Multiple passengers from Utah and Arizona are suing Disney Cruise Line, claiming they caught COVID-19 while onboard the Disney Fantasy in March 2020, before cruises were paused.
The passengers filed four lawsuits seeking unspecified damages on March 2, 2021, in federal court’s Orlando division. According to the lawsuits, Disney did not allow the passengers to cancel or reschedule their cruises even if they had “autoimmune diseases or compromised health conditions” leaving them “without any option” but to go on their March 2020 trip.
“Disney continued to allow passengers … to eat in buffets settings, provide group entertainment activities aboard the vessel (such as dancing) and otherwise allowed passengers to fully participate in the subject cruise as if there was no COVID-19 outbreak or threat thereof aboard the vessel,” the lawsuits state.
The plaintiffs are Arizona residents Judy Parkin and Krystal Skinner and Utah residents Kailee Taylor and Scott and Jana Olsen. They all retained the same Miami law firm.
The passengers all claim they contracted the virus while on board their March 7 through 14 sailing. It was on March 8, 2020, that the U.S. Department of State recommended Americans not travel on cruise ships.
Scott and Jana Olson took their child, who has an autoimmune disease, to a hospital ICU on March 16, 2020 with a high fever and difficulty breathing. The child tested positive for COVID-19 on May 1, and the parents also tested positive. Their lawsuit stated, “Plaintiffs feared for their own lives as well as the lives of each other.”
Krystal Skinner’s child, who also has an autoimmune disorder, felt body aches, fever, chills, and a cough on the cruise. Her other child, who has asthma, had migraines, fever, and difficulty breathing. Skinner herself also felt sick on board and all three tested positive for COVID-19 on April 15.
The lawsuits outline how there were early concerns about COVID-19 outbreaks on cruises, including on Carnival’s Diamond Princess, which had almost 700 cases in early February and quarantined for two weeks at Yokohama Harbor in Japan.
Neither Disney Cruise Line nor the passengers’ attornies provided comment to Orlando Sentinel.
Disney Cruise Line has cancelled all scheduled sailings through Mary 2021, and some sailings even further out.
Source: Orlando Sentinel
So no one tested positive until at least a month after their cruise returned? Disney might want to fight this one.
I’m sure there might be more details, but I think there’s a real lack of evidence, based just on this information, that they got Covid specifically from the cruise. They mention that there was some issues while on board, but still didn’t test positive until over a month later. It’s pretty questionable to say the least.
I think the virus will stay in your system for up to a month, however, I do feel like it’s hard to specifically say they got it while on board. Considering they don’t live in or around Orlando, they would have had to travel to and from the cruise. I think Disney has a good chance of this one being dismissed.
Umm…they sell cruise insurance, and its pretty cheap.
Interestingly, many cruise/travel insurance policies have exemptions for pandemics and/or acts of god. I remember people reporting last year that the some insurance companies fought paying out last year. I’m not entirely sure how that ended up.
someone once said shoot the lawyers. this is why.
That window of March 7-14 to testing positive on April 15th or May 1st makes me believe that they didn’t get it on the boat.
I don’t see how Disney can be held responsible. If they had travel insurance, they could have not gone on the cruise at any time. They also could have just eaten the loss and also not just gone.
They also said that the CDC didn’t make the crushing recommendation until the 8th and they departed in the 7th. Was Disney supposed to read the CDC tea leaves and know what was coming? These people are nuts.
Thanks for trying to sue Disney Cruise Line! I may never be able to go on my 1st dream cruise ever!