Get your Love Boat jokes ready: A couple is suing a cruise line, claiming to have been removed from the ship because they were a bit too loud while making love in their stateroom with the balcony door open. But was that really the reason they were forced to leave the ship when it arrived in Barbados the following morning?
Why The Couple Is Suing The Cruise Line
According to Reise Reporter, Renate F. and her husband, Volker, had boarded the TUI Cruises ship Mein Schiff 5 intending to enjoy a two-week voyage to the Caribbean. But shortly after their April 1 departure, the couple made love with their balcony door open, and they claim the fact their frisky frolic got a bit loud is why they were asked to disembark.
Post whoopie, Volker reportedly went to take a shower while Renate stepped outside to have a cigarette. Soon, members of the crew knocked on the door and, after a brief discussion, the couple was asked to leave the ship. Despite not having spoken to the captain, they claim to have been told it was his decision that they be disembarked.
With their suitcases in hand, the pair were left in Barbados and made to find their own way home. After spending three nights in Barbados while dealing with travel arrangements, the pair eventually returned to Germany.
Now, claiming that Renate is still traumatized by the events, the pair has filed a lawsuit against TUI Cruises. They are looking to have the cost of the cruise refunded, as well as any and all costs associated with the three days they spent in Barbados while arranging their return to Germany and that journey, plus damages for the emotional pain inflicted upon them. All in all, they are seeking just over around 9,400 euros (or just over $1o,000).
What The Cruise Line Says
“The case is known to us,” a rep from TUI Cruises told Reise Reporter when asked. “The safety of our guests is our top priority. Due to a security-related incident, we have made use of our house right and asked the guests to leave the ship. This was done to protect the guests themselves and other fellow travelers.”
Explaining that they had been in touch with the passengers, TUI added, “Please understand that we do not want to comment on the privacy of our guests in detail.”
While some have questioned whether perhaps smoking on the balcony was the reason the pair was removed from the ship, that is not actually against the rules on Mein Schiff 5, unlike most ships sailing out of the United States.
One thing that the ships operated by TUI Cruises and those more familiar to American passengers likely have in common: a cruise contract designed to protect them from such lawsuits. In most cases, the operators of a cruise ship have the right to disembark a passenger for nearly any reason, with any costs resulting from their expulsion the responsibility of the guest.
