Cunard’s Refurbished Queen Elizabeth to Spend Season in Miami: What Does This Mean for Injured Passengers?

Cunard, a UK-based cruise line owned by Carnival Corporation, has announced that it is refurbishing the Queen Elizabeth ship before it moves to Miami for a full season.

From a Press Release of Cunard:

The luxurious 2,000 guest ship will undergo a significant refit from February 25 to March 13, 2025, in Seatrium’s Admiralty Yard in Singapore, preparing her for a new Alaska season from Seattle in June and a dazzling debut voyage from Miami to the Caribbean on October 16. The Caribbean season will begin with a 12-night roundtrip sailing from Miami, offering guests the chance to visit Bridgetown’s UNESCO-listed Garrison and bustling markets of Castries, St Lucia.

What if I suffer an injury on the Queen Elizabeth?

Injuries are, unfortunately, common on cruise ships. When they occur, the cruise line may be liable. The announcement about the Queen Elizabeth has implications for those injured on this cruise line. Some of the considerations for injury victims on the Queen Elizabeth include the following.

The venue

Miami will be the venue for those injured on the Queen Elizabeth during cruises leaving from the Miami port. The venue is where you can file a claim; for instance, those injured in a car accident in Miami will likely file a claim in that city’s courts. Cruises travel to different cities and countries, but the venue is determined by the Passenger Ticket Contract. For Cunard, it will be where the cruise touches a U.S. port venue, which is Miami, Florida.

The Cunard official policy states that:

(i) Claims for Injury, Illness or Death(a) For voyages that begin, end or call in a port located in the United States or its territories, all claims or disputes involving Emotional Harm, bodily injury, illness to or death of any Guest whatsoever, including without limitation those arising out of or relating to this Passage Contract or Your Voyage, shall be litigated before the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami, or as to those lawsuits over which the Federal Courts of the United States lack subject matter jurisdiction, before a court located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, U.S.A., to the exclusion of the courts of any other country, state, city, municipality, county or locale. You consent to jurisdiction and waive any objection that may be available to any such action being brought in such courts.

As a result of the Queen Elizabeth cruise ship using the Miami port, those who are injured on one of these cruises must find legal representation from an experienced maritime attorney who practices in Miami.

Notice

WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF INJURY, you must give notice of your claim. The Cunard Passenger Ticket Contract states that:

(A) Notice of Claims and Time Limits for Legal Action:

(i) Claims for Injury, Illness or Death: In cases involving claims for Emotional Harm, bodily injury, illness to or death of any Guest, no lawsuit may be brought against Carrier unless (1) written notice giving full particulars of the claim is delivered to Carrier within 6 months from the date of the Emotional Harm, bodily injury, illness or death, (2) a lawsuit on such a claim is filed within 1 year from the date of the injury, illness or death, and (3) valid service of the lawsuit is made within 90 days of filing the complaint.

Statute of limitations

WITHIN ONE YEAR OF INJURY, you must file your legal claim. The statute of limitations is separate from the notice requirement set by the cruise line. Sending an email or getting a claim number from the cruise line does not count as officially initiating a legal claim.

What are common injuries on cruise lines?

A wide variety of injuries and accidents can happen on a cruise ship. Our attorneys have found the following to be some of the most common:

• Sexual assault and rape
• Slips, trips, and falls
• Medical malpractice
• Excursion accidents
• Injuries from food allergies
• Escalator and elevator accidents
• Legionnaires’ Disease
• Negligent event planning
• Safety drill accidents
• Fire injuries
• Ship activity injuries
• Crew member injuries
• Swimming pool accidents
• Rock climbing wall accidents

How can your Miami cruise ship attorneys help with my case?

Our legal team works with investigators, witnesses, and experts to determine how your accident occurred and who should be held responsible.

We invite you to read our Results page to find out how we’ve helped clients just like you in the past. In one illustrative case, we recovered over $10 million on behalf of a crew member who suffered an injury to the spinal cord.

Hickey Law Firm specializes in “life-changing injuries.”® Call today. Call now. 800.215.7117

Call the maritime specialists today. Maritime law applies to any incident or accident on navigable waters, that is, waters subject to commercial traffic waters that are subject to commercial traffic. Maritime law is highly specialized. Only a few law firms and lawyers in the small number of law firms and lawyers in the entire United States specialize in maritime law. Hickey Law Firm is one of those law firms.

John H. (Jack) Hickey has been distinguished by The Best Lawyers in America in three key areas: Admiralty and Maritime Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, and Medical Malpractice – Plaintiffs. Hickey is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in two areas: Admiralty & Maritime and Civil Trial.  He is also Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a Trial Lawyer and holds many other awards and acknowledgments in the industry, including:

• Past Chair of the Admiralty Section of the American Association for Justice (AAJ)
• Past Chair of the Admiralty Law Committee of The Florida Bar
• Author of over 30 maritime law papers
• Recipient of the Miami-Dade Bar Circle of Excellence Award for Transportation / Maritime Law, 2024
• Recipient of the Legal Luminaries Award in Maritime Law, 2024

If you or a loved one has been injured in a cruise ship accident, don’t wait to act. You deserve justice and compensation for your injuries, medical bills, and emotional pain. Working your way through the legal and insurance processes can be overwhelming, but the dedicated cruise ship accident attorneys at Hickey Law Firm can make all the difference. We’re here to fight for your rights, hold negligent parties accountable, and help you move forward. Call us or fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation.