Cruise Ship Lawyers Blog

Published on: April 24, 2026

Local Media Reports Decline in Key West Cruise Travel. What to Know.

While hotel and air travel numbers to Key West have remained strong thus far in 2026, cruise ship and ferry traffic have declined, according to the Key West Citizen.

The cruise passenger counts and ferry arrivals show declines compared to 2025, which saw 639,412 passenger arrivals — the most since 2019. These numbers come from data collected by the Greater Key West Chamber of Commerce. By January of 2026, there was a 15% decrease in passengers at 49,883. In January of 2025, the area recorded 58,993 passengers.

Despite cruise travel declines, hotel and air travel remains strong. Key West International Airport, which has recently upgraded certain areas, is seeing an increase that is expected to continue into 2026. Last year, the airport reported 734,150 arrivals. In 2024, the airport reported 718,597. In 2023, that figure was recorded at 652,473. In January alone, there were an estimated 74,707 arrivals — one of the highest January totals reported in the past decade.

Published on: April 21, 2026

Prosecutors: Teen Charged in Case of Murdered Stepsister Aboard Cruise Ship Will Be Tried as an Adult

By Leesfield & Partners

The stepbrother of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, a Florida teen found murdered on a cruise ship, has been indicted on criminal charges of murder and sexual abuse, according to national media.

The 16-year-old stepbrother, who has only been identified as T.H., will be tried as an adult for the November 2025 death of his stepsister. He has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.

The announcement came on April 10 after a federal grand jury returned an indictment based on evidence presented by prosecutors. As of Wednesday, April 15, T.H was not in custody and is staying with an uncle and accompanying his father to work, according to reporting from PEOPLE. Prosecutors are now allegedly asking the court to revoke his release and hold him in pretrial detention, the news outlet reported.

Published on: March 31, 2026

Passenger Faces Criminal Charges After Cruise Ship Sauna Incident.

By Leesfield & Partners

A Florida man faces criminal charges after police say he exposed and touched himself in a sauna occupied by two teens, according to NBC 6 South Florida.

The 39-year-old man of Lutz, Florida, was charged with two counts of indecent exposure related to the incident, which occurred on Saturday, March 21.

At least two teens, a 16 and 17-year-old, were in the sauna when they said the man exposed and began to touch himself while sitting on the top bench.

Published on: March 24, 2026

Nearly 200 People Affected in Norovirus Outbreak. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

About 141 guests and 52 members of the crew aboard a cruise ship reported being ill during a voyage earlier this month, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The outbreak was reported to the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, the agency announced. The symptoms that were reported predominantly included diarrhea and vomiting as the result of norovirus.

As a response to the outbreak, the cruise line said it was increasing disinfecting and cleaning efforts aboard the vessel. Those who reported feeling ill were quarantined to prevent any spread and specimens were collected. VSP officials conducted assessments and outbreak investigations to mitigate further spread.

Published on: March 13, 2026

Falls on Cruise Ships Can be Serious. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

One moment, a passenger is strolling along the lido deck with plans to take advantage of a soft-serve ice cream machine, and the next, they are writhing in pain after a fall that has ruined their whole vacation.

As many Leesfield & Partners’ cruise ship injury clients can attest, that scene is not altogether that uncommon. The firm has remained committed to holding cruise lines accountable for nearly five decades throughout South Florida. In that time, our skilled trial attorneys have seen just about every manner of injury that can occur to cruise ship passengers. From excursion accidents to medical malpractice incidents and slip and falls, our attorneys have worked diligently on every case to secure the best possible outcome for our clients.

The firm’s Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, along with Trial Attorney Bernardo Pimentel II, is representing a woman who suffered a life-altering fall while traveling on a ship with her family. What was meant to be a milestone vacation, marking not only our client’s first time on a cruise but also her first time out of the country, was soured by her horrific injury and the ordeal she suffered afterwards.

