celebrity cruise incidents

Celebrity Cruises crew member admits molesting children at onboard youth center, FBI said

A Celebrity Cruises crew member admitted to molesting children at the youth center on board its Celebrity Silhouette ship, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said.

A six-year-old girl reported that Cris John Pentinio Castor inappropriately touched her “private parts” on Nov. 27, according to an affidavit filed in federal court in Florida on Friday. The ship departed on Nov. 20 from Port Everglades on a cruise to destinations including Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Castries, Saint Lucia, and Scarborough in Tobago.

Her parents returned to the Camp at Sea youth center after picking her up, and the child told the program manager about the incident. She also told a forensic interviewer upon the ship’s return to Port Everglades that Castor had touched her under her clothes in the area “where the pee comes from” while she was playing a video game.

The crew member, who is a citizen of the Philippines, “told law enforcement that he was aware and understood that he knowingly touched Minor Victim in the vicinity of her vagina,” according to the affidavit signed by special agent M. Alexandra Montilla. Security footage did not show the contact directly but captured him reaching his hand into her lap while she played the game.

Castor is charged with abusive sexual contact of a minor under twelve.

He also “admitted to the inappropriate sexual touching of other minor children that were in his care at the Youth Center, on multiple occasions, while consciously hiding his acts from the Youth Center’s security cameras,” the affidavit said. Castor said he touched at least three more children inappropriately “in their vaginal area, in some cases making skin-to-skin contact,” the FBI said. He had worked as a youth counselor since August.

“We have zero tolerance for this behavior,” a Celebrity spokesperson told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. “We reported this to law enforcement and terminated the crew member, and we will continue to fully cooperate with authorities.”

Castor’s attorney, Robert Berube, declined to comment.

Cruise ship crime: What to know if you're sexually assaulted on a cruise

There were 87 allegations of sexual assault on cruise ships embarking and disembarking in the U.S. last year, according to cruise-line incident reports from the Department of Transportation. The numbers have not yet been updated for 2023.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

A Celebrity Cruises youth counselor admitted to molesting kids on board the ship, the FBI alleges in court filing

• A youth counselor working on a Celebrity Cruises ship admitted to molesting kids on board, the FBI alleges.
• The worker allegedly abused the children in the youth center onboard Celebrity Cruises' "Silhouette" ship.
• The cruise company told Business Insider they fired the man and are cooperating with authorities.

A youth counselor working on a Celebrity Cruises ship admitted he molested multiple children while on board, authorities allege in a court filing.

In an affidavit filed last week in Florida federal court, an FBI agent alleges that Cris John Pentinio Castor sexually abused minors while working in the youth center on Celebrity Cruises' "Silhouette" ship.

Castor's lawyer declined to comment on the allegations.

Related stories

Castor is a Filipino citizen who had worked on the ship since August, the filing says.

The court documents say that the parents of a 6-year-old girl, who aren't named in the filing, approached the youth center's program manager after picking up their daughter from the center on November 27.

Their daughter then told the staff member that Castor had touched her "private parts," pointing to her genital area, according to the affidavit.

When interviewed by a forensic expert three days later, the child said that Castor had touched her under her clothes, in the area "where the pee comes from," while she was playing a video game, the filing says.

Security footage from the youth center shows Castor and the child sitting next to each other, and though the view is from behind, Castor can be seen reaching toward the child's groin, the affidavit says.

The family was on a Caribbean cruise that had departed from Florida a week earlier, according to the court documents.

Castor later admitted to police that he touched the child's vaginal area and abused at least three other minors, according to the filing.

"We have zero tolerance for this behavior," a representative for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, which owns Celebrity Cruises, told Business Insider. "We reported this to law enforcement and terminated the crew member, and we will continue to fully cooperate with authorities."

Castor is now facing a federal charge of abusive sexual contact of a minor under 12.

If you are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-4673) or visit its website to receive confidential support.

Watch: The rise and fall of the cruise industry

• Main content

The 8 Worst Cruise Ship Disasters

Somali pirates, icebergs, and coral reefs have ruined many would-be vacations.

Gregorio Borgia | AP

Carnival Triumph:  What was supposed to be a four-day jaunt to the Caribbean became an eight-day nightmare when an engine fire left the ship floating in the Gulf of Mexico without power, air-conditioning, or a working septic system.

[ RELATED: Cruise From Hell Set to Limp Ashore Tonight ]

Carnival Splendor:  Carnival's Splendor suffered a similar fate as Carnival's Triumph in November 2011. Both were stranded by engine fires, though the Splendor was left floating in the Pacific Ocean. After three days the Splendor and its 4,500 passengers were towed back to the San Diego Bay.

Costa Concordia:  This Italian cruise ship ran aground on a reef off the coast of Tuscany, Italy, in January 2012 and toppled onto its side. Of the 4,200 aboard, 32 died and 64 were injured, according to the Associated Press . The half-submerged ship is still being removed.

