Slip and Fall

Published on: March 13, 2026

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

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: January 12, 2026

Mother Jumps After Child in Cruise Ship Incident. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A video showing the rescue of a mother and daughter after the child fell into the water while their cruise ship was docked in the Bahamas has gone viral.

The incident went viral earlier this month after the child, 4 years old, quickly ventured away from her mother and fell into the water between the ship and the dock, according to reporting from USA Today. The mother is said to have wasted no time and quickly jumped into the water after her.

A video of the rescue was posted online and showed crew members lowering a life ring between the ship and the dock to the pair in the water. The child was lifted first and the mother emerged soon after to cheers from the crowd that had amassed around the area.

Published on: December 18, 2025

This Major Cruise Line Banned This Smart Device From Ships. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

MSC Cruises recently implemented a ban on smart glasses in common areas aboard its ships, citing the device’s ability to “covertly or discreetly” record as a reason, according to reporting over the weekend from USA Today.

While the news has only recently made headlines, MSC officials told reporters that the policy took effect in July. Guests are still able to bring the glasses aboard ships and use them on shore or in their cabins, but are prohibited from using them in the ship’s common areas.

“Smart glasses and similar devices are listed among prohibited items to ensure our security teams can intervene and confiscate the device if misuse occurs,” MSC said in a statement emailed to USA Today. “This measure is in place solely to protect the privacy and safety of all guests and crew.”

Published on: November 24, 2025

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

By Leesfield & Partners

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: 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.

Published on: August 15, 2025

Cruise Passenger Falls Off Pier on Way to Ship — What Had Him So Distracted?

By Leesfield & Partners

A cruise ship passenger filming the walk to their cruise ship was so distracted by his phone screen that he walked straight off the pier, falling into the water below, according to various news outlets.

The incident happened Thursday at Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay, a private island in the Bahamas. Rescue teams sprang into action and tossed the passenger a life preserver before rescuing the man and bringing him back to shore via jet ski, officials said.

Thankfully, no injuries were reported. For many cruise passengers injured by slippery decks, crew negligence, or other cruise ship accidents, the outcome is far less fortunate. Leesfield & Partners — a personal injury law firm with offices in Key West, Orlando, and Miami, home to the world’s largest passenger port — knows this truth better than most. With countless recoveries obtained on behalf of injured passengers and grieving families, our skilled trial attorneys are keenly aware of how quickly a vacation can turn tragic, leaving victims with life-altering injuries.

Published on: August 8, 2025

Man Injured in Water Slide Incident Aboard World’s Largest Cruise Ship.

By Leesfield & Partners

At least one passenger was injured after viral video online shows acrylic glass panel of water slide on Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas suddenly shattering while he was inside, media outlets reported Friday.

The incident happened Thursday and the man was treated for injuries by the ship’s medical staff, the cruise line said in a statement to media. The severity of the man’s injuries was not immediately available Friday.

Videos of the aftermath have gained traction online showing passengers screaming to lookouts on the slide, warning them that there was a gaping hole spouting water in the acrylic drop slide. The ship — which set sail from Port Miami on Aug. 2 — closed off the slide for the remainder of the voyage while officials conduct an investigation into how this could have occurred.