Personal Injury Law

Cruise Ship Rescues Seattle Couple In High Seas

Posted on November 16, 2009
A Seattle couple in danger of drowning on the high seas was rescued by a cruise ship over the weekend. Christopher Miller and Brandy Meissner were about 400 miles from Hawaii when bad weather, high winds and powerful waves all...

Oasis of the Seas wows the crowds as it docks at Port Everglades

Posted on November 13, 2009
Oasis of the Seas, larger than life on the ocean's horizon Friday morning, swaggered into Port Everglades, sounding her horn as a crowd of onlookers at John U. Lloyd State Park beach let out a cheer. "Wow!" cried one early...

Woman 'buzzed' night of alleged cruise ship attack

Posted on November 11, 2009
A Kansas City woman who claims a headwaiter for a Princess Cruise Lines ship sexually assaulted her when she was a passenger told jurors today in Los Angeles federal court she was "buzzed" the night of the alleged attack. Portuguese...

Cruise ship safety measure wins House OK

Posted on October 24, 2009
Cruise lines serving U.S. ports would be required to improve crime reporting and safety measures under a bill approved Friday by the House of Representatives. The measure would require cruise ship to publicly report shipboard crimes, install peepholes in cabin...

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Sex claim clouds cruise

Posted on October 18, 2009
Kiwi cruisegoers have been warned to watch their backs after an alleged sexual assault on "New Zealand's favourite cruise ship". A young woman claims she was assaulted on P&O's Pacific Sun 12 days ago while it was cruising near Noumea....

Police investigate P&O sexual assault allegations

Posted on October 13, 2009
Police have been asked to investigate an alleged sexual assault on board a P&O Cruise ship which docked in Brisbane on Saturday morning. The P&O liner Pacific Sun docked in Brisbane after a seven day cruise. Police say they are...

Search on for passenger missing from Princess cruise ship

Posted on September 24, 2009
(6:45 AM) -- A massive search-and-rescue operation is under way off the west coast of Canada today for a passenger who has gone missing from a Princess cruise ship. The 67-year-old woman, who hasn't been identified, was noticed missing Wednesday...

Rochester man charged with sexually abusing teen on cruise ship

Posted on September 18, 2009
A Rochester man is at the center of a cruise ship nightmare after federal authorities say he sexually abused a young girl. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Lee said that according to a criminal complaint on December 31, 2006, a 13-year-old...

Cruise Passenger Dies in Ship-Sponsored Tour

Posted on September 09, 2009
A man who was a passenger onboard Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas has died following a tragic accident while on a ship-organised catamaran excursion in Cozumel. According to a statement from Royal Caribbean, "On Friday, September 4, a guest...

Irish cruise ship man falls overboard while sharing kiss with girl

Posted on September 08, 2009
The search has resumed in Australia for a young Irishman feared drowned after falling overboard when kissing his girlfriend. Shane O'Halloran (23), from West Cork, is missing and suspected drowned after he and his girlfriend (26) apparently lost their balance...

Six Carnival cruise ship passengers jailed in Antigua after dispute with cabbie

Posted on September 08, 2009
ix Carnival cruise ship passengers have been detained on the island of Antigua after a dispute over a cab fare ballooned into an alleged brawl with police. The Antigua Sun today reports the six U.S. citizens -- Dolores Lalanne, 25,...

Drama at sea: Disney cruise ship comes to rescue after Carnival passenger goes overboard

Posted on September 04, 2009
(7:56 AM) -- A Disney cruise ship sailing off the coast of Florida has rescued a Carnival passenger who went overboard during the night. Disney spokeswoman Rena Langley says the Disney Wonder pulled the passenger out of the water at...

Accident In Bahamas Leaves NCL Passenger Dead

Posted on August 28, 2009
A passenger on board a Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line ship has died following an accident in the Bahamas. According to a statement from NCL, a passenger on the Norwegian Sky and his wife were walking on rocks by the shore...

Coast Guard airlifts woman from cruise ship

Posted on August 24, 2009
SAN DIEGO - The U.S. Coast Guard airlifted a 62-year-old woman yesterday from a cruise ship and brought her to San Diego for treatment after she suffered a head injury. A Coast Guard helicopter picked up the woman about 5:15...

Rape Suspect Arrested On Carnival Cruise Ship

Posted on August 12, 2009
According to reports a Canadian rape suspect was arrested on the Carnival cruise ship Inspiration in Tampa Bay. It has been reported that the U.S. Marshalls met the Inspiration when it docked in Tampa Bay after the U.S. Department of...

Search Ends for Woman Missing from Cruise Ship in Glacier Bay National Park

Posted on August 04, 2009
A search for a woman who was reported missing from a cruise ship in Glacier Bay National Park on Monday morning has ended. Searchers have recovered a body believed to be that of the missing woman, many miles away from...

Curiosity cuts man's family cruise short

Posted on July 30, 2009
When Mark Jacobs boarded a ship to enjoy a relaxing cruise around Scandinavia this month with his wife, his children and his parents, the last thing he expected was to be escorted off the liner by uniformed officers from the...

Emotional comments from man held in cruise death

Posted on July 18, 2009
SAN DIEGO ? Robert McGill, the man accused of killing his wife on a Mexican cruise, made a dramatic first court appearance in San Diego, arguing with public defenders as family members sobbed loudly in the gallery. The 55-year-old man...

Two brothers die in boat crash off Dinner Key

Posted on July 11, 2009
Two brothers died early Saturday morning when a 23-foot Bayliner slammed into their 21-foot Hewes near Dinner Key, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Charles W. Clayton, 32, and Wade A. Clayton, 33, were killed in the...

Coast Guard plucks infant from cruise ship

Posted on July 08, 2009
JUNEAU, Alaska - The U.S. Coast Guard came to the aid of an infant injured in a fall on a cruise ship. The ">cruise ship Celebrity Infinity was 80 miles west of Juneau when the call came in. The Coast...

Cruise industry supports tougher safety rules

Posted on July 08, 2009
The ">cruise line industry endorsed proposed federal rules requiring peepholes on cabin doors, though many ships already have them. The ">cruise ship industry has agreed to new safety rules making it easier to find out who's knocking at a cabin...