[ PHOTOS: Costa Concordia Disaster: One Year Later ]

Seabourn Spirits:  In 2005, while 100 miles off the coast of Somalia, pirates in speedboats attacked the small cruise ship. The pirates fired on it with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades before the captain changed course and got away. None of the ship's 300 passengers were hurt, and the ship made it to the Seychelles where the rocket damage was repaired.

Celebrity Mercury:  More than 400 of the 2,600 passengers and crew onboard the Mercury were stricken ill in 2010 in what the Centers for Disease control deemed a norovirus outbreak . The virus caused widespread vomiting and other gastrointestinal ills on the ship, which left from Charleston, S.C.

Norwegian Dawn:  At least 62 cabins were flooded when a 70-foot wave smashed into the Dawn, in 2005. About 300 of the ship's passengers disembarked early, in Charleston, after the storm had passed.

S.S. Eastland:  In 1915, just three years after the Titanic sank, the S.S. Eastland passenger tour ship rolled over while in port in downtown Chicago. More than 840 of its 2,500 passengers died in the accident.

RMS Titanic:  The original cruise ship disaster, the "unsinkable ship" struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic on its maiden voyage in 1912 and sank into the icy water, killing more than 1,500 of its 2,200 passengers and crew.

• Scientists Find Way to 'Turn Off' Feeling Cold
• Gitmo Detainee Stages Courtroom Protest
• Dorner's Criticisms Were Valid, Ex-Cops Say

Join the Conversation

Tags: Vacations , Travel

America 2024

Health News Bulletin

Stay informed on the latest news on health and COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report.

Sign in to manage your newsletters »

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

You May Also Like

The 10 worst presidents.

U.S. News Staff Feb. 23, 2024

Cartoons on President Donald Trump

Feb. 1, 2017, at 1:24 p.m.

Photos: Obama Behind the Scenes

April 8, 2022

Photos: Who Supports Joe Biden?

March 11, 2020

RFK Jr.: By the Numbers

Laura Mannweiler April 26, 2024

Biden’s Student Loan Chief to Step Down

Lauren Camera April 26, 2024

What to Know: Bird Flu Virus in Milk

Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder April 26, 2024

Inflation a Stubborn Foe for the Fed

Tim Smart April 26, 2024

The Curse of the Modern Vice President

‘A Rule for the Ages’

Lauren Camera April 25, 2024

• Class Action Lawsuits Cruise Ship Accidents Cruise Ship Injury Staircase Accidents on Cruise Ships Cruise Ship Medical Malpractice Flowrider Accidents Tender Boat Accidents Water Slide Accident Lido Deck Accident Kids Club Accident Overboard Accident Gangway Accident Injury Cruise Passenger Injury Passenger Health on Dirty Ships Child Cruise Injury CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS Camp Legeune Lawsuit Zeljanz Lawsuit Paraquat Weed Killer Lawsuit Zantac (Ranitidine) Lawsuit Maritime Cruise Ship Accidents Jet Ski Accidents Boating Accidents Parasailing Accidents Ferry Boat Accidents Scuba Diving Accidents Riverboat Accidents Personal Injury Personal Injury Auto Accident Premise Liability Accident Slip and Fall Truck Accidents Hit and Run Accidents Motorcycle Accidents Uber Car Accidents Sexual Assault Wrongful Death Traumatic Brain Injury Bicycle Accident Injury Parking Lot Slip & Fall Jet Ski Accidents Pedestrian Accidents PORTS Baltimore Belize Boston Brooklyn Canaveral Charleston Costa Maya Cozumel Dominican Republic Ft. Lauderdale Galveston Haifa Jacksonville Jamaica Key West Los Angeles Miami PORTS Mobile Nassau Norfolk New Jersey New York City Paris Roatan San Diego San Francisco San Juan St. Maarten/St. Martin Seattle South Africa Tampa Bay Tortola Vancouver
• Testimonial
• Privacy Policy
• Free Consultation
• 866-597-4529

Suing Celebrity Cruise Line

Suing celebrity cruise line.

