Cruise Ship Lawyers Blog

Published on: November 24, 2025

This Cruise Line Has Closed Waterslides on Multiple Ships. Here’s Why.

Royal Caribbean has shut down slides on multiple ships in its fleet in a bid to improve safety months after a passenger was injured in an incident that caught national attention.

The incident happened in August when a slide’s acrylic panel shattered, injuring a passenger. The slide was closed and then repaired. Videos showing the aftermath went viral and caught nationwide attention.

Since then, company’s safety initiative has closed slides on at least three ships, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. No official word has been released on whether more slides will face closure or the duration of the alleged shutdown.

Published on: November 24, 2025

Excursion Boat Sinks, Man Falls Between Cruise Ship and Pier: What to Know About These Recent Cruise Ship Accidents.

By Leesfield & Partners

At least 51 cruise ship passengers were in need of rescue off the coast of the Dominican Republic after the tour boat they were on sunk on Sunday, Nov. 9, according to media.

The incident involved a catamaran with a shore excursion from a two-week cruise ship and allegedly resulted from an “internal failure,” according to Cruise News Today.

The stop in Samana Bay had been added following re-routing due to inclement weather conditions related to Hurricane Melissa. No “major” injuries were reported.

Published on: November 18, 2025

FBI Investigates Death of Teen on Cruise Ship. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

The FBI is investigating the death of an 18-year-old passenger last week aboard a Carnival Cruise Line ship, according to national media.

Anna Kepner, of Titusville, Florida, died while traveling from Miami to the Caribbean. The ship she was on, the Carnival Horizon, returned to Port Miami on Nov. 8. It is unclear who she was traveling with or if she was traveling alone at the time of her death.

No cause of death has been released as of Wednesday, Nov. 12. Officials have not publicly commented on the case, citing the ongoing investigation. It is “standard practice” for the FBI to investigate deaths on cruise ships, according to reporting from USA Today, and the presence of these agents “does not automatically imply suspicious circumstances.”

Published on: November 5, 2025

Family Sues After Mother Fell Overboard on Taylor Swift-Themed Cruise Ship. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A family filed a lawsuit against a well-known cruise line after they say crewmembers overserved their mother prior to her fatal fall in October 2024.

The incident happened while 66-year-old Dulcie White, of Westmoreland, New York, was traveling on a Taylor Swift-themed cruise with her daughter, Megan Klewin. The lawsuit alleges that on Oct. 22, 2024, while 17 miles north of Nassau, White was intoxicated and fell off her balcony.

White had allegedly purchased an “unlimited alcoholic beverages” package. Her family claims that she was served seven alcoholic drinks in just over six hours, according to reporting from The New York Post.

Published on: November 5, 2025

Cruise Passenger, 80, Found Dead After Being Left Behind by Crew. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

The body of an elderly cruise passenger was found Sunday, Oct. 26, on a Great Barrier Reef Island after she had been left behind by crew, according to national media outlets.

Suzanne Rees, 80, of Sydney, Australia, was hiking on Saturday, Oct. 25, with other passengers before she was separated from the group. She was feeling unwell earlier in the day during the hike, her daughter, Katherine Rees, told reporters, and was told to return to the ship on her own.

The ship left the island allegedly without “checking whether all passengers” had returned. Rees was reported missing, NBC News reported, and the ship returned to the island to begin a “large-scale” search.

Published on: September 25, 2025

This Cruise Ship Suite is Worth How Much? See the Eye-Watering Price Tag and More.

By Leesfield & Partners

Royal Caribbean’s “townhouse suite,” complete with slide and various sitting areas will set families back a whopping six figures for a week-long vacation.

This extravagant, three-story cruise ship accommodation comes complete with a wraparound terrace, movie theater, slide, hot tub and multiple VIP perks. The suite can accommodate up to eight people and is located in the ship’s “surfside family neighborhood.”

Family and lifestyle vlogger and Tiktoker, @boredfarmfamily recently stayed in the suite with their family of six, recording a room tour for social media. The family alleges they spent $150,000 on their stay. The video has millions of views and thousands of comments, likes and shares since it was posted over the weekend.

Published on: September 25, 2025

Cruise Ship Crew Accused of Having Child Sex Abuse Material. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

At least four cruise line crew members were removed from a ship in Baltimore on allegations that they possessed child sex abuse material, national media outlets recently reported.

Officers with Custom and Border Protection inspected the ship on Sept. 7 “based on intelligence” that the employees had the sex abuse material, according to USA TODAY reporting. It is unclear whether any criminal charges had been filed against the crew members involved.

In a statement to reporters, CBP officials said that they are “involved in ongoing cruise vessel operations where we enforce immigration law.”

Published on: September 25, 2025

Texas Cruise Ship Passenger Dies on Alaskan Mountain Trail. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A 32-year-old cruise ship passenger died after falling off an Alaskan trail and sliding down a steep mountain while on a hike with at least one other person, according to media.

The body of Britain Pool, of Texas, was found off the Mount Roberts trail in Juneau around 8:10 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16, by police.

Pool and at least one other cruise ship passenger were hiking when they fell off the trail and slid down the mountain. Rescuers were able to find the other passenger but could not locate Pool, who had slid further down the mountain.

Published on: September 25, 2025

Cruise Fight Results in Passengers Hospitalized. What Happened?

By Leesfield & Partners

At least two people were taken to the hospital for injuries following a fight that broke out aboard a Royal Caribbean ship this week, according to national media outlets.

The incident happened Monday around 6:48 p.m. when Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies and local firefighters were called our to PortMiami for reports of a “dispute”, according to national media. Investigators later learned that an alleged verbal argument became physical aboard the ship, causing the captain to return to port.

The ship returned to port around 8:30 p.m.

Published on: September 18, 2025

Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth to Port in Miami. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth will call Miami home, at least for a little while, a history-making move for the company.

After an “increasing demand from North American guests,” the ship will be making trips to the Caribbean from what many consider to be the cruising capital of the world, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

The ship will be in Miami from mid-October until April 2026, making trips that range from nine to 28-night voyages to locations such as Jamaica, Mexico St. Thomas, St. Lucia, Honduras, Mexico, Barbados and Puerto Rico. After its departure in April of 2026, the ship will return to Miami next October until April 2027.