If you’ve been paying attention to the news this week, maybe you read about that little foible that happened with Carnival Cruise Lines.
One of their cruise ships, the ‘Triumph,’ stopped working in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico (leaving thousands stranded with dwindling supplies, including three hour lines for food and sewage sloshing up and down the hallways). A nightmare for for Carnival Cruise Lines, but for people with disabilities who’ve been on this boat before? A sense of sweet vindication.
I took a 7-day New Year’s cruise on the Triumph in 2001 (when it was brand new), and it was really good at breaking vacation-hearts back then too. This cruise we went on (my family, bf and I) was years in the making. Read this entry
I believe you are incorrect when you state cruise lines are exempt from the ADA due to being headquartered in foreign countries(though I do not have anything to back up my statement). Carnival Cruise Line is headquartered in Miami, Florida and their parent company, Carnival Corporation and plc, is HQed in Miami, Florida and Southhampton, England. Royal Caribbean Cruise Line is also headquartered in Miami.
However, their ships are flagged in foreign countries under “flags of convenience” so the cruise line doesn’t have to pay US minimum wage that would be required by federal law is the ships were flagged in the US. That could possibly have something to do with Carnival ships being inaccessible.
Am I surprised you received nothing in the way of compensation or a coupon for a discount on a future cruise? Not really. Unfortunately you are a small fish in a huge pond that Carnival owns roughly 50% of(Carnival has about 50% of world market share). I really hope that one bad experience didn’t turn you off of cruising.
I have been on a multitude of cruises and it is my preferred way to vacation. The ships have always been well appointed and the ports have been fantastic for the most part(the ports are the reason I go on cruises).
Caveat: I am not disabled, thus this might have been unwelcome. If so, I apologize.