AVAILABLE 24/7, CALL US AT  1-866-597-4529

Passenger accident claims must be timely in order to be sent to Celebrity’s office in Miami, Florida and the lawsuit must be filed in Federal Court in Miami regardless of where in the world the incident may have occurred. This means that even though Celebrity’s ships are registered in either Malta or Ecuador, injured passengers wishing to make a claim must file cases in Miami, Florida. Accordingly, we strongly urge anyone who may have been injured aboard a Celebrity Cruise ship to contact an experienced and aggressive admiralty law firm in Miami as soon as possible.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE

Our Celebrity cruise ship accident attorneys have years of experience suing Celebrity on behalf of injured passengers. Most people do not realize that according to Celebrity’s Passenger Contract (Ticket) any claims must be presented in writing to Celebrity at its corporate headquarters within 6 months of the date of the incident and a lawsuit must be filed within one year of the date of the incident. Here is the hard to find and hard to read the  fine print in Celebrity passenger tickets :

a) TIME LIMITS FOR PERSONAL INJURY/ILLNESS/DEATH CLAIMS: NO SUIT SHALL BE MAINTAINABLE AGAINST CARRIER, THE VESSEL OR THE TRANSPORT FOR PERSONAL INJURY, ILLNESS OR DEATH OF ANY PASSENGER UNLESS WRITTEN NOTICE OF THE CLAIM, WITH FULL PARTICULARS, SHALL BE DELIVERED TO CARRIER AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS, C/O CELEBRITY CRUISES INC., 1050 CARIBBEAN WAY, MIAMI, FL 33132, WITHIN SIX (6) MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF THE INJURY, ILLNESS OR DEATH AND SUIT IS COMMENCED (FILED) WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR FROM THE DATE OF SUCH INJURY, ILLNESS OR DEATH AND PROCESS SERVED WITHIN 120 DAYS AFTER FILING, NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF LAW OF ANY STATE OR COUNTRY TO THE CONTRARY.

INJURED ON A CELEBRITY CRUISE SHIP

Few passengers know that since 1997, Celebrity Cruise Lines is actually owned and operated by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. RCCL also owns Pullmantur, Azamara Club Cruises, CDF Croisieres de France, and TUI Cruises. And like RCCL, Celebrity is headquartered in the Port of Miami, located in Miami, Florida just a few blocks from the United States District Courthouse for the Southern District of Florida. In fact, Celebrity claims are defended by the same in-house team of experienced cruise ship lawyers that work for RCCL. Therefore, it is vitally important that anyone who has been injured aboard one of Celebrity cruise ships also has competent and ethical legal representation to protect their legal rights.

DO YOU HAVE A CLAIM AGAINST CELEBRITY CRUISE LINE?

If you have been injured aboard a Celebrity cruise ship, it is important to contact our office immediately. Important data on the ship such as CCTV footage, witness statements, maintenance and inspection logs, and crewmember records will be needed to understand how and why an injury occurred.

We have helped passengers from around the world who have slipped, tripped and fallen on wet and slippery decks, staircases and over unmarked threshold aboard Celebrity Cruise Ships. These injuries commonly result in fractured arms, legs and knee injuries that often result in surgeries, lost wages and medical expenses. Sometimes, however, the accidents are more severe and have left passengers with severe spinal damages and brain damage.

Not all injuries aboard Celebrity ships are in fact cases, and knowing the difference of a simple accident and a legitimate claim is something that we pride ourselves in. We are passionate about holding Celebrity accountable when and if they put their corporate profits ahead of passenger safety.  Contact us  today for your free initial consultation and let our decades of experience help protect your legal rights.

Celebrity Cruise Ship Fleet

Celebrity cruise ships are easily recognized in ports around the world because of the signature “Χ” displayed on the funnels of all Celebrity ships. The X is actually the Greek letter chi, for “Chandris”. Currently Celebrity has the following ships in its fleet:

• Celebrity Eclipse
• Celebrity Equinox
• Celebrity Silhouette
• Celebrity Solstice
• Celebrity Reflection
• Celebrity Constellation
• Celebrity Infinity
• Celebrity Millennium
• Celebrity Summit
• Celebrity Century
• Celebrity Xpedition

CHECK OUT OUR LATEST CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENT VIDEOS

Cruise Ship Injury Faqs

Understand your rights after being injured onboard a cruise ship by reviewing our answers to some Frequently Asked Questions from our clients.

After Accident Tips

Make sure you protect your legal rights and preserve your opportunity to earn fair compensation for your injuries by following these steps.

Cruise Ship Ports Of Call

Traveling by cruise ship has become one of the most popular ways to see the world. Find your cruise ship port of call.

A Top Rated and Awarded Law Firm

Let us Fight For You

Join our mailing list.

Stay connected with Aronfeld Trial Lawyers and receive safety tips, news, and other info from our personal injury legal professionals!

Suscríbase a Nuestra Lista de Distribución

¡Manténgase conectado con Aronfeld Trial Lawyers y reciba consejos de seguridad, noticias y otra información de nuestros profesionales legales de lesiones personales!

Aronfeld Trial Lawyers is a firm of high-profile, nationally recognized legal advocates who work for you, our client, never big business. We represent cases resulting in serious injuries in the areas of Cruise Ship Injuries, Wrongful Death, Automobile Accidents, Cycling Accidents, Slip and Fall Incidents, Product Liability, Civil Rights Claims, Workplace Injuries, Maritime Law, Sexual Assault, Medical and Dental Malpractice, and others.

