by Spencer Aronfeld | Mar 18, 2019 | Cruise Ship Accidents, Cruise Ship Injury
Carnival Cruise Lines has announced that it intends to cancel all calls to the port in Antigua. Currently, four different ships have scheduled visits to this Southern Caribbean port starting in November 2019, including the Carnival Breeze, Carnival Magic, Carnival Legend and Carnival Pride. This cancellation comes as a surprise to many and will affect passengers currently booked for cruises on these ships. This sudden cancellation has led many to question why this change in scheduling has been made. An official statement from Carnival has been released indicating that Antigua government officials have made statements to the effect that they do not want cruise lines to visit the port in the future. As a result, Carnival has cancelled upcoming stops at this port and is rescheduling stops to locations that will be more accommodating and welcoming to their guests. The official statement is as follows: “Government officials in Antigua have taken steps which indicate they don’t want cruise lines and our guests to visit so for the time being we are focusing our itineraries on the destinations that are more welcoming.” Nathan Dundas, the President of the Antigua and Barbuda Cruise Tourism Association (ABCTA), has expressed concerns that the cancellation of ship visits to the port will negatively impact area businesses. It is estimated that 250,000 cruise guests were expected to be on board these ships. Despite the fact that Carnival has released an official statement regarding its reason for the cancellation, many wonder whether the recent discussions between the island and Global Ports Holding with respect to expanding the Antigua cruise port could be behind the cancellation. The...
by Spencer Aronfeld | Mar 11, 2019 | Cruise Ship Accidents, Cruise Ship Injury
The month of January was an exceptionally busy month for tourism in the Grand Cayman Islands- and the cruise industry accounted for a major part of it, according to recent figures from the Department of Tourism. It is reported that a total of 271,111 tourists from cruises alone visited Grand Cayman in January 2019. This number is a 24 percent jump from the same time last year. It also represents the strongest month ever recorded for cruise ship arrivals in the area. The fact that the cruise industry is booming and bringing so much tourism business to the Cayman Islands is significant in light of recent protests over plans for a new cruise berthing facility in the area. Those protesting the construction of this new facility have said that it was not necessary and was not backed by tourism figures. However, those advocating for the construction have consistently argued that the area was experiencing a notable increase in arrivals. They believe that the piers are needed due to a boost the Cayman Islands have experienced because of hurricane damage sustained in other eastern Caribbean islands. These additional piers are also argued to be needed to accommodate arrivals of larger ships. The increased numbers only further support the argument made by local government and tourism authorities that the Caymans need additional piers. The minister of tourism also argued that the increase numbers of tourists arriving by air in January shows even more that the construction is needed. Air arrivals were said to be up five percent from last year with over 40,000 tourists arriving at Owen Roberts International Airport. New...
by Spencer Aronfeld | Mar 8, 2019 | Cruise Ship Accidents, Cruise Ship Injury
When most people think about traveling on a cruise ship, they think of rest and relaxation in the lap of luxury at sea, but employees who work on these ships paint quite a different picture of what goes on behind the scenes. At the time of hire, cruise employees sign employment contracts that detail their duties and obligations. These employees do not put in the average five-day work week that most employees do. Most of them work for seven days in a row for their contracts, which can last anywhere from two to 11 months during the cruise season. The most common contract period is four to eight months, while some can be longer. During these days, the employees work much longer than the average eight-hour work day. The employees interviewed reported to Business Insider that they worked up to 12 hours per day. Even for the strongest person, this grueling schedule can be tiring and stressful. The hours can also be intense, ranging from around eight to nearly 20 hours per day. A former waiter for Carnival Cruise Line who said he worked about 12 hours a day described his schedule as “crazy” and said it led to fatigue and stress. INJURED ON A CRUISE SHIP OR CRUISE SHIP EXCURSION? SPEAK TO A CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENT LAWYER TODAY: 1-866-597-4529. If you have been injured on your cruise, on a wet and slippery deck, down a poorly lit staircase or steep gangway, in port on an excursion, or on a tender boat- it is important that you speak as soon as possible with a lawyer who specializes in personal...
by Spencer Aronfeld | Mar 6, 2019 | Cruise Ship Accidents, Cruise Ship Injury
Of all the possible accidents that can occur on a cruise ship, a cruise ship tilt is considered one of the most unpredictable. A cruise ship tilt occurs when the ship leans heavily to either the port or the starboard. The most recent cruise ship to tilt at sea was the Norwegian Escape. The offshore incident occurred Sunday night as a strong weather front moved across the eastern seaboard of the U.S., generating a string of tornadoes across Alabama and Georgia. The Norwegian cruise ship had departed from New York hours earlier that same day. The wind gusts that night registered at about 155 mph, similar to the force of a Category 3 hurricane – at sea! One passenger was tossed out of the shower in her eighth-floor cabin. Several other passengers reported injuries as a result of the cruise ship tilt and were treated by the ship’s medical staff. On social media, passengers aboard the Norwegian Escape posted images of tables, chairs and clothing racks falling over. Video footage showed passengers screaming, glass could be heard shattering and furniture was seen sliding across the floor. During the tilt, the ship called three “Code Alpha’s,” which is code for a medical emergency. Several passengers and crew members were injured, the cruise line said Tuesday without giving specific numbers or detailing the nature of their injuries. A dozen ambulances were seen at the port when the ship arrived at Port Canaveral, on Tuesday morning. Cruise ship tilts are not uncommon at sea. However, the severity of them can vary. Our firm recently filed a lawsuit on behalf of injured passengers onboard...
by Spencer Aronfeld | Feb 28, 2019 | Slip and Fall/Premises Liability
Falls present a real risk when it comes to individuals of all ages, but for those over the age of 65, falls can be deadly. Knowing how to minimize risks of falling and hurting yourself can make a huge difference and can even save your life in many circumstances. It is reported that every 19 minutes in the United States, an older person dies after suffering a fall. In fact, falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries for older adults. While many times, falls cannot be avoided, as falling is a consequence of aging, the risk of falling can be alleviated in many situations. Not only is it important for the individual who is at risk of falling to know how to avoid falling, it is also important to relatives and caregivers of these older individuals to be aware of these risks. It is also estimated that one-fourth of Americans over the age of 65 fall at least once every year. After that initial fall, their chances of falling again doubles, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of these falls reported, one in five result in a serious injury to an older person. The physical injuries that result can be quite severe, but they can also be emotionally traumatizing. The most common slip and fall injury reported is broken bones or fractures. While a younger person can recover from a broken bone relatively quickly, an older individual may never fully recover from a bone fracture. It can permanently prevent that person from ever being able to walk again and can harm his or...