Cruise ship industry reverses stance, backs federal safety bill

Posted on July 07, 2009
The legislation would make shipboard crime reporting mandatory and require installation of security latches and peepholes on cabin doors, among other measures. The nation's cruise ship industry, in a turnaround from its long-standing position that no additional government oversight is...

One dead, dozens ill as 'vomiting bug' breaks out on cruise ship

Posted on July 07, 2009
(4:40 PM ET) -- Several news outlets in the United Kingdom are reporting a virulent "vomiting bug" believed to be norovirus has killed one passenger and infected dozens of others on a cruise ship sailing around the British Isles. The...

Cruise ship passengers injured in St. Thomas tour bus crash

Posted on July 06, 2009
(7:30 AM) -- More than two dozen passengers from Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas were taken to the hospital Wednesday after the amphibious tour bus in which they were traveling crashed in St. Thomas. Royal Caribbean says in a...

Sexual assaults on cruise passengers increase

Posted on June 29, 2009
As millions of vacationers head out on exotic cruises during the busy summer season, few give a thought to becoming a victim of assault while on board a cruise ship. According to the FBI, in recent years the leading crimes...

Cruise Ships Top Spot For Sexual Assaults

Posted on June 23, 2009
Now that the cruising season is in hot demand, millions of travelers are very eager to embark on their one of a kind vacations. However, little do many of these people know that they could very easily fall victim to...

Sexual assaults on the high seas come under scrutiny

Posted on June 22, 2009
It's the midst of peak cruising season, and millions of travelers are eagerly embarking on exotic vacations without thinking they could ever fall victim to a crime at sea. But sexual and physical assaults were the leading crimes committed onboard...

Going Over the Edge on Cruise Ships

Posted on June 19, 2009
A new high school graduate plunges into the Gulf of Mexico while on a celebratory cruise with friends and his parents. A man tumbles over a rail on a cruise ship as it returns to port. A woman goes overboard...

Swine flu cruise ship quarantined

Posted on June 18, 2009
Venezuela has quarantined a visiting cruise ship following an outbreak of swine flu on board. More than 1,200 passengers and crew will be kept on board the Spanish-owned Ocean Dream, which has docked at the Venezuelan island of Margarita. They...

Engine Room Fire on Princess Cruise Ship

Posted on June 18, 2009
Royal Princess Cruise Ship Update, 5:44 p.m. EDT: The latest from Princess is that the fire has been extinguished, but passengers will remain at their muster stations until further notice. The ship is currently operating on emergency power and lighting...

Cruise ship accidents prompt questions: How do people fall off....and why

Posted on June 17, 2009
TAMPA - It's not easy to fall off a cruise ship, and it doesn't happen often, but when it does twice in 24 hours in the Gulf of Mexico, it prompts conversation around another body of water, this one found...

Ala. Woman Reportedly Goes Overboard on Cruise Ship

Posted on June 17, 2009
MOBILE, Ala. - The Coast Guard sent out ships and aircraft to search the Gulf of Mexico for an Alabama woman who reportedly went overboard from a cruise ship early Tuesday. Michelle Vilborg, 50, of Bay Minette was reported overboard...

Man rescued in Fla. after falling from cruise ship

Posted on June 15, 2009
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) ? A man found clinging to a buoy after falling from a cruise ship in coastal Florida has been rescued. The Coast Guard says 46-year-old Larry Miller told them he went overboard from the Carnival Inspiration...

Boating Accidents

Posted on June 15, 2009
Our renowned team of lawyers has extensive experience representing persons injured in boating accidents. If you have been searching for a boating accident attorney, Lipcon, Margulies & Alsina, P.A. is your greatest resource for boating accident litigation information...

Is Swine Flu Keeping Cruise Ship Out to Sea

Posted on June 10, 2009
Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas Add Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas to the list of ships affected by suspected H1N1, the virus formerly known as swine flu the vessel is stuck at sea after being denied entry to...

Would You Ride In A Cruise Ship's Baby Blimp

Posted on June 10, 2009
The annals of shipboard entertainment are a study in the growing ADD-ness of travelers; there once was a day when week-long ocean crossings were happily passed with games of shuffleboard and skeet shooting, and then we graduated to learning napkin-folding...

2,200 Pages Of Court Records Released About Cruise Ship Death

Posted on June 09, 2009
With the release Monday of more than 2,200 pages of court records, the 2005 death of George Allen Smith IV of Greenwich aboard a cruise ship in the Mediterranean continues to confound the experts - and to divide family members....

Swine flu causes more chaos for ship

Posted on May 27, 2009
The Pacific Dawn cruise ship will be quarantined for a second time after several crew members began displaying flu-like symptoms. The ship, which docked in Sydney on Monday with a number of sick passengers, has since taken on more holidaymakers...

More suspected swine flu found on Pacific Dawn cruise ship

Posted on May 27, 2009
The cruise ship Pacific Dawn has been diverted to a remote north Queensland cay after three new suspected cases of swine flu were reported. All three suspected new cases were among crew members, who had been swabbed for flu and...

Cruise ship reports virus sickens 108

Posted on May 27, 2009
A Princess cruise ship traveling to Alaska reported a gastrointestinal illness outbreak on Sunday that sickened 108 of its 2,000 passengers and seven crew members. The ship, the Coral Princess, arrived in Whittier on Monday shortly after noon, state health...

Recent graduate goes overboard from cruise ship

Posted on May 26, 2009
The Coast Guard was searching Gulf of Mexico waters Monday for an 18-year-old recent high school graduate from Louisiana who fell overboard from a cruise ship. Bruce O'Krepki went over the rails off the Carnival Fantasy at about 9:45 p.m....

Coast Guard medevacs 1 from cruise ship in Chesapeake Bay

Posted on May 25, 2009
BALTIMORE - The Coast Guard medevaced a woman Sunday from a ship in the Chesapeake Bay. Rescued was Eileen Mummaugh, 76. The Coast Guard received a call via cellular phone from the Maryland Pilots aboard the Norwegian Majesty, a 680-foot...

