us at [email protected], or call 1-866-597-4529 today.