Quick Links

• (866) 597-4529
• [email protected]

Let’s Work Together

©Aronfeld. 2024  KCoWeb All Rights Reserved 

Integrity First, Compassion, and Excellence in All We Do

Celebrity Cruise Accident and Injury Lawyers

Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. are the nation’s leading maritime lawyers handling injury and assault cases against Celebrity Cruise Lines. Our firm was founded over 50 years ago on the premise that the selection of your maritime attorney is paramount to getting the compensation you deserve, and it’s an idea we still hold true to this day.

Our firm has seven offices located nationwide, employing fourteen full-time maritime injury lawyers who have extensive experience in handling cruise ship injuries like yours. This is why we were recently selected for SuperLawyers and one of the “Best Law Firms”® in 2023 by US News & World Report , among countless other awards and recognitions. You can feel confident in your decision to choose our leading attorneys to take on your claim against Celebrity Cruise.  

Types of Accidents on Celebrity Cruise Ships

Both workers and passengers have the right to recover for injuries suffered as a result of a cruise line’s negligence or wrongful action. Some of the most common types of cruise ship incidents that can lead to lawsuits include:

• Cruise ship passenger injuries
• Crewmember injuries
• Cruise ship rape and assault
• Passenger disappearances
• Passenger overboard accidents
• Passenger drowning incidents
• Shore excursion injuries
• Cruise ship medical malpractice
• Flowrider accidents
• Cruise ship class actions

Celebrity has a responsibility to create a reasonably safe working environment as well as a reasonably safe environment for passengers. When the cruise line fails to fulfill its basic duties and tragedy occurs, you have the right to pursue damages.

It’s important to act quickly after an injury. Cruise ship tickets frequently limit your time to bring a personal injury case to only one year. Courts have enforced such limitations, even though the statute of limitations is three years for many other types of maritime injuries. If you file your case after the applicable limitations period, you will most likely lose the opportunity to recover for your injuries. Your attorney can advise you about what specific timeline applies to you and help you file your claim on time.

How Our Award-Winning Lawyers Can Get You the Compensation You Deserve

After an accident, injury, or illness, if you were a passenger or crew member aboard a Celebrity Cruise, you may have the right to seek compensation for your injuries, suffering, and economic damages (lost wages, loss of earning capacity, medical expenses). Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. have over 50 years of experience in successfully handling thousands of injury claims against all of the major cruise lines, including Celebrity Cruises. With Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. backing you up, you do not need to deal with the headache and burdens that come with complex maritime legal matters. We’re here to:

• Negotiate your claim
• Prove liability
• Prove the value of your damages
• Apply Admiralty Laws accurately in your case 

Negotiating Your Claim

Our lawyers include Board Certified Admiralty & Maritime lawyers as well as lawyers who have been recognized by Best Lawyers®, Super Lawyers(r), and AVVO. Because of our 50-year track record of success (we were founded in 1971), we are often able to successfully resolve cases prior to trial, which has many advantages.  

As such, once we have done an in-depth analysis into your case, often the first part of the process often involves negotiations with the cruise line itself. Sometimes, Celebrity Cruises will agree to a fair settlement, and you can resolve your matter and receive your financial recovery sooner rather than later.  One of the main parts of our job is giving you our advice and opinions about what constitutes a fair settlement for your case.  

Having an advocate who regularly deals with cruise lines can give you a distinct advantage in negotiations regarding your case. 

Proving Liability

Sometimes, Celebrity Cruises will deny any liability for your injuries or use liability waivers in fine print to try to deny you compensation. Our cruise ship attorneys know the tactics that these cruise lines use all too well, and we know how to challenge them and prove that the corporation should be responsible for your losses.  

There are an incredible amount of intricacies in the laws applicable to a cruise ship injury.  We know them all because we’ve seen them all. Parties who could be sued for your damages include:

• Celebrity Cruise Lines
• Celebrity Cruise Line staff members
• Celebrity Cruise Line executives
• Manufacturers of Celebrity Cruise Line equipment
• Celebrity Cruise Line safety inspectors and maintenance workers
• Other third parties

Proving Your Damages

An experienced maritime attorney will fight for the full amount you need to cover your:

• Past medical bills
• Estimated costs of future treatment that you will need
• Past and future lost earnings due to your injuries and their effects
• Physical and emotional pain and suffering
• Disfigurement 
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Reduced quality of life
• Personal property damages
• Embarrassment from disfiguring skin scars

We have successfully resolved thousands of cases against all of the major cruise lines and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars.  This wealth of experience enables us to best assess the full value of your case in order to fully and fairly compensate you.  

If no fair settlement is offered, we will not hesitate to litigate your case, for as long as it takes. We have gone up against all of the cruise lines in court or in arbitration – including Celebrity Cruises, and won.  We know how to prove the damages you deserve. 