Hero cruise ship Britons fight off armed Somali pirates with deckchairs and tables

Posted on May 22, 2009
British pensioners on a cruise ship bravely fought off machine gun-armed Somali pirates by hurling deckchairs and tables at them. The holidaymakers were enjoying a midnight Mozart concert onboard MSC Melody when pirates armed with Kalashnikovs attempted to board it...

Woman Rescued Off Cruise Ship Near Bodega Bay

Posted on May 18, 2009
The U.S. Coast Guard helped rescue a 57-year-old woman from a cruise ship 30 miles west of Bodega Bay Sunday afternoon, the Coast Guard said. At about 1:45 p.m., the Coast Guard was notified of a woman who nearly drowned...

Six remain hospitalized from boat explosion in Tampa Bay

Posted on May 11, 2009
TAMPA, FL -- Six members of an extended family remain hospitalized after their pleasure boat exploded Saturday afternoon. Florida Fish and Wildlife officials say 11 family members were aboard the 33-foot, twin engine boat when it exploded and burned to...

Alaska awaits verification of swine flu finding

Posted on May 11, 2009
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- State health officials had expected to get verification Monday that a crew member aboard a cruise ship in Alaska waters contracted swine flu, but officials may have to wait a bit longer. Ann Potempa, a spokeswoman for...

Coast Guard medically evacuates 65-year old woman from cruise ship

Posted on May 08, 2009
SEATTLE - The Coast Guard medically evacuated a 65-year old woman from the cruise ship Millennium in the Strait of Juan De Fuca, Wash., west of Port Angeles Wash., Thursday. Coast Guard Group Port Angeles received a call at 8:30...

Brevard 8th in state in boating accidents

Posted on May 08, 2009
Brevard 8th in state in boating accidents Three people died on Brevard County waters in 2008, but officers say a lifejacket likely would have saved their lives and the lives of most of the 51 others in Florida who died...

Cruise ships depart; did Alaskans sink a profitable tourism industry?

Posted on May 08, 2009
The recent decisions by cruise companies to redeploy ships from Alaska voyages in 2010 will have broad ripple effects in the state's economy, particularly in Southcentral-Interior Alaska regions. The visitor loss is estimated at 140,000 in 2010, which translates to...

Flesh eating bacteria consumes cruise passenger in 24 hours

Posted on May 08, 2009
Have you had your breakfast/lunch/dinner yet? Because this story is bound to upset your stomach. While on a Mediterranean cruise, 58 year old Raymond Evans hurt his knee during a fall. The injury was nothing serious, but the ships doctor...

Boating Fatality Statistics

Posted on May 07, 2009
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has released the boating accident statistics for 2008, and fortunately, there were fewer boating fatalities last year. The reported 54 fatalities represent a 30-percent reduction from the 2007 statistics...

Problems at sea spark requests on new legislation for cruise ships

Posted on May 05, 2009
The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009 were introduced to keep Americans aware and safe on cruise ships. Ship safety has been a concern for years, but with recent media coverage on mysterious deaths, sicknesses and accidents aboard...

Freedom of the Seas arrives

Posted on May 05, 2009
PORT CANAVERAL - Emmanouil Kasselas, captain of Royal Caribbean?s Freedom of the Seas, called the ship his ?little puppy? hours after docking at Port Canaveral on Monday. ?Big dog? is more appropriate. And more dogs are coming. Freedom of the...

Cruise ships to drop anchor ? and cash

Posted on April 30, 2009
Several cruise operators who this week suspended calls to Mexican ports over the swine flu scare will divert ships to the Port of San Diego, giving the region an unexpected economic boost. At least 12 unscheduled cruise ships will...

USCG airlifts 3-year-old from cruise ship

Posted on April 29, 2009
A 3-year-old boy suffering from appendicitis on a cruise ship was transported to a Wilmington hospital by an Elizabeth City-based Coast Guard helicopter early Wednesday. According to a Coast Guard release, a physician aboard the cruise ship Carnival Miracle requested...

Cruise lines suspend stops in Mexico

Posted on April 29, 2009
Five of the world's largest cruise lines suspended all stops in Mexico on Tuesday because of the swine flu outbreak, dealing another blow to that country's battered tourism industry. The situation could mean additional cruise ship business at two Southern...

Cruise Ship Safety Proposed Federal Law

Posted on April 29, 2009
It was four years ago this month when a retired couple from Westminster disappeared off a cruise ship in the Caribbean. The family may never know what happened, but they are using that tragedy to try and change the law...

As swine flu outbreak worsens, cruise lines cancel stops in Mexican ports

Posted on April 28, 2009
As the swine flu outbreak worsened, some cruise lines began cancelling stops in Mexican ports while tourists mulling trips to Mexico quickly changed plans. Three Carnival cruise ships scheduled to make port calls today were called off and Princess Cruises...

Sailor sues over safety of pirated Maersk Alabama

Posted on April 27, 2009
HOUSTON ? A member of the crew on the U.S.-flagged ship hijacked by African pirates sued the owner and another company Monday, accusing them of knowingly putting sailors in danger. Richard E. Hicks alleges in the suit that owner Maersk...

Freak accident injures cruise passenger in Fort Lauderdale

Posted on April 26, 2009
An exploding carbon dioxide canister injured a cruise ship passenger at Port Everglades on Sunday, the Broward Sheriff's Office said. The accident happened at about 10 a.m. in the 2000 block of Eller Drive when a worker threw a fire...

Pirate threat prompts MSC to alter cruise ship itinerary

Posted on April 19, 2009
The 1,064-passenger MSC Melody is changing course to steer clear of pirates off the coast of Somalia. In a statement issued early Friday, the Italy-based line said recent events in the region has prompted it to order the vessel --...

Couple fall from cruise ship

Posted on April 15, 2009
GEORGE TOWN: A 49-year-old man went missing while his wife was rescued after they accidentally fell from a cruise ship about 15 nautical miles south of Pulau Kendi. Shetty Kasturi Nithyanda, 47, who has been admitted to a private hospital...

