SLIP AND FALL ON CRUISE SHIPS
A wet deck doesn’t excuse a broken ankle.
Pool decks, buffet lines, and interior stairwells are the most common injury sites on any cruise ship, and often the hardest for a cruise line to deny once maintenance logs and cleaning schedules are reviewed.
Most cruise tickets give you one year to file, and six months to give written notice. The clock started the day you fell.
FREE CASE REVIEW
Tell us about your fall.
Confidential. Submitting does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Results
- $150KCarnival · passenger accident
- $80KRoyal · slip & fall
- $35KRoyal · slip & fall
- $100KHolland America · slip & fall
- $38KMSC · slip & fall
- $70KCarnival · slip & fall on deck
WHERE FALLS HAPPEN ON BOARD
A ship is a floating resort built on wet, moving surfaces.
Most passenger falls happen in heavily controlled areas like cruise ship pools, dining rooms, and walkways. Because maritime law requires proving the cruise line knew or should have known about a hazard, the crew's cleaning schedules and maintenance records are critical to your claim. This maritime legal standard is entirely different from ordinary land-based slip-and-fall laws, which is exactly why using a generalist injury firm can cause you to miss the detail that wins or loses the case.
Pool decks & walkways
Chronic wet surfaces with inadequate non-slip treatment.
Buffet & dining areas
Spills left uncleaned during peak service hours.
Stairwells & thresholds
Worn nosing, poor lighting, uneven door sills.
Public restrooms
Standing water from showers or malfunctioning drains.
Gym & spa areas
Wet tile around pools, saunas, and locker rooms.
Outdoor promenades
Rain, sea spray, and sloped decks in rough weather.
Tenders & embarkation
Boarding ramps that shift with the swell.
Theaters & lounges
Dark aisles and step changes during shows.
Anywhere else onboard
Elevators, shops, casinos - a hazard isn’t limited to the places listed here.
WHAT YOU HAVE TO PROVE
The cruise line knew, or should have known.
Under general maritime law a cruise line owes passengers reasonable care under the circumstances. In a fall case that usually means showing the line had notice of the hazard: crew saw the spill, it had been there long enough to be found, or the same spot had caused falls before.
A dangerous condition
A spill, worn surface or defect that made the area unsafe.
Notice
Crew knew, or it existed long enough that they should have.
Injury and loss
Medical records, lost income and the trip itself.
WHAT TO DO AFTER A FALL
Evidence on a ship disappears quickly.
Report the fall to the ship
Ask for a copy of the incident report. Do not sign statements you have not read.
Photograph the spot
The surface, any liquid, warning signs or the lack of them, and the lighting.
Get names
Fellow passengers and crew who saw the fall or the hazard.
See the ship’s doctor
It creates a record. Keep every bill and receipt.
Keep your ticket and folio
Your ticket sets the deadlines and the court.
Call a Cruise Injury Attorney
CCTV is often overwritten within days. We can demand it be preserved.
SLIP AND FALL RESULTS
All resultsOUTDOOR DECK
$100,000Settlement for J.S., a passenger who fell on a wet cruise ship deck.
STEPS
$80,000Settlement for A.S., a passenger who fell on steps aboard a cruise ship.
WET DECK
$70,000Settlement for H.M., a passenger who fell on a wet cruise ship deck.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
IN CLIENTS’ WORDS
“Great firm with amazing professionals and support staff. They were diligent and made me feel like their own client. Hopefully I won’t need their services again but if I do, I’ll be back.”
“I never do reviews but i had to this time. I spoke to Rosa Letona (paralegal) she was so kind and patient lol with me. I appreciated her time and for making understand the process. Thank you!”
QUESTIONS BEFORE THE CALL
Do I need proof the crew knew about the hazard?
Generally, yes. You typically have to show the line had actual or constructive notice of the danger. Evidence like prior complaints, maintenance logs, or how long the hazard existed before your fall is often what makes or breaks this.
Does it matter if I’d been drinking?
It can be raised by the defense, but it doesn’t automatically defeat a claim. It’s one factor among several in assessing fault, not an outright bar to recovery.
What if there was no wet-floor warning sign?
Missing signage can actually strengthen a claim, because it can support the argument that the crew failed to warn of a hazard they knew or should have known about.
Can I still file if I didn’t report it immediately?
Often yes, but reporting late makes it harder to prove and gives the cruise line room to dispute what happened. Call us regardless, because the filing deadline is usually the bigger risk than a late report.
Is the line responsible if another passenger spilled something?
Possibly, if crew had enough time to discover and clean it up and failed to. How long the spill sat there before your fall is usually the key question.
What does it cost to find out if I have a case?
Nothing. The case review is free, and if we take your case, we work on contingency, so our fee comes only from what we recover for you.
Can I still file if I’ve already gone home?
Yes. Most of this work happens after the cruise ends regardless. What matters is acting before your ticket’s filing deadline, not where you are when you call.
FREE CASE REVIEW
Hurt on a cruise? Talk to Debi’s team today.
No fee unless we win. The call costs nothing, and most cases are reviewed the same day.