Disney Cruise Line has said that it was facing four federal legal actions from Utah and Arizona-based tourists who claim that they contracted Covid-19 while on board cruise ship Disney Fantasy (IMO 9445590) in March 2020, shortly before the global cruise industry ceased because of the pandemic. According to lawsuit failed on March 2nd the tourists said they contracted the virus while on board and began to feel sick. The plaintiffs seek unspecified damages. The hearing is in the Orlando, Florida division of the federal court.
Disney Cruise Line disagreed with the allegations. It said that it would respond to them in court. The company said that no guests or crew had reported symptoms of Covid-19 while aboard the vessel during the March 7th 2020 sailing. Disney Cruise Line said that it communicated health and safety information with guests in advance of and during their sailing and had numerous protocols in place at the time.
The lawsuits have accused Disney of refusing to let passengers cancel or reschedule their cruises even if they had “autoimmune diseases and compromised health conditions”. This, the lawsuit claimed, left the holiday makers “without any option” to go on the trip scheduled for March 7th to 14th 2020.
According to a Disney email sent to passengers, guests were allowed to change their reservation up until the day before embarkation to receive a 100% cruise credit.
The four plaintiffs have retained the same Miami-based law firm and their complaints were similarly phrased in the court documents. Stefanie Black and Jason Margulies are representing the four plaintiffs.
After the ship returned, the lawsuit claimed, Scott and Jana Olson’s child was taken to a hospital intensive care unit on March 16th 2020, with a high fever and difficulty breathing. The child, who had an unspecified autoimmune disease, tested positive for Covid-19 on May 1, the lawsuit said. The parents also tested positive.
The lawsuit also said that one of Krystal Skinner’s children also had an unspecified autoimmune disease and felt body aches, fever, chills and a cough on the cruise. Her other child, who has asthma, had migraines, a high fever and difficulty breathing. Both tested positive for Covid-19 on April 15th 2020. Their mother also felt sick on board and tested positive the same day as her children, according to the lawsuit.
2011-built, Bahamas-flagged, 129,750 gt Disney Fantasy is owned and managed by Magical Cruise Co Ltd of Buena Vista, Florida, USA. It is entered with UK Club on behalf of Magical Cruise Company Ltd.