NTSB investigating fatal Fla. power boat wreck

Posted on April 14, 2009
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. ? The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation of the fatal power boat accident that killed five people and injured nine on Florida's east coast. "We are looking at the man, the machine and the environment,"...

Aurora limps back to Britain after 'ruined' cruise

Posted on April 14, 2009
The stricken cruise ship Aurora has arrived back in Britain amid the threat of legal action from passengers. Engine trouble forced the ship to miss out three ports in New Zealand and two in the Pacific Islands on the £16,000...

Local and World News Cruise ship assault charges

Posted on April 13, 2009
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JOSEPH BRUSSEL, 26, a resident of St. Louis, Missouri, pled guilty in federal court yesterday before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to one count of assault within the special maritime jurisdiction of the United States,...

Maersk announce Somalia Pirate captive Captain Richard Phillips rescued by US Navy

Posted on April 12, 2009
The ScanEagle entered service with the U.S. Navy in 2005. In addition to the United States military, the Australian Army also operates the ScanEagle UAV. As well the Canadian Government announced in August 2008 that they would lease the ScanEagle...

Pro Bono: Making strides despite economy

Posted on April 08, 2009
Reports of the death of pro bono work in Florida have been greatly exaggerated, at least according to attorneys recently interviewed by the Central Florida Law Journal. ?We find that our pro bono initiative helps us retain high quality attorneys,?...

Cruise ship waiter pleads not guilty

Posted on March 31, 2009
A cruise ship waiter accused of sexually assaulting a passenger pleaded not guilty on Monday. Jorge Teixeira, 38 of Portugal, was arrested earlier this month when the Princess Cruise Lines ship docked in San Pedro. During his arraignment hearing on...

Guests ?imprisoned? as cruise ship makes two stops in 22 days

Posted on March 31, 2009
Passengers on an ill-fated £200m cruise ship staged a revolt claiming they were "imprisoned" on the liner during a round-the-world trip after visiting just two ports in 22 days. Hundreds of holidaymakers on P&O's Aurora, which had already been dubbed...

Peter Greenberg Talks About "Cruise, Inc."

Posted on March 20, 2009
Peter knows travel inside out. Besides producing TV segments and writing books and articles about travel for decades, he put himself through college running a fleet of charter yachts, and he has a pilot's license. When Peter does a story...

Hapless Cruise Ship Back in Palma

Posted on March 19, 2009
The hapless cruise ship MSC Fantasia is back in Palma after a two week voyage to the Western Mediterranean. The Italian owned MSC Cruises launched the 133,500-ton cruise liner Fantasia in December 2008. With capacity for 3,300 passengers the boat...

Cruise industry tries to sail through challenging time

Posted on March 18, 2009
Good times are what the cruise industry is all about, but top cruise executives were hard pressed Tuesday to put a happy face on an industry that's coping with a gloomy global economy and a ton of new capacity. At...

MV Dive Asia 1 Accident

Posted on March 14, 2009
You may or may not have heard about the sinking of MV Dive Asia 1 a few days ago. This is the liveaboard boat based in Phuket that we were on recently. We featured this trip in our first few...

Arrest In Cruise Ship Assault

Posted on March 11, 2009
MYFOX NATIONAL - Sex assault cases are the most common crimes aboard cruise ships, but they are rarely prosecuted. But not in one recent case. The Coral Princess cruise ship had departed Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and was near the end...

Violent Winds Send Mediterranean Cruise Passengers Into Sea

Posted on March 06, 2009
FoxNews.com Four passengers had to be rescued from the sea after the cruise ship they were boarding was ripped from its mooring in high winds, pitching the gangway into the water. The incident happened as passengers tried to board the...

Cruise line has option for layoff-wary passengers

Posted on February 27, 2009
PalmBeachPost.com MIAMI ? In a sign of the times, Norwegian Cruise Lines is offering an insurance option that allows passengers to get a full refund if they lose their jobs and decide to cancel their trips. A company official says...

Cruise Ship Passengers Air Lifted To Miami After Bus Crash In Dominica

Posted on February 24, 2009
Shaneeva Yassin, NBC6.net News Editor MIAMI -- An air ambulance arrived in Miami Tuesday carrying several passengers who were injured in a tour bus crash in the Caribbean island of Dominica. The injured people, all Americans, were passengers on Celebrity...

Another expedition cruise ship runs aground in Antarctica

Posted on February 18, 2009
Another expedition ship has run aground in the frigid waters of Antarctica. Quark Expeditions' 68-passenger Ocean Nova is stuck in Antarctica's Marguerite Bay, west of Debenham Island and near the Argentine research station San Martin. An initial report on the...

Cruise Lines Reach Settlements with Attorney General Over Fuel Surcharges

Posted on February 04, 2009
TALLAHASSEE, FL ? Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that his office has reached a resolution with two cruise lines over the imposition of a retroactively-imposed fuel surcharge on cruise passengers. Oceania Cruises and Classic Cruises Holdings, which does business...

Cruise Craft Strikes Docked City Fireboat

Posted on February 01, 2009
Crash Occurred During Routine Work Done by Spirit of Washington's Crew The Spirit of Washington cruise boat struck the District's main fireboat yesterday while the latter vessel was docked, gashing a 15-foot-hole in the fireboat and disabling it for the...

Royal Caribbean Sees Lower 2009 Profit on Sales Slump

Posted on January 29, 2009
Jan. 29 (Bloomberg) -- Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the world?s second-largest cruise operator, projected 2009 profit will fall more than analysts estimated as it slashed ticket prices to stimulate demand. The shares dropped 13 percent. The operator of 38...

When cruise vacations end tragically, who's to blame?

Posted on January 08, 2009
Despite High-Profile Deaths, The Cruise Industry Defends Its Safety Record The idea of going over the side of a cruise ship is horrifying. One minute a person is safely on deck, and the next the passenger has plunged several stories...

Charles Lipcon On Possible Dangers on Cruise Ships

Posted on January 07, 2009
Subject: Charles Lipcon On Possible Dangers on Cruise Ships Program: Fox & Friends Airdate: January 1, 2009 View Clip [Windows Media]...