Applying Admiralty Law to Your Case

Most personal injury cases are governed by state law, but cruise ship cases involve federal maritime and admiralty laws . These laws are extremely complicated, so you want a lawyer with experience applying admiralty law to injury cases. Simple mistakes can go against the legal requirements of your cruise ship injury case, but an experienced lawyer will know how to avoid such obstacles to compensation. 

According to maritime and admiralty laws there are multiple ways you could be awarded compensation for your damages following an injury caused by Celebrity Cruise Lines. These legal options could include:

• Filing a claim under the Jones Act if you were injured as a seaman
• Filing a Longshore and Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act (LHWCA) claim if you were injured as a Celebrity Cruise Line crew member
• Filing a personal injury lawsuit against Celebrity Cruise Lines or other liable parties

If you are looking for the right law firm to handle your Celebrity Cruise injury case and stand up to a large corporate cruise line, look no further than Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A.

Case Results in Celebrity Cruises Cases

Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A., has successfully concluded over 3,000 cases, recovering over $300 million for our clients. Our attorneys have represented hundreds of passengers and crewmembers injured while onboard Celebrity Cruises. Past cases include:

• Costa, Fernandez, D’Acosta vs. Celebrity Cruises ,
• Lobo v. Celebrity Cruises , and
• S.L. vs. Celebrity Cruises .

In these and other cases, we have provided assistance to crew and passengers who were seriously injured by the cruise line’s failure to provide reasonable care. Examples of favorable results we have obtained in cruise line cases include:

• $6.1 million verdict for a crewmember who died from poisonous gas while doing repair work on a ship’s sewage system; Confidential monetary settlement for a cruise passenger who broke a hip after slipping on a wet substance;
• $970,230 plus lifetime medical expenses in an arbitration award for a seaman who developed kidney disease while working on a cruise ship; and
• $575,000 verdict for a kitchen worker who suffered a leg injury and infection when he cut himself on a cracked plastic box.

While we can’t promise that the results of your case will be similar to these, our track record of success demonstrates our capabilities. You can be confident that we will look out for your best interests every step of the way and fight to get you the best possible outcome.

What to Look for in a Celebrity Accident Attorney

After the shock and suffering of your incident, the process of choosing a cruise accident attorney can be overwhelming. Yet, your case is too important to trust to anyone and everyone. Do not be fooled by attorneys who claim to be able to handle your case with little to no experience in your specific type of accident. Odds are good that you don’t have friends or family who have personally used a maritime attorney and can pass along a good reference. Online reviews can be helpful, but they can also overrepresent people who had bad experiences. You may be left confused as to which lawyer to hire.

We encourage you to do your due diligence as you research attorneys, paying close attention to three important factors: 

• Case Results 

These factors are good indicators of whether your attorney has the skills necessary to effectively litigate your case. After you’ve done your research, it’s a good idea to set up a free consultation with your prospective attorney. This conversation will allow you to present the basic facts of your case to the attorney so they can better understand your situation, while at the same time helping you assess how you feel about them. You’ll be working with this attorney over the next few months, or even longer, so don’t dismiss how comfortable and supported you are in regards to their personality and style of communication in determining if they are a good fit for you.

Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A., is a great choice to represent you in your cruise line case. Our main office is located in Florida, but we have attorneys licensed in Florida, California, Colorado , and Washington. As well, we accept cases from clients all over the world who have been affected by a cruise line accident. We are well-respected in the industry and have the skills necessary to build a strong case for you.

See What Our Clients Have To Say

Cruise Ship Passenger Injury

I was very appreciative of the help that the law firm was able to do for me and my family …

Cruise Ship Crew Member Injury

Hello, my name is Bojan and I am from Serbia and I am an injured crew member. I’ve never had …

National and International Reputation

Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. has developed a reputation for excellence among cruise ship attorneys. We receive frequent recognition for our skills and successes. For the past five years in a row, U.S. News and World Report has named us a Best Law Firm. Other honors include:

• Only cruise ship law firm in America to have four attorneys recognized as “Best Lawyers” 2016-2024;
• Named “Top Law Firm Protecting Seafarer Rights” by The International Seafarers Union; and
• AV Preeminent rating (highest level of professional excellence) from Martindale-Hubbell.

In 2020, U.S. News and World Report named our founder, Charles R. Lipcon, “Lawyer of the Year”® in Admiralty & Maritime by US News & World Report (2020)- Miami. Mr. Lipcon has practiced maritime law for 48 years, has frequently been featured as a commentator on national news, and has even written a popular book, Unsafe on the High Seas, to help people stay safer on cruises. He has also been instrumental in a number of landmark cases as well as cases involving multi-million dollar verdicts.

Our reputation in the industry is unparalleled. Cruise lines know who we are and what fierce advocates we are for our clients. They take our clients seriously and know they can’t get away with the kind of tactics that may work with other firms.

