Cruise Passenger Bill of Rights Offers Protections Amid Virus Outbreaks on Ships

Health worries are growing among cruise passengers, who are scrutinizing protections available if problems arise on board.

Recent cases include a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius and a norovirus outbreak on the Caribbean Princess last month. Cruise experts point to several safeguards for travelers' rights.

"The Passenger Bill of Rights is a voluntary set of standards that cruise lines adopted in 2013 that lays out what passengers can expect when things go wrong on a cruise," Gene Sloan, cruise director at The Points Guy, told Fox News Digital.

Sloan recommends that passengers review the bill before sailing. "It guarantees such things as access to emergency medical care, refunds for canceled voyages and timely communication during disruptions," he added.

Travelers fear being stuck in a port, losing thousands of dollars on canceled trips or paying extra to get home amid outbreaks.

The Cruise Lines International Association, the industry's largest trade group, adopted the Cruise Industry Passenger Bill of Rights in 2013. That followed high-profile disasters, including the Carnival Triumph engine-room fire. Passengers on that ship, dubbed the "poop cruise," endured days without working toilets or reliable power, according to Cruise Critic.

The Passenger Bill of Rights provides core protections. Passengers have "the right to a full refund for a trip that is canceled due to mechanical failures, or a partial refund for voyages that are terminated early due to those failures."

They also have "the right to transportation to the ship's scheduled port of disembarkation or the passenger's home city in the event a cruise is terminated early due to mechanical failures."

Another guarantee is "the right to lodging if disembarkation and an overnight stay in an unscheduled port are required" during emergencies.

Sloan noted the protections were drafted for mechanical breakdowns, not medical outbreaks. Oceanwide's Hondius case fell outside that scope.

"The template for what happens in these situations was shown during COVID. It was an absolute nightmare for passengers who were stuck on those ships when COVID first broke out," Michael Winkleman, a partner at the Miami-based law firm Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, told Fox News Digital.

"The passengers have rights, but when you are stuck on a ship during an outbreak, your individual rights are often outweighed by societal health and safety concerns," said Winkleman. His firm specializes in cruise ship injury, assault and passenger rights cases.

Sloan told passengers they can rest assured. "Cruisers can rest assured that cruise lines will not leave them stranded in a situation like this," he said.

"All the major cruise lines have committed in writing to get people home if a cruise is terminated early due to a mechanical failure, and they traditionally have followed this principle when cruises are terminated early due to a medical crisis," he said. "They'll also provide refunds for canceled or shortened cruises."

Details differ by line, Sloan said. "Some lines will arrange all-new flights home while others will help you rebook your existing flights home and typically pay for any change fees."

Maritime attorneys and consumer advocates warn the Passenger Bill of Rights has limits. It is voluntary and centers on mechanical failures, not public health emergencies or quarantines, Sloan said.

Critics note the protections lack the enforcement of federal airline passenger rules. Passenger rights often hinge on fine print in cruise ticket contracts, which restrict where and when claims can be filed, according to Elliott Advocacy. The group offers mediation for traveler disputes with cruise lines, airlines and hotels.