Search Called Off For Missing Carnival Employee

Posted on January 01, 2009
Passengers, Crew Say Man Fell, Did Not Jump MIAMI -- The coast guard has called off the search for a man who fell off a Central Florida-based cruise ship on Thursday. Rescuers spent two days looking for the man after...

Cruise passenger reported overboard near Cancun

Posted on December 26, 2008
Salon.com Dec 26th, 2008 | MEXICO CITY -- Three Mexican Navy boats and a helicopter were searching the waters off the Caribbean resort of Cancun on Friday for an American woman who reportedly fell from a cruise ship, authorities said....

Cruise Ship Lets Off Passengers to Avoid Pirate Threat

Posted on December 10, 2008
Fox News A cruise ship headed for the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden docked Wednesday in Yemen to let off hundreds of passengers so they could bypass the dangerous waters by plane before rejoining the ship at its next port of...

Expedition ship carrying Americans runs aground in Antarctica

Posted on December 05, 2008
USA TODAY Another small expedition ship that caters to adventurers has run aground in Antarctica. The 84-passenger Ushuaia, an ice-strengthened vessel that spends five months a year in the region, was near the entrance to Antarctica's famed Wilhelmina Bay when...

Cruise Passengers Describe Gunfire Hitting Ship During Pirates' Hijacking Attempt

Posted on December 03, 2008
Fox News MUSCAT, Oman ? Ordered to get inside and stay down, Oregon tourist Clyde Thornberg heard the pirates' rifle shots hit the side of the luxury cruise liner ? "Pop! Pop! Pop!" ? then felt the ship accelerate to...

Use common sense precautions aboard

Posted on October 19, 2008
BY JAY CLARKE MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS You're off on a long-dreamed-of vacation, a cruise to the sunny Caribbean. You're on a big cruise liner with a couple thousand other passengers. There are doctors and nurses on board, locks on your stateroom...

Mysterious Disappearances On Cruise Ships

Posted on October 06, 2008
HungZai.com October 6, 2008 The cruise industry says that more than 30 passengers have disappeared from ships in the past five years - and these figures exclude those known to have been suicides or drunken accidents. When the QE2 docked...

Royal Caribbean wants you to pay a $15 surcharge for red meat

Posted on October 06, 2008
In great news for cows but another blow for vacationers, the cruise vacation giant Royal Caribbean has elected to charge $14.95 to anyone who orders New York strip steak in the main dining room. Eat all you want, the line...

Take precautions on a cruise ship

Posted on September 25, 2008
CharlotteObserver.com By JAY CLARKE September 15, 2008 You're off on a long-dreamed-of vacation, a cruise to sunny Caribbean islands. You're on a big cruise liner with a couple thousand other passengers. There are doctors and nurses on board, locks on...

Staying safe while on a cruise

Posted on September 21, 2008
New book: Passengers shouldn't leave their common sense behind Sunday, Sep 21, 2008 - 12:01 AM By JAY CLARKE MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS You're off on a long-dreamed-of vacation, a cruise to sunny Caribbean islands. You're on a big cruise liner with...

Cruise safety

Posted on September 07, 2008
MiamiHerald.com BY JAY CLARKE You're off on a long-dreamed-of vacation, a cruise to sunny Caribbean islands. You're on a big cruise liner with a couple thousand other passengers. There are doctors and nurses on board, locks on your stateroom door,...

It's not all fun, food and foolin' around on cruise ships

Posted on August 21, 2008
Cruises are marketed as the perfect place for a holiday. Pampering and self-indulgence have been perfected, and whims and wishes are satisfied with minimum effort. In 2007, over 12 million Americans decided to travel on cruise ships; unfortunately most were...

Cal Boating releases safety report

Posted on August 21, 2008
According to the 2007 California Boating Safety Report, 39 of the 55 victims who died in state boating accidents were not wearing life jackets. The Department of Boating and Waterways (Cal Boating) report provides data about boating accidents, injuries and...

Cruise Bruise For Mobile

Posted on August 21, 2008
Cruise Bruise announces the launch of their new Cruise Bruise For Mobile web site. Designed in 320 screen resolution, the new web site is perfect for the Blackberry, with nice, large, easy to read font text and links with easy-surf...

Final sail: SeaEscape says its 21-year run at Port Everglades is over

Posted on August 12, 2008
Company expected to leave Port Everglades after 21 years By Jaclyn Giovis and Scott Wyman South Florida Sun-Sentinel Day cruise operator SeaEscape says its 21-year run at Port Everglades is over. A company spokesman told the Broward CountyCommission today that...

Feds indict Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens

Posted on July 30, 2008
Original posting at 12:57 p.m. ET: Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, has been indicted by a federal grand jury, according to MSNBC and McClatchy newspapers. As we reported last year, federal agents searched the veteran lawmaker's residence in Alaska as part...

InsideTrack: The Love Boat: Exciting and Contagious

Posted on July 30, 2008
They don?t call it the Love Boat for nothing. But there?s another side of those carefree flings aboard cruises that no one really talks about, but are found in the steamy filings of Miami federal court. Meghan Burtt of New...

Worthless paintings puchased on cruise ship

Posted on July 28, 2008
Joshua M. Entin Sarasota real estate agent David Bouverat resisted buying art for most of his cruise. But he ventured out after dinner toward the end of his Baltic Sea voyage with a few drinks in him and viewed art...

Outrage over 2006 Egypt ferry disaster acquittals

Posted on July 28, 2008
CAIRO (AFP) ? Scuffles erupted at an Egyptian court on Sunday when five of six defendants were cleared of blame for a 2006 ferry sinking in which more than 1,000 people died, Egypt's worst maritime disaster. Hysterical relatives voiced anger...

Widows of 'Princess' crew refuse P20,000-death benefit

Posted on July 24, 2008
By CARINE ASUTILLA ABS-CBN Cebu CEBU CITY - Widows of crewmen of the ill-fated M/V Princess of the Stars of Sulpicio Lines Inc. (SLI) on Thursday called out to families of the other crew members to refuse at least in...