Celebrity Cruises Ships

Celebrity Cruises operates 14 ships, which the company indicates are all “built to make your vacation everything you wanted and then some.” The ships are divided into Solstice Class, Millennium Class, Edge Class, and Galapagos Ships. The 14 ships include:

• The Celebrity Eclipse
• The Celebrity Equinox
• The Celebrity Silhouette
• The Celebrity Solstice
• The Celebrity Reflection
• The Celebrity Constellation
• The Celebrity Infinity
• The Celebrity Millennium
• The Celebrity Summit
• The Celebrity Xpedition
• The Celebrity Apex
• The Celebrity Edge
• The Celebrity Xploration
• The Celebrity Flora
• The Celebrity Beyond

Celebrity promises travelers its ships are built to make a vacation everything they’ve hoped for; unfortunately, the cruise line often fails to disclose the very real risks of sexual assault aboard the ships, as well as the risk of accidents or death on the ship, onshore excursions, or in instances where passengers fall overboard.

Whenever illness, injury, or death occurs, it is important for victims to understand their right to pursue a case against Celebrity.

Hire the Nation’s Leading Maritime Attorneys for Help With Your Celebrity Cruise Accident Claim

When you have suffered severe injuries or illness after working or vacationing aboard a Celebrity Cruise Lines ship, and you do not know where to turn for help, you’ve come to the right place. 

As leading litigation attorneys with extensive working knowledge of maritime law, we take great pride in the fact that our firm’s founder, Charles Lipcon, was named Lawyer of the Year in Admiralty and Maritime for Miami in 2020- a prestigious award. Charles Lipcon, Jason Margulies, Michael Winkleman, and Jacqueline Garcell have all been named Best Lawyers® in America for 2024. We believe these awards reflect well upon our abilities and accomplishments as maritime attorneys achieving success for our clients. If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed in a maritime accident, we are ready to help you get the care and support you deserve. 

Contact us right away via our website or call 877-233-1238 to speak with an experienced attorney for a free and confidential consultation. During your initial consultation, we will learn more about your case and discuss how we can help you after an injury or death at sea or in port.

Other Companies Sued

• American Seafoods
• Antillean Marine Shipping Corp.
• Azamara Cruise Lines
• Carnival Cruise Lines
• Costa Cruise Lines
• Crowley Maritime Corporation
• Crystal Cruises
• Cunard Line
• Disney Cruise Line
• Holland America Line
• Icicle Seafoods, Inc.
• Island Queen Cruises
• Maersk Lines Limited
• Margaritaville at Sea
• MSC Cruises USA
• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Ocean Drilling & Exploration Company (ODECO)
• Oceania Cruises
• P&O Cruises
• Princess Cruise Lines
• Pullmantur Cruises
• Radisson Seven Seas
• Royal Caribbean Cruise
• Seabourn Cruise Line
• Silversea Cruises
• Starboard Cruise Services
• Steiner Transocean
• Tote Maritime & Sea Star Line (El Faro)
• The CMA CGM Group
• Tropical Shipping
• Viking Cruises
• Virgin Voyages
• Windstar Cruises

• Name * First Last
• I would like to receive news from LM&W, P.A. and participate in the firm’s marketing programs
• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Caribbean cruise line reroutes ships, cancels stop at island port due to violence, turmoil

• Published: Apr. 25, 2024, 12:11 p.m.

Royal Caribbean International has canceled stops at its private beach in Haiti through September as a result of the violence plaguing the island nation, a private fan blog, citing messages to travelers, reports. AP

• Robert Higgs, cleveland.com

MIAMI – Royal Caribbean has cancelled stops at its private port of Labadee through the summer because of simmering violence in Haiti.

In March, the cruise line canceled stops at the private beach area through May, but this week Royal Caribbean reworked cruise schedules through the summer and into September, a post on the Royal Caribbean Blog said.

“Guests booked on cruises in the summer and early fall are getting notifications from Royal Caribbean that their visits to Labadee have been canceled,” the blog said. “On Tuesday (April 23), cruisers began to share updates they received from Royal Caribbean that their itineraries have been updated to drop Labadee and replace it with another port or a sea day.”

Labadee is a beach area on a peninsula in northern Haiti near Cap-Haitien used exclusively by Royal Caribbean. The cruise line has its own security force at the site, which is walled off from the rest of the country.

The 260-acre site has been leased by Royal Caribbean since the 1980s. It is about a six-hour drive from Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and thus far has not seen any incidents of violence, the blog said.

More than 2,500 people were killed or injured in gang violence from January to March across Haiti, a more than 50% increase from the same period last year, according to a report Friday by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. The vast majority of violence is in Port-au-Prince .

