Cruise Guest Sues Royal Caribbean After Mobility S...

A former Royal Caribbean passenger tripped on one other visitor’s mobility scooter, and she or he’s determined that the cruise line is responsible.

Colleen Parsons, who resides in Florida, filed a lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Group in america District Court docket for the Southern District of Florida on Might 18, 2026, during which she accuses the cruise line of negligence.

On June 22, 2025, Parsons was crusing onboard Jewel of the Seas. Whereas having fun with the Casino Royale on Deck 6, the cruiser tripped on a big electrical mobility scooter that had allegedly been left in a walkway by one other visitor.

As she navigated what she describes as an overcrowded on line casino, Parsons says that one other visitor ran into her and compelled her to journey over the scooter.

It’s unclear how full the on line casino truly was. On line casino Royale onboard Jewel of the Seas is round 6,459 sq. toes, with roughly 195 machines and 12 gaming tables.

Reasonably than going after the opposite passengers who could have been concerned, Parsons has pursued authorized motion in opposition to the cruise firm.

Her authorized crew is now accusing Royal Caribbean of negligence for failing to take care of a secure surroundings and failing to warn passengers that there was a hazard within the walkway.

The swimsuit additionally claims that crew members failed to ascertain or implement correct security protocols for working and parking mobility scooters onboard the 90,090-gross ton ship.

Parsons fractured her left wrist within the fall and required surgical procedure, which resulted in scarring. She is looking for compensation for the medical bills, ache and struggling, misplaced earnings, and lack of enjoyment and monetary worth for her cruise.

Royal Caribbean has not commented publicly on this particular lawsuit, however Cruise Hive will replace if and when an announcement is made.

As of the time of this writing, every little thing is establishment within the On line casino Royale as Jewel of the Seas operates 3- to 4-night Caribbean and Bahamas sailings from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Royal Caribbean Enforces Scooter Insurance policies

Jewel of the Seas operates with a crew of roughly 859 crew members who attempt to make company’ holidays as enjoyable and as secure as doable.

However with a most of two,702 company onboard the Radiance-class ship for every crusing, it’s inconceivable to police everybody consistently, particularly when company aren’t conscious of or willingly choose not to follow the rules.

Whereas Parsons could not have seen it in motion, Royal Caribbean does have a coverage for mobility scooters. Per the cruise line’s web site, scooters should be capable to match by way of a regular stateroom door and should all the time be safely parked.

“Mobility scooters should be saved and recharged in your stateroom so fireplace doorways, corridors and elevator lobbies are saved clear for emergency evacuation. When parked all through the ship, they should be parked out of the way in which to permit secure and easy accessibility by different company and crewmembers,” Royal Caribbean’s website states.

That is similar to the scooter insurance policies enforced by different mainstream cruise strains, such as Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celeb Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, and Princess Cruises.

Would Cruise Strains Ever Ban Scooters?

Mobility scooters all the time appear to be a source of controversy, each by way of correct visitor etiquette regarding these units and now as well being hazards.

Along with this present state of affairs, Cruise Hive not too long ago reported {that a} former Carnival Valor passenger sued Carnival Cruise Line after falling from their scooter throughout debarkation.

And in Might, one other cruise visitor plunged to her dying after riding her mobility scooter off the pier and into the ocean at Celebration Key within the Bahamas.

All that mentioned, there are many cruisers who depend on mobility scooters with a purpose to get round who do use these units safely and responsibly. Banning scooters totally wouldn’t be truthful to passengers who depend on them.

The one exception to this are on some river cruises, the place the ships are a lot smaller and fewer accessible attributable to structural limitations like low bridges and slender locks.

However even then, manufacturers like Viking River Cruises nonetheless normally enable company with mobility challenges to convey compact, light-weight folding scooters.