We’ve handled cruise ship injury cases before—and we know what cruise lines do next. They move quickly to control the narrative, preserve the evidence they want, and point to the fine print in the passenger ticket contract. If you were injured on a cruise departing a Florida port, the key is acting early and building the case the right way under maritime law, where the duty is generally reasonable care under the circumstances and liability can include scenarios like overserving alcohol and failing to protect an impaired passenger.
Maritime law usually controls—and the standard is “reasonable care under the circumstances”
A core rule in passenger cases is that the shipowner owes passengers a duty of reasonable care under the circumstances. That comes from the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Kermarec.
Florida appellate courts applying maritime law have echoed that “reasonable care” standard in cruise passenger injury cases, including Rindfleisch v. Carnival Cruise Lines, Inc. (a slip/fall aboard a vessel).
“But my ticket says they aren’t responsible…”
Cruise tickets often contain dense contract language, but federal law limits what cruise lines can disclaim.
46 U.S.C. § 30509 generally makes void any contract provision that tries to limit a passenger’s right to recover for personal injury or death caused by the cruise line’s negligence.
That doesn’t mean every claim automatically wins—it means the cruise line can’t simply “contract away” responsibility for its own negligence.
Every case is fact-specific, but these are recurring patterns:
Wet surfaces, poorly maintained flooring, inadequate traction, poor lighting, missing warnings, and crowded traffic flow can all matter. In these cases, documentation of the exact condition (photos/video + witness names) is everything.
One important Florida decision, Hall v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., held that a passenger’s complaint stated a viable claim under maritime law where ship employees allegedly served alcohol past the point of obvious intoxication, and the passenger then fell down open stairways.
That case is a helpful reminder that “I was drinking” does not automatically end your case—maritime law can still impose duties on the cruise line, even when the passenger’s impairment is part of the story.
Many excursions are operated by third parties, but cruise lines can still face liability depending on the facts (what was marketed, what was known, what warnings were given, and the relationship between the cruise line and the operator). These cases are evidence-heavy, and early investigation matters.
Passenger safety can implicate staffing, training, surveillance, security policies, and response protocols. These are sensitive cases, and they require careful, trauma-informed handling.
Even when the event starts as a medical issue, the way the ship responds (timing, escalation, available resources, communication, evacuation decisions, documentation) can become legally significant.
Many cruise ship injury cases tied to Florida departures are litigated in federal court—often the Southern District of Florida (Miami), and not every Florida-licensed lawyer can practice there. Federal court admission is separate from a Florida Bar license, so choosing the right attorney matters from day one.
At Rue & Ziffra our attorneys are admitted and ready to litigate in federal court, so your case isn’t delayed or diluted by avoidable licensing and filing issues.
Rue & Ziffra – Your Trusted Personal Injury Lawyers
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