Carnival Corp settles over disabled access violations
Carnival Corp has agreed a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department over complaints it did not provide sufficient access and adapted accommodations for passengers with disabilities.
In a landmark settlement for the industry, Carnival will pay a civil penalty of $55,000 and $350,000 in damages to past cruise passengers affected.
Some of the complaints dated back 15 years.
Under the ruling, 3% of cabins on at least 49 ships will be designated as accessible in three different levels — fully accessible cabins, fully accessible cabins with a single side approach to the bed, and ambulatory accessible cabins.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) also calls for the appointment of an executive compliance officer while each ship should also have designated officers responsible for ADA-related issues at sea.
"This landmark ADA agreement will enable individuals with disabilities the opportunity to equally enjoy a full range of cabins and services that previously were unavailable while vacationing on cruise ships," said US attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer.
"We are pleased to have reached this agreement with the U.S. government which was borne out of a cooperative effort," a Carnival Corp statement said.
"We have historically maintained a strong focus on accessibility and have a longstanding track record of meeting the needs of all our guests."
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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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