Review: No Safe Harbor by Joe Burnworth

Posted on July 24, 2008
Todd and I were sitting in the airport in Turks & Caicos waiting to go home, and I was talking to a couple that had been on the Aggressor with us. They had met on the Belize Aggressor III, when...

Injured sailor rescued at sea by cruise ship

Posted on July 21, 2008
Written by Ken Borsuk, Greenwich-Post.com Staff Reporter Having learned to love sailing as a child, Greenwich resident Hillary Bercovici never expected that a simple trip from Bermuda would turn into a medical emergency for him, necessitating a rescue at sea...

Coast Guard Detains Cruise Ship

Posted on July 17, 2008
A 637-ft. cruise ship detained by the U.S. Coast Guard has moved to the Brooklyn Cruise Ship Terminal from Pier 92 in New York City and will continue repairs to fix hull damage and numerous discrepancies found during a recent...

Cruise Ship Passengers Rescued After Fall From Princess Cruise Liner

Posted on July 15, 2008
By Otto Smyth, LawFuel.com According to reports by Princess Cruise Line accident lawyers at Ehline Law, a spokes person for Crown Princess, Julie Benson have released information in the latest cruise passengers to go overboard on one of their ships.....

Key residents points out hazards of taking a cruise in new book

Posted on July 07, 2008
Islander News In his new book, Unsafe on the High Seas: Your Guide to a Safer Cruise, veteran maritime lawyer Charles Lipcon exposes the seamy underbelly of the cruise industry, calling attention to the litany of potential problems that may...

Cruise Ship Crime Sparks Demands for Law

Posted on July 02, 2008
By Joan Delaney Epoch Times Victoria Staff When Merrian Carver went missing on the second day of a Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska in 2004, her family members say they weren't notified by the cruise line. In fact Kendall Carver,...

Only Bodies Found Under Capsized Ship

Posted on June 24, 2008
SAN FERNANDO, Philippines - A coast guard diver searching for survivors Tuesday inside a ferry that capsized in a typhoon found bodies and a bit of comfort ? a plastic rosary floating in the water. Lt. Cmdr. Inocencio Rosario slipped...

Woman alleges rape on ship

Posted on June 22, 2008
BY ERIKA BERAS MiamiHerald.com On a day when lawmakers in Washington heard stories about crimes on cruise ships, a Florida woman filed suit against Carnival claiming she was raped by a fellow passenger on a cruise ship in February. The...

Hearings on "Cruise Ship Safety: Examining Potential Steps for Keeping Americans Safe at Sea"

Posted on June 22, 2008
Testimony of Ross A. Klein, PhD, Before the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Hearings on "Cruise Ship Safety: Examining Potential Steps for Keeping Americans Safe at Sea"[PDF...

Kerry Demands Cruise Ship Safety for Passengers

Posted on June 21, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. John Kerry today chaired a hearing on cruise ship safety for the Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security Sub-Committee. Current statute does not require cruise ships to report even the most serious crimes...

Maritime attorney Charles Lipcon named 2008 SuperLawyer

Posted on June 21, 2008
Maritime attorney Charles R. Lipcon has been named Super Lawyer for the second year in a row. Only 5% of South Florida attorneys have been named to the list. Mr. Lipcon was selected through an extensive process of balloting, blue...

Woman Brings Suit Against Carnival Cruise Line Over Rape

Posted on June 21, 2008
According to reports a woman that was drugged and raped on a cruise that left from Miami on February 1st has now filed suit against the Carnival Cruise Line. It is reported that the woman identified as Morgan Black a...

Hearings on Cruise Ship Safety - Examining Potential Steps for Keeping Americans Safe at Sea

Posted on June 19, 2008
Testimony of Ross A. Klein, PhD, Before the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Download file [PDF 420K]...

Dead sailor had no breathing gear

Posted on June 13, 2008
A crewman who died after running out of oxygen in a ship's ballast tank did not have the usual breathing gear, the BBC has learned. The Filipino collapsed and died on the Saga-owned cruise ship in Southampton on Wednesday. A...

Cruise Lines And Medical Care

Posted on June 11, 2008
Video clip from WSVN 7 Ten O'Clock News View Clip [Windows Media] Airdate: June 3, 2008 Subject: Cruise Lines And Medical Care Program: WSVN 7 Ten O'Clock News...

Florida #1 in Nation Again for Boating Accident Deaths

Posted on June 09, 2008
DANGER ON THE WATER WHEN IT COMES TO BOATING DEATHS, FLORIDA AGAIN IS NO. 1 IN THE NATION South Florida Sun - Sentinel - Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Author: Robert Nolin Three men and a 5-year-old cram into an 8-foot boat...

Sailing in Troubled Waters

Posted on June 08, 2008
Brittany Oakley English 12 Honors 2nd Block-Ms. Henderson Can you imagine going on a cruise with your family and returning home without your brother or sister, because they have disappeared into thin air or become a victim of a...

Medical Care on Cruise Ships

Posted on May 13, 2008
Video clip from Fox 11 Ten O'Clock News View Clip [Windows Media] Airdate: May 5, 2008 Subject: Medical Care on Cruise Ships Program: Fox 11 Ten O'Clock News...

Cruise line pleads guilty in deadly blast

Posted on May 03, 2008
Five years after the deadliest cruise industry accident in more than a decade, Norwegian Cruise Line has agreed to plead guilty to criminal negligence in the SS Norway explosion. Federal prosecutors on Friday charged Norwegian Cruise Line with gross negligence...

A Million Dollars For Sea Hauler Victims

Posted on May 03, 2008
The Bahama Journal By Kendea Jones After almost five years of pleading for government assistance, victims of the 2003 Sea Hauler/United Star are set to receive a $1 million payout from the government. Minister of Labour and Maritime Affairs Dion...

