Injured on a Cruise Ship? What Florida Maritime Law Means for Your Claim

Florida is the cruise capital of the world. Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, PortMiami, and Port Canaveral are among the busiest cruise embarkation points on earth, with millions of passengers boarding ships each year. When something goes wrong aboard a cruise ship — a slip on a wet deck, food poisoning, an assault, a shore excursion accident — the legal framework governing your claim is entirely different from a standard personal injury case.

Federal Maritime Law Governs Cruise Injuries — Not Florida State Law

Cruise ships operate under federal maritime law (also called admiralty law), not Florida state law. This distinction changes almost everything about your claim — the applicable standard of care, where you can sue, how long you have to file, and what damages are available.

The governing statute for most cruise passenger injury claims is the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA) and the General Maritime Law. The standard of care under maritime law requires cruise lines to exercise reasonable care for passengers' safety given the specific risks of operating at sea.

The Ticket Contract: Read It Before You Sail

Before you ever board a cruise ship, you agreed to a ticket contract that may significantly limit your rights. Key provisions to know:

• 1-Year Suit Limitation: Most major cruise lines require you to file any lawsuit within one year of the date of injury — far shorter than Florida's two-year statute of limitations for personal injury. Miss this deadline and your claim is gone.
• Mandatory Venue: Most cruise lines require lawsuits to be filed in a specific federal court — usually the Southern District of Florida (Miami). Even if you live in another state, you must sue there.
• Notice of Claim Requirements: Many contracts require you to provide written notice of your claim within 6 months of the injury. Failing to provide timely notice can bar your claim entirely.

Common Types of Cruise Ship Injuries

• Slip and falls on wet decks, gangways, and pool areas
• Shore excursion injuries (organized or recommended by the cruise line)
• Tender boat accidents
• Sexual assault and crew misconduct
• Foodborne illness and norovirus outbreaks
• Railing failures and balcony accidents
• Medical negligence by onboard physicians

Negligence Standard on Cruise Ships

Under maritime law, cruise lines must warn passengers of known hazards — but courts have interpreted this standard broadly. The cruise line must use reasonable care under the circumstances. Unlike premises liability under Florida law, you do not need to prove the cruise line had constructive knowledge of the specific condition that caused your injury. If the cruise line knew or should have known a category of risk existed (such as recurring wet deck conditions), that may be sufficient.

What to Do After a Cruise Ship Injury

• Report the incident to the ship's medical officer and Guest Services immediately — get a report number
• Seek medical treatment — both onboard and upon returning home
• Photograph the hazard and your injuries
• Get witness names and cabin numbers
• Do not sign any waivers or releases from the cruise line
• Contact a Florida maritime attorney immediately after returning home

RNC Legal handles cruise ship injury cases on a contingency basis. We are familiar with the Southern District of Florida procedures and the ticket contracts used by all major cruise lines including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Celebrity.

South Florida Cruise Ship Injury Attorneys

South Florida is the world's cruise capital — with PortMiami (Miami-Dade County), Port Everglades (Broward County/Fort Lauderdale), and Port of Palm Beach (Palm Beach County) all serving millions of passengers annually. As a result, cruise ship injury and accident claims are extremely common in this region.

RNC Legal represents cruise ship injury victims throughout the tri-county South Florida area. Whether your cruise departed from PortMiami, Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, or Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach, our maritime and personal injury attorneys can navigate the complex federal law that governs your claim and fight for the maximum compensation you deserve.