Cruise industry adopts Passenger Bill Of Rights

The cruise industry has adopted a new Passenger Bill of Rights. It was approved yesterday in a unanimous vote by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) board.

CEOs of CLIA North American member cruise lines are each being asked to verify in writing that they agree to the plan, designed to insure the "safety, comfort, and care of guests."

CLIA also will submit the Passenger Bill of Rights to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), requesting formal global recognition and applicability under the IMO’s authority over the international maritime industry. 

The Passenger Bill of Rights will be effective immediately for US passengers who purchase their cruise in North America on CLIA’s North American member cruise lines, regardless of itinerary.

CLIA and its member lines will post the Passenger Bill of Rights on their websites, and CLIA has provided materials to help its nearly 14,000 travel agent members communicate the Passenger looking to book a cruise.

Other recent CLIA initiatives to provide customer care include the launch a Preparedness Risk Assessment launched in March to review and address redundancies related to power systems that provide essential services in the event of a loss of main power and a multi-day emergency drill involving authorities from the US and Bahamian governments, led by the US Coast Guard, in April.

Following is the full text of the Passenger Bill of Rights, as adopted by CLIA’s members unanimously.

INTERNATIONAL CRUISE LINE PASSENGER BILL OF RIGHTS

The Members of the Cruise Lines International Association are dedicated to the comfort and care of all passengers on oceangoing cruises throughout the world.  To fulfill this commitment, our Members have agreed to adopt the following set of passenger rights:

1. The right to disembark a docked ship if essential provisions such as food, water, restroom facilities and access to medical care cannot adequately be provided onboard, subject only to the Master’s concern for passenger safety and security and customs and immigration requirements of the port.
2. The right to a full refund for a trip that is canceled due to mechanical failures, or a partial refund for voyages that are terminated early due to those failures.
3. The right to have available on board ships operating beyond rivers or coastal waters full-time, professional emergency medical attention, as needed until shore side medical care becomes available.
4. The right to timely information updates as to any adjustments in the itinerary of the ship in the event of a mechanical failure or emergency, as well as timely updates of the status of efforts to address mechanical failures.
5. The right to a ship crew that is properly trained in emergency and evacuation procedures.
6. The right to an emergency power source in the case of a main generator failure.
7. The right to transportation to the ship’s scheduled port of disembarkation or the passenger’s home city in the event a cruise is terminated early due to mechanical failures.
8. The right to lodging if disembarkation and an overnight stay in an unscheduled port are required when a cruise is terminated early due to mechanical failures.
9. The right to have included on each cruise line’s website a toll-free phone line that can be used for questions or information concerning any aspect of shipboard operations.
10. The right to have this Cruise Line Passenger Bill of Rights published on each line’s website.