An injured worker's claim for vessel negligence against a third-party tortfeasor under 33 U.S.C.S. § 905(b) of the LHWCA failed because the worker was injured ashore while building a pontoon to move an offshore drilling rig that was moored in his employe

Posted on May 01, 2008
MARK L MCLAURIN; TAWANA MCLAURIN, Plaintiffs-Appellants v. NOBLE DRILLING (US) INC; NOBLE DRILLING CORPORATION; NOBLE DRILLING SERVICES INC; JOHN DOES 1-100, Defendants-Appellees No. 07-60402 UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT 2008 U...

Cruise-industry giant Carnival challenges state's fuel-fee probe

Posted on March 26, 2008
Cruise-industry giant Carnival Corp. is challenging state Attorney General Bill McCollum's investigation into its controversial fuel surcharge by claiming the extra passenger fee already was approved when Gov. Charlie Crist was attorney general. Records reviewed by the Orlando Sentinel show...

Veteran Maritime Attorney Reveals Horrors That Occur Aboard Cruise Ships

Posted on March 19, 2008
Cruise lines are more focused on making a profit than protecting passengers, says a veteran maritime attorney, who says vacationers must take steps to protect themselves from the crimes and tragedies that could befall them at sea. "More than 12...

When Adventure Tourism Kills

Posted on March 05, 2008
By SIOBHAN MORRISSEY TIME.com, in partnership with CNN No one goes on an adventure tour with the thought that he won't make it back alive. The whole point is to push the envelope and live to tell the tale. It's...

More Cruise Ship Crewmembers coming forward claiming Slavery

Posted on February 27, 2008
A CRUISE BRUISE EXCLUSIVE I had a neighbor decades ago, who was scared to death of her husband. She had good reason to be scared, he had beaten her to a bloody pulp more than once, and threatened her with death more times than I can count. I lived next door and could hear the wild accusations that he would make and the resulting beatings...

ANA Receives $447,095 Donation

Posted on February 20, 2008
Settlement from Francisco v. NGC Will Support Education The American Numismatic Association has received a $447,095 donation to support educational programs and produce a much-needed consumer awareness booklet with helpful information on coin collecting...

Attorneys await ship staffer's release

Posted on February 15, 2008
BY DONNA BALANCIA FLORIDA TODAY Attorneys for Reshma Harilal, a crew member who has filed a lawsuit against Carnival Corp., alleging she is being held against her will on the ship, are hoping she will be removed from the Carnival Glory today, when the cruise ship docks in the Bahamas...

Worker accuses Carnival of forced labor, slavery in lawsuit

Posted on February 12, 2008
A female crew member working on a Port Canaveral-based cruise ship filed a lawsuit today in federal court against Carnival Cruise Lines, accusing the Miami-based cruise line of forced labor, slavery and human trafficking. In court papers filed in U.S...

Crew member accuses Carnival cruises of slavery

Posted on February 12, 2008
Florida Today A crew member has accused Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines of forced labor, slavery and human trafficking for allegedly violating her contract by putting her in a lower-paying job, Florida Today reports. Attorneys for 33-year-old Reshma Harilal, a resident of South Africa with a U...

Crew Member Alleges She's Being Held Aboard As A Slave Carnival Glory

Posted on February 12, 2008
Florida Today In a case that left us all breathless, a courageous young woman stood up against Carnival Cruise Line today, when she contacted an attorney in Miami, Florida while allegedly being held against her will aboard Carnival Glory, forced into labor, used as slave labor, and alleges Carnival Cruise Lines is trafficking in slave labor, with other crew members also being held against their will...

Unsafe On The High Seas On Sale At Amazon.com Now February 7, 2008

Posted on February 07, 2008
Unsafe On The High Seas is available now at Amazon.com. I had the opportunity to read the book recently, and found it to be the most beneficial information for the cruising public, outside of Cruise Bruise. Maritime attorney and author Charles Lipcon, outlines a checklist of safe at sea passenger practices, and goes beyond to bring public attention to cases not readily available anywhere else, including on Cruise Bruise...

Unsafe On The High Seas' launches at The Collection

Posted on January 31, 2008
The Collection celebrates the release of "Unsafe on the High Seas: Your Guide to a Safer Cruise" written by Maritime attorney Charles R. Lipcon. Guests will receive a complimentary autographed copy of "Unsafe on the High Seas" and will have the opportunity to enter a free raffle to win a weekend with the new Maserati Quattroporte...

Cruise doctors not responsible for your health

Posted on January 28, 2008
By Jacki Donaldson General Health If you believe relaxation contributes to good health and you believe cruises lead to relaxation, then sailing the oceans blue might be just what you need. But if you believe there will be dependable medical care on board should your health take a detour, then you'd possibly be wrong and therefore, a cruise may not be just what you need...

How to Stay Safe on the High Seas

Posted on January 22, 2008
Ten Tips From Author And Maritime Attorney Charles Lipcon Jan. 22, 2008 Taking a cruise can be relaxing and fun, as long as you're prepared. Charles Lipcon investigates the cruise ship industry in "Unsafe on the High Seas," examining sexual assaults, shipboard disappearances, cover-ups, noroviruses, unaccredited doctors, inadequate security and ticket contracts...

Cruise Lines Are Responsible For Care Provided By Ship Doctors: Travel Myth or Fact?

Posted on January 19, 2008
If You Receive Inadequate Health Care While Traveling, Who is Liable? By Deboarah Roberts and Nola Safro ABC NEWS Who hasn't dreamed of a relaxing cruise? It sounds like the ultimate getaway. "When people think of a cruise, they think all-inclusive floating vacation: sun, surf, sand, fun, maybe a little romance -- that's what they want," said Chris Elliot, a writer for National Geographic Traveler magazine...

20/20 - Charles Lipcon and Cruise Lines

Posted on January 18, 2008
Video clip of 20/20 segment "Charles Lipcon and Cruise Lines" View Clip [Windows Media] Airdate: January 18, 2008 Subject: Charles Lipcon and Cruise Lines Program: 20/20

Chance of Rape on Cruise Ship greater than on Land

Posted on January 14, 2008
The cruise lines always say that the chance of rape is less on a ship than on land. This article reflects a different result. From the International Cruise Victims message board: Your risk of being sexually assaulted is much higher on a cruise ship than in the average American city...