Published on: March 4, 2026

A New Florida Cruise Port? Where? What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Just south of Interstate 275 in a pocket of the Tampa Bay is an island that may be home to a new cruise port, but locals worry about the environmental impact of such a project, according to The Miami Herald.

The area is being eyed for a terminal by two companies — SSA Marine and Slip Knott LLC — for megaships that cannot pass under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The bridge maintains a clearance of about 193 feet for ships, despite being raised by about 50% to accommodate larger vessels in 1987, and still presents a limitation for megaships trying to pass through the area.

Currently, the island serves as a natural habitat for a multitude of native species and is known as “Paradise Island” to locals and nature enthusiasts, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. “As a conservation tradeoff” ahead of their plans to develop the Knott-Cowen Tract into a cruise port hub, the companies have proposed the preservation of Rattlesnake Key — a largely undeveloped 830-acre island that sold last year for $18 million. SSA Marine is the current owner of Rattlesnake Key.

Published on: February 26, 2026

Dream Vacation Becomes Nightmare: Leesfield & Partners Representing Mother of Four Following Cruise Ship Fall

By Leesfield & Partners

What was meant to be an unforgettable trip, marking her first time traveling out of the country, turned out a bit differently for a mother of four now represented by Leesfield & Partners.

“I was in shock,” this is what our 64-year-old client had to say regarding the immediate aftermath of a fall on a cruise ship deck that was slick with water.

The woman, a public school bus driver and school cafeteria worker, was on the ship with her daughter, grandchildren, her son-in-law, and his mother for a family vacation when she fell. Her daughter rushed to her side and described her mother’s leg as appearing “deformed” from her injury.

Published on: February 26, 2026

How This Vessel Fared Following Latest Winter Storms. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

The waterslides and pool deck of this cruise ship — originally meant to be enjoyed with the backdrop of sparkling, tropical waters — looked a little different covered in New Jersey snow.

Stuck in port overnight in the Garden State due to Winter Storm Hernando, the vessel was blanketed in snow. While the ship was meant to be carrying its thousands of passengers to the crystal-clear waters of the Bahamas, guests instead peered out their windows to find pool decks and lounge chairs coated in snow and framed by an unexpected, icy landscape. Photos of the peculiar sight can be seen posted on the cruise line’s blog page.

The weather delay has also set back arrivals in Port Canaveral, Florida, on Tuesday, Feb. 24, as well as later arrivals at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, the blog reported. If the weather does not improve, then further changes to scheduled voyages may be possible.

Published on: February 23, 2026

One Dead, Four Others Injured in Cruise Ship Fire. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Officials are investigating what caused a fire to break out aboard a cruise ship in Singapore following the death of at least one person and the injury to four others.

The fire broke out on Friday, Feb. 20 in a lounge area on one of the ship’s decks, according to reporting from PEOPLE. The name and age of the person who died, a member of the crew from Indonesia, was not immediately available Friday afternoon. The four who were injured are recovering in the hospital, the media outlet reported.

The fire aboard the ship, which was carrying 271 passengers and about 338 crew members at the time, was reported to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) at around 4 a.m. local time. Passengers were evacuated while members of the crew handled the flames. Singapore Civil Defence Force’s (SCDF) marine firefighters extinguished the blaze.

Published on: February 18, 2026

Charges Unclear as Stepbrother Appears in Federal Court Following Girl’s Cruise Ship Death.

By Leesfield & Partners

The stepbrother of Ana Kepner, the 18-year-old girl whose body was found wrapped in blankets under a bed on a cruise ship, recently appeared in Federal Court in Miami, according to media.

The hearing related to the Titusville, Florida, teen’s death in November, and any related documents, will be sealed as the stepbrother in this case is a minor, according to reporting from national media outlets. The 16-year-old boy has yet to be named publicly in this case. That will only change if the teen is tried as an adult.

He was represented by a public defender and appeared before Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres and was later processed for pretrial release, NBC 6 South Florida reported. It is unclear what the teen was charged with related to Kepner’s death.