Senators: Cruise Passenger Protection Bill Falls Short

Senators grilled cruise line executives on lax safety standards at a hearing last week of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The senate committee was particularly aggressive in pointing out the failure of the cruise industry to protect its passengers.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) excoriated the Cruise Industry Passenger Bill of Rights that CLIA adopted in May, saying it directly contradicts the contracts that cruisers sign when purchasing cruise vacations.

He said, for instance, that the emergency medical care provision in the bill of rights is misleading because it does not tell cruisers that they must pay for their own medical care.

“The rights are illusory,” concluded Blumenthal.

Cruise line response
Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein and Gerry Cahill, Carnival Cruise Lines CEO, admitted that their medical liability only extends to ensuring their doctors are certified.

“If we make a poor choice and choose someone unqualified to perform medical service, we are liable,” said Goldstein. Otherwise, he continued, the lines are not liable for malpractice.

The senators concluded that cruise lines game passengers to avoid legal liability.

Transparency needed
“When the rubber meets the road . . . you go back to the contract and read the fine print that narrowly limits and restricts the rights of the passenger,” said Blumenthal.

“I hope the good guys in the industry will educate us on how potential abuses can be reduced and the whole industry made more transparent and accountable.”

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), who chaired the hearing, is expected to introduce legislation that would codify the cruise passenger bill of rights.

Posting crime data
In a surprise move, Royal Caribbean’s Goldstein told senators that Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian will begin voluntarily posting onboard crime data online on Aug. 1, going beyond FBI stipulations that cruise lines only report crimes marked as closed.

“We are proud of this initiative and believe that it addresses many of the concerns raised with the limited public reporting required by the [2010 Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act],” said Goldstein in his testimony.

“Consumers will be able to see for themselves that cruise ships are among the safest venues when compared to any landside communities or destinations.”

The posting of cruise line crime data “could be a big deal, but hopefully it won’t be,” said one travel agent, responding to the hearings. “Bad press is affecting bookings, as we are seeing a lot of last minute unfulfilled space and a lot of rate reductions.”

CLIA responds
While not present at the hearing, CLIA president and CEO Christine Duffy released a statement to the committee concerning cruise safety.

“The cruise industry adheres to the most rigorous crime reporting regulations in the hospitality and travel sector,” she wrote. “We are committed to communicating candidly and openly with our passengers on a wide range of issues, including safety and security.”

Carnival Triumph incident
A portion of the hearing addressed the Carnival Triumph fire earlier this year and Carnival’s subsequent failures to fully correct the problems that led to the fire.

According to Rear Admiral Joseph Servidio, assistant commandant for prevention and policy for the U.S. Coast Guard, after Carnival had publicly announced that the Carnival Triumph was once again ready to sail, the ship had to be held in port after dozens of errors with its fire safety system were found.

While the errors were fixed by Carnival within a day after regulators discovered them, the senators pointed to a lapse in the safety standards of foreign-flagged vessels.