NTSB blames captain, staff for ship accident

Posted on January 12, 2008
Bad steering, improper training caused 2006 Crown Princess' tilting ORLANDO, Florida - Improper training and bad steering by the second officer on a Princess Cruises ship caused the vessel to tilt suddenly in 2006, injuring almost 300 people, the National Transportation Safety Board determined Thursday...

Maintenance Blamed in '03 Cruise Blast

Posted on January 11, 2008
A boiler explosion that killed eight crew members on what was once the world's largest passenger ship was likely caused by Norwegian Cruise Line's improper operation, maintenance and inspection of the steam chamber, federal investigators said. Part of the boiler on the SS Norway had "extensive fatigue cracking" and deteriorated materials that weakened the metal and caused it to rupture under the intense steam pressure in May 2003, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a report quietly adopted in October...

The Morning Show With Mike and Juliet - Unsafe on the High Seas

Posted on January 08, 2008
Video clip of The Morning Show With Mike and Juliet segment "Unsafe on the High Seas" View Clip [Windows Media] Airdate: January 8, 2008 Subject: Unsafe on the High Seas Program: The Morning Show With Mike and Juliet

Maritime lawyer Charles R. Lipcon publishes new book about the Cruise Industry

Posted on December 26, 2007
Look for the release of "Unsafe on the High Seas" by Charles R. Lipcon of Lipcon, Margulies and Alsina P.A. This eye opening book will help the public discover the reality the cruise industry doesn't want them to know about: Sexual Assaults, Shipboard Disappearances, A Pattern of Cover-ups, Noroviruses, Unaccredited Doctors, Inadequate Security and the Binding Ticket Contract...

Under the Limitation of Vessel Owner's Liability Act, court granted a tug owner partial summary judgment against bridge owner after the tug collided with bridge where the bridge owner could not establish the tug's unseaworthiness or negligence of tug's ca

Posted on November 01, 2007
IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPLAINT OF SEA WOLF MARINE TOWING AND TRANSPORTATION, INC., AS OWNER OF THE TUG SEA WOLF FOR EXONERATION FROM OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 82565 November 6, 2007, Decided PROCEDURAL POSTURE Petitioner, an owner of a tug, moved for partial summary judgment pursuant to the Limitation of Vessel Owner's Liability Act (Act), 46 U...

Seaman, who worked as a bedroom/galley hand on vessels operated by his employer, was entitled, in accordance with the Jones Act, to maintenance and cure, damages for pain and suffering, and damages for economic losses where he was injured in transport bet

Posted on November 01, 2007
TROY DOUSE, Plaintiff-Appellee v. GLOBAL PIPELINES PLUS, et al., Defendants-Appellants UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 25530 November 1, 2007, Filed PROCEDURAL POSTURE Appellants, an employer, an insurer, a vessel owner, and others, sought review of a judgment from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, which found that appellee seaman was entitled to maintenance and cure through the present, future maintenance and cure, past and future pain and suffering, and past and future economic losses...

Seaman's motion under Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(b) was improperly denied without evidentiary hearing after his Jones Act case was dismissed pursuant to a purported settlement. The record did not indicate that seaman had an informed understanding of his rights un

Posted on November 01, 2007
JAMES BRAD STEVERSON, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. GLOBALSANTAFE CORPORATION, d/b/a GLOBALSANTAFE DRILLING COMPANY, Defendant-Appellee. UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 26559 November 15, 2007, Filed PROCEDURAL POSTURE Plaintiff seaman appealed a decision of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, which denied the seaman's motion brought under Fed...

District court did not err in finding that yacht owners were entitled to exoneration under 46 U.S.C.S. § 30505 in connection with damage sustained by dock when yacht broke free from its anchorage during a hurricane where owners showed that damage could n

Posted on November 01, 2007
DAVID T. FISCHER, individually, ALFRED J. FISHER, versus Plaintiff-Appellant, Intervenor-Plaintiff-Appellant, S/Y NERAIDA, her engines, tackle, rigging, dinghies, equipment, appurtenances, furniture, etc., in rem, NERAIDA CO., L.P., a Michigan Limited Partnership, PETER SIAVRAKAS, in personam Defendants-Intervenor- Defendants-Appellees...

The estate of a decedent was limited to recovery of only pecuniary losses as a matter of law against the manufacturer of a vessel that sank, killing the decedent, because the estate expressly premised its claim on 46 U.S.C.S. § 30104(a) as the decedent w

Posted on November 01, 2007
In the Matter of the Complaint of COZY COVE MARINA, INC., as Owner of a 35' CAROLINA CLASSIC MOTOR VESSEL, HULL ID NO. CAR3509A506, FOR Exoneration from or Limitation of Liability. UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA, EASTERN DIVISION 2007 U...

No Love (for the Sick) Boats

Posted on October 26, 2007
More than 40 medical malpractice lawsuits have been filed against Florida cruise ship companies over the last decade, but nearly all have floundered in court or been dismissed, the WSJ?s Stephanie Chen reports. In the suits, passengers claim they were hurt as a result of poor medical care or that ship doctors made injuries worse...

Charles R. Lipcon interviewed on BBC Radio

Posted on October 11, 2007
View Clip [Windows Media]

ALTHOUGH DISTRICT COURT ARTICULATED CORRECT STANDARD TO DETERMINE WHETHER AN ARRESTING PARTY WAS ENTITLED TO A WARRANT OF ARREST, IT IMPROPERLY TURNED SUPP. R. CERTAIN ADM. & MAR. CL. E(4)(F) HEARING INTO A MINI-TRIAL AND POSED A MUCH HIGHER BURDEN THAN W

Posted on October 01, 2007
PDS GAMING CORPORATION, Plaintiff-Counter-Defendant-Appellant, CDD ENTERPRISES, INC., et al., Intervenors-Plaintiffs, versus M/V OCEAN JEWELL OF ST. PETERSBURG, Official Number 7625823, her boats, engines, tackle, apparel, furnishings, equipment and appurtenances, in rem, et al...