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The relationship between the Jones Act and cruise ships can be viewed in a number of ways. As a set of laws designed to protect seamen and other maritime workers, the Jones Act covers the safety of most cruise ship crew members, but it does not apply to the passengers transported on a cruise ship. In addition, there are details regarding the definition of "cruise ship" and even "crew member" and "passenger" that will be considered in any Jones Act lawsuit.
The number of human beings aboard a large cruise ship can exceed that of a small town. Some cruise ships carry upwards of 3,500 passengers and roughly 1,000 crew members. The potential for injuries aboard a cruise ship is high, with accidents similar to those that happen on land and more, such as the following:
When a passenger aboard a cruise line's vessel is hurt or killed in an accident or due to another party's intentional harm (for example, an assault, rape or homicide), it is general maritime law that will be used to deal with the injured person's complaint — not the Jones Act.
The Jones Act requires that all cargo transported on ships between any two U.S. ports be carried only on ships that are owned, built, flagged and operated by U.S. citizens. Foreign ships cannot compete for this business. Shipping rates can thus be artificially manipulated in places such as Hawaii, where so many of the products used there or manufactured or raised must be shipped in or out of the islands.
For example, although U.S.-to-and-from-Asia shipping rates are some of the lowest in the world, the shipping rates between Hawaii and mainland U.S. have been some of the highest in the world. Cattle ranchers in Hawaii have actually found it cheaper to ship cattle to the mainland on planes than by ship.
For more information about the Jones Act, Maritime law and cruise ships, contact us today. If you have been injured while working on a cruise ship, we will connect you with an experienced Jones Act attorney who is familiar with the Jones Act laws that govern cruise ship injuries and will be able to fight on your behalf.
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