Cap-Haitien, Haiti’s former capital, has been spared much of the violence and is going through a bit of a resurgence, The Associated Press said . Business owners, anxious parents and even historic state ceremonies have been relocating there, and that began even before gangs started attacking key government infrastructure in Port-au-Prince in late February.

Royal Caribbean International had no formal announcements of the changes posted to its website. Royal Caribbean Blog is an unofficial site for fans of the cruise line and is not affiliated with Royal Caribbean International.

But it cited chatter and messages from cruise ticket holders about changes to their itinerary that showed stops at Labadee were being canceled and replaced with either an extra day of cruising at sea or stops in alternate ports.

A notice from the cruise line, reposted on the blog, informed guests about the change in travel plans, without explicitly mentioning the violence.

“Due to the continuing situation in Haiti, we’ll now visit Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos, instead of Labadee, Haiti,” the notice reads. “We’re sorry for the change – your safety is our top priority. Nevertheless, we’re excited to visit a new port with you!”

Grand Turk is the capital island in the Turks and Caicos archipelago north of Haiti.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

• CruiseMapper
• Cruise news
• Cruise Industry
• Hard Rock, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity Cruises forge global...

Hard Rock, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity Cruises forge global partnership

Hard Rock International, Seminole Gaming, and Royal Caribbean Group brands, Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises , have announced a global partnership aimed at enhancing the vacation experiences of travelers and team members across both brands. This significant collaboration brings together two of South Florida's largest private employers to offer a range of benefits to their respective audiences.

Travelers worldwide can now enjoy accommodations, meals, discounts, and more at Hard Rock and Seminole casinos, hotels, and cafes, as well as on Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises vacations. This partnership leverages the extensive loyalty programs of both groups, benefiting the millions of members enrolled in Unity by Hard Rock, Royal Caribbean's Club Royale, and Celebrity Cruises' Blue Chip Club.

Key highlights of the partnership include:

• Unity by Hard Rock loyalty members will receive discounts on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity vacations, along with opportunities to qualify for exclusive cruise giveaways. Top-tier loyalty members can also enjoy an annual complimentary cruise on select ships and itineraries.
• Club Royale and Blue Chip Club members will have access to exclusive discounts and perks at participating Hard Rock locations. Premium tier members of these loyalty programs can also receive annual complimentary trips to select Hard Rock hotels and casinos worldwide.

This collaboration aims to enhance the overall vacation experience for members of these loyalty programs, offering unique opportunities to explore and enjoy a wide range of offerings across the Hard Rock, Seminole, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity brands.

Celebrity Cruises joins the party at private Bahamas island CocoCay

Celebrity Cruises made its first trip to sister cruise line Royal Caribbean’s private Bahamas island CocoCay this week.

The popular destination is rife with bells and whistles that cater to the adventuresome set that frequent Royal Caribbean ships, but the island is filled with tastes for all, including a new adults-only beachfront area called Hideaway Beach.

Celebrity Reflection was the first ship to visit on April 22 followed by Celebrity Beyond on April 23, both part of five-night western Caribbean sailings departing from Port Everglades, part of new shorter itineraries being offered by the premium cruise brand. Sailings also visit Bimini, Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Key West.

“Guest feedback inspired the new shorter Caribbean itineraries, designed to offer year-round opportunities to unwind with loved ones,” said Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge in a press release. “Introducing Perfect Day at CocoCay presents new experiences for Celebrity guests seeking quick beach getaway escapes close to home.”

Once known as just Little Stirrup Cay, Royal Caribbean now calls it Perfect Day at CocoCay, which received a $250 million overhaul first in 2019 adding a 13-slide water park including the 135-foot-tall Devil’s Peak that is one of seven slides on the castle-like tower that acts as an icon that can be seen from around the 125-acre resort.

It also added a dock that allows for two ships to come alongside instead of having to take day visitors with tender vessels. Nearby Great Stirrup Cay, which is used primarily by Norwegian Cruise Line, still relies on tenders, but recently announced it too would build a ship dock.

It also features a colorful helium balloon ride called Up, Up and Away that takes passengers up 450 feet on the rare calm days it’s not too windy, a 1,600-foot zip line and the largest wave pool in the Caribbean.

Those fall under the “Thrill” side of the island, but there’s plenty on the “Chill” side as well, including the Coco Beach Club, which includes a series of over-water cabanas with hammocks and personal slides plus more beachside cabanas, an infinity pool and a higher-end Mediterranean dining venue.

The newest feature on the island, though, opened in January. Hideaway Beach is the first part of the island to be kid-free. It has its own private beach and lagoon, two pools, seven food and drink locations and 20 cabanas.

Spending time at Hideaway Beach is designed to be an all-day experience at an extra charge for those 18 and older. Prices start at $39-$89 per person depending on sail date with the 20 cabanas available for an additional rate.

