Prognosis

Legal Jargon on Cruise Tickets May Foil Class-Action Suits

Large number of claims follows Covid-19 outbreaks at sea
Carnival, industry’s largest firm, draws most virus litigation

The Costa Luminosa arrives in the French Mediterranean port of Marseille, March 19.Photographer: Gerard Bottino/Echoes Wire/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

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By K Oanh Ha

April 29, 2020 at 8:00 AM UTC

Updated on

April 29, 2020 at 1:20 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

After two passengers on their luxury cruise tested positive for Covid-19 in March, Emilio and Barbara Hernandez were so frantic to get off the ship, they wrote a note to the captain.

The Costa Luminosa sailed on with them still onboard, and they ended up with the virus. Now recovering, the Hernandezes and 98 fellow passengers have sued Costa Cruise Lines Inc., a brand owned by Carnival Corp., alleging the firm endangered passengers’ lives through negligence and bad decision-making.