As the world continues to take necessary precautions to slow down rates of coronavirus infections, the Carnival cruise ship company is facing backlash over their response to reported outbreaks. More than 1,500 people on the company’s cruise ships have been diagnosed with COVID-19, with dozens of fatalities.
While multiple of the company’s cruise ships were at sea in various parts of the world during the pandemic, passengers aboard ships grew fearful for their lives. Passengers began to notice new hand sanitizer stations and crew members wearing gloves, but life continued to go on as normal, including eating and drinking at buffets and bars, hanging out by the pools, attending shows, and participating in activities.
After multiple reports of possible COVID-19 infections aboard various Carnival cruise lines, some ships announced a quarantine over the ship’s public address system. Passengers were provided face masks and food in to-go boxes, but Carnival still faces accusations that they did not act soon enough to prevent the spread of infection.
As of early April, Carnival still had passengers at sea, a month after the CDC issued a public advisory to defer all cruise ship travel worldwide. The CDC’s cruise ship task force saw coronavirus infection rates approaching 20% on two ships, much higher than the spread that might occur at a supermarket or restaurant. However, Carnival claims that they were following the direction of health authorities and did all that they could to slow the spread of infection among crew members and passengers.
Now, Carnival is facing accusations that they did not alert passengers of positive infections aboard ships until days after. This has prompted the filing of lawsuits from multiple passengers regarding their COVID-19 response, and a criminal probe by Australian police authorities into whether one of the company’s cruises misled authorities about an outbreak aboard a ship docked in Sydney.
If you or a loved one suffered from a COVID-19 positive infection aboard a Carnival cruise ship, even as an employee, you may be entitled to compensation. Companies have a duty to protect passengers from potential outbreaks and ensure the health and safety of all people aboard. Contact the experienced attorneys at Spiros Law, P.C. to receive a free consultation. Our attorneys will be able to speak with you about your situation and determine what steps are necessary to take to ensure you receive financial compensation. Although our physical offices are currently closed, you can contact us over the phone at (815) 929-9292, on email, or through scheduling an online video meeting.