The space includes the al fresco On the Rocks bar with live musicians, live sports on TV and even a pool table and shuffleboard with great views of the dock along the island’s rocky shore.

The lagoon is surrounded by loungers, hammocks and in-water swingsets while the Hideaway Bar is the central swim-up bar in the main pool while there are two full-service Beach Bars on either side of the area as well.

©2024 Orlando Sentinel. Visit orlandosentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

• Need help? 1-888-751-7804 1-888-751-7804
• Let Us Call You CALL ME
• Drink Packages
• Flights by Celebrity℠
• Hotels by Celebrity
• Manage Reservation

Shore Excursions

• Upgrade with MoveUp

• My Tier and Points
• Join Captain's Club

Already booked? Sign in or create an account

• South Korea
• New Zealand
• Grand Cayman
• St. Maarten
• U.S Virgin Islands
• New England & Canada
• Pacific Coast
• Antarctic Ocean
• Panama Canal
• Transatlantic
• Transpacific
• Cruise Ports (+300)

Mediterranean

• Perfect Day at CocoCay
• All Inclusive

Bucket List Cruises

• Cruise & Land Package
• Groups & Events
• New Cruises
• Popular Cruises
• Specialty Cruises
• Destination Highlights
• Group Excursions
• Private Journeys
• Shore Excursions Overview
• Small Group Discoveries

• 360° Virtual Tours
• Celebrity Apex®
• Celebrity Ascent℠ NEW
• Celebrity Beyond℠
• Celebrity Constellation®
• Celebrity Edge®
• Celebrity Eclipse®
• Celebrity Equinox®
• Celebrity Infinity®
• Celebrity Millennium®
• Celebrity Reflection®
• Celebrity Silhouette®
• Celebrity Solstice®
• Celebrity Summit®
• Celebrity Xcel℠ COMING SOON
• Explore Edge Series

Galapagos Expedition Series

• Celebrity Flora®
• Celebrity Xpedition®
• Celebrity Xploration®
• The Retreat
• All Suites. All Included
• Iconic Suite
• Penthouse Suite
• Reflection Suite
• Royal Suite
• Signature Suite
• Celebrity Suite
• Aqua Sky Suite
• Horizon Suite
• Sunset Suite
• Concierge Class
• Galapagos Accommodations
• Eat & Drink
• Entertainment
• Spa & Wellness

Cruising 101

• Cruise Fare Options
• Cruise Tips
• First Time on a Cruise
• What is Included on a Cruise
• Future Cruise Vacations
• Accessible Cruising
• Captain's Club Rewards
• Cruise Insurance
• Flights by Celebrity
• Healthy at Sea
• Manage Cruise
• The Celebrity Store
• Travel Documents
• Royal Caribbean International
• Celebrity Cruises

• 75% Off 2nd Guest + Bonus Savings
• 3rd and 4th Guests Sail Free
• Galapagos 20% Savings + Free Flights
• Resident Rates
• Exciting Deals
• View All Offers
• All Included
• Cruise & Land Packages
• Dining Packages
• Photo Packages
• Wi-Fi Packages
• View All Packages
• Captain's Club Overview
• Join the Club
• Loyalty Exclusive Offers
• Tiers & Benefits
• Celebrity Cruises Visa Signature® Card

Enjoy 75% off your second guest’s cruise fare and get bonus savings of up to $200. Plus, additional guests in your stateroom sail free on select sailings.

Your Courtesy Hold

{courtesy-nights} Night {courtesy-name}

Departing {courtesy-departure-date} | Onboard {courtesy-ship}

Featured Cruises

Perfect day at cococay cruises, starting from  $256, caribbean cruises, starting from  $180, europe cruises, starting from $641.

Cruises from Florida

Mediterranean cruises, starting from $733, alaska cruises, starting from $249, the world has never looked better.

Northern Europe

Australia & South Pacific

View All Destinations

It's how you get there that counts.

QUICK CARIBBEAN ESCAPES

Enjoy the best the islands have to offer in a weekend-sized vacation.

CELEBRITY ASCENT MAKES HISTORY

Our newest ship begins its first Europe season.

Explore More

What's Included

EAT & DRINK

THE RETREAT

Why Celebrity

Cruise Deals

You’ll never want to vacation any other way.

Celebrity Cruises delivers an elevated premium vacation experience across our fleet of ships traveling to nearly 300 destinations across more than 70 countries spanning all seven continents. Uniquely offering the intimate feel and thoughtful service of small ships, with the variety and excitement of bigger ones—you can explore the world or get away from it for a little while. With every detail elevated beyond expectations, you will never want to vacation any other way. An industry pioneer for 35 years, each Celebrity vacation offers experiences you won’t find anywhere else aboard ships which continue to shatter industry expectations with the highly anticipated Celebrity Xcel arriving Fall 2025.

Previewing: Promo Dashboard Campaigns