Appeals court upholds negligence ruling for Ruby Princess Covid cruise
A court upheld a judgment making Carnival Corp liable for compensation to cruise passengers aboard the infamous Ruby Princess cruise during the pandemic.
The three judges dismissed the company’s appeal.
The original ruling found Princess Cruises should have cancelled the sailing as Australia began closing its borders due to the pandemic in March 2020.
Twenty-eight people died as a result and more than 600 were infected with Covid.
The appeals court agreed with the original verdict.
The 2023 class action lawsuit alleged negligence and lacked duty of care to its customers.
The Ruby Princess departed from Sydney on a 13-day itinerary to New Zealand but cut the cruise short after 11 days as borders were closing.
“It was a foreseeable consequence of (lead plaintiff) Mrs Karpik’s boarding that she would be exposed to the heightened risk of there being COVID-19 on board the Ruby Princess,” the appeal judges said.
However, the court denied a request for additional damages as the plaintiff had not developed long Covid.
Carnival originally offered to settle the case for $15 million prior to the trial in 2022, but this was rejected.
The plaintiffs sought